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Capital Factory
Speakers and tracks are still being unveiled for the Venture Dallas 2023 Summit. Confirmed speakers include (clockwise from upper left): AT&T's Vikram Taneja, Beautybio Founder Jamie O'Banion, Bestow's Melbourne O'Banion, Dialexa/IBM's Scott Harper, investor and Nextdoor founder Nirav Tolia, Rosy Wellness' Lyndsey Harper, Topgolf's Artie Starrs, and PGA's Arjun Chowdri. [Courtesy photos]
‘Innovation Meets Investment’: Venture Dallas Sets Sights on National Stage with New Branding, Expanded 2023 Summit
by Quincy Preston | Sep 27, 2023
The rebrand "marks the start of our next chapter of growth," says Venture Dallas Chair Aaron Pierce. The nonprofit's 2023 summit, backed by JPMorgan Chase and Perot Jain, is set for October 25.
by Quincy Preston and Lance Murray |
Jul 23, 2023
From vacuum cleaners that can climb stairs, to robots built for firefighting, students in UT Dallas's UTDesign Capstone program are solving modern tech challenges. Companies in need? They're tapping into this pool of innovation, getting fresh solutions in AI, AR, robotics, bioengineering, and more.
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by David Seeley |
Mar 3, 2023
If you've founded a North Texas startup, chances are you'd love to meet a venture capitalist. Here are a four to know in North Texas.
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by Glenn Hunter |
Feb 16, 2023
"AI now is where the web was in the mid- to late-'90s," Sentiero Ventures' David Evans says. And North Texas is becoming central to the AI revolution, he and other local tech leaders contend. DFW's role as an AI hub has been burnished by its tech workforce, the breadth and diversity of its industries, its thriving startup community, and its wealth of AI-oriented universities and research institutions. Most important of all, though, is the region's status as a magnet for Fortune 500 companies, many of which are eager to partner with AI's local pioneers.
Here's what leading North Texas experts have to say.
Here's what leading North Texas experts have to say.
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From left: Worlds co-founders are CTO Ross Bates, CEO Dave Copps, and President Chris Rhodes, shown in front of their new company logo. [Photo: Michael Samples]
Dallas-Based Worlds Raises $21.2M to Help Build the Industrial Metaverse
by Quincy Preston and Lance Murray | Jan 9, 2023
Worlds' platform brings AI-based automation directly into the ground-floor operations of large industrial companies—with IoT sensors, people, and processes all coming together inside a live digital twin. Companies can then reimagine their operations in ways that were previously impossible, co-founder and CEO Dave Copps says.
"We're fortunate because what we built is the right thing to have at the right time," Copps told us. "I think we're really in the catbird seat right now."
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by Kevin Cummings |
Dec 16, 2022
Carmack—the former CTO of VR giant Oculus—has taken goggle-gazing to the next level, programmed Doom and Quake, and founded a Mesquite-based space tourism startup. Now he's on a mission he says "could change the course of human history": artificial general intelligence. Keen's focus on AGI could lead to "something that behaves like a human being or like a living creature, and that can then be educated in whatever ways that we need to," he says.
Carmack believes AGI will hit the market in less than a decade. enabling AIs to interact socially with each other—or with actual people.
Carmack believes AGI will hit the market in less than a decade. enabling AIs to interact socially with each other—or with actual people.
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‘It’s a Different World Out There’: Investors Share Their Insights on the Changing Funding Landscape
by Kevin Cummings |
Nov 14, 2022
At the recent Venture Dallas conference, a panel of leading investors talked market trends and shared insights to help those on both sides of the cap table. Here are key takeaways—from tips for fundraising founders to what startups need to offer to what makes Dallas an exciting place to invest.
“As an entrepreneur, just hustle. Don't take ‘No’ for an answer. You're going to get a lot of ‘No’s,’ so just keep at it," said Pialy Aditya, chief strategy officer at Republic.
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by Kevin Cummings |
Nov 7, 2022
At last week's Venture Dallas conference, more than 400 VCs, angel investors, startups, and business leaders gathered for a showcase of North Texas' entrepreneurial and venture ecosystem. Here's a look at the highlights—from Troy Aikman saying "There are no shortcuts" to Alto Founder Will Coleman on the power of doing "the opposite" to Mark Cuban's "ready, fire, aim" approach.
“Regions like Texas and Dallas-Fort Worth, we’re the model for the rest of the nation on how to get things done," Ross Perot Jr. said at the conference kickoff.
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Left to right, top row: Anurag Jain, Allison Ball, Steve Winn, Travis Goff, Brian Tochman, and Will Coleman; second row: Ameeth Sankaran, Lee Bratcher, Anthony Bassili, and Christopher Calicott; bottom row: Hana Khouri, Sabrina Chaudhury, Mike Kinder, QuHarrison Terry, Troy Aikman, Pialy Aditya, and John Olajide
Venture Dallas Brings ‘the Premier Venture Capital Conference in North Texas’ to George W. Bush Presidential Center this November
by Kevin Cummings | Oct 4, 2022
Venture Dallas 2022—a full-day conference to be held Nov. 3 at the George W. Bush Presidential Center—will connect investors from all over the U.S with the “best founders in our region” with the goal of sparking “collisions” and “meaningful connections," co-founder Aaron Pierce says. He adds that those could potentially lead to fundings—and successful exits.
Here's a look at why the North Texas startup and VC scene is hopping, and what Venture Dallas 2022 could mean for you.
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by Kevin Cummings |
Sep 30, 2022
In this week’s North Texas deal flow, you’ll also find news about crowdfunding platform Harvest Return landing $2.5M; Supply’s acquisition by Foundry Brands; Moss Adams acquiring local CPA firm Kurtz & Company P.C.; Tri Global Energy being acquired for $270M by Canada's Enbridge; and more.
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by Kevin Cummings |
Sep 28, 2022
Firehawk Aerospace is developing hybrid rocket engines and 3D-printed solid rocket fuel to provide a safer, more cost-effective approach to launching payloads as it nears the close of a $17 million fundraising effort.
Co-founder and CEO Will Edwards has said his company's rocket engine "will power the next generation missile and defense systems and plans to support both launch and other systems requiring in-space propulsion."
Co-founder and CEO Will Edwards has said his company's rocket engine "will power the next generation missile and defense systems and plans to support both launch and other systems requiring in-space propulsion."
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by Kevin Cummings |
Aug 9, 2022
“Remember, we're just one pitch away from changing the world,” says Wen Zhang. “It's our job as a founder, as a co-founder to show people the world that we are seeing.”
The founder and CEO of the INNW Institute helps leaders hone their pitches when approaching venture capitalists and other investors
The founder and CEO of the INNW Institute helps leaders hone their pitches when approaching venture capitalists and other investors
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Vector Illustration Unicorn Gradient Colorful Style.
Follow the Money: Dallas Unicorn Adds Cisco Investments as New Backer; Fort Worth Glove Maker Lands $58M for Facility, HQ Upgrades; and More
by Kevin Cummings | Jul 29, 2022
Plus: Southlake SPAC to take financial services firm public; real estate startup Nada Closes $8.1M seed round; Southlake PE firm is raising two biotech-focused funds; Jones family-backed investment firm acquires travel software company; and more North Texas deals.
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by Kevin Cummings |
Jul 27, 2022
Nada's Cityfunds enable people to invest in single-family rental homes and fractionally invest in owner-occupied homes in Dallas, Austin, and Miami. With the new funding, Nada plans to expand Cityfunds to six new cities, grow its Oak Lawn-based staff to around 60, and develop a home equity-accessing debit card.
“We fundamentally believe that we can make a material difference to people's lives by making real estate as an asset more accessible,” co-founder and CEO John Green told Dallas Innovates.
“We fundamentally believe that we can make a material difference to people's lives by making real estate as an asset more accessible,” co-founder and CEO John Green told Dallas Innovates.
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by Kevin Cummings |
Jun 24, 2022
Plus, Primoris Services acquires PLH Group for $470M; Keurig Dr Pepper acquires rights to non-alcoholic cocktail brand; Harvest Returns raises $4M for new fund; and more North Texas deals.
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by Kevin Cummings |
May 31, 2022
Many who are diagnosed with a mental health condition had no idea the symptoms they suffered were related to mental health. McKinney-based Connected Mind aims to change that with technology that screens people for the most common types of mental health conditions.
“It's like being interviewed by a psychologist, but it's a computer,” says CEO and CTO Christian Lehinger.
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