Vegas Startup Scene is your insider guide to the founders, investors, and operators building the future of tech in Las Vegas. Hosted by Jason LeDuc, this show delivers sharp analysis of startup funding, venture trends, ecosystem updates, and leadership lessons from the front lines of innovation. Designed for founders, tech investors, and ambitious entrepreneurs, each episode connects strategy with execution—spotlighting the people and momentum driving Vegas forward.
Vegas Startup Scene
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Podcast Overview
Vegas Startup Scene is your insider guide to the founders, investors, and operators building the future of tech in Las Vegas. Hosted by Jason LeDuc, this show delivers sharp analysis of startup funding, venture trends, ecosystem updates, and leadership lessons from the front lines of innovation. Designed for founders, tech investors, and ambitious entrepreneurs, each episode connects strategy with execution—spotlighting the people and momentum driving Vegas forward.
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2/19/2026
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Recent Episodes
June 22, 2026
Vegas Startup Scene June 22nd 2026 – Nevada Tech Is Growing Up: Startups, AI, & Data Centers
<p>Southern Nevada’s tech ecosystem is entering a new phase — and this week’s Vegas Startup Scene breaks down why founders, investors, university builders, and startup community leaders should be paying attention.</p><p><br></p><p>In this episode, Jason LeDuc covers a major move from one of Las Vegas’ largest technology companies as Skillz restructures and rebrands as Firy, a new technology holding company bringing together real-money gaming, developer services, Beam, and AI advertising technology company RZR under one umbrella. More importantly for Nevada, the company continues to deepen its local roots through executive hiring, university partnerships, and a growing co-op program that is helping turn students into full-time Las Vegas employees.</p><p><br></p><p>We also look at how UNLV is strengthening Nevada’s innovation pipeline through its partnership with Franklin Venture Studio, the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, and the GOED Knowledge Fund. Five university-developed technologies are moving closer to commercialization across battery innovation, biotech, AI, power, sports performance, dental technology, and public health monitoring — a major sign that Nevada is not just talking about startups, but actively building the systems to turn research into companies, jobs, and long-term economic growth.</p><p><br></p><p>This week also includes a major infrastructure update as Switch receives approval to expand its Las Vegas headquarters campus with a new data center facility at the Southwest Valley Mega Campus. As demand for AI, cloud computing, and digital infrastructure continues to grow, Southern Nevada’s role in the national technology economy is becoming harder to ignore.</p><p><br></p><p>Plus, Jason previews upcoming startup, tech, crypto, and founder events across the Las Vegas ecosystem, including Tech Alley Henderson, Startup Vegas coworking, Ignite Talks Las Vegas, Las Vegas Startups, Vegas Crypto Group events, and the Governor’s Elements of Change Lithium and Critical Minerals Summit.</p><p><br></p><p>The episode also features a community spotlight with Jenn From Japan, who shares details about Home of the Brave, a military talent competition supporting veterans, Gold Star families, wounded warriors, and homeless veterans.</p><p><br></p><p>💬 COMMENT BELOW:</p><p>What do you think is the biggest signal that Nevada’s startup ecosystem is maturing — university commercialization, major tech company expansion, AI infrastructure, founder events, or investor activity?</p><p><br></p><p>Subscribe for weekly updates on Las Vegas startups, Nevada technology, venture building, entrepreneurship, innovation, AI, data centers, and the Southern Nevada business ecosystem.</p><p><br></p><p>Go out there. Do great things today.</p><p><br></p><p>Onward and Upward! 🚀</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>LINKS</p><p>Nevada Governor's Office of Economic Development Website: https://goed.nv.gov</p><p>UNLV Website: https://www.unlv.edu/</p><p>Franklin Venture Studio Website: https://franklinadvisory.com/</p><p>Firy Website: https://firy.com/</p><p>Skillz Website: https://www.skillz.com/</p><p>Beamable Website: https://beamable.com/</p><p>Switch Website: https://www.switch.com/</p><p>Tech Alley Website: https://www.techalley.org/</p><p>Startup Vegas Website: https://startup.vegas/</p><p>Ignite Talks Las Vegas Website: https://ignitelasvegas.com/</p><p>Nevada Governor's Office of Economic Development Website: https://goed.nv.gov/</p><p>International Innovation Center Website: https://www.intlinnovation.com/</p><p>StartUpNV Website: https://startupnv.org/</p><p>Las Vegas Startups Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/vegasstartups/</p><p>Vegas Crypto Group: https://www.meetup.com/vegas-crypto-group/</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>Conversation with Jenn From Japan on the Tech Alley Downtown Livestream recording: https://youtube.com/live/3xiR9zOwuO8</p><p><br></p><p>Want to get your news or event in the rundown? Contact me here:</p><p><br></p><p>Email: info@leducleadership.com</p><p>LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-leduc-3469823/</p><p>Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leducleadership</p>
