World Affairs Council of Austin

Rethink Health Care Spending: Are You (and Your Employees) Getting Your Money’s Worth?
2018-04-20 11:30 - 13:00 (America/Chicago) | AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center, 1900 University Ave, Austin, TX, 78705, United States
The World Affairs Council of Austin, in partnership with the University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business, is proud to present the Texas Enterprise Speaker Series.
Join us on 20 April for a presentation by Elizabeth Teisberg, Ph.D.Executive Director, Value Institute for Health and Care at Dell Medical School, McCombs School of Business.

Does health care spending seem uncontrollable and ineffective? Are you and your employees adrift in an ever-shifting landscape of legislation, mergers, rising costs, and ineffective care? Does your organization lose productivity and profit due to poor employee health and high spending on health benefits?
As we all know, there are no quick fixes, but the trends won’t change unless employers take a new stance. What if health benefits promoted health and catalyzed change in health care delivery?
Join us to discuss what high-value health care means and how employers can catalyze change that improves health outcomes and expands meaningful, effective choices for your employees.
Attendees will learn:
• How employers can be catalysts in health care transformation
• How to improve employee health while reducing cost
• How to find and understand hidden costs in health care
• How to create and sustain value
Elizabeth Teisberg is co-creator of the idea of value-based health care strategy and an internationally recognized author and professor. She currently serves as Dell Medical School’s Executive Director of the Value Institute for Health and Care.
Teisberg has won the Wachovia Award for outstanding research, the Frederick S. Morton Award for Leadership, and the Book of the Year Award from the American College of Health Care Executives. She comes to Dell Medical School from Dartmouth College’s Geisel School of Medicine and was previously on the faculty of the University of Virginia’s Graduate School of Business and the Harvard Business School. She earned an M.S. and a Ph.D. from the Stanford University School of Engineering. She also holds a Master of Engineering degree from the University of Virginia and an A.B. degree, summa cum laude, from Washington University in St. Louis.
Registration cost includes lunch. RSVP via the event website link here or below.

Governor's Business Forum and Small Business Awards Luncheon
2018-05-15 08:00 - 20:00 | Archer Hotel Austin, 3121 Palm Way, Austin, TX, 78758, United States
The World Affairs Council of Austin along with the Asociacion de Empresarios Mexicanos (AEM-Austin) & the Office of Governor Greg Abbott presents the Governor’s Business Forum on 15 May 2018. Join corporate executives, entrepreneurs, community leaders, and government officials working to strengthen business relationships, recognize corporate excellence and promote business growth in Texas.

In addition to the Governor’s Small Business Awards Luncheon, Forum attendees will learn how to do business with the state of Texas; how to enhance your business marketing and social media engagement initiatives; access new sources of business capital and employee training programs; how to plan for the 2018 tax reform impact; and hear from CEOs and entrepreneurs about issues they face each day.

As a partner organization, World Affairs Council of Austin members are eligible to register at the discounted rate of $95. Click here and become a member today.

Investor Education Forum for Consumer Products Industry
2018-06-19 10:00 - 14:30 | Capital Factory, 701 Brazos Street, Austin, TX, 78701, United States
The World Affairs Council of Austin’s Center for Global Trade is a partner organization with SKU, the premiere accelerator for the growing consumer products (CPG) industry.
The consumer products (CPG) industry is hot, and emerging CPG brands present an opportunity for investors, at every stage of the game, to profitably diversify their portfolios. For investors at every stage of the game, emerging CPG brands present an opportunity for a profitably diversified portfolio. However, understanding how to pick winning CPG companies and knowing what to expect as they scale presents a challenge to both new and experienced investors.
Join us as we bring together some of the top Angel, Venture Capital, and Private Equity investors in CPG to listen to their industry insights and learn tips and tricks for investing in the right companies at the right time.
Panelists from: CAVU Venture Partners, Silverton Partners, VMG Partners, 2x Consumer Products Growth Partners, Piper Jaffray, Mark Cuban Companies, Amplify Snack Brands, Diageo, Seed Sumo, and Rhythm Superfoods LLC.
World Affairs Council of Austin members receive a 25% registration discount. Your discount code will arrive in the June member’s newsletter.

