Dear Friends,
Can you believe it’s already March? We are well into 2026 and officially charging into the Year of the Fire Horse, a phase defined by intensity, passion, speed, and, most importantly, transformation.
This idea of transformation is top of mind as I think about our Chamber’s mission to create abundant economic opportunity for our members. At State of the Chamber last month (check out the photos!), we focused on this transformation and how we are building community, shaping the region, and leaning into the future.
To help lead that charge, I am thrilled to join Chairman Minh Tran as we warmly welcome Daniel Liu to our GAACC Board of Directors.
As Assistant Vice Provost for Career Success at UT Austin, Daniel is currently transforming the university’s career ecosystem across 19 colleges. His passion for education and community is inspirational, and this passion combined with an expertise in organizational strategy, a background at Deloitte Consulting, and a current seat on the board of The Long Center, makes Daniel exactly the type of leader we need as we continue to level up and transform to meet the future.
The Future is Converging on Austin
Make no mistake: the future isn’t just coming fast; it’s accelerating toward us. Throughout 2026, you’ll hear me talk relentlessly about the accelerating convergence between Asia and Austin. Our goal is to understand, adapt, and thrive in this exciting convergence. At the same time, we must help to ensure our entrepreneurs and small businesses are prepared to understand and embrace converging technology trends, including robotics, AI, and the many opportunities presented by the digital economy.
Asia x Austin @ SXSW
Join us March 17th for the third annual GAACC Asia x Austin Summit. Asia x Austin has become the definitive stage for this global phenomenon. We’re kicking things off with a high-octane opening session, including:
- Mayor Kirk Watson on his vision for an “International Austin.”
- Opportunity Austin with a dive into our region’s explosive growth.
- Tyson Tuttle (CEO of Circuit AI & Founding TXSE Board Member) on regional technology and transformation. The man who built Silicon Labs into an IoT powerhouse is now leading the global charge in enterprise AI. Tyson is fueled by a relentless passion for engineering innovation and a legacy of disruptive leadership. You won’t want to miss his insights!
And that’s just the beginning. Stay for the full program as we dive into:
We close Asia x Austin 2026 with an incredibly exciting sneak peek at The Austin Creator Collective. The Collective is a community incubator and accelerator for social media creators.
With this collective, we are activating and uniting hundreds of Asian and Asian-inspired talents and connecting them with iconic local and global brands. Join us at the Summit to discover more.
This is your chance to see the future before it happens, and you do not need a SXSW badge to join us! Register HERE and we’ll see you on March 17th!
Warmly,
Mark Duval
President & CEO
Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce