Dallas Innovates and D CEO magazine teamed up to present The Innovation Awards 2020, a new program honoring companies and leaders—CEOs, CIOs, CTOs, entrepreneurs, and others—driving innovation in North Texas.
Here are the winners and finalists for Innovation in Placemaking.
W I N N E R
Better Block Foundation
The Better Block Foundation began in 2010 as a local effort by urban planners Jason Roberts and Andrew Howard to improve their neighborhoods. Since then, the approach has been adopted internationally by more than 200 cities across the globe. Roberts says the goal is to revitalize neighborhoods by “giving people the tools they need to implement change in their community.” Innovation for Better Block Foundation begins with community engagement, partnerships, education, design, and public outreach. The Better Block team has turned empty parking lots into vibrant plazas, created architectural design competitions, promoted local art, and used environmental design to prevent crime—all by working with communities to bring people together. —Amanda Salerno
F I N A L I S T
Fort Worth Medical Innovation District
The Fort Worth Medical Innovation District is a collaboration between the growing medical industry and local entrepreneurs to create a live, work, play environment that will break ground in the medical and biotech industries. Now branded as the iter8 Health Innovation Community, the 1,200-acre district is located in Fort Worth’s Near Southside, which has strong public transportation, proximity to downtown and a mix of residential and commercial development. The area is Tarrant County’s second largest employment center with 40,000 jobs and hopes to create a research and innovation park and bio-business center to attract top talent in the medical-tech industry. Consultants have recommended a public innovation center as well, which will provide the area with the affordable workspace and business start-up services that will allow innovation to flourish in the district. The district was part of the Economic Development Plan for the City of Fort Worth in 2017 and looks to become the most livable medical district in the country. —Will Maddox
E X P L O R E M O R E
Click each link below to take a closer look at each finalist in all 13 categories.
Corporate Innovator of the Year
Innovation in Food and Beverage
Innovation in Manufacturing and Consumer Goods
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R E A D N E X T
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Five local winners received up to $200,000 in funding to activate their solutions throughout North Texas.
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The U.S. Innovation and Competition Act, which passed in May, has the power to develop 20 tech hubs throughout the United States. According to Tech Titans' CEO Bill Sproull, Dallas-Fort Worth could be a strong contender for one of those spots.
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Lessons from high-growth companies.
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With five new UT Dallas research centers, an extension of the university's Venture Development Center, and new attractions like TheLab makerspace, The IQ may just realize Richardson's vision to be "the premier tech hub in Texas."
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Your Two Cents: The Dallas Mayor's Task Force on Innovation and Entrepreneurship Wants Your Feedback
What should the city be doing to attract, retain, and support startups? Share your recommendations and ideas. But hurry, the Startup Information Survey will close by the end of the week.