June 15, 2026
Vegas Startup Scene June 15th 2026 – Nevada Just Shocked the Startup World
<p>Southern Nevada’s startup ecosystem just hit another major milestone.</p><p><br></p><p>This week on Vegas Startup Scene, Jason LeDuc breaks down why Las Vegas is gaining national and global recognition as one of the fastest-growing startup hubs in the country. StartupBlink’s Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2026 ranked Las Vegas #2 in the world for Startup Community Activity, while the city climbed to #23 in the United States and #67 globally overall.</p><p><br></p><p>That momentum is no longer just hype. It is showing up in real funding, real companies, and real infrastructure.</p><p><br></p><p>The biggest headline this week: TensorWave raised $350 million in Series B funding at a $1.55 billion valuation, one of the largest startup funding rounds in Nevada history. The round, co-led by Magnetar and AMD Ventures, will help TensorWave expand its AMD-powered AI cloud, deploy next-generation AMD Instinct GPU clusters, and support larger AI workloads for companies like Fireworks AI and Luma AI.</p><p><br></p><p>For founders, investors, and operators watching the future of artificial intelligence, this is a major signal. Las Vegas is not just participating in the AI economy. Southern Nevada is helping build the infrastructure behind it.</p><p><br></p><p>This episode also highlights an opportunity for military entrepreneurs: VetsInTech’s annual Startup Boot Camp on July 23rd, a one-day virtual program for veterans, active-duty service members, and military spouses building technology companies. </p><p><br></p><p>Jason also previews upcoming ecosystem events, including Launch Lab from Innovation Henderson, financial storytelling with StartupNV, Tech Alley Downtown, Future Frontiers AI Film Showcase and Builder Salon, Startup Vegas LinkUp: Coworking and Networking, Ignite Talks Las Vegas, the Governor’s Elements of Change Lithium and Critical Minerals Summit, and free coworking at the International Innovation Center.</p><p><br></p><p>The episode also features a conversation with Kathryn Nowak about community, blockchain, DAOs, intellectual property, crowdfunding, creative ownership, and why keeping humanity in technology matters more than ever. As AI, Web3, film, and creator economies continue to collide, Kathryn’s perspective raises an important question for every founder: can we build ambitious technology without turning innovation into a winner-take-all arms race?</p><p><br></p><p>Subscribe to Vegas Startup Scene for weekly updates on Southern Nevada startups, funding rounds, founder resources, investor activity, and the events shaping the future of technology in Las Vegas.</p><p><br></p><p>💬 COMMENT BELOW: What do you think is the bigger signal for Las Vegas — the global startup ranking jump, TensorWave’s $350M AI funding round, or the growth of community-driven startup events?</p><p><br></p><p>Get out there. Do great things today.</p><p><br></p><p>Onward and Upward! 🚀</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>LINKS</p><p>StartupBlink Website: https://www.startupblink.com/</p><p>TensorWave Website: https://tensorwave.com/</p><p>VetsinTech Website: https://vetsintech.co/</p><p>Innovation Henderson Website: https://innovationhenderson.com/</p><p>FounderNV Website: https://foundernv.org/</p><p>Tech Alley Website: https://www.techalley.org/</p><p>Startup Vegas Website: https://startup.vegas/</p><p>Ignite Talks Las Vegas Website: https://ignitelasvegas.com/</p><p>Nevada Governor's Office of Economic Development Website: https://goed.nv.gov/</p><p>International Innovation Center Website: https://www.intlinnovation.com/</p><p>Future Frontiers Website: https://futurefrontiers.life/</p><p>StartUpNV Website: https://startupnv.org/</p><p>Vegas Blockchain Center Website: https://vegasblockchaincenter.com/</p><p>Vegas Crypto Group: https://www.meetup.com/vegas-crypto-group/</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>Conversation with Kathryn Nowak on the Tech Alley Downtown Livestream recording: https://youtube.com/live/xTtZZh8Fzz4</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>Want to get your news or event in the rundown? Contact me here:</p><p><br></p><p>Email: info@leducleadership.com</p><p>LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-leduc-3469823/</p><p>Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leducleadership</p>
