North Texas is a big place, with plenty to do, see, hear, and watch. We scour the internet every week to find events and activities for you. As always, things may change at any time, so be sure to check the official website or registration page for the latest details. For ongoing events, click here.
Don’t miss anything: Get Dallas Innovates Every Day. And, if you know of a great event, tell us about it. Event details courtesy of organizers.
Monday, March 2
Social Innovation Luncheon
Hosted by SVP Dallas
Cooper Hotel & Conference Center, 12230 Preston Rd., Dallas
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
There’s a fresh crop of leaders in the social impact sector in 2026, and the Social Innovation Luncheon Series is your first chance to hear their good ideas and new insights about how to address root causes advancing justice.
Join Social Venture Partners Dallas on Monday, March 2, at the Cooper Hotel for a panel discussion with local nonprofit executives new to their organizations, moderated by Catherine Cuellar, the new SVP Dallas President & CEO. Hear from:
- Denise McGovern, Executive Director of the Friends of the Dallas Public Library, supporting access, literacy, and opportunity for all of Dallas through the Dallas Public Library system.
- Gabrielle “Gabe” Madison, CEO of Metrocrest Services, which offers a comprehensive bundle of services to address gaps in finances, employment, health, and nutrition to holistically help end poverty.
- Laura Ward, CEO of Workforce Solutions of Greater Dallas, which increases career and workforce readiness at every stage of life.
- Christine Crossley, Executive Director of City Year Dallas, an organization that develops and deploys young civically minded AmeriCorps members to bridge the gap between what students need and what schools can provide by delivering whole school and targeted student support in under-resourced Dallas County schools.
During this session, you will hear each leader’s perspective on their organizations’ impact. Please bring your friends and prospective partners to learn about our new work, meet new leadership, and collaborate across sectors to strengthen the Dallas social impact sector in 2026 and beyond.
Tuesday, March 3
ULI Dallas-Fort Worth Breakfast Forum: Downtown Dallas — What’s Working, What Isn’t, and What’s Possible
Hosted by Urban Land Institute – Dallas/Fort Worth
Park City Club, 5956 Sherry Lane, #1700, Dallas
7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Join ULI-DFW for a timely and candid discussion on the future of Downtown Dallas as a mixed-use district. As DFW continues to evolve into a polycentric region with multiple activity centers, Downtown faces new challenges and opportunities shaped by post-Covid market shifts, changing workplace patterns, and competition from newer mixed-use environments across the region.
Through a moderated panel, we’ll examine what’s working, where Downtown is falling short, and how it can adapt to compete with today’s leading mixed-use destinations. Panelists will offer insight into how vision, leadership, and coordinated investment could shape Downtown’s next chapter.
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Beyond the Model: The AGI Moment
Hosted by Mind & Machine – Dallas/Fort Worth
UT Dallas, Richardson
2 to 5 p.m.
Exploring what comes after large language models, featuring a Generative AI panel and a first look at MythWorx.
Mind & Machine DFW is hosting an afternoon event introducing MythWorx — a company emerging with a fundamentally different approach to artificial intelligence.
While much of today’s AI momentum has focused on scaling large language models, many leaders are beginning to ask a more important question:
What comes after the model?
This event is designed for executives, investors, founders, and senior technologists who want to explore:
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Why the current AI scaling paradigm is reaching its limits
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What practical progress toward AGI actually looks like
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How reasoning-first, brain-inspired architectures may shape the next era of intelligent systems
The afternoon will begin with a senior-level panel discussion on Generative AI, followed by a featured introduction to MythWorx — a Fort Worth–based company built over decades and now strengthened by former Oracle leadership.
MythWorx is not positioning itself as another AI tool or application. Instead, the company is focused on intelligence as a system — emphasizing reasoning, memory, adaptability, and efficiency over brute-force compute.
This event offers an early opportunity to engage with ideas, architectures, and leadership shaping what many believe is the next phase of artificial intelligence.
The format is intentionally conversational, with ample time for executive Q&A and meaningful discussion.
Wednesday, March 4 through Thursday, March 5
Texas ACG Capital Connection
Hosted by TAAC
The Star in Frisco
8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday and 8 a.m. to noon Thursday
Early bird pricing ends on December 15, so now is the time to secure your spot at the Texas ACG Capital Connection (TACC). For more than two decades, TACC has been the premier meeting place where capital, opportunity, and leadership converge—powering the deals and relationships that drive the middle market. Recognized as the most significant private equity and debt capital event in Texas and the South, TACC is also among the largest ACG Capital Connections in the nation.
Each year, TACC brings together 100+ leading private equity and mezzanine firms, representing more than $100 billion in capital available for investment. The result is a high-impact environment designed to help businesses scale, sponsors deploy capital, and advisors transform insights into action. More than a conference, TACC is a catalyst—creating an exceptional platform for networking and deal flow across the full spectrum of middle-market leaders. Attendees include merger and acquisition professionals, intermediaries, business owners, executives, and the service providers who support growth at every stage.
Annually, TACC welcomes approximately 1,200 attendees from across the country, making it a must-attend event for anyone focused on accelerating growth, creating value, and celebrating success in the middle market.
Thursday, March 5
Dallas Physical AI Forum: Robots, AI Agents, Superhuman and beyond
Presented by Physical AI Builders
Davidson Auditorium, UT Dallas Naveen Jindal School of Management
3 to 7 p.m.
Dallas is about to become ground zero for the next industrial explosion!
Join Physical AI Builders for the electrifying launch of embodied AI in Texas — an exclusive, high-octane gathering in the iconic Davidson Auditorium at UT Dallas Naveen Jindal School of Management.
They’ll roll out the red carpet for their advisory committee members, powerhouse partners, visionary founders, elite investors, and the boldest builders redefining reality with physical AI, autonomous robots, intelligent agents, cobots, humanoid systems, and superhuman manufacturing.
This isn’t just an event — it’s the spark that lights the fuse for trillions in Physical AI transformation across North America. Expect mind-bending demos of AI agents orchestrating factories, robots building sustainable cities, and embodied intelligence powering the next era of infrastructure, PropTech, and supply chains.
Two high-impact parallel tracks — Workshop (deep executive dives, hands-on innovation sessions) and Showcase (live pitches, live robot/agent demos, breakthrough solutions) — with shared networking breaks, collaboration lounges, and deal-making zones to forge game-changing partnerships.
This Forum is your exclusive warm-up and insider preview for the blockbuster F50 Dallas Physical AI Summit on June 9 at UT Dallas — 500+ attendees, 200+ key decision-makers including guests from Silicon Valley, Texas, Mexico, and global hubs, diving deep into the trillion-dollar frontiers of Physical AI, robotics, infrastructure, manufacturing, data centers, PropTech, and cross-border innovation.
If you’d like to be considered to speak or pitch, apply here.
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1st Thursday Happy Hour: AI + Quantum + Blockchain: What will our future look like?
Hosted by IoT Texas
SpringHill Suites Dallas/Richardson/Plano, 3251 E. Pres. George Bush Hwy., Richardson
6:30 to 7:45 p.m.
AI is transforming how we analyze data and make decisions, but it raises hard questions about transparency and accountability. Blockchain offers a way to address those concerns through immutable records and decentralized governance. Quantum computing, meanwhile, promises massive speedups for complex problems while threatening to break the very encryption that secures nearly everything we do online.
These three technologies are converging fast. By 2030, quantum computers may be capable of cracking RSA-2048 encryption, and adversaries are already stockpiling encrypted data to decrypt later. NIST has set firm deadlines for migrating to quantum-resistant or post-quantum cryptography (PQC), yet most organizations have barely started.
