Fort Worth and other cities across the region are about to be a hotbed of entrepreneurial action. Global Entrepreneurship Week North Texas is happening November 13-20, featuring everything from a kickoff party to an “urban farm crawl” to fireside chats, revealing sessions, pitch competitions, and a you-gotta-be-there wrap party.
Along the way, GEW North Texas will offer dozens of ways to steep yourself in the region’s growing entrepreneurial ecosystem—with sessions on how to access capital; how to go global; how to master cybersecurity; how to leverage free e-commerce tools; how to start up from scratch with a branded website; and much more.
The difference this year: The annual event is expanding beyond Fort Worth to highlight the greater North Texas region, including cities in Tarrant, Dallas, Denton, and Collin counties.
Nearly everything is being presented in person, but you can take part online in multiple ways via HopIn.
Very local—but simultaneously global
Held simultaneously in nearly 200 countries worldwide, Global Entrepreneurship Week has a goal of celebrating and empowering entrepreneurs in every community on earth—especially for those who face structural barriers or may have never considered launching their own start-up. Some 40,000 activities are scheduled internationally this year, according to the Global Entrepreneurship Network. In the U.S. alone, nearly 5,000 events, activities, and competitions are planned across all 50 states next week.
2021’s GEW Fort Worth event was the largest of its kind in the U.S.
Last year, GEW Fort Worth was held both in-person and virtually, as the world began steering toward a post-pandemic normal. It was the largest event of its kind held in the U.S., with 4,717 people attending 135 sessions either in the room or via the web.
This year’s kickoff party—and networking events in multiple cities
For 2022, the GEW NTX kickoff party will be held Sunday, Nov. 13 at 6 p.m. at the City of Hurst Conference Center. The event is free and you can reserve a spot by going here.
The Dallas networking event happens Tuesday, Nov. 15 at 6 p.m. at Connected Coworking at 211 North Ervay, and you can register for that here.
The Fort Worth networking event happens Thursday, Nov. 17 at 6 p.m. at Ensemble Coworking at 1617 Park Place Ave., and you can register for that here.
The Arlington networking event happens Friday, Nov. 18 at 6 p.m. at Texas Live!
The Denton networking event happens Monday, Nov. 14 at 6 p.m. at Dan’s Silverleaf at 103 Industrial St., and you can register for that here.
So many sessions, so little time—so choose wisely
Networking is fun, but the real meat of GEW NTX is in the sessions, panels, and fireside chats happening all week long.
To see all the sessions on tap, check out the GEW NTX website. There’s a lot happening, so when you scroll, keep a sharp eye out for the symbol MORE EVENTS > and just keep clicking. Because, again—there are a LOT of sessions being held each day.
For people in Fort Worth, the city has a handy microsite that shows all the GEW NTX events happening in the Panther City. You can access that by going here.
Just a small sample of what’s on tap at GEW NTX 2022
To give you a taste of some of things that will be happening, here’s a sneak peek at several sessions. (To see everything, check out the GEW NTX website link above.)
- Fifth Annual State of Entrepreneurship – Keynote speaker Victor Hwang, Founder and CEO of Right to Start, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 11 a.m. (The Social Space in Fort Worth).
- Techstars: Startup Weekend, Nov. 18-20, 6 p.m. (Trinity River Campus in Fort Worth).
- TechFW: Women Supporting Women, Monday, Nov. 14, 11 a.m. (UTA Fort Worth Campus)
- Iconiq Brands: Iconiq Elevator Pitches/Open Mic Pitch Night, Tuesday, Nov. 15, 7 p.m. (Common Desk Deep Ellum in Dallas)
- Virtual Institute 4 Cyber Innovation: What’s On Your Pitch Deck Cybersecurity & Privacy Slide?, Monday, Nov. 14, 11 a.m. (5 Cowboys Way in Frisco)
- Desoto Chamber of Commerce: Fall Member Networking Event Presented by Outback Steakhouse, Monday, Nov. 14, 5 p.m. (Outback Steakhouse, 1101 North Interstate 35 East Road DeSoto)
- Grow Southeast Farm Crawl, Tuesday, Nov. 15, 10 a.m. (Mind Your Garden Urban Farm in Fort Worth).
- Connected Coworking: Not Another Pitch Competition, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 11 a.m. (Hoblitzelle Auditorium, 1402 Corinth St., Dallas)
- 10th Annual CodeLaunch DFW 2022, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. (Gilley’s Dallas; read more about this in our story here)
- Eosera Inc.: EmpowHERment Pitch Competition, Thursday, Nov. 17, 6 p.m. (UNT Health Science Center in Fort Worth)
- Dallas Boss Inc.: The Start Something Global Brunch!, Saturday, Nov. 19, 11 a.m. (Texas Live! in Arlington)
Online options
Can’t make it out to all the in-person events? No worries. You can still be a part of GEW NTX. Here are some virtual sessions being offered all week long:
- Center for Transforming Lives: Level Up Business Development Program, multiple dates and times (virtual).
- Fort Worth Public Library: Startup Sessions – How to Sell Online with Free E-Commerce Tools, Monday, Nov. 14, 10 a.m. (virtual).
- Fort Worth Public Library: Small Business Storytelling with Thistle Creative Reuse,Monday, Nov. 14 , 6 p.m. (virtual).
- Fort Worth Public Library: Startup Sessions – Establish a Professional Domain, Website, and Email for Your Business, Tuesday, Nov. 15, 10 a.m. (virtual).
- Fort Worth Public Library: Startup Sessions – Launch Your Business with Customer-Focused Marketing, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 10 a.m. (virtual.)
- Fort Worth Public Library: Startup Sessions – Connect with Customers and Manage Your Business Remotely, Thursday, Nov. 17, 10 a.m. (virtual).
- Fort Worth Public Library: IP for Authors with Jode Millman, Thursday, Nov. 17, 6:30 p.m. (6301 Bridge St.).
- Fort Worth Public Library: Startup Sessions – Make Your Small Business More Accessible, Friday, Nov. 18, 10 a.m. (virtual),
UNT Health Science Center Podcasts will drop all week
HSC’s “Innovate Fort Worth” podcast spotlights local innovators and their stories. New episodes will be released daily during Global Entrepreneurship Week. You can download and listen to them on Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you get your podcasts.
- HSC Next: Innovate Fort Worth with Eddy Badrina from Eden Green Tech
Monday, Nov. 14, 3 p.m. (virtual), - HSC Next: Innovate Fort Worth with Carlo Capua from the City of Fort Worth, Tuesday, Nov. 15, 3 p.m. (virtual).
- HSC Next: Innovate Fort Worth with Munatsi Manyande from the DASH Network,Wednesday, Nov. 16, 3 p.m. (virtual).
- HSC Next: Innovate Fort Worth with Dr. Robert McClain of HSC Next, Thursday, Nov. 17, 3 p.m. (virtual).
- HSC Next: Innovate Fort Worth with Cam Sadler – LIVE, Friday, Nov. 18, 2 p.m. (HSC Next, 550 Bailey Ave.).
Again, to register for each event on the GEW NTX schedule and to see a complete list of all that’s on tap, visit the GEW North Texas website.
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