North Texas is a big place with plenty of opportunities. Here is our curated roundup of contests and competitions, accelerator and recognition programs, and resource and grant opportunities for North Texas innovators.
Information is compiled by Dallas Innovates from the organizations, and things change: confirm all deadlines and details with the organization before applying. Sign up for our e-newsletter to stay in the loop. Know of a deadline coming up? Tell us about it.
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Closing Soon
Dated deadlines still ahead. Confirm every date with the organizer before you apply.
Recognition
Nomination form still open · Awards presented at the October 22 conference
Startup of the Year Awards
Venture Dallas is seeking the best startups in the region across two categories, Early Stage and Growth Stage. Companies must be located in DFW or have a significant regional presence and be making a meaningful impact in their market. Self-nomination is accepted and you can nominate more than one company. One significant caveat: the private Nasdaq dinner for select nominees was held on September 24, and the nominations page has not changed since — it still invites submissions and the form still works, but it has now sat unedited for more than two weeks past its only published date, with the awards themselves on October 22. Contact the organizers before investing time in a late nomination.
Contest
Applications close Wednesday, November 4 · Contest Thursday, November 12, 2026
Big iDeas Pitch Competition
SMU’s competition for undergraduates with early-stage ideas. No business plan is needed — just a clear, creative concept and a problem worth solving. Students submit a short application and, if selected, deliver a 90-second live pitch to a panel of judges. Winners attend E-Launch workshops, meet with the Big iDeas Entrepreneurship Fellow, and have six months to spend their funds.
Accelerator
Open now · Applications close Thursday, November 19, 2026
SMU Cox FinTech Accelerator
The inaugural cohort of a fintech accelerator built around Dallas’ financial sector, run by SMU Cox with MassChallenge. Sixteen weeks and five modules covering market validation, regulatory alignment, business model, enterprise engagement, and capital strategy, delivered as a hybrid program with three in-person intensives in Dallas — kickoff, midpoint, and a finale showcase. Free to participate and no equity is taken, though startups cover their own travel and at least one founder must attend in person. Tracks include Y’all Street capital markets, AI, blockchain, and cybersecurity, with an open category. A minimum of three cohort seats are reserved for SMU-affiliated ventures. Judging runs December to January, the cohort is announced in early February, and the program runs mid-February to mid-June 2027. Three virtual info sessions are scheduled: October 15, November 2, and November 17.
Open Now — Rolling Applications
No fixed deadline, or a recurring one. These accept applications year-round or on a repeating cycle.
Accelerator
Rolling — apply anytime
ThinkLab, SmartStart, and FastForward
Fort Worth’s technology incubator runs an eight-week program with mentorship and takes no equity. TechFW also runs a Dallas ThinkLab cohort, and a single general application covers all of its programs.
Accelerator
Rolling
Capital Factory
Texas’ largest accelerator and startup investor, with a Dallas hub at Pegasus Park.
Resource
Ongoing
Grant and Loan Advising
Free one-on-one advising to help small businesses identify and apply for grants and loans they qualify for.
Grant
By federal solicitation cycle
SBIR/STTR Application Support
TechFW helps North Texas founders pursue federal Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer grants, which are non-dilutive.
Grant
Varies by program
Small Business Grants and Incentives
Multiple incentive programs covering up to roughly 25% of project costs. Openings vary; contact the office for what is currently available.
Grant
By application when relocating or expanding
Texas Enterprise Fund
A cash grant awarded per qualified job, aimed at larger job-creating relocations and expansions, typically 25 to 75 or more positions.
Resource
Reference — all three grant windows, updated annually
CWE Grant Dates Calendar
The Denton-based Center runs three grant cycles a year for Texas businesses — the Veteran Entrepreneur Grant in late January, the Texas Rural Grant in early May, and the StartUP Grant in September — and posts every open, close, and training date on a single page. Worth bookmarking if you have missed a window: next year’s dates appear here first.
Grant
Rolling — apply after you win a qualifying award
BIRD Matching Funds Program
The Business Innovation and Research & Development program matches outside non-dilutive funding that an Arlington company has already won — federal SBIR Phase I and II, STTR, and Fast Track awards among them. Grants top out at $100,000 and cover commercialization and research expenses such as technical research, product testing, and business development. They cannot be used for debt repayment, reimbursing owner investment, or relocation. Note the sequence: you need a qualifying award in hand before the match applies.
Grant
Rolling
EmpowHer Grants
Up to $25,000 in reimbursable business support plus a network of financial, marketing, leadership, and sector advisors. The business must make a social impact through its product or model, be earning revenue, and be no more than three years old.
