the dec network

Dallas Startup Week 2023: Where Big Names and Big Ideas Power North Texas Entrepreneurs

by | Sep 6, 2023
The DEC Networks' eighth Dallas Startup Week, hosted at UNT Frisco from September 10-14, features entrepreneur and Hall of Famer Troy Aikman, AOL's Steve Case, Nextdoor Co-founder Nirav Tolia, rapper-turned-investor Chamillionaire, and BuzzBallz CEO Merrilee Kick among its 200 speakers and 100 events.
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The Last Word: Holy Rollie Pastry’s Kimberly Matthews Has Advice for Founders
by | Aug 14, 2023
Williams is one of four North Texas entrepreneurs we profiled last week who got funding through The DEC Network from the Small Business Administration's Community Navigator Pilot Program. 
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SBA Chief in Dallas: ‘We Are Becoming the Startup Nation’
by | Aug 9, 2023
Since January 2021, a record 12.2 million new business applications have been filed nationwide—with Texas alone contributing 1.1 million. Speaking at a Dallas event, Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman emphasized ongoing efforts to support Americans in realizing their entrepreneurial dreams.
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From left: Ezi Negus, Okigwe Creations; Greer Christian, PureNRG Cycle; Awah Chai, Offworld Coffee; Kimberly Matthews, Holy Rollie Pastry Shop; and moderator Tarsha Hearns, The DEC Network. [Photo: The DEC Network]
Meet Four North Texas Entrepreneurs Who Navigated to Success With SBA’s Community Pilot Program
by | Aug 9, 2023
At the recent Entrepreneur Showcase in Dallas, four emerging startups were spotlighted alongside Biden Cabinet Member Isabella Casillas Guzman, who leads the Small Business Administration, and Mark Madrid, the driving force behind SBA's Office of Entrepreneurial Development. “I feel like I’ve just been to a TED talk with these entrepreneurs' words of wisdom,” Madrid said at the event powered by Dallas College and The DEC Network.
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The DEC Network Ventures West for Fort Worth Entrepreneurship Center

by | May 22, 2023
The Fort Worth Local Development Corp. approved $500,000 over two years to create the Fort Worth Entrepreneurship Center. The center will be operated by The DEC Network in the city's Near Southside neighborhood, according to the Fort Worth Report.
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Techstars Startup Weekend Dallas Returns: A Dive into Emerging Tech for Diverse Entrepreneurs

The DEC Network is excited to host the Dallas return of Techstars Startup Weekend, a three-day program that immerses aspiring entrepreneurs in the world of startups....

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Grammy-Winning Rapper and Entrepreneur ‘Killer Mike’ to Speak at The DEC Network’s State of Entrepreneurship Event
by | Mar 14, 2023
The DEC Network, which marks its 10th anniversary this year, is gearing up for its 2023 State of Entrepreneurship event—the first-ever in Frisco. Dubbed 'the Super Bowl for Entrepreneurs' in North Texas, the annual gathering brings together game-changing startups and innovative business leaders.
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The DEC Network Adds Seven New Members To Its Board, Announces Awards
by | Feb 10, 2023

Seven new members of the Dallas Entrepreneur Center’s fiduciary board were announced by The DEC Network Board Chair Tim Hill.

The nonprofit said that the new members bring a wealth of experience and knowledge in various industries and will be instrumental in helping it achieve its mission of helping entrepreneurs start, build, and grow their businesses....

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‘It’s a Different World Out There’: Investors Share Their Insights on the Changing Funding Landscape

by | 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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Black Girl Magic Takes Top Prize at Pitch Competition

From experiences for people to products for bulldogs, six founders in The DEC’s “Your Level Up” cohort competed for the top three spots, which came with cash prizes—and a chance to make an impression on other founders and potential investors....

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Check Out the Emerging Tech Trends This Dell Technologies Leader Is Tracking
by | Aug 10, 2022
Rakesh Apte, Dell's director of product management and innovation strategy, lays out the emerging trends driving the future of innovation in the technology space that companies big and small should have their eyes on.
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Dallas Medical Device Company Wins Top Prize at Dell for Startups Pitch Competition
by | Aug 9, 2022
“Opioids are diabolical, because they actually change the structure and function of your brain; they change the way your reward system works,” said Daniel Powell, CEO at Spark Biomedical.

Meet Powell and six other startup leaders.
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From SaaS to Coding to Social Impact, See What Awaits You at Dallas Startup Week

by | Aug 2, 2022
Dallas Startup Week is only days away. In addition to three big summits, the DEC Network's flagship week-long event will offer sessions on 21 different "tracks." From social impact to startup funding to esports and emerging tech, here's a look at what the week holds in store.
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See What’s in Store at Dallas Startup Week’s Corporate Startup Innovation