“Joshua Baer helped people quit their jobs and become entrepreneurs. He was a true super connector. The ripple effect of Josh’s impact will be immeasurable.”
Tributes
Voices
A small sample of what people have written about Josh. Friends, founders, senators, presidents. He treated them all the same way: like the most interesting person in the room.
“Many people in the startup world knew Josh as the founder and CEO of Capital Factory, the center of gravity for entrepreneurship in Austin and, really, all of Texas. He once emailed me, “I want to be Brad when I grow up.” Josh, you had it backwards.”
“Joshua was a relentless supporter of founders and Austin. He was positive, fun, and filled with joy. A true friend who relentlessly supported me over the past 20 years we knew each other.”
“Josh was an entrepreneur who didn’t just build businesses — he was a pioneer who built worlds. With his bare hands, incredible brains and inexhaustible energy, he willed Capital Factory into existence and, in doing so, entirely reinvented the concept of a startup community.”
“There are lots of ways to succeed. Many do it by riding the right rocket ship at the right time. But a rare few don’t ride the wave. They make the wave happen from nothing with their spirit and force of will and fundamental goodness. They make things happen that would have never happened otherwise. Josh Baer was this latter type.”
“Since 2009, Josh built Capital Factory into something Texas had never seen — a true engine for entrepreneurship that gave founders across the state their first investors, customers, and believers.”
“Through the years, he has always supported my journey, and eventually Apptronik’s journey, and I couldn’t be more grateful for his guidance and mentorship. He poured his heart and soul into creating a place for entrepreneurs to build the future, and his work and legacy is going to live on forever.”
“I first met Josh a decade ago when I arrived at the Defense Innovation Unit. From those early days, he stepped up as not just a landlord, but as a true friend and a mentor — not only to me, but to countless founders, innovators, and leaders across Texas and the government. The Austin defense community simply would not be the juggernaut it is today without Josh.”
“Joshua helped shape Austin into one of the nation’s leading technology and startup hubs, mentoring countless founders and helping bring Army Futures Command to Austin as the city emerged as a major center for innovation and national defense technology.”
“Josh has been one of the most significant figures driving innovation and entrepreneurship across America. In Texas, he made our state a global leader. His impact was incalculable.”
“Josh was an innovative and creative leader in Austin’s entrepreneurial culture and a stalwart supporter of growing Central Texas’ military ecosystem. I and countless others will greatly miss him.”
“A great entrepreneur — he was a driving force through Capital Factory in Austin’s tech story, helping make us the dynamic, international city we are today.”
“Nobody has built a company in the last 20 years without crossing paths with Joshua Baer. His passion, his drive was that other people could have the advantages of a career and a life in technology that he was able to have, and he wanted everyone to know it.”
“Capital Factory changed the trajectory of Austin’s technology scene forever, and Joshua Baer was the man who drove that change.”
“All day I’ve been reading notes like this. Some people really do improve the world, and some people build community both before and after they die. He was always a real kind dude, always was helpful, and really set up Austin’s startup industry in a way that no other person did.”
“Josh was an incredible force for entrepreneurship in Austin and across Texas. I always admired his dedication to his mission of helping more people become entrepreneurs. It is difficult to overstate his impact and the size of the legacy he leaves behind.”
“When I came back to Austin after almost 30 years, one of the first people to reach out and welcome me back was Josh. No one tilted harder as an enthusiastic supporter of Austin entrepreneurism. Will be greatly missed.”
“It is with profound sadness that Capital Factory remembers our Co-Founder and CEO, Joshua Baer. For more than two decades, Josh was a visionary force, mentor, and champion for the Texas technology and startup ecosystem. He dedicated his life to helping entrepreneurs turn their ideas into reality.”