The DEC Network, organizers of Dallas Startup Week, are calling DSW24 “the second largest startup week in the USA” — and it kicks off this Sunday! The cornerstone event is gearing up to transform the DFW entrepreneurial landscape from August 11-15, promising five days of insights, connections, and opportunities.
With the event just around the corner, we’ve crafted this ultimate guide—a blueprint for making the most of your time at DSW24.
What is Dallas Startup Week?
Dallas Startup Week, sponsored by Capital One, stands as the largest premiere event for small business owners and entrepreneurs in North Texas. This free, five-day celebration aims to build momentum and opportunity around entrepreneurship and innovation, bringing together thousands of attendees, more than 100 ecosystem speakers, and dedicated volunteers.
What to expect at DSW24
This year’s event is packed with exciting features:
- Inspiring keynotes from Grammy winners to tech visionaries
- 100+ sessions and activations
- Four summits covering various aspects of entrepreneurship
- Pitch competitions with prizes
- Daily networking events, expos, and other special activities
From the official kickoff party hosted by the City of Frisco on Sunday, August 11, to the closing events on Thursday, August 15, every day is filled with opportunities to learn, connect, and grow your business.
How to use this guide
We’ve organized our guide to give you a day-by-day breakdown of events, speakers, and opportunities. You’ll find overviews of each day’s tracks, summits, sessions, and events.
Registration and pro tips
Need to register? Go here.
Remember, all Dallas Startup Week events are free to attend, but registration is required. Head to the Brushfire website to secure your spot, and don’t forget to download the Myngly app using the code “DSW2024!” during registration. With the networking platform—described as “Waze for your professional life,” you can connect with fellow attendees in real-time and customize your personal event schedule,
Social media
When sharing anything from this year’s event on social media, be sure to tag @DallasStartupWeek and use the hashtag #DSW24.
Dallas Startup Week
Here’s Your Day-by-Day Roadmap to DSW24 Success
Unless otherwise noted, the location is Embassy Suites Frisco, 7600 John Q Hammons Dr, Frisco 75034. Check the Dallas Startup Week website and the Myngly app for more information and last-minute changes.
Sunday, August 11
From The Ground Up – The Dallas Startup Week Kick-Off Party
3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
From The Ground Up is the official kickoff party to Dallas Startup Week, hosted by the city of Frisco’s Economic Development Corporation. Every year, Dallas Startup Week brings together entrepreneurs and change-makers for a week-long experience, described as the largest entrepreneurial event in North Texas, where they exchange ideas, collaborate, and grow alongside the 10th largest startup ecosystem in the US. For the second year, this week-long event will take place in Frisco! The city of Frisco is dedicated to maximizing human potential and fostering a thriving innovation ecosystem, which starts with entrepreneurs. At From the Ground Up, there will be booths from our local partners and panels featuring Frisco thought leaders and venture capitalists.
Monday, August 12
TRACKS
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
AI, Automation & Quantum presented by AI CONNEX
Track Captains: AI CONNEX, Bill Cockerill, Rashmi Varma, Wendy Howell
Leadership presented by LeadWell Advisory Partners
Track Captain: Xavier Egan
SUMMIT
Disrupt Dallas Summit
Presented by Charles Schwab Bank, SSB, Member FDIC
2:00 pm – 7:00 pm
The Disrupt Dallas Summit celebrates the champions disrupting the entrepreneurial ecosystem and talent pipeline. It also provides expert education and programming for entrepreneurs of color to help support and grow their businesses through a combination of speakers, discussions, and networking opportunities. See sessions and panels below.
PANELS, SPEAKERS, EVENTS
9:00 am – 10:00 am
Welcome to Frisco
Frisco leaders and staff welcome Dallas Startup Week attendees to join them for an hour of networking to start off the first official day of Dallas Startup Week. Donuts and coffee will be provided.
10:00 am – 11:00 am
Boardroom Basics: Navigating the Necessity of a Board of Directors
10:00 am – 11:00 am
Automation, The Value of RPA, Process Mining, & Process Intelligence in the Enterprise
11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Dell for Startups presents Parenting While Entrepreneuring + Pitch Showcase
11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Inside the Boardroom: A Candid Conversation with Founders and Board Members
11:30 am – 12:30 pm
AI, Successes & Challenges It Is Bringing
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Investing in Leadership: An Investor’s Take on the Power of Boards
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Disrupt Dallas Summit: Disrupting Barriers Accessing Capital as a BIPOC Entrepreneur
3:10 pm – 3:50 pm
Disrupt Dallas Summit True Wealth: EnRICH Your Mind & Body
4:00 pm – 4:40 pm
Disrupt Dallas Summit Connect 2 Capital: Funding Resources You Need to Know
4:50 pm – 5:35 pm
Disrupt Dallas Summit Own Your Tomorrow: The Evolution of a Leader
5:45 pm – 7:00 pm
Disrupt Dallas Summit Keynote: Chamillionaire
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Startup Alley Expo + Happy Hour
This expo showcases startups, founders, corporate partners, innovators, resources and more! Join us on Monday, August 12 after the Disrupt Dallas Summit.
Tuesday, August 13
TRACKS
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Emerging Technologies
Healthcare Track
Captains: Lindsey Settles and Hubert Zajicek
SUMMIT
Corporate Startup Innovation Summit
Presented by Capital One in partnership with Dallas Regional Chamber
2:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Corporate Startup Innovation Summit (CSI) leverages and unites the breadth and diversity of DFW’s corporations and dynamic startup ecosystem. The summit will mobilize these groups by featuring DFW’s best and brightest innovators who will share how their companies are shaping our future – resulting in new ideas, business models, investment trends, connections and opportunities for business growth and acceleration. See sessions and panels below.
PANELS, SPEAKERS, EVENTS
10:00 am – 11:00 am
Early Stage Capital, Where to Find Your First Dollars For Your Healthcare Startup
10:00 am – 11:00 am
11:00 am – 12:30 pm
11:30 am – 12:30 pm
The Healthcare Startup Ecosystem in Dallas
11:30 am – 12:30 pm
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Lessons Learned from Healthcare Startup Founders
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Using GenAI in a Product or Business – What You Need to Know About Navigating Legal Risks
2:15 pm – 3:15 pm
Corporate Startup Innovation Summit Keynote: Sol Rashidi
3:15 pm – 4:20 pm
Corporate Startup Innovation Summit: Capital One Accelerator Pitch Presentation Finals
4:30 pm – 5:15 pm
5:20 pm – 5:45 pm
Corporate Startup Innovation Summit: Capital One Accelerator Participant Pitches + Final Awards
5:45 pm – 7:45 pm
Corporate Startup Innovation Summit: Happy Hour
Wednesday, August 14
TRACKS
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Franchising presented by Lathrop GPM
Track Captain: Carlos White
Marketing + Branding
Track Captain: Spencer Traver
SUMMIT
Women of Innovation Summit
Presented by Searce and Google Cloud
2:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Women of Innovation Summit (WOI) is a daylong slate of seminars and speakers to recognize, encourage and advance women leaders who have the courage and passion to transform their ideas and ambitions into a reality. Featuring a dynamic group of leading visionaries, Women of Innovation will celebrate, inspire and connect change-makers across markets and industries to provide all women in business with greater insights and knowledge into the trends and possibilities of the future. See sessions and panels below.
PANELS, SPEAKERS, EVENTS
9:00 am – 10:00 am
9:00 am – 2:00 pm
10:00 am – 11:00 am
Tech & AI in Digital Marketing
10:00 am – 11:00 am
Emerging & Startup Franchisors, The Backbone For Wealth Creation In The Franchise Space
11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Digital Marketing and Networking for your Business
11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Marketing + Branding: The Power of Distinctiveness
11:30 am – 12:30 pm
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Sports, Entertainment, Social Media, & Influencer Marketing
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
2:15 pm – 3:15 pm
Women of Innovation Summit Keynote with Whitney and Chaz Gates
3:30 pm – 4:15 pm
Women of Innovation Summit: With These Resources… Step Your Game Up! Ready, Set, Go!
4:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Women of Innovation Summit: Zen & Hustle: WEDallas Alumni on Balance and Wellness
5:15 pm – 6:00 pm
6:00 pm – 6:30 pm
Women of Innovation Summit: The Capital Catapult
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Women of Innovation Summit: Women’s Marketplace + Happy-Hour
Thursday, August 15
TRACKS
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Gaming & Esports presented by Frisco EDC
Track Captain: John Davidson
Startup Funding presented by Vela Wood
Track Captain: Mike Wilkes
SUMMIT
The Future of Venture Forum
Presented by IOOGO, Justworks, Dallas VC, Fidelity and Frisco EDC in partnership with North Texas Angel Network
2:00 pm – 7:00 pm
This is the event for investors, startups, and key stakeholders to come together to share their insights and knowledge on unique problems facing investors and startups in the current economic climate. See sessions and panels below.
PANELS, SPEAKERS, EVENTS
10:00 am – 11:00 am
10:00 am – 11:00 am
What to Know Before Speaking With Investors
11:00 am – 1:00 pm
11:30 am – 12:30 pm
11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Non-Dilutive Government Funding Options
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Building A Fundraising Strategy
2:15 pm – 3:00 pm
Venture Forum: CPG Innovators: The Future of Consumer Products
3:10 pm – 4:00 pm
Venture Forum: Navigating the Investment Landscape: Insights from Venture Capitalists
4:10 pm – 4:55 pm
5:05 pm – 6:00 pm
The Future of Venture Forum: Keynote: The D.O.C. with Chris Gannett presented by Frisco EDC
5:10 pm – 7:00 pm
Venture Forum: Angels in Action: Secrets to Spotting the Next Big Startup
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