John Donnelly III

Appreciate the thoughtful coverage from Brent Wistrom and the Austin Business Journal on what we’re building at Circuit and why this moment matters. Manufacturers and service teams are facing a real expertise gap as products grow more complex and experienced people retire faster than they can be replaced. Our focus is simple: help companies scale the technical knowledge that drives daily decisions, from quoting and configuration to field service and support. Proud of the team for the work behind this next chapter and grateful to be building alongside customers and partners here in Austin.

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As artificial intelligence starts to reshape industries from finance to healthcare, it’s also beginning to reconfigure how Texas contractors find their next big project. Case in point: Mercator.ai. It’s been one year since Mercator.ai expanded into the Lone Star State, and the firm’s business development platform for general contractors is gaining significant traction. Boasting seven of the 10 biggest contractors in Texas as clients, Mercator.ai has been growing by leaps and bounds since it achieved statewide coverage in May of this year. “Over the last basically eight months now, we have generated $12 billion in top-of-funnel early project detection for our general contractors that use our product today,” said company co-founder and CEO Chloe Smith, speaking with CandysDirt.com.

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I’m honored to have been a guest on an episode of American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Engineering Influence podcast to discuss powerful findings in BST Global’s “AI + Data Insights 2025: Global AEC Industry Report.” The report illustrates how AEC firms are adopting AI and data technologies. Check out our blog for more information about the episode.   #AIinAEC #EngineeringInfluence #AECMarketing #DigitalTransformation #AECLeadership #FutureOfEngineering #BSTGlobal #ACEC

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This hits on something the space industry is just starting to fully appreciate: once AI moves into physical systems, governance becomes real infrastructure, as critical as power, comms, or propulsion. In autonomous spacecraft, in-orbit labs, robotics, and manufacturing, there’s no margin for opaque decision-making or “debug later.” Trust, safety, and clear accountability are what actually enable scale. The missions that succeed long-term will be the ones that design governance alongside autonomy, not after deployment. Physical AI will define the next era of space operations — and governance will define whether it earns the right to operate there. Excellent perspective and very timely. #PhysicalAI #SpaceTech #AutonomousSystems #AIinSpace #FutureOfSpace #SpaceInfrastructure #ResponsibleAI #SpaceInnovation #DeepTech #FrontierTech #NewSpace #AIGovernance #MissionCritical #SpaceEconomy https://lnkd.in/gBdysRCu

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This clip from the Physical AI Summit features David Cao, Founder of F50 and PAB, highlighting a key challenge in the AI space: increasing regulations. Texas emerges as a favorable location, not just for its manufacturing infrastructure and supply chain links with Mexico, but critically, for its regulatory environment that supports physical AI and innovation. This forward-thinking approach makes Texas an attractive hub. Curious if anyone else sees other regions making similar strides in regulatory support for AI? #F50Summit #PhysicalAI #AIRegulation #Technology #Innovation #Texas

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While headlines focus on DOGE and foreign policy, the issue of 'school choice' is making a strong comeback at both the state and federal levels. Club for Growth has launched 12 new ads on the issue in 2025, most notably in the TX gubernatorial race, but also including key spots in the TX governor's race and supporting initiatives across states like WY, IN, NH, TN, GA, ND, SC, MO, ID, and LA. These ads have aired a combined 1,425 times thus far, at a cost exceeding $1M: https://gag.gl/1ywXnr #PoliticalAds #AdvertisingIntelligence #MarketingIntelligence #AdTech

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Interesting insights about AI (you never learn enough) by Blair Garrou of Mercury Fund at the Plug and Play Tech Center Fall Expo 2025 here in Sugarland Texas Key Insights: 1) B2B over a 10 year span was more favorable towards middle market and SMBs. AI However, is now all in on enterprise 2) Revolutionizing/Modernizing older industries is where AI will be seamless (in construction, certain types of engineering and older processes in energy) 3) It's better to invest in AI that equips workers with another skillset than ones that result in layoffs #startups #venturecapital #ai #emergingtech