Stop Fakes IPR Protection Conference
2018-08-23 08:30 - 16:00 | State Capitol, 1100 Congress Avenue, Austin, 78701, United States
American companies lose over $600 billion annually due to theft of intellectual property. If you want to learn more about how to protect against piracy of technology and theft of trade secrets, join the World Affairs Council of Austin’s Center for Global Trade, along with experts and attorneys from the Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration (ITA) and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) offer this one-day seminar on how companies and individuals can protect and enforce intellectual property to get the most out of exporting abroad.
The STOPfakes.gov Road Show answers your questions about commercializing your creations and innovations, includes strategies for protecting and enforcing a company’s intellectual property when exporting to foreign markets, and advice for avoiding common pitfalls. Participants have the chance to ask export questions related to patents, trade secrets, trademarks, copyrights and domain names.
At the conclusion of each Road Show, participants take advantage of one-on-one consultations with intellectual property experts to get targeted advice. Small and medium-sized businesses in particular benefit from this unique opportunity. More information and seminar registration is available here.

America's Role in the World: Why Leading Globally Matters for Texas
2019-03-18 12:00 - 13:30 | TX
Join us for a dynamic lunch discussion featuring Ambassador Barbara Stephenson, President of the American Foreign Service Association, Bill Lane, Executive Director of Trade for America, and U.S. Representative Michael McCaul on the positive impact of global affairs programs in Texas.
The World Affairs Council of Austin, in partnership with the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, is pleased to provide members with a special off-the-record briefing on America’s Role in the World by the ranking member of the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Michael McCaul.
World Affairs Council of Austin members receive email invitations along with information on how to RSVP for this exclusive, invitation-only event in your March WACA newsletter and Weekly News Update.
Hear what you missed:

Invest in Pomerania
2019-05-10 11:30 - 13:00 | BBVA Bank, 1703 W. 5th, Ste. 500, Austin, TX, 78703, United States
Join our next Central Texas International Business Coalition meeting and hear from Invest in Pomerania as they discuss the benefits of investing in this dynamic and ultra-modern, business friendly and ready, region of Poland. A country strategically located in the heart of Europe and the birth place of Solidarity movement led by former president of Poland and Nobel-prize winner, Mr. Lech Walesa.
This region offers:
• A highly educated workforce, with an English proficiency that rivals Germany, France, and Scandinavia
• An industry leading Business Services Sector that provides excellent opportunities for optimizing various operation areas
• World class engineers at your disposal to help you discover solutions for software development in finance and accounting, HR, and customer service through robotic process automation (RPA), big data analysis, and machine learning
• Established R&D activities that will help your biotech/medtech products find their true potential
• A leading hub for automotive, electronics and advanced maritime projects
• A solution to your company’s Brexit woes
• One of the largest port systems in Europe offering regular weekly direct calls with the Far East
• A super-efficient investment support and incentive system

European Politics and the State of Transatlantic Affairs
2019-09-13 11:45 - 13:00 | BBVA Bank, 1703 W. 5th, Ste. 500, Austin, TX, 78703, United States
On September 13th, Mr. Karl Matthias Klause, Head of the Economic Section of the German Embassy in Washington DC will offer an overview on transatlantic trade, European politics, and the importance of the EU-US relationship to Texas. Mr. Klause’s responsibilities at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany include economy, trade, business, finance, science, transport, and agriculture.
Agenda
11:45 AM Registration

12:00 PM Speaker Introduction by Roland Pena, Vice President of Economic Development at the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce

Remarks on European Politics and the State of Transatlantic Affairs offered by Mr. Karl Matthias Klause followed by Q&A
1:00 PM Event Concludes
Reserve your seat now for this informative session on the current state of transatlantic affairs.

Event partners include:

Business Briefing Featuring H.E. David Bakradze, the Republic of Georgia's Ambassador to the USA
2019-10-09 12:30 - 14:00 | Austin Chamber of Commerce, 535 E. Fifth Street, Austin, TX, 78701, United States
In recent years, Georgia has been working to strengthen their own technology and innovation ecosystem with the help of the U.S. technology industry. The government of Georgia supported the establishment of entrepreneurial programs StartUp Grind Tbilisi and Georgia’s Innovation and Technology Agency.
H.E. David Bakradze, Ambassador of Georgia to the USA, and his delegation, will provide an overview of specific opportunities available to central Texas businesses.
Georgia is strategically located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. Georgia is recognized as one of the easiest places to do business in the world. World Bank’s Doing Business 2019 report placed Georgia in sixth place in the Ease of Doing Business category among 190 countries. The country’s friendly business climate offers access to an un-tapped region of about 200 million people. The business environment continues to strengthen as the government prioritizes reforms and investment in a strong, open economy.
AGENDA
12:30 PM Lunch
1:00 PM Business Briefing with Q&A
2:00 PM Event Concludes

