Each week we curate a list of events where North Texas’ innovators, founders, funders and makers are showing up. Details shift, so confirm on the official website or registration page before you go. To see our recurring events, click here.
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Sponsor Event
Corporate & Business
· 10 a.m.
Taiwan Expo USA 2026
Hosted by Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) | Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas, Hall C, 650 S Griffin St, Dallas | Free
Taiwan's trade council returns to Dallas for a three-day showcase of Taiwanese industry, free and open to the public. Eight theme pavilions cover AI manufacturing, intelligent automation, future mobility, smart energy, smart healthcare, urban resilience, Taiwan Excellence and Taiwan Pulse, alongside a Taiwan-U.S. Industry Collaboration Forum and a B2B matchmaking programme. Doors 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the 24th and 25th, closing at 3 p.m. on the 26th.
September in North Texas
Health & Life Sciences
· 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Designed for Human Impact: Leadership, Art and the Architecture Behind the Texas Behavioral Health Center
Hosted by Business Council for the Arts and Grant Halliburton Foundation | Center for BrainHealth, 2200 W Mockingbird Ln, Dallas | Free
A corporate breakfast panel on how thoughtfully designed spaces support wellbeing, built around the vision behind the Texas Behavioral Health Center. Panellists are Dr. Hicham Ibrahim, senior executive officer of ambulatory services and professor of psychiatry at UT Southwestern; Courtney K. Crothers, art curator and director of campus life at UT Southwestern; and Brian Briscoe, studio practice leader and health partner at HKS, moderated by Business Council for the Arts CEO Stacie Adams. Breakfast and networking from 7:30, panel from 8. Presented alongside Journey, the Grant Halliburton Foundation's 20th anniversary exhibition of Grant Halliburton's paintings, drawings, writing, poetry and music.
Tech & Infrastructure
· Times vary — see organizer
TribalNet Conference and Tradeshow
Hosted by TribalNet | Hilton Anatole, 2201 N Stemmons Fwy, Dallas
A technology conference and tradeshow for Native American and tribal business and government leaders, pairing educational sessions with an exhibition floor.
Tech & Infrastructure
· Times vary — see organizer
Data Center World Power 2026
Hosted by Informa | Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center, 1501 Gaylord Trail, Grapevine
North America's conference dedicated to the intersection of data centers and power infrastructure returns for its second year. Four tracks cover power sourcing and grid integration, alternative power and energy innovation, AI with power density and thermal management, and ecosystem business strategy and workforce development. Keynote speakers include Tom Garvens, VP of data center technology and systems at Google; Scott Hart, president of NRG Business; Alise Porto of Switch; and Dado Slezak of QTS.
Tech & Infrastructure
· Times vary — see organizer
Teradata Autonomous Intelligence World Tour: Dallas
Hosted by Teradata | Renaissance Dallas Hotel, 2222 N Stemmons Fwy, Dallas
Teradata brings its 2026 World Tour to Dallas for two days on turning data into autonomous decisions. The programme covers customer use cases with measurable AI return, hands-on work building and managing AI agents, and how peers are moving from pilots into production. Optional industry seminars for financial services and healthcare and life sciences run Monday, with hands-on workshops on the Autonomous Knowledge Platform across both days, allocated first come first seated.
Startup & Venture
· 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Frisco Plug-In (September)
Hosted by Plug and Play Tech Center | Comerica Banking Center, First Floor, 17 Cowboys Way, Frisco | Free
Plug and Play's monthly morning meetup for the Frisco innovation community. Introductions from 8, then open networking over coffee with founders, investors, and corporate partners.
Health & Life Sciences
· Times vary — see organizer
BioNTX iC3 Life Science and Healthcare Innovation Summit
Hosted by BioNTX | Loews Arlington Hotel and Convention Center, 888 Nolan Ryan Expy, Arlington
The region's flagship life science and healthcare innovation summit, convening researchers, founders, health systems, and investors.
Tech & Infrastructure
· 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
{unscripted} 2026 Dallas: The AI Software Delivery Conference
Hosted by Harness | Omni PGA Frisco Resort, Ryder Cup Ballroom, 4341 PGA Pkwy, Frisco
Harness brings its {unscripted} roadshow to North Texas for a day on AI in the software delivery lifecycle. Sessions cover autonomous engineering and the agentic shift, the economics of AI beyond token spend, DevOps in the AI coding era, adoption patterns that work and those that don't, and security at AI speed. Local engineering leaders on the bill include Jerry Welch of Wingstop and Eric Santelices, VP of engineering at Solera. Opens with a FinOps breakfast at 9 a.m. and closes with a happy hour.
Startup & Venture
· 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
UT Dallas 3rd Annual Startup Crawl
Hosted by The University of Texas at Dallas | Richardson IQ, 1302 E Collins Blvd, Richardson
An evening bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, UT Dallas alumni, startups, students, and the wider community to showcase new ideas and products and make connections across the North Texas startup ecosystem.
Startup & Venture
· Times vary — see organizer
Texas Startup & Tech Week 2026
Hosted by AURP | Multiple Texas cities, Dallas
A statewide week of innovation programming beginning September 28 and culminating October 2. Gatherings take place in more than 15 Texas cities and connect founders, investors, and entrepreneur support organizations.
Policy & Legal
· 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
General Counsel Conference Southwest
Hosted by Law.com | Arts District Mansion, 2101 Ross Ave, Dallas
General counsel and legal leaders from across the Southwest convene for programming on economic pressures, emerging legal technologies, and evolving regulatory practice.
Research & Higher Ed
· Times vary — see organizer
AURP International Conference 2026
Hosted by AURP | Pegasus Park, 3000 Pegasus Park Dr, Dallas
AURP convenes its 2026 International Conference at Pegasus Park, bringing together members and global innovation leaders for executive dialogue, networking, and tours of the district's life sciences community.
Save the Date
Tech & Infrastructure
· 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
CNBC AI Forum 2026
Hosted by CNBC Events | Dallas
CNBC brings its second annual AI Forum to Dallas, convening executives, founders, and researchers on how AI is reshaping work, workforces, and customers. CNBC's own framing points to cheap energy, space, and a permissive environment for experimentation turning the city into an enterprise AI hub, with telecom, healthcare, and financial services embedding AI into existing infrastructure here.
Startup & Venture
· Times vary — see organizer
Texas Venture Fest: North Texas 2026
Hosted by Texas Founders Arena | TBD, Arlington
A day of networking and programming highlighting the entrepreneur support ecosystem. More than 15 Texas cities host simultaneously, drawing 3,000-plus participants statewide. Part of Texas Startup & Tech Week.
Corporate & Business
· 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
The BANT AI Summit
Hosted by The Business Association of North Texas (BANT) | UT Dallas Student Union, Galaxy Rooms, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson | From $35
A half-day summit on putting AI to work in a business, opening with Dr. Richard Golden, professor of cognitive science at UT Dallas and co-author of the 1995 text Backpropagation: The Basic Theory. Murat Baday, PhD, who works on AI and healthcare at Stanford, maps where AI capital is heading over the next five years and which technologies and business models are worth positioning around. Oguz Sarkut, lead AI/ML product manager at Lowe's, closes with how autonomous agents now run market and competitor research, and what that shift means for strategy and marketing teams. A light breakfast and networking precede the program.
Startup & Venture
· 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
October Startup Bites
Hosted by TechFW | TechFW, 1120 South Freeway, Fort Worth
TechFW's monthly Startup Bites lunch and workshop for Fort Worth founders. Lunch and networking from 11:30, workshop and Q&A from noon. Speaker and topic to be announced.
