A virus called Rose Rosette has cost the horticulture industry $50 million over five years, and “North Texas is ground zero,” according to D CEO magazine.
One city known as “The Rose Capital of America”—Tyler—has nearly given up on planting the flower. And a few years back, the Fort Worth Botanic Garden had to discard all the roses in its garden—some 1,000 plants. That’s due to a mite the size of a speck of dust that spreads the deadly virus, Jeff Bounds writes.
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A team of scientists and researchers, led by Jeanmarie Verchot, a Texas A&M plant pathology professor, is tackling the issue and may have a solution, thanks to virus cloning. Now the team looks to bring their creation to market while seeking patents for their inventions.
Verchot came to Dallas two years ago and is “incorporating her experience running a startup centered on protective technology for canna lilies, decorative flowers that can resemble irises,” Bounds reports.
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R E A D N E X T
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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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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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The NTXIA is a founding member of the new National Smart Coalitions Partnership, now one of the largest smart cities networks in the country. The organization unites more than 100 governments across seven regional smart cities consortiums. The goal? To accelerate sustainability and resilience in communities.
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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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The inaugural October 8th Texas Blockchain Summit could be a watershed event for making Texas "the jurisdiction of choice" for Bitcoin and other digital currencies. Lee Bratcher, president of the Texas Blockchain Council, will host a wide array of speakers including Texas Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz and Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis.