Contest
Weekly — apply anytime
Present Your Startup Story at 1 Million Cups
Present your business to the local entrepreneurial community over coffee and learn how the room can support your growth. North Texas has groups in Dallas, Fort Worth, Irving, Frisco, Northeast Tarrant County, and Wichita Falls.
Grant
Pitches accepted year-round
America’s Seed Fund
The NSF distributes roughly $200 million a year to small businesses with strong ideas. Project pitches can be submitted at any time; those invited to a full proposal can reach as much as $2 million in seed funding.
Resource
Applications reviewed monthly, submit between the 1st and 15th
HB Communities for Change
Pro bono legal representation for qualifying underrepresented businesses and nonprofits in under-resourced communities. The team assists with business formation, contracts, employment advice, intellectual property, and minority business certifications.
Resource
Rolling — vacancies vary
Boards and Commissions Vacancies
The city seeks residents for boards and commissions including Aviation Advisory, Board of Adjustment, Building Standards, Historical and Cultural Landmarks, Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory, Urban Design, and Zoning. You must live in the district with the vacancy.
Resource
Rolling — 3-month, 6-month, and 1-year tracks
Mentorship Program
Experienced business leaders volunteer to advise entrepreneurs on avoiding common hurdles and accelerating growth. The DEC matches mentors and mentees by industry. There is a separate application for founders looking for a mentor.
Contest
Quarterly
Call for Code Global Challenge
A quarterly competition for teams building solutions to global sustainability problems using IBM AI technologies. Quarterly awards reach $10,000, with year-end grand prizes of $50,000. Focus areas include carbon emissions, clean energy, supply chain transparency, water, waste, biodiversity, and food insecurity.
Grant
Rolling
Corporate Grant Program
Grants for nonprofit startups focused on environmental protection, reflecting Patagonia’s commitment to organizations making a positive environmental impact.
Grant
Rolling
Historic Tax Credit Program
A federal tax credit of up to 20% of qualifying rehabilitation expenses. The building must be certified as historic by the National Park Service and a substantial amount must be spent on the rehabilitation. State Historic Preservation Offices are the first point of contact.
Grant
Annual solicitations
SBIR Program
More than $10 million a year in contracts to U.S. small businesses researching and developing innovative solutions to transportation challenges.
Grant
Monthly deadlines
Amber Grants for Women
Several $10,000 grants each month, including a general women-owned business grant, a startup grant, and category-specific grants. Monthly winners become eligible for the year-end $25,000 Amber Grants. One application covers every grant you qualify for.
Resource
Cohorts in fall and spring · Free
Tech Fundamentals Training
A free 16-week virtual program launching IT careers, with paid internships or project-based learning, industry certifications, mentoring from senior IT professionals, employment readiness workshops, and job placement assistance.
Grant
Rolling
START Program
Seed funding of up to $1 million for a percentage of ownership, open to founders with an idea through to those scaling a product. Includes support, access to debt financiers, and a community of go-to-market operators.
Grant
Rolling
Ecosystem Support Program
Grants and support for open-source projects strengthening Ethereum’s foundations, with a focus on builder tools, infrastructure, research, and public goods.
Grant
Rolling
UNICEF Innovation Fund
Equity-free grants for early-stage, open-source emerging technology solutions, favoring scalable digital public goods and solutions delivering results for children.
Grant
Monthly — fourth Monday most months
Cowtown Angels
A Fort Worth angel network connecting entrepreneurs seeking early-stage funding with local investors. A program of TechFW, the nonprofit helping regional entrepreneurs commercialize innovative technology.
Grant
Rolling
Growth Grant
Business development grants of up to $4,000 for members taking the next step, covering hiring and training, marketing, or new equipment and software.
Grant
Rolling
Skills Development Fund
Grants for customized workforce training, applied for in partnership with a public community or technical college, the Texas Engineering Extension Service, or a qualifying nonprofit. Employers must help design the training and pay trained workers at or above the local prevailing wage.
Accelerator
Rolling
The Accelerator Powered by Nestlé R&D
Six months to take a product from idea to shop shelf, with help on design, packaging, innovation, regulatory and legal issues, plus a prototype kitchen with resident chefs and a budget for operational expenses. Three U.S. locations, including Nestlé’s Arlington, Virginia headquarters.
Grant
Rolling — funding in as little as 48 hours
EnrichHER Funding
Affordable, non-dilutive capital for revenue-generating women-led businesses. Applications take under five minutes and funding can arrive in as little as 48 hours.
Grant
Rolling
Flash Funds
Loans up to $25,000 with low interest rates and fees, built around a streamlined application and quick turnaround.
Grant
By formal Request for Applications
CPRIT Funding
CPRIT has funded more than $3 billion in cancer-fighting research, therapeutics, devices, and tools since 2010, and invests in startups and early-stage companies. All opportunities are announced through formal Requests for Applications.
