What happens in Austin doesn't stay in Austin
22.05.12
The Venture Asheville party was a big success, according to Ben Teague, executive director of the Economic Development Coalition of Asheville-Buncombe County. “It’s not just that people were exchanging business cards and contacts, it’s the quality of the contacts.”
At the Soho Lounge, Teague could point to venture capitalists who have already sunk some large investment in Asheville start-ups like Creative Allies, Sean O’Connell’s online music/pop art emporium. Introductions were struck up. One woman came up to Pam Lewis, and asked “did you really fly chocolates all the way from Asheville to Austin.” She had sampled some of the dark rich sweets at the French Broad Chocolate Lounge during a recent trip, and was eager for more.
Bradley Cain of ERC Broadband was all smiles during the Asheville party. “No matter how many show up, it’s an unqualified success.”
“So Asheville? It’s similar to Asheville, right?” said the man at the Soho Lounge bar. He wasn’t the usual hipster at SXSW, a little older, jeans a little more fashionable, decked out in an expensive blazer and cowboy boots. He was with Cisco Systems, one of the sponsors of the Asheville party, and a huge computer network company headquartered i n Austin, which usually is a no-show at the humongous SXSW festival.
Source: Asheville Citizen-Times (blog)