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Our CEO Tyson Tuttle and Co-founder Andrew Peters recently spoke with the Austin Business Journal about Circuit’s next chapter, including our $30M angel round and the work our team is leading to help industrial teams scale expertise with purpose built AI. The feature highlights how we are turning technical documentation into guided workflows that help manufacturers and service teams move faster, make more confident decisions, and get new hires up to speed sooner. We are proud to be building in Austin and focused on solving real operational challenges across manufacturing and industrial services. #ManufacturingAI #AustinStartups #LifeAtCircuit 📰 Read more by Brent Wistrom: https://lnkd.in/gsRHaKM9

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Sales Math is the defining of a sales representative’s outputs and effectiveness of effort. The measure seeks to define where the sales rep is winning. The where can be divided between the stage of lead->to proposal and Proposal->outcome (win or loss).https://ow.ly/tLfY50WhS5W

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Texas has quickly become one of the most fascinating data centre markets to watch in the U.S. In a relatively short time, the state has moved from being a flexible alternative market to the second-largest data centre market in the country. But what’s happening in Texas today is about much more than just rapid growth. What we’re seeing is a market where opportunity is increasingly matched by complexity and execution risk. Demand continues to accelerate, but success now depends on securing power early, managing construction challenges, and understanding how each metro market is evolving. Our team at DC Byte has just released our latest Market Spotlight on Texas, taking a deeper look at what’s really driving the market across the state. The report explores: • Why demand is outpacing delivery across Texas • The key differences between Dallas–Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Austin • Why construction friction is rising across major markets • How West Texas is emerging as a new frontier for AI and HPC infrastructure It’s a great piece of work from our research team and offers a useful snapshot for operators, investors, developers and suppliers trying to understand where the market is heading. You can download the full report here: https://bit.ly/4tZvKrc Big thanks to the team behind the analysis and team putting this report together: Alexandra Desseyn, Sarah Elmasry, Siddharth Muzumdar, Teresa Tan and Rob Stafford. And our Americas team: Colby Cox, Surafel Tadesse, Lillian Flynn, Emma Reese, Will Schonenberg, Hunter Olson, Natnael Mihrete, Matt Mologne, Max Shapiro, Timothy Lafayette, Rodrigo G., and Josette Souza. #Texas #DataCenters #DigitalInfrastructure #Hyperscale #IndustryInsights

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Exciting times ahead in IT distribution! GTDC's CEO Frank Vitagliano highlights how agentic AI and the emergence of frontier partners are driving transformative changes. Discover how these innovations will reshape our industry: https://okt.to/qXd6Tt

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We expect the 800VDC architecture to be adopted in Rubin Ultra Kyber racks in 2027. Also, in our view, this will lead to significant content value growth for the power-supply industry, driven by (1) expansion into total solution offerings from single PSU modules; (2) high-power components and increasing customization; and (3) bargaining power with limited supply and higher barriers. Expansion into total solution offerings: Instead of supplying PSUs within the compute rack, power-supply vendors offer total solutions, including power racks/SSTs/rectifiers, PDUs, and integrated cooling systems (Exhibit 6). High-power components and increasing customization: The high-power density requires the replacement of traditional silicon-based components with advanced SiC/GaN power semis and high-power components. Besides, as power conversion moves towards the facility level, we expect to see more customized requirements from customers (especially CSPs) to better align with data center layouts and back-up needs. We believe this could bring ASP/margin upside. Bargaining power with limited supply and higher barriers: The SiC/GaN power semis industry is highly concentrated with complex production process and limited supply. Power-supply leaders could enjoy greater bargaining power, supported by higher tech barriers and long-built supply-chain relationship.