This talk from Dr. Yeshwant Muthusamy, an AI technologist by day and gourmet chocolatier by night, explores how AI, blockchain, and quantum computing intersect, what the approaching “Y2Q” scenario means for IoT and enterprise systems, and what practical steps organizations should take now to prepare.
These are hybrid and free events. For those that can attend in person, come network with other IoT and technology professionals, business execs, entrepreneurs, etc. and find resources, talent and solutions to your issues… and learn about new trends and tech in the industry.
Come early and stay late if you can (bar opens at 5 pm. – self-paid).
Thursday, March 12
State of Infrastructure
Hosted by the Dallas Regional Chamber and presented by Jacobs
EBJ Union Station 400 S. Houston, Dallas
noon to 1:30 p.m.
At the DRC’s State of Infrastructure, presented by Jacobs, regional leaders and industry experts will convene for a focused discussion on the infrastructure required to support the growing economy. In addition to a keynote address focused on Texas’ water infrastructure from State Sen. Charles Perry (District 28), this year’s program will feature a panel examining the evolution of energy and technology infrastructure to meet increasing demand. Panelists include Dan Diorio, Vice President, State Policy, Data Center Coalition; Dr. Wei-Jen Lee of UT Arlington’s Energy Systems Research Center; and Chad Seely, SVP Regulatory Policy & General Cousel; ERCOT.
Thursday, March 19
HerGenius Pitch Competition
Hosted by Impact Ventures
Ervay Theatre, 1707 S. Ervay St., Dallas
5:30 p.m.
Join Impact Ventures and cheer on three amazing women entrepreneurs as they take the stage to pitch their businesses for a chance to win $10,000.
Expect:
-Networking with founders and community members.
-Honoring an up-and-coming high school entrepreneur with the EmpowHER award.
-Shopping from women-owned vendors.
-A fun, energetic evening full of inspiration and connection.
Thursday, March 26
Unicorns & Underdogs: High-Growth Founders Summit
Hosted by The DEC Network
CreateFW, 600 Bryan Ave., #220, Fort Worth
6 to 8:30 p.m.
Unicorns & Underdogs: High-Growth Founder Summit brings together bold founders, operators, and investors for a dynamic day dedicated to scaling smarter, moving faster, and building companies that last. From scrappy underdogs to unicorn-level visionaries, this summit spotlights real growth stories — the wins, the pivots, the hard lessons — and delivers actionable insights on fundraising, leadership, and sustainable scale.
Expect candid conversations, practical takeaways, and powerful connections with peers who are pushing boundaries and redefining what’s possible.
Saturday, March 28
2026 Junior Achievement of Dallas Business Hall of Fame
Hosted by Junior Achievement of Dallas
Omni Dallas Hotel, 555 S. Lamar, Dallas
6 to 10 p.m.
The 2026 Junior Achievement of Dallas Business Hall of Fame will be held at the Omni Dallas Hotel on Saturday, March 28, 2026. This event will support the mission of Junior Achievement of Dallas and help impact the lives of North Texas youth. Business icons who exemplify the spirit of giving back through their companies and in the community will be honored. By recognizing their accomplishments, we ensure their legacy will inspire and shape the leaders of tomorrow.
Monday, March 30 through Tuesday, March 31
Convergence AI Dallas: Where Artificial Intelligence and Business Meet
Hosted by the Dallas Regional Chamber
Irving Convention Center, Irving
10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday and 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday
Early bird registration for Convergence AI Dallas 2026 is now open! Entering its third year, Convergence AI is one of the largest business gatherings dedicated to AI in the Dallas–Fort Worth region. Here’s what’s on deck:
- Keynotes by leading AI experts from Fortune 1000 companies
- Convergence Labs, presented by Slalom – Hands-on learning with top AI leaders
- 2026 Dallas Innovates AI 75 Reception – Honoring DFW’s AI visionaries
- Startup Alley – Showcasing DFW’s AI startups
Just like in 2025, more than 700 leaders, from trailblazing entrepreneurs to top-tier executives, will dive into in-depth discussions and insights on the latest trends and innovations in AI.