Tech & Infrastructure
· Times vary — see organizer
Innovate Americas 2026
Hosted by TM Forum | Marriott Dallas Allen Hotel & Convention Center, 777 Watters Creek Blvd, Allen
TM Forum brings more than 1,000 telecom leaders from across the Americas to Dallas for two days on turning AI ambition into measurable impact. Speakers include Yigal Elbaz, network CTO at AT&T; Andy Markus, AT&T's chief data officer; Ankur Kapoor, chief network officer at T-Mobile; Pamela Snively, chief data and trust officer at TELUS; Himanshu Polavarapu of Verizon; Arnab Chakraborty, chief responsible AI officer at Accenture; and Kaniz Mahdi of AWS Industries. Themes run from building the AI-native enterprise and cross-domain service orchestration to autonomous networks at scale, connectivity continuity, and AI monetization through programmable networks. The programme includes the region's first collaborative showcase of Catalyst projects.
Startup & Venture
· Times vary — see organizer
Global Mission Summit
Hosted by Find Your Mission | JW Marriott Dallas Arts District, 800 N Harwood St, Dallas
A summit for mission-driven founders, investors, and operators.
Startup & Venture
· 10 a.m.
Rooted Expo 2026
Hosted by Rooted Expo | Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas, 500 W Las Colinas Blvd, Irving
Three days and around 300 brands, gathering the Texas consumer packaged goods community in one room. Day one, October 20, is Ignite: a sampling and discovery event where emerging brands showcase products and connect with buyers ahead of the main show. October 21 and 22 are the Expo proper, with two full days of trade show programming for exhibitors, buyers, retailers, investors, distributors, and industry leaders, including the Rooted Pitch Slam.
Startup & Venture
· 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Plug and Play Frisco Batch 6 Expo
Hosted by Plug and Play Tech Center | Elite Performance Training, 3800 Gaylord Pkwy Ste 120, Frisco | Free
Startups from Plug and Play Frisco's sixth cohort pitch to the regional network of corporate partners and investors after twelve weeks in the travel and hospitality and sportstech verticals. Technologies on show span human performance, smart stadiums, devices and wearables, and immersive training. Opening remarks at 2 p.m., free parking.
Startup & Venture
· 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
GrowthTech Summit 2026
Hosted by Start.Pivot.Grow. | Wells Fargo Las Colinas campus, 401 W Las Colinas Blvd, Irving
The inaugural GrowthTech Summit, from AI-powered small business accelerator Start.Pivot.Grow., on how artificial intelligence is reshaping Main Street businesses. Melissa Bradley, founder of New Majority Ventures, keynotes on the applied AI economy reaching Main Street. The half-day programme adds a fireside chat on responsible AI and its legal implications, conversations with investors and founders, and practical scaling strategies, closing with more than $35,000 in accelerator grants awarded live to cohort graduates alongside awards for innovation, AI leadership and community impact.
Startup & Venture
· 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Venture Dallas 2026
Hosted by Venture Dallas | Old Parkland, 3819 Maple Ave, Dallas
Venture Dallas 2026 introduces a new setting and refined format with multiple stages, curated networking, and startup pitches. Tickets and full programming to be announced.
Networking
· Times vary — see organizer
DFW Alliance of Technology and Women 25th Anniversary Celebration
Hosted by DFW Alliance of Technology and Women | Venue Forty 50, 4050 Belt Line Rd, Addison
DFW ATW marks 25 years of connecting and advancing women in North Texas technology.
Startup & Venture
· 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Frisco Plug-In (October)
Hosted by Plug and Play Tech Center | Comerica Banking Center, First Floor, 17 Cowboys Way, Frisco | Free
Plug and Play's monthly morning meetup for the Frisco innovation community. Introductions from 8, then open networking over coffee with founders, investors, and corporate partners.
Health & Life Sciences
· Times vary — see organizer
MedCity INVEST Digital Health 2026
Hosted by MedCity News and Health Wildcatters | Pegasus Park, 3000 Pegasus Park Dr, Dallas
A digital health investing conference bringing founders, investors, and health system leaders to Pegasus Park.
