Report: Austin Startup Community Remains Optimistic About Central Texas as a Destination for Startups

We are thrilled to announce the well-deserved promotion of Michael Tian to Senior Associate! Michael’s exceptional work as an investment associate during his two-year tenure with us has made a significant impact on our firm, and we look forward to seeing him take on new challenges in his new role.

Michael's dedication and hard work have consistently shone through in his contributions to our firm's success. He has demonstrated a strong ability to evaluate potential investments, develop relationships with entrepreneurs, and provide support to our portfolio companies.

We are confident that Michael's drive and intellectual curiosity will continue to be a tremendous asset to our team and our portfolio companies. Please join us in congratulating him on this well-deserved promotion, and we look forward to seeing him thrive in his new role as Senior Associate at Next Coast Ventures.

Connect with Michael on LinkedIn

Zaz Floreani has decided to transition out of her role as a Principal and into the role of a Venture Partner at Next Coast Ventures. We are grateful for all the contributions that Zaz has made to our firm and thrilled to have her remain part of the NCV team.  While this means she will no longer be on the core investing team on a day to day basis, we know that her background, network, and experience will make her a great Venture Partner.

By way of background, Zaz joined NCV in October 2019 after several senior roles in the Austin startup community. During her 2.5 years at Next Coast Ventures, Zaz has been an important member of the deal team, helping execute the firm's strategy in its early stage investments. She also provided valuable support to the firm's portfolio companies. Zaz has spent her entire career working closely with entrepreneurs in Next Coast markets and has been instrumental in NCV’s growth. We appreciate her drive and expertise and are glad she’ll continue to be a part of our family as a Venture Partner.

We are pleased to announce Jordan Morrell has joined NCV as our newest Entrepreneur in Residence.

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“We’re incredibly excited about welcoming Jordan as our newest EIR,” said Mike Smerklo. “Jordan brings 20+ years of experience as a seasoned operator with deep industry experience, a clear consumer understanding, and a passion for great products.”

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It has always been important to our firm’s culture to have a strong entrepreneur in our office to bring their unique perspective on emerging market trends and discover their next project. We are thrilled to have Jordan start exploring new internet consumer opportunities as the next step in his storied career. 

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Jordan was most recently Vice President of Strategy and Operations for Nike Design working side by side with Nike's Chief Design Officer. In this capacity, Jordan was the COO of Nike’s 700+ person design organization with responsibility for: driving its business and creative strategy, managing its annual $180M+ operating budget, and leading its 30+ person Strategy and Operations team who provide designers with the time, space, and tools to unleash their creative potential and deliver product excellence.

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He also played a critical role in driving collaboration across Product Management & Merchandising, Innovation, Design, and Marketing to define and drive Nike's seasonal narratives and consumer concepts, solve for consumers’ needs and deepen their connection to the Nike brand. He and his team enabled the world’s largest design house to create 16,000+ unique styles of footwear, apparel, and equipment each year.

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Prior to joining Nike Design, he was a leader in Nike’s North America Direct To Consumer retail offense (Nike Stores + Nike.com) as GM of both the NIKEiD and Nike+ Digital business units - managing Nike's legacy customization business while also launching and building Nike’s first-to-market wearables business (led by the Nike+ FuelBand). 

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“I look forward to working side by side with the NCV’s industry-leading team of technology and early-stage investment experts,” said Jordan. “I can’t wait to roll up my sleeves to develop the next great, consumer brand with a disruptive technological advantage.”

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