Tim Draper, Bobby Franklin To Headline Venture Dallas Conference’s 'Fifth Convening' at Bush Center

The fifth Venture Dallas Conference returns to the Bush Center this fall, backed by J.P. Morgan, Perot Jain, and a board of local dealmakers focused on the region’s next wave of growth.

The annual conference has become a window into why North Texas is drawing national investment attention.

On October 30, the George W. Bush Presidential Center will host the 2025 conference, expected to draw more than 500 entrepreneurs, investors, and business leaders. This year’s speaker lineup includes venture capital leader Tim Draper—whose early bets include Hotmail, Tesla, Ring, DocuSign, Coinbase, and Twitch—and Bobby Franklin, president and CEO of the National Venture Capital Association, with more speaker announcements on the way.

Aaron Pierce, co-founder and board chair of Venture Dallas, says the event was built to help close the capital gap for North Texas startups by turning introductions into investment.

“Venture Dallas is more than a conference, it’s a catalyst,” said Pierce, who is also a partner at Perot Jain.

The nonprofit, volunteer-led organization behind the conference works year-round to connect local founders with national investors and corporate partners. Over the past several years, that network has helped spotlight startups tapping into some of the region’s fastest-growing sectors.

Defense tech, advanced manufacturing, and biotech have all gained traction in recent years. Federal designations, such as the Texoma Semiconductor Hub and the ARPA-H Customer Experience Hub, along with major players relocating their operations to North Texas, have helped fuel that growth.

This year, returning sponsors J.P. Morgan and Perot Jain, which have supported the conference from the start, are joined by organizations like Pegasus Park, Justworks, the SMU Cox Spears Institute, and more. Venture Dallas, a 501(c) (6) nonprofit, says its mission is straightforward: get more dollars flowing to high-growth North Texas companies and build the networks to keep them here.

Speakers over the years have ranged from Mark Cuban and Ross Perot Jr. to founders and investors who have built and scaled companies, including Anurag Jain, Emmitt Smith, Clark Hunt, Ken Hersh, Steve Winn, and Nirav Tolia.

Recent conferences have drawn hundreds of attendees from nearly 20 regions outside Texas. Venture Dallas leaders point to real outcomes for local startups that secured funding or landed key partnerships after making connections at the event.

“Throughout the year, we drive capital, forge partnerships, and expand the frontier for innovation in North Texas,” Pierce said. “Our annual conference puts that momentum on full display.’

With early registration now open—and more high-profile speakers still to come—the group expects another strong turnout.

Venture Dallas 2025 happens October 30 at the George W. Bush Presidential Center. Learn more at venturedallas.org.

Dallas Innovates is the preferred media sponsor of the Venture Dallas conference.

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