Startup & Venture
· Times vary — see organizer
CodeLaunch World Championship 2026
Hosted by CodeLaunch | Gilley's Dallas, 1135 Botham Jean Blvd, Dallas
CodeLaunch's championship pitch event, pairing early-stage startups with development teams to build and present a prototype.
Health & Life Sciences
· Times vary — see organizer
SMU Cox Healthcare Conference: Technology-Driven Healthcare
Hosted by SMU Cox School of Business | James M. Collins Executive Education Center, SMU Cox, 3150 Binkley Ave, Dallas
SMU Cox convenes healthcare and technology leaders on how technology is reshaping care delivery.
Tech & Infrastructure
· Times vary — see organizer
North American Blockchain Summit 2026
Hosted by North American Blockchain Summit | Dallas
Hosted by the Texas Blockchain Council, NABS convenes C-suite executives, policymakers, and infrastructure operators around energy and digital infrastructure. The 2026 edition, themed Blueprints, focuses on the technical, energy, and regulatory frameworks behind North American digital infrastructure, alongside capital deployment and partnership building.
Startup & Venture
· Times vary — see organizer
SMU Dallas 100 Entrepreneur Awards
Hosted by Caruth Institute for Entrepreneurship, SMU Cox | SMU Cox School of Business, Dallas
The Caruth Institute's annual ranking and awards night for the fastest-growing privately held companies in Dallas.
Startup & Venture
· Times vary — see organizer
Holiday Hustle Market and Pitch
Hosted by The DEC Network | Fort Worth
The DEC Network pairs a holiday makers' market with a startup pitch event, aimed at founders and the wider community.
Research & Higher Ed
· 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
State of Public Education
Hosted by Dallas Regional Chamber | The Astoria, 3216 Royalty Row, Irving
Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath delivers a keynote on statewide student achievement, campus and district performance, and the rollout of a historic state investment in public education. A panel of local experts then examines how AI is affecting classroom instruction, student learning, and academic outcomes.
Tech & Infrastructure
· 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Chief Innovation Officer Summit: Innovation Strategy and Leadership During Exponential Change
Hosted by SMU Lyle School of Engineering | SMU Lyle School of Engineering, Dallas
A full-day summit on how innovation leadership is changing as AI, quantum, and digital twins reshape what organizations can build. Speakers include CTOs and innovation chiefs from Texas Instruments, AT&T, NVIDIA, Lockheed Martin, Caterpillar, Ericsson, Samsung, Toyota North America, IBM, Ford Pro, Humana, Jacobs, Gartner, NASA, and DFW International Airport, alongside founders from Worlds, Matic, ByteTrail, and SMU Impact Lab. The format mixes keynote panels with closed-door boardrooms, brainstorm sessions, and a Birds of a Feather luncheon, closing with a reception showcasing SMU faculty and student research.
Dallas Innovates is an official media partner of this event.
Research & Higher Ed
· Times vary — see organizer
Texas Innovation Conference and Awards 2027
Hosted by TCU | Brown-Lupton University Union, 3rd Floor Ballroom, TCU, 2901 Stadium Dr, Fort Worth
TCU's statewide innovation conference and awards, gathering university, industry, and startup participants.
Tech & Infrastructure
· Times vary — see organizer
Convergence AI 2027
Hosted by Convergence AI | Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas, 500 W Las Colinas Blvd, Irving
A Dallas AI conference bringing together practitioners, researchers, and enterprise adopters.
Recurring in DFW
Startup & Venture
Every Wednesday, 9 to 10 a.m.
1 Million Cups Fort Worth
Hosted by 1 Million Cups / Sparkyard / The DEC Network | Create FW, 400 Bryan Ave, Fort Worth | Free
A weekly morning session where two early-stage founders present to the Fort Worth entrepreneurial community and take questions from the room.
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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.