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We’re proud to share that MagnifyAI has been accepted into the RISE Fort Worth accelerator program hosted by Create FW team. This isn’t just a milestone. It’s validation. Create FW backs high-growth entrepreneurs and companies building meaningful solutions in North Texas, and increasingly, across national markets. Being selected places MagnifyAI alongside founders who are serious about scale, execution, and impact. Why this matters: • Accelerated access to enterprise networks • Strategic mentorship from experienced operators • Investor visibility • Structured growth accountability • Stronger positioning in the Texas innovation ecosystem But here’s what excites me most: The AI market is crowded with tools. It is not crowded with accountability. MagnifyAI was built on one premise — organizations don’t need more AI hype. They need execution, integration, and sustained performance. Through the RISE accelerator program, we’ll sharpen our operating model, expand our managed AI services capability, and deepen our partnerships across Salesforce and enterprise AI ecosystems. #Texas is becoming a serious #AI hub. We intend to help lead that movement. If you’re an enterprise leader, Salesforce AE, PE operator, or investor who wants to be part of this journey…. let’s connect. The next phase starts now. A huge thanks to Amanda Garrett and the team at Create FW and The DEC Network for the ongoing support. Also thank you to the community leaders and mentors.

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Honored to be speaking at the Texas Economic Development Council (TEDC) 2025 Annual Conference in City of San Antonio later this month on a topic that’s at the heart of everything we do at gener8tor (gener8tor Europe, gener8tor Skills) “Entrepreneurship as Economic Gardening: Cultivating Growth from Within.” 🌱 When a city supports its local entrepreneurs—those who already have roots in the community—it’s doing more than creating jobs. It’s building ownership, keeping wealth local, and laying the foundation for long-term economic resilience. That’s exactly what we’re focused on across Texas, where gener8tor has: 🚀 Supported 94 startups 💰 Helped raise $106M+ in follow-on funding 💼 Created 580+ jobs — many outside the traditional tech hubs And now, with the launch of our newest program, gBETA Round Rock, in partnership with the City of Round Rock, Round Rock Chamber, and the Round Rock Transportation and Economic Development Corporation (Type B), we’re continuing to expand opportunity and drive local innovation across the state. Economic gardening isn’t about chasing companies—it’s about cultivating the talent, creativity, and vision already growing in our own backyards. Excited to share more on how we can all help our communities stop chasing and start growing. State of Texas, Texas Economic Development Corporation, Texas Economic Development, Texas Workforce Commission #TEDC #EconomicDevelopment #Entrepreneurship

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*** 2025 #SRED Overhaul: What to Expect *** Episode 3: SR&ED From The Shed - Major government figures have now confirmed SR&ED updates are on the way, and they might be even better than first announced in December as we covered in Episode 2, last week! Here’s What To Expect: 🟢 Cap on Eligible Expenses Upgraded: December’s Fall Economic Statement proposed a $4.5M cap for eligible SR&ED expenditures—but recent word from Parliament is that the new number could rise to $6 million. That’s a substantial boost for Canadian innovators. 🟢 Capital Expenditures Status: The return of capital expenses as eligible costs for SR&ED remains firmly “on the table.” Watch this space for when the change becomes law. 🟢 Refundable Credits Public Companies: Canadian public companies could soon gain access to refundable (cash-back) SR&ED credits—no matter the source of their capital. This opens new doors for R&D investment, especially in sectors where capital scarcity holds companies back. 🟢 Patent Box and IP Protections: For the first time, there’s a nod to Patent Box-style incentives—supporting not just innovation, but also the protection and retention of Canadian intellectual property on home soil. ⚠️ A Caution ⚠️ Now, of course, these notes were based on a fireside chat had at a recent event with the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, MP Ryan Turnbull, and are NOT legislated yet - or even tabled - but they certainly provide us with an updated sense of where this current government is taking the SR&ED program. We recommend companies begin planning scenarios around this information, but that they don’t take any major actions simply because of it. As we saw in December, until things are legislated… things can change! ✳️ Why It Matters ✳️ 🔹 Real, Confirmed Momentum: This is not just rumor—senior government representatives have publicly confirmed this direction for the SR&ED program. 🔹 Potential Game Changers: Higher caps, capital expenditures, cash for public companies, and new IP incentives could reshape the SR&ED landscape in Canada - making it much more useful for many more companies! The focus now turns to the fall legislative session for this direction to become law. Until then, stay tuned for verified updates—not hype! 🎥 Catch all the updates, analysis, and industry insights in Episode 3 – now live! #SRED #SR&ED #Innovation #R&D #TaxCredits #CanadianInnovation #PolicyUpdate #PatentBox #PublicCompanies #UpcomingChanges #LinkedInUpdate

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