Thursday, April 9
North Texas Capital Access Convening
Hosted by The DEC Network
CreateFW, 600 Bryan Ave., #220, Fort Worth
noon to 2 p.m.
The North Texas Capital Access Convening brings together entrepreneurs, lenders, and ecosystem leaders for one powerful goal: expanding access to capital across North Texas.
This dynamic, panel-style conversation features rotating voices from across the capital stack — including a Capital Access Advocate, CDFI Partner, Trusted Connector, Entrepreneur, and Moderator — offering real-world insights into what it takes to move funding from conversation to connection.
Whether you’re a founder seeking capital, a lender looking to deploy it, or a partner supporting the ecosystem, this convening is designed to spark meaningful relationships, practical insight, and actionable pathways to funding.
Friday, April 10
Quaint Quant Conference
Sponsored by Agora Data, SMU Cox School of Business, Fancy Quant
SMU Cox School of Business, Dallas
8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Quaint Quant Conference—the South’s only dedicated quantitative finance event—returns on Friday, April 10, 2026, hosted at the SMU Cox School of Business in Dallas. Now in its fourth year, the conference continues its mission to unite leading quantitative finance professionals, academics, and students to explore the innovations shaping financial markets and the future of data‑driven strategy.
The conference offers an intentionally casual environment designed for meaningful, high-value engagement. Attendees participate in deep-dive presentations, applied discussions, and career-focused sessions. The event builds on the momentum of the 2025 conference, which featured distinguished speakers from institutions including Morgan Stanley, BlackRock, KeyBank, JP Morgan Chase, Google, and H2O.ai.
Monday, April 20 through Wednesday, April 22
E-Capital Summit
Hosted by Earthx
Hilton Anatole, Dallas
Save the date
As part of the Earthx2026 Congress of Conferences, the annual E-Capital Summit is an invitation-only sustainability-focused investment and industry innovation summit that has convened, inspired, and catalyzed action from more than 3,200 of the country’s and world’s leading investors, innovators, dealmakers, industry, and broader innovation & investment ecosystem professionals from over 40 states and 25 countries (including active participation from more than 570 leading investors and more than 630 emerging innovators).
The 2026 E-Capital Summit will continue to build on momentum of the past nine Summits and will continue to focus on catalyzing action and meaningful connections.The Summit is expected to convene ~400 attendees comprised of: 1/3 investors (~50% family offices/HNWIs), 1/3 innovators (both early-stage and growth-stage companies), and the remaining 1/3 will represent corporate & industry leaders, policymakers, incubators & accelerators, and others in the broader innovation & investment ecosystem. The invitation-only audience will continue to be diverse and high-quality: 50% of attendees will come from outside Texas, nearly half of attendees will be growth-stage focused, more than half of attendees will be new and personally invited by the EarthX team based on hundreds of meetings and personal outreach. Speakers and sponsors will be announced in the coming months.
Tuesday, April 21
The Sentinel Defense Forum at SMU: The Business of Aerospace, Defense & National Security
Hosted by SMU Cox School of Business
SMU Cox Collins Executive Education Center, 3150 Brinkley, Dallas
Save the date; 5:30 to 8 p.m.
The SMU Cox School of Business and Lyle School of Engineering invite you to attend the inaugural Sentinel Defense Forum. The event convenes leaders from industry, finance, investment, academia and the non-profit sector to discuss trends and opportunities in aerospace, defense and national security. Two panel discussions will be featured, one on the State of Aerospace & Defense Today and one on Startups and Success Stories in Aerospace and Defense.
The event is free, but registration is required.
Thursday, April 23 through Thursday, April 30
20th Anniversary Dallas International Film Festival
Hosted by DIFF
Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas Victory Park, Texas Theatre, Virgin Hotels Dallas, and more venues TBA
Save the date
Roll out the red carpet for the 20th Anniversary Dallas International Film Festival (DIFF) April 23-30.
Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas Victory Park, located near American Airlines Center at 2365 Victory Park Lane, returns as the host venue. Additional screenings and events will be held at the historic Texas Theatre and the artful Virgin Hotels Dallas, returning for the fourth year as the Premier Sponsor of the Festival, along with other world-class Dallas destinations to be announced.
New this year will be the first-ever DIFF Industry Conference, presented in collaboration with Dallas Film Commission. The conference will feature panels on filmmaking, television production, and how to thrive in an ever-changing industry.
The Dallas International Film Festival will feature more than 125 film screenings, panels, Q&As with filmmakers and actors, nightly Red Carpets, live screenplay table reads, awards, and other events and activations where filmmakers, screenwriters, film industry leaders, celebrities, sponsors, and audiences come together to experience and discuss film. Films are curated from submissions received by filmmakers from 100+ countries worldwide, across Texas, and the United States, and include narrative features, documentaries, and short films of all genres from studios and independent filmmakers.
Tuesday, September 29 through Thursday, October 1
AURP International Conference
Hosted by AURP
Pegasus Park, Dallas
Save the date
AURP is proud to convene its 2026 International Conference at Pegasus Park—one of the nation’s most dynamic, mission-driven innovation districts and a powerful example of how place-based strategy accelerates impact.
Hosted in Dallas, Texas, this year’s conference will bring together AURP members and global innovation leaders for executive-level dialogue, high-value networking, and curated learning experiences. From strategic plenaries and collaborative working sessions to behind-the-scenes tours of Pegasus Park and engagement with the region’s thriving life sciences community, the program will highlight how intentional investment, cross-sector partnerships, and research park leadership drive sustainable growth and long-term competitiveness.
Pegasus Park stands at the forefront of advancing new industries—particularly in life sciences—while strengthening community outcomes. Together with AURP’s mission to foster innovation, commercialization, and vibrant knowledge communities, the 2026 conference will showcase Dallas as a model for forward-looking ecosystem development.
Through May 2026
Frontiers of Flight: Bessie Coleman
Hosted by Frontiers of Flight Museum
6911 Lemmon Ave., Dallas
Tickets are timed entry.
The Frontiers of Flight Museum’s new exhibit is a high-flying tribute to aviation pioneer Bessie Coleman and her groundbreaking achievements. Guests can follow her journey through an immersive digital experience, see her beloved plane suspended from the museum’s hangar, and take home books, dolls, and other keepsakes to support scholarships for girls from South Dallas.
Get on the list.
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R E A D N E X T
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The hybrid event in August will take place in person at SMU and virtually. The seventh annual Dallas Startup Week powered by Capital One is Dallas-Fort Worth's largest event focused on driving entrepreneurial success, economic impact, and innovation in the region.
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You'll find deadlines coming up for a new accelerator program; and many more opportunities.
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You’ve found Dallas Innovates’ archive of news briefs from July to September 2021.
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Nonprofit BUiLT is hosting the event to highlight the success and possibilities of Black tech talent in the region. “There is no talent pipeline problem,” says Peter Beasley, co-founder of the Blacks United in Leading Technology International. “Black tech talent is widely available, especially in North Texas.”
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With Dallas ranked as one of the top cities in America for tech pros, UT Dallas and Fullstack have launched four skills training bootcamps focused on coding, cybersecurity, data analytics, and DevOps. The online bootcamps begin in November with tuition at $11,995 each.
![Manufacturing Institute President Carolyn Lee delivers the annual State of the Manufacturing Workforce Address at NTT DATA's North American headquarters in Plano on Feb. 25, 2026. [Screenshot/NAM YouTube]](https://s24806.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Carolyn-Lee-75x69.png)
![Manufacturing Institute President Carolyn Lee delivers the annual State of the Manufacturing Workforce Address at NTT DATA's North American headquarters in Plano on Feb. 25, 2026. [Screenshot/NAM YouTube]](https://s24806.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Carolyn-Lee.png)