Resource
Rolling
Inventor Mentorship
Get matched with a mentor in your field for advice on patents and filing, research, strategy, and commercialization.
Grant
Rolling
State Farm Ventures
State Farm Ventures invites pitches through its public site, which lists current investments and priority areas including senior living, home safety, and drones.
Grant
Rolling
Mockingbird Ventures and UT Dallas Seed Fund
The UT Dallas Seed Fund works with Mockingbird Ventures to identify its next seed-stage investment, made on a standard SAFE agreement.
Contest
Rolling — chapter rounds feed the grand final
Pitch.Tech
An idea-stage competition where entrepreneurs first compete at their local chapter to qualify for the grand final. The winner takes $10,000 equity-free plus more than $100,000 in startup benefits through Startup Grind membership.
Watch for the Next Cycle
Closed for this round but recurring. Note the timing so you are ready when applications reopen.
Contest
2026 submissions closed September 25 · Early deadline is typically early April
Lone Star Film Festival
Fort Worth’s premier film festival, which screens in November. Awards include Best of Fest, Best Texas Film, Cine-Más, and Audience Choice, and international films are welcome in English or with English subtitles. Submissions for the 20th festival have closed. The cycle runs early deadline in April, regular in August, and final in late September, with fees rising at each tier — enter early for the next one.
Recognition
2026 nominations closed August 28 · Next window typically opens midsummer
Fort Worth Inc.’s 40 Under 40
Recognizes individuals in Greater Fort Worth who have made significant strides in their fields despite their youth. Fort Worth Inc.’s editorial team selects the final 40 honorees, revealed in the magazine’s Spring issue. The 2026 window has closed; watch for the next call around midsummer.
Contest
2026 applications closed August 31 · Pitch events Wednesday, October 21, 2026
North Texas Connected Innovation Pitch Competition
A regional initiative from the Frisco and McKinney economic development corporations and the North Texas Innovation Alliance, inviting startups from across North America to solve real problems posed by North Texas communities. The inaugural 2026 problem statements covered public infrastructure and emergency response; transportation, fleet, and route optimization; and environmental solutions. Applications have closed and finalists pitch in Frisco and McKinney on October 21. Winners receive pilot programs with participating cities, office space, NTXIA membership, and curated introductions to public agencies, Fortune 500 executives, universities, and investors. Worth watching for the next round.
Recognition
2027 nominations closed September 3 · Finalists in the January/February issue
The Innovation Awards
Presented by D CEO, The Innovation Awards honors the disruptors and trailblazers driving a new vision for North Texas, recognizing companies, CEOs, CIOs, CTOs, entrepreneurs, and other leaders. Nominations for the 2027 awards have closed. Finalists are featured in D CEO’s January/February issue, with winners revealed at an awards event in early 2027. Watch for the next nomination window around midsummer.
Contest
2026 applications closed September 17 · Typically opens at the start of the fall term
Big iDeas Business Plan Competition
SMU’s annual competition for undergraduate entrepreneurs ready to take an idea further. Students apply with a written business plan, and once accepted prepare a deck and deliver a four-minute pitch to a panel of judges. Winners attend E-Launch workshops, meet with the Big iDeas Entrepreneurship Fellow, and have six months to spend their funds. The 2026 round has closed — but the separate Big iDeas Pitch Competition, which needs no business plan, is still accepting applications through November 4.
Grant
2026 window closed September 23 · Opens September 1 most years · Winners announced October 23
StartUP Grant
A $5,000 grant helping Texas startups launch new initiatives and accelerate growth, funded by the Texas Legislature. You do not need any affiliation with Texas Woman’s University to apply. The 2026 window ran September 1 to 23; winners are announced October 23, with the required Small Business Training Course on October 27. When the next round opens, read the Grant Guidelines and FAQ before starting: applications missing required documentation are disqualified outright, and the Center reports that most first-week submissions fail for exactly that reason.
Contest
2026 hackathon held October 4–7 · Returns with the next Innovate Americas
Trustworthy AI and Data Hackathon
The 2026 challenge was “Agentic assurance — the quest for proof”: developers entered a simulated autonomous enterprise and tracked the movements, decisions, and interactions of AI agents across customer, IT, network, and data environments, judged on the strength of the evidence rather than the sophistication of the AI. It kicked off at AT&T corporate headquarters in Dallas, moved to the Marriott Dallas Allen for the conference, and awards were announced during the October 7 keynote. Teams run three to seven people. Entry is by interest form with limited capacity — TM Forum reviews every submission and confirms directly, so register interest early when the next edition opens.