David Bakradze was appointed Ambassador of Georgia to the United States in Washington, D.C. in December 2016. Ambassador Bakradze has a long and distinguished career in diplomatic service. Since 1997, he has served in a number of senior official posts in Georgian public service. Prior to his appointment as Ambassador to the U.S., Ambassador Bakradze served as the State Minister of Georgia for Euro-Atlantic Integration. In that role, he was responsible for the coordinating the Government of Georgia’s work on implementing key instruments of integration, such as the EU-Georgia Association Agreement (AA), the Annual National Program (ANP) with NATO, etc. He also coordinated Strategic Communication and European Assistance Programs for the Government of Georgia. Ambassador Bakradze’s career includes a number of notable and senior positions. He served as Ambassador to the Hellenic Republic and the Republic of Serbia (2012 – 2014); Senior Counsellor and Chargé d’Affaires in the Republic of Finland (2008 – 2012); Head of First European Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2005 – 2008); Counselor and DCM of the Permanent Mission of Georgia to the U.N. (2002—2005); advisor in the National Security Council of Georgia covering Human Rights, Information and Analysis, Law Enforcement Institutions (1997 – 2002); staff member in the press office for the office of the President of Georgia (1996 – 1997). Ambassador Bakradze graduated from Tbilisi State University with a degree in International Economic Relations and International Law. He speaks Georgian, English and Russian.

Ireland: Creating Space for Business to Grow
2020-03-03 11:45 - 13:00 | BBVA Bank, 1703 W. 5th, Ste. 500, Austin, TX, 78703, United States
Texas and Ireland share a rich history of political, economic, and commercial relations. Texas exports $580 million worth of goods and services to Ireland annually, an impressive amount relative to the country’s population of 4.8 million people. With a GDP of $383 billion in 2018, Ireland is one of the most open, and export-driven economies in the world and the gateway to the European economy. The Celtic Tiger’s GDP increased by 4.3 percent in 2019 and is projected to increase another 3.5% in 2020, reinforcing its position as one of the best performing economies in the European Union.
Attend this seminar to learn more about market growth and the office property market in Ireland and the benefits of serviced/flexible space. Our featured speakers, Mr. Michael Kelly, Managing Director, Glandore and Mr. Henry Daly, Head of Marketing, Glandore will explain how your company may leverage Glandore’s resources and business network for a successful market entry into Ireland and Europe.
U.S. exports of goods to Ireland exceed $10 billion annually. The best prospects are chemicals and pharmaceuticals, computers and electronic products, aircraft and transportation equipment, power generation technology, medical devices, and electrical equipment. U.S. professional service exports to Ireland are also highly valued at more than $49 billion. Over 700 U.S. firms have a presence in Ireland and that number is growing by the day. Attend this seminar and discover how to join your American business colleagues on the Emerald Isle.

Agenda
11:45 am Lunch Buffet
12:00 pm Presentation by Michael Kelly, Managing Director at Glandore and
Henry Daly, Head of Marketing at Glandore
12:45 pm Networking
1:00 pm Meeting Concludes

America's Air Force: An Overview Featuring Lt. Gen. Marshall B. Webb
2020-03-27 11:45 - 13:00 | TX, United States
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED

The World Affairs Council of Austin is honored to have Lt. Gen. Marshall B. “Brad” Webb provide an update on U.S. Air Force operations. Lt. Gen. Webb is the Commander, Air Education and Training Command, at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph. He is responsible for the recruitment, training and education of Air Force personnel. This presentation will provide attendees with a review of U.S. Air Force efforts to meet current and emerging challenges on the global stage. Lt. Gen. Webb will also discuss how the new focus of the National Defense Strategy is shaping our relationships with allies, emerging partners, and their militaries.

10th Annual Texas-EU Business Summit
2021-11-09 08:00 - 19:00 | San Jacinto Meeting Rooms, 309 E 21st St, Austin, TX, 78712, United States
In its 10th year, the Texas-EU Business Summit is the premier event for Texas businesses, entrepreneurs and economic development professionals seeking to expand their footprint in Europe.
Texas is already the largest exporting state to the European Union. The summit builds on that footprint, focusing on promoting the international trade capacity of Texas businesses and economic development organizations while creating greater awareness regarding the benefits of exporting.
The Texas-EU Business Summit sessions are led by business leaders, trade and investment officials from EU countries, trade policy experts and political officials.
Event hosts include:
The Center for European Studies, the University of Texas at Austin,
Austin Community College,
The Consulate General of Ireland in Austin,
The Kozmetsky Center of Excellence at St. Edwards University,
The Texas-Central & Eastern Europe Tech Summit
and
Pendas International

From the Polish Cyber Frontlines to Texas. Lessons Learned and New US-EU Cybersecurity Opportunities
2022-06-22 12:00 - 14:00 | Capital Factory, 701 Brazos Street, Austin, TX, 78701, United States
Explore way to learn from, and cooperate with, some of Poland’s most elite cybersecurity experts as they discuss their work in Europe combating one of the 21st centuries most pressing threats.

