The Future of Startups, Education & Innovation in Vegas
đź’ˇ The Startup Scene Is Thriving in Las Vegas
Dr. Jessup’s recent research through the Lindsay Institute at UNLV revealed something staggering: the Las Vegas startup ecosystem has quietly become one of the fastest-growing in the nation—ranking top 5 in year-over-year growth.
Despite being new to the scene, the city boasts a surprising number of billion-dollar “unicorns” including Switch, Zappos, and Tensorwave. But there’s a problem—many leave.
That’s why Len and a powerhouse team built Desert Forge Ventures, a fund designed to keep Las Vegas-born startups in Las Vegas.
“We don’t just want growth—we want the kind that stays rooted and reinvests locally.”
🌊 What’s Missing in Vegas? Deep Local Capital.
Len points out that while Vegas has grown incubators, seed-stage investment, and a startup-friendly ecosystem, it lacks major venture capital headquartered locally. This leads to a brain drain where high-potential startups relocate to Silicon Valley or Austin to chase funding.
Enter Desert Forge Ventures—a fund built by Las Vegans, for Las Vegas. Already, it has backed projects like:
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WaVer, a UNLV-born startup extracting clean drinking water from desert air
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Vena Vitals, a Vegas-based medical tech company improving real-time blood pressure monitoring
Both projects are designed to create real impact, not just revenue.
🎓 Why Research Universities Matter (More Than Ever)
Len explains why institutions like UNLV—now an R1 Research University—are essential to fueling local economies. Through tech transfer offices, student labs, and cross-discipline collaboration, universities become innovation engines.
“The research isn’t just for publishing papers—it becomes products that change lives.”
UNLV’s rise in federal research funding, faculty recruitment, and entrepreneurial output is turning Las Vegas into a national hub for innovation—and it’s just getting started.
🏟️ The Story Behind Allegiant Stadium
Beyond education and startups, Len played a pivotal role in bringing Allegiant Stadium to life. As co-chair of the Southern Nevada Tourism & Infrastructure Committee, he helped negotiate a deal that brought the Raiders to Las Vegas—while ensuring UNLV had a seat at the table.
The result? A game-changing facility, part-funded through a visitor tax, now benefiting both professional and college sports while boosting Vegas' economy and brand.
🎤 What Can Entrepreneurs Learn From Len?
Whether you’re launching a company, looking to raise capital, or just curious about how public and private sectors collaborate to shape a city, Len’s story is packed with wisdom:
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Stay Local: Build something where you live—and fight to keep it there.
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Build Before the Ask: Infrastructure and strategy must come before the pitch.
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Know Your Worth: Equity dilution is part of the game, but structure matters.
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Invest in People: The team behind the tech is what truly drives success.
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Use Research Institutions: Tap into your local university—it might just house your next CEO or invention.
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