The Heart of Innovation: Exploring Oklahoma’s Thriving Startup Ecosystem

In this special episode of "Innovate That," recorded at the Global Entrepreneurship Congress, host Jennifer McGrail spotlights Oklahoma’s vibrant innovation scene. Joined by Wade from Gradient and Kristin Garcia, they discuss groundbreaking startups such as Cube Nexus and Apricot Health AI, which are revolutionizing spatial data and healthcare.

The conversation also honors pioneering founders, including those behind You Need A Budget and Next Thought. Together, they challenge misconceptions about Oklahoma, highlighting the state’s supportive, humble, and rapidly growing entrepreneurial ecosystem, making an impact locally and globally.

Timestamps:

Introduction and Oklahoma Innovation Misconceptions (00:00:00) The hosts introduce themselves, the podcast, and discuss the misconception that Oklahoma lacks innovation.

Founder-First Philosophy and Unique Oklahoma Founders (00:01:04) Discussion of Brad Feld’s “founder first” approach and a prompt to highlight unique Oklahoma founders.

Cube Nexus: Organizing Spatial Data (00:01:34) Wade introduces Cube Nexus, a company that organizes spatial data for better decision-making.

AR/VR and Spatial Data Applications (00:03:01) Kristen discusses the importance of spatial data in AR/VR and how Cube Nexus addresses integration challenges.

Startup World Cup Regional and Apricot Eye (00:03:31) Kristen highlights Gradient hosting the Startup World Cup and introduces Apricot Eye, an AI-driven healthcare startup.

Apricot Eye’s Impact on Home Hospice Care (00:03:56) Details on Apricot Eye’s AI solution for home hospice, improving nurse efficiency and patient care.

Ecosystem Collaboration and Talent Development (00:06:10) Kristen describes collaboration in the Oklahoma startup ecosystem and talent development through programs like OK Coders.

Encouragement to Explore More Oklahoma Startups (00:06:41) Jennifer encourages listeners to explore more Oklahoma startups via the Innovate That podcast.

Highlighting OG Oklahoma Startups: You Need a Budget (00:07:10) Wade discusses “You Need a Budget” (YNAB), an Oklahoma-based remote-first company with a large following.

YNAB’s Growth and Remote Work Culture (00:08:13) Further details on YNAB’s growth, remote work history, and its supportive community at Gradient.

Oklahoma’s Humble OGs and Ken Parker (00:09:39) Kristen highlights Ken Parker, founder of Next Thought, as an influential but humble Oklahoma tech leader.

Ken Parker’s Community Engagement and AI in Education (00:10:10) Details on Ken Parker’s work in AI for education and his deep community involvement.

Oklahoma Humility and Closing Remarks (00:11:27) Reflection on Oklahoma’s humble culture and encouragement to discover more local startup stories.