Joshua Baer, the founder of Capital Factory who died in a Laredo plane crash, was a prominent Austin entrepreneur who helped shape the city's technology hub.
Baer, 50, described himself as an "Austinpreneur," and his LinkedIn bio read, "Austinpreneur - I help people quit their jobs and become entrepreneurs."
Several companies emerged and grew with Baer's support, including Saronic, which made the drone boat that carried out the first combat rescue of U.S. personnel by an unmanned vessel, and Icon, the 3D-printing construction company.
Baer founded Capital Factory in 2009, which has grown into a significant Austin-based venture capital firm, supporting a range of technology startup companies.
Among the companies that grew with Baer's support are Apptronik, Firefly Aerospace, and Colossal Biosciences, which claimed to have created three dire wolf pups using ancient DNA, cloning, and gene-editing technology.
Baer served on the boards of various companies and organizations, including The Texas Tribune, and was known for his mentorship and support of entrepreneurs.
