In anticipation of a Jan. 1, 2001, name change to Accenture,Andersen Consulting has leased space at Dallas' Infomart for aTexas Business Launch Centre to service North Texas, Austin andHouston. The Texas Business Launch Centre is one of 25 suchoperations worldwide. "It's a good opportunity for e-business," anAndersen spokeswoman told GlobeSt.com.

The centers provide first round-funded IT startups and spin-offswith expertise in management, marketing, finance, administrationand technology in their business undertakings. John Romanow, apartner in Andersen's communications practice, and Mitch Cline, apartner in the firm's electronics and high-tech division, have beenselected to head up the center.

The Texas center will serve as the brick-and-mortar hub forAndersen's e-business strategy while servicing Austin and Houstonelectronically. The three target cities have been chosen, saysRomanow, because they are among the fastest-growing high-techmarkets in the nation. The operation is structured to solidifyAndersen's role in the "new economy," taking equity in thebusinesses in lieu of a significant portion of fees. "The equityarrangement allows the startup to manage its cash flow at a time itneeds it most," says Cline.