Human flourishing is a vision of a life well lived—a long, healthy life filled with meaning, connection, and creation. 

It is a vision laid out by economics, faith, and psychology--Harvard built an index for it. And it is a vision central to the founding documents of the United States, which pledged to enable life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

The United States has contributed more to human flourishing than any other institution or nation in the world. Because of that tremendous record, recent slowing of progress or even regress should alarm us.

• Life: When US GDP per capita peaked, the lives of many Americans were so unbearable that they committed suicide at a level that the average life expectancy went down—a first in recorded history.
• Health: Though we are the global leader in research and innovation in healthcare, consumers spend more (up 300% since 2000), we are ranked #22 for disease prevention and lead the world in metabolic dysfunction.
• Education: Though we fund our K-12 education system more than any other nation in the world, we are ranked #36 in test results.
• Mind: Though we put a supercomputer with broadband in everyone’s pocket (a jaw-dropping accomplishment), children stopped playing outside and stopped making friends. Over the last 10 years major depression is up 145% for girls and 160% for boys.

Children used to go to the ER because they jumped off a tree (down 50%).  Today they go because they deliberately cut themselves (up 188%).  The former is a kid exploring his limits. The latter is a kid crying for help. 


Americans know this. When polled, only 6% of Americans think the world is getting better. We see these facts in our neighbors, children, and ourselves. But we also see incompetence from our institutions—sometimes so glaring it seems like sabotage.  Nuclear power was halted. The Apollo program was canceled. The Concorde was grounded.  


Americans have developed a unique way to solve problems.  As Alexis de Tocqueville observed two centuries ago, “When the French wanted something, they demanded it of the government. When the British wanted something, they demanded it of the aristocracy. When the Americans wanted something, they demanded it of each other.”

We know that we are the solution.  Not the elites, not the government—the people.

Meet Arena Hall—it is a place that gathers leaders around big ideas and organizes capital to launch solutions. We start with a community of aligned leaders who are convicted by what you have just read.  We share the most important stories of the day in a place we gather regularly. As solutions emerge, we organize capital to accelerate and scale them.

How do we get more Americans to found and scale solutions to our biggest problems?

We don’t have the silver bullet but we have an idea. 


The name comes from the Teddy Roosevelt’s infamous speech at the Sorbonne known as the ‘man in the arena.’ He celebrates the man in the arena, the doer of deeds, who, while daring greatly comes up short and short again, his face left blood and tear-stained. TR mocks the critic on the sidelines who will never know victory nor defeat.

If we knew a job could be done, everyone would do it; the man in the arena proceeds facing likely defeat. And his continued valiant striving—casting a vision, inspiring a team, giving hope, absorbing fear—is required to pull off truly great things.

Community that Collaborates

We face daunting problems; often it feels like we are staring at a blinking cursor on a blank page. We must forge a like-hearted community to do this work together. And this community does way more than high five during your victories; it is a community where you and your influence, ideas, and energy are needed.

At Arena Hall yes you’ll be entertained… but you’ll also be needed.

Our global network of members meet in club houses and participate in events that bring key parties around big ideas. Of course this includes limited partners, fund managers, and founders. But our network also draws on experts in law, policy, and regulation; media and journalism; academia, science, and research.  The size of the problems we tackle necessities interdisciplinary collaboration.

Place that Forges

Most cultural renewals and social transformations began in a place. These pubs, inns, and clubs often had food, wine, and revelry, and were vibrant gathering places that brought together like-hearted leaders. First came friendships, and, later, partnerships. They launched companies, funds, movements, campaigns, universities, churches, and societies. They pioneered freedom, science, capitalism, liberal arts, entrepreneurship, art & architecture, and political philosophy.

This is the spirit of Arena Hall—a private community of aligned leaders rooted in a physical clubhouse —first in Austin, Texas—about which historians will say: “but for Arena Hall, these triumphs for human flourishing would not have occurred.”

We started in a 150 year old mansion in Austin, TX.  Lead-paned glass and walls that know stories ground us in the past.  An ecosystem in the fastest growing large city in America invites us into the future. Hundreds of events from annual meetings to coffee chats, forum lunches to film screenings, bring together leaders in groups from 2 to 200.  

‍Yes ideas are exchanged, but something about the places means that relationships are built, trust developed, and collaboration unlocked.

Stories that Motivate

We need inspiration, facts, and stories to direct our attention.  We host hundreds of events with the tip-of-the-spear leaders speaking off the record in ways that invite collaboration. No stump speeches—we can watch those on YouTube. Bring your big idea and share how we can be part of it.

We also produce content. We began with a #1 best selling book on launching companies— Get Backed — an official book of Shark Tank.  This fall we launch a TV show on Apple TV profiling the hardest problems facing our country and innovative founders running after solutions. We’re producing with FreeThink, whose mission is “to tell stories about a future that is possible so we can inspire others to make it real.” Amen.

Capital that Launches

This community includes families and institutions that back funds and founders that embody this sprit.  We believe that America's best days are yet to come in large part through innovation. Founders transform society through building massive companies with scaled solution to our hardest problems.

Underwriting—today a sterile and complex process of diligence—takes its name from signing my name under your name on a contract.  It says: I stand with this person and put my name next to theirs; I’m there in good times and bad.  For many it’s a contract—for some it is a covenant. That’s what we do here: we partner with close allies in ways that say: ‘I’m with you… let's go.’ 


Alongside strategy, relationships, events, distribution, and media, Arena Hall organizes capital to unleash the work of private fund managers and operating companies that embody the spirit of Arena Hall.

That’s it: community, place, stories, and capital.

So what do we do every day? The mission of Arena Hall is to

• Activate a global community committed to solving the nation’s biggest challenges.
• Build places and practice hospitality to generate trust and collaboration.
• Connect aligned investors to exceptional fund managers and operators to generate extraordinary returns.

If we are successful, what does the world look like? The vision of Arena Hall is that

• Human flourishing metrics surge and the U.S. emerges as the leading platform for these breakthroughs.
• Founders are provoked and enabled to build companies in this spirit—and create unicorns as their scaled solutions find giant markets.
• Individual members of this community find personal flourishing through long-lasting friendships with like-hearted kings.

Let’s do this, my friends. You can do this. We can do this. Our nation and our children deserve it. I’ll see you in the arena.

Evan Baehr
Chairman, Arena Hall
evan at arena hall dot com