Austin Tech Pioneer Joshua Baer Dies in Texas Plane Crash

A private jet crashed onto a highway in Texas late Tuesday night, resulting in one fatality and a significant fire that engulfed the aircraft. The Laredo Police Department responded to the crash on Loop 20 near the Texas-Mexico border around 10 p.m. local time.

The aircraft, a Cessna Citation Latitude twin-engine business jet, had departed from Los Cabos International Airport in Mexico and was bound for Austin, Texas. Before the crash, the pilots reported mechanical issues and requested an emergency landing, according to ABC News.

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While we are devastated by this unimaginable loss, Josh built an incredibly resilient organization and a deeply capable team.

Bystanders rushed to the scene, attempting to rescue those trapped inside by smashing cockpit windows and trying to force open doors as flames spread. The jet was part of the NetJets fleet, owned by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, which stated it is cooperating with investigators.

Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board investigators have launched an inquiry into the cause of the crash. The sole passenger to die in the incident was identified as Joshua Baer, 50, co-founder and CEO of Capital Factory, an Austin-based venture capital firm. Capital Factory confirmed Baer's death, remembering him as a "fearless leader" and a key figure in Austin's technology hub development. Baer, who often called himself an "Austinpreneur," was known for his dedication to fostering entrepreneurship and innovation in Texas since moving to Austin in 1996.

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My hobby is startups. I don't watch sports or anything like that. So this is what I do. ... I want to be an investor in every great tech company that comes out of Austin. That's