June 8, 2026
Vegas Startup Scene June 8th 2026 – Nevada Just Hit a Startup Milestone
<p>Nevada’s startup ecosystem just got another major signal that something real is happening here.</p><p><br></p><p>This week on Vegas Startup Scene, Jason LeDuc breaks down one of the biggest Nevada startup stories of the year: SendCutSend securing a $110 million investment and crossing a $1 billion valuation, while committing more than $1.25 billion toward domestic manufacturing, jobs, materials, facilities, and expanded manufacturing hubs.</p><p><br></p><p>That is not just a win for one company. It is a signal that Nevada-built companies can scale nationally, attract serious capital, and still invest back into American manufacturing.</p><p><br></p><p>We also cover the launch of UpKeep, a new AI-powered maintenance coordination platform from Las Vegas entrepreneur Jonathan Morales. Built for residential property management, UpKeep is designed to streamline maintenance requests, vendor dispatching, tenant communication, and follow-through. It is a strong example of a bootstrap founder using an AI-first strategy to challenge larger, venture-backed competitors in a high-friction real estate operations market.</p><p><br></p><p>Then we head to Henderson, where Innovation Henderson has announced LaunchLab, a structured founder program designed to help early-stage entrepreneurs move from idea to execution. With mentorship, business strategy, and a practical launch playbook, LaunchLab adds another piece to Southern Nevada’s growing startup pipeline.</p><p><br></p><p>This episode also includes a full rundown of upcoming founder, investor, technology, AI, crypto, and startup events across Las Vegas, including Vegas Founders Night, Knights of the Round Table, InfoComm 2026, InfoTech Live, StartupNV’s Seed Vegas Startup Showcase, Ignite Talks, Financial Storytelling, LinkUp coworking, Vegas Crypto Group events, Future Frontiers AI Film Showcase, and more.</p><p><br></p><p>Finally, Jason shares a conversation with Tech Alley founder Josh Leavitt about five years of Tech Alley and how the event helped restart the Las Vegas startup community flywheel after 2021. They discuss why ecosystems grow when founders, builders, investors, and operators consistently show up, collaborate, share lessons, and build real relationships.</p><p><br></p><p>If you are a startup founder, tech investor, entrepreneur, builder, or anyone interested in the future of the Las Vegas innovation economy, this episode gives you a clear look at where the Southern Nevada tech ecosystem is heading.</p><p><br></p><p>In this episode:</p><p>Nevada manufacturing hits unicorn status</p><p>AI tools for property management</p><p>Henderson expands founder support</p><p>Upcoming Las Vegas startup and tech events</p><p>Tech Alley celebrates five years of community building</p><p><br></p><p>💬 Comment below: What is the bigger opportunity for Nevada right now: advanced manufacturing, AI startups, real estate tech, or community-driven founder ecosystems?</p><p><br></p><p>Subscribe to Vegas Startup Scene for weekly updates on founders, investors, startups, technology, and innovation across Southern Nevada.</p><p><br></p><p>Get out there. Do great things today.</p><p><br></p><p>Onward and Upward! 🚀</p><p><br></p><p>LINKS</p><p>SendCutSend Website: https://sendcutsend.com/</p><p>UpKeep Website: https://upkeepfirm.com/</p><p>Tech Alley Website: https://www.techalley.org/</p><p>LaunchLab Information & Registration: https://innovationhenderson.org/launchlab</p><p>Info-Tech LIVE 2026: https://www.infotech.com/events/live-las-vegas-2026</p><p>StartUpNV Website: https://startupnv.org/</p><p>Startup Vegas Website: https://startup.vegas/</p><p>Ignite Talks Las Vegas: https://ignitetalks.io/ </p><p>KOTRT Business Mixer: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/briscotown/2010190</p><p>Vegas Blockchain Center Website: https://vegasblockchaincenter.com/</p><p>Vegas Crypto Group: https://www.meetup.com/vegas-crypto-group/</p><p><br></p><p>Conversation with Josh Leavitt on the Tech Alley Downtown Livestream recording: https://youtube.com/live/xTtZZh8Fzz4</p><p><br></p><p>Want to get your news or event in the rundown? Contact me here:</p><p><br></p><p>Email: info@leducleadership.com</p><p>LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-leduc-3469823/</p><p>Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leducleadership</p><p></p>
19 total episodes available
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