Wednesday, June 22, 2022
Panel, Lunch, & Networking: 12:00pm-2:00pm
Capital Factory, Captain America Room, 8th floor, 701 Brazos St, Austin, 78701
RSVP: Rafal.Sordyl (at) msz.gov.pl

Singapore Market Access
2023-09-13 11:30 - 13:30 | Indeed Tower, 200 W. 6th Street, Austin, Texas, 78701, United States
Singapore is an impressive center for business in Asia. The city-state has been consistently acknowledged as a global hub featuring developed infrastructure, political stability, open business policies, a skilled workforce, and respect for intellectual property rights.
A growing number of central Texas companies are looking to Singapore as their gateway to Asia. The featured presentations will focus on Singapore’s market advantages and provide you with practical steps on how to acquire your first customers and grow your revenue in the Southeast Asia region.

Agenda
11:30 Registration + lunch
11:45 Welcome + presentations by:
• Roland Peña, SVP of Global Tech and Innovation, Opportunity Austin/Austin Chamber
• Kristie Lai, Regional Director-Americas (Houston), Economic Development Board of Singapore
• Karen Parker, Senior International Trade Specialist, U.S. Commercial Service (Austin)
• Anthony Howe, Commercial Director, Asia Market Entry
• Q/A + Networking
1:30 Event concludes
Take advantage of this exclusive invitation to have your questions answered and learn more about business opportunities in Singapore.

12th Annual Texas-EU Business Summit
2023-09-26 08:30 - 18:30 | San Jacinto Meeting Rooms, 309 E 21st St, Austin, TX, 78712, United States
In its 12th year, the Texas-EU Business Summit is the premier event for Texas businesses, entrepreneurs and economic development professionals seeking to expand their footprint in Europe.
Texas is already the largest exporting state to the European Union. The Summit builds on that foundation, focusing on promoting the international trade capacity of Texas businesses while creating greater awareness regarding the benefits of exporting.
The Texas-EU Business Summit sessions are led by business leaders, trade and investment officials from EU countries, trade policy experts and political officials.

Event hosts include:
The World Affairs Council of Austin,
Center for European Studies at the University of Texas at Austin,
Austin Community College,
The Consulate General of Ireland in Austin, IDA Ireland,
Pedraza Customhouse Brokers,
Scalo,Inc.,

Polish Investment and Trade Agency (Houston),
Access to Culture,
and
Pendas International

EU at SXSW 2024
2024-03-10 10:00 - 2024-03-11 21:00 | Parkside, 301 East 6th Street, Austin, TX, 78701, United States
AGENDA
Sunday, March 10th
10:00 AM – 11:00 PM
More than Food and Drinks, Savoring Stories

Join us for a delightful two-day experience including bites from our enticing food cart.

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Navigating Food Waste and Loss: Insights and Strategies

Whether you’re an individual or a business, get ready for valuable insights that go beyond just talk. Tech companies, universities, NGOs – everyone can be part of the solution.

2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
European Innovations in MedTech: Driving Change, Saving Lives

Participate in this engaging discussion about the groundbreaking European technologies that are disrupting healthcare – tools that can help doctors achieve better outcomes for patients and their families.

4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Innovation in the Age of Regulation

What is the future of groundbreaking technology in the wake of recent AI regulation?

7:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Euro Night

Help us kick off two days of enlightening conversation and cultural festivities at the EURO TECH HOUSE, the European Union’s celebration of the transatlantic partnership!

Monday, March 11th
10:00 AM – 11:00 PM
More than Food and Drinks, Savoring Stories

Join us for a delightful two-day experience including bites from our enticing food cart.

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
AI & The Future of Loneliness

Have you ever said “thank you” to Alexa? Or “goodbye” to a customer service chatbot? From self-checkout registers to digital menus and delivery apps, today there are fewer opportunities for a human to ask: “How are you?”
2:30 PM – 3:30 PM

Tracing Music Royalties and Revenues in Gaming and the Metaverse

In this panel discussion, experts will delve into compelling use cases for the metaverse and the music business, offering their insights on seizing business opportunities in music licensing and shaping industry trends.
7:00 PM – 11:00 PM

EU Music Showcase
Enjoy an incredible night featuring talented artists from across Europe! On the EURO TECH HOUSE stage upstairs, you can hear performances from different corners of the continent, offering a diverse array of talent that will captivate every taste, guaranteeing a fun evening for all.