Contest
2026 applications closed September 30 · Opens early September most years
Global Mission Cup
A pitch competition for founders building with, as the organizers put it, the ambition of a for-profit and the heart of a non-profit. Entry is a form plus a three-minute video introducing the business, and pitches are judged on five criteria: people, product, predictability, potential, and purpose. Ten finalists pitch to venture investors, with winners crowned live at the Global Mission Summit at the JW Marriott in the Dallas Arts District. Winners receive mentorship, a resource library of tools and services valued up to $200,000, investor introductions, and alumni network access. The 2026 round ran September 7 to 30 — note that late entries are not reviewed, so diarise the opening.
Grant
2026 window closed February 27 · Opens late January most years
Veteran Entrepreneur Grant
Five $5,000 grants awarded to qualified Texas veterans, open to entrepreneurs anywhere in the state. The 2026 cycle ran January 27 to February 27, with grant training from March 24. One caution: the application form is titled the Veteran Woman Entrepreneur Grant while the program page says only “veteran,” so confirm eligibility in the grant guidelines before planning around it.
Grant
2026 window closed June 5 · Opens early May most years
Texas Rural Grant
Ten $10,000 awards, $100,000 in total, helping rural small businesses take on new and innovative projects. The 2026 cycle ran May 5 to June 5 with training from June 23. Eligibility is county-based and the business must have been started before June 19, 2023 — check the eligible counties list first, since the urban core of Dallas-Fort Worth does not qualify but several surrounding North Texas counties do.
Accelerator
Applications typically March to May · Program runs September to November
Health Wildcatters Accelerator
A 10-week Dallas program taking 8 to 12 startups a year, with up to $350,000 in follow-on available. The 2026 application window has closed; watch F6S and Gust for the next cycle.
Accelerator
Window typically May to July · 2027 dates to be announced
CometX Accelerator
A six-week co-curricular program with mentoring and a pitch week. Check the site for the next application window.
Accelerator
General intake closed · But see the SMU Cox FinTech Accelerator above
MassChallenge
An equity-free accelerator network running programs in healthcare and life sciences, security and resiliency, sustainable food systems, climate, and global financial systems. Its general apply module currently says to check back for upcoming programming and offers a notification list — but that module does not list everything. MassChallenge’s Dallas program with SMU Cox is open right now and is listed separately above, so check the individual program pages rather than relying on the homepage.
Accelerator
2027 dates to be announced · Waitlist is open now
Dallas Accelerator Program
A 13-week program funded by the City of Dallas and delivered at no cost, built on the Empowered CEO curriculum with expert-led workshops and one-on-one coaching. It is aimed squarely at contract readiness: participants finish by presenting a strategic business plan to a panel of procurement experts and potential buyers, and must be willing to join the City’s Mentor Protege Program after graduating. Sessions run biweekly on Thursdays, in person and in English. Eligibility covers for-profit Texas businesses with verified revenue across 13 DFW counties, including Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, and Denton. 2027 dates are not set, but you can join the waitlist now.
Recognition
Next nomination window to be announced
Dallas Business Journal 40 Under 40
The 2026 class has already been named. The nomination window shifts each year, so watch the DBJ site for the next call.
Contest
Opens late January · Deadline mid-March
Innovate UNT Pitch Competition
A business-model submission, video, and live pitch. The 2026 cycle has closed; the next opens in January.
Contest
2027 applications open Tuesday, January 5, 2027
CodeLaunch
The Plano-based competition, produced by Improving, matches every finalist with a professional software development team that builds a proof of concept or MVP at no cost, then puts them on stage in front of angel investors and VCs. Free to enter and no equity is taken. The 2027 tour runs regional events across Canada, LATAM, and the USA, each feeding the World Championship. Applications open January 5 — note that the 2026 World Championship comes to Dallas on November 11 if you want to see the format first.
Contest
Applications open Monday, November 9, 2026 · Competition April 8–10, 2027
Rice Business Plan Competition
The world’s largest and richest student startup competition, now in its 27th year, bringing 42 intercollegiate teams to Houston. Every finalist leaves with at least one cash prize — the 2025 edition announced more than $1.5 million in total awards. Hosted by the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship. Houston rather than North Texas, but worth the trip for eligible teams, and the application window opens November 9.
Contest
Annual — regional rounds feed the global finale
TiE Women Global Pitch Competition
Regional rounds feed a global finale, with a $50,000 equity-free grand prize.
R E A D N E X T
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Cait Brumme says the event at Dallas' Pegasus Park on Nov. 6 will explore the technologies and economic forces defining the future for entrepreneurs and innovators.
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North Texas has plenty to see, hear, and watch. Here are our editors' picks. Plus, you'll find more selections to "save the date."
