Angelos Angelou
Angelos Angelou is a Greek-American economist, business executive, and entrepreneur recognized for his contributions to economic development in Austin, Texas.[1] He is the founder and CEO of AngelouEconomics, a leading economic development consultancy, and the International Accelerator (IA), a program supporting foreign-born entrepreneurs launching technology startups in the United States.[2][3][4]
Early life and education
Angelos Angelou was born in Platanakia, Greece, in 1957 to parents who worked on a tobacco farm. At the age of nine, Angelou's family relocated to Thessaloniki to provide him with access to better schools. At the age of sixteen, he received a scholarship to complete his final year of high school in the United States. The following year, at seventeen, he moved from Thessaloniki to Brookings, South Dakota, where he lived from 1974 to 1977 and attended the University of South Dakota. In 1978 he relocated to Texas to continue to pursue higher education.[5] He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science from the University of Texas at San Antonio (1977–1979) and a Master of Arts in Economics from St. Mary's University in San Antonio (1979–1981), graduating Summa Cum Laude. He also completed one year of Ph.D. coursework in Economics at Southern Methodist University in Dallas (1981–1983).[6][7][4]
Career
Austin Chamber of Commerce Between 1981 and 1983, Angelou worked for the Republic Bank of Texas to the Austin Chamber of Commerce in Dallas. From 1984 to 1995, he served as Chief Economist and Vice President of Economic Development at the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce.[3][8] During his tenure, he led the recruitment of over 800 technology companies and approximately 70,000 employees, including IBM, Apple, Samsung, Motorola, AMD, Cypress Semiconductor, Applied Materials, and Tokyo Electron.[4][7] His work contributed to the attraction of over $26 billion in capital investments and the creation of more than 285,000 direct and indirect jobs in Austin and the State of Texas.[9][5]
AngelouEconomics After leaving the Chamber in 1995, Angelou founded AngelouEconomics, an economic development and site selection consultancy. The firm has conducted over 650 economic development strategies and located nearly $18 billion in capital investment projects worldwide for Fortune 1000 companies and government clients.[9][8] Clients have included U.S. states such as New York, Texas, Georgia, Nevada, and Delaware, numerous cities including Charlotte, Orlando, Austin, Seattle, and international projects in countries such as Brazil, Canada, Portugal, Vietnam, and Germany.[9]
International Accelerator
Angelou is the founder and CEO of the International Accelerator, which supports foreign-born entrepreneurs in launching technology startups in the United States. The accelerator provides a 12-month immersive program including mentorship, office space, legal services, and investor introductions.[4][6] Its portfolio companies have collectively raised over $150 million, with multiple startups having potential unicorn valuations. Angelou also serves as managing partner of IA Global Ventures, investing in early-stage technology startups across AI, Life Sciences, Fintech, SaaS, and E-commerce sectors.[10]
Other Roles and Board Memberships Angelou has held numerous advisory and board positions, including: - Oversight board of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT), a $3 billion grant program for cancer-related research and commercialization.[11] - Advisory boards at the College of Natural Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin and the Social Sciences Department at St. Edward’s University.[6] - International Economic Development Council (IEDC).[3] - IC2, an international think tank on venture capital and entrepreneurship.[3] - Founding member of the Site Selectors Guild.[3] He has also served as president or board member of several portfolio companies affiliated with the International Accelerator, including Schoox and Gridmates.[4][7]
Recognition
- U.S. Economic Development of the Year award by Site Selection Magazine.[9][3] - Induction into the Austin Technology Hall of Fame.[12] - Named to the inaugural 2023 Austin Business Journal Power Players list alongside figures such as Michael Dell, Elon Musk, and Kendra Scott.[10] - Proclamations from the Governor of Texas and the Mayor of Austin recognizing his three decades of leadership in economic development.[5][13]
References
- ↑ "Angelos Angelou on Greece: Less Politics, More Business Key". The National Herald. 30 September 2015. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
- ↑ "Angelos Angelou Project". Bush China Foundation. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 "Angelos Angelou". AngelouEconomics. 23 December 2024. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 "Team: Angelos Angelou". International Accelerator. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Speakers: Angelos Angelou". One Giant Leap. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Angelos Angelou". SXSW 2023 Speakers. South by Southwest. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "Angelos Angelou". AngelouEconomics. 23 December 2024. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Angelos G. Angelou Author Page". Trade and Industry Development. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 "Angelos Angelou Profile". Site Selectors Guild. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Angelos Angelou on Austin Business Journal's 2023 Power Player List". IA Global Ventures. 23 September 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
- ↑ "State Leaders Appoint New Members to Oversee CPRIT". The Texas Tribune. 26 September 2013. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
- ↑ "Austin Tech Hall of Fame: Angelos Angelou". Austin Technology Council. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
- ↑ "Faculty Biographies (PDF)" (PDF). California Attorneys for the Arts (CAI). CAI Law. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
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