Top Tech Meetups in Austin, Texas
Written by Emily Hyatt
Texas is quickly becoming, if not already, the number one startup state in the United States. It’s an exciting, thriving environment for entrepreneurs and founders to dip their toes in or dive right into the world of self-owned businesses.
Capital Factory is located in the heart of downtown Austin, Texas. Its mission is to be the center of gravity for entrepreneurs in Texas. When you dig deep into that center, you’ll find that monthly recurring Meetups are the heartbeat of Capital Factory. Meetups foster a community for those looking for it and create serendipitous connections for the thousands of entrepreneurs, programmers, designers, and so many others who walk through the doors.
Because of this, we greatly value Meetup organizers at Capital Factory. As a means of support, we recently hosted a Meetup for Meetup organizers with successful entrepreneur, author, and investor Nick Gray. Nick chronicled the event and posted a video of the night on YouTube! You can find the video here.
Capital Factory hosts dozens of Meetups, from happy hours to pitch workshops and public speaking exercises. But what are some of the other recurring events happening around town that the tech-savvy community should be aware of?
Here are some of the most exciting and popular tech Meetups in Austin, Texas!
F.I.E.S.T.A. Monthly Meetups
FIESTA stands for “Founders, Investors, Entrepreneurs, Startups, Techies, and Austin Newcomers” because that’s who it’s dedicated to. The group aims to connect, support, and inspire early-stage startup founders and free thinkers. Whether new to Austin or a born and raised Austinite, this is the perfect opportunity to meet like-minded connections and friends.
FIESTA meets on the 3rd Tuesday of every month at Capital Factory in Downtown Austin. You can find more information on their Meetup page!
Out in Tech Monthly Mixers
Out In Tech is one of the largest non-profit organizations for the LGBTQ+ tech community! With locations in several cities worldwide, they create opportunities for members to advance their careers, cultivate their networks, and leverage tech for social change. This group is open to everyone and offers a safe space for queer professionals to expand their community.
Out In Tech hosts a monthly mixer at Cheer Up Charlie’s in Downtown Austin on the 3rd Tuesday of every month. You can find more information on their event page!
Tech Life Austin Monthly Meetups
Led by Austin local Cristina Soliz, the Tech Life Austin community brings people in technology and business together at local hot spots for socialization and networking. Tech Life Austin is an umbrella for three separate Meetups: Austin Tech Collective, Techtopia Austin, and Women In Tech.
Cristina hosts the Austin Tech Collective Meetup with co-organizer Michelle Matos, whom she actually met at a separate Meetup. They created their own group to unite the tech and business communities and allow attendees to mingle at local bars and restaurants. It’s open to anyone wanting to join, regardless of their tech knowledge!
Cristina also hosts the Techtopia Austin Meetup with co-organizer Gulroz Singh. This group is for tech experts and enthusiasts, and these Meetups are held in a more calm and quiet setting so attendees can chat and swap ideas.
Women In Tech is still growing, but Cristina hopes the Meetup will evolve quickly and eventually co-collaborate with her other two larger gatherings.
Though Tech Life Austin does not have a website yet, you can keep up with these groups on their meetup pages!
Austin Tech Collective meets on the 1st Thursday of the month.
Techtopia Austin meets on the 3rd Thursday of the month.
Texas Women in Business Austin’s Coffee Connections
Texas Women in Business is a non-profit organization that empowers women to achieve personal and professional goals. This group cultivates education, development, networking, and leadership. Everyone is welcome, but those passionate about their mission are encouraged to become a member! Members get discounts on all events and receive exclusive access to members-only events.
Texas Women in Business hosts two coffee networking events every month. There is a North Austin Coffee Connection on the 2nd Saturday of the month and a South Austin Coffee Connection on the last Friday of each month (except for November and December; there will only be one combination event on the 2nd Saturday of each month). You can visit their website for more information on how to become a member and/or attend a coffee connection!
Austin Health and Fitness Entrepreneurship Monthly Meetups
The Austin Health and Fitness Entrepreneurship Meetup was founded by Austin locals wanting to foster a health-focused community. The group is exactly what it sounds like: a place for those in the health, healthcare, health tech, or fitness industries to network, mentor, coach, and connect. Anyone from physical therapists to gym owners is welcome to join. However, the organizers want to stress that this is a group of givers. Attendees should uplift and support each other, not hand out business cards and plug their successes.
Join this group on the 1st Thursday of every month! You can find more information on the group’s Meetup page!
Wake Up! CPG Monthly Meetups & Happy Hours
Looking for a group that loves happy hours, networking, and consumer packaged goods? Then Wake Up! CPG is the place for you. Whether you’re running a CPG business or want to start one, join this group in Austin, the heart of CPG companies. If you can’t make it in Austin, join the community at their other chapters in Houston or Dallas!
You can join the fun either at their monthly happy hour on the 3rd Wednesday of the month or at their regular Meetups on the 4th Thursday of the month. You can find more information on the group’s Meetup page!
Austin AI Product Collective’s Social Hours
The AI Product Collective is a welcoming community in Austin, full of people with diverse technical and non-technical backgrounds eager to dive into the practical applications of artificial intelligence. The Collective hopes to create a space where attendees can connect, exchange ideas, ask questions, and showcase AI-centric projects.
The AI Producer Collective hosts Social Hours, full of drinks and talks, on the 2nd Thursday of the month. You can find more information on the group’s Meetup page!
Austin Connections Weekly Happy Hour
If you’re intimidated by “tech” but still want to learn more, Austin Connections may be the best place for you. Conducted by Austin locals, Austin Connections is a weekly happy hour for new and native Austinites. These happy hours allow you to share your successes and vent about your failures. It’s in a laid-back, casual setting, so don’t be afraid to stop by!
Austin Connections meets every Wednesday from 5pm — 7pm. You can find more information on their Eventbrite page!
Are you interested in joining the thriving tech community deep in the heart of Texas? If so, Capital Factory is a wonderful place to get started! There are open applications to host your Meetup in one of Capital Factory’s many meeting spaces.
You can find and download the application here. Once completed, you can email it to meetups@capitalfactory.com for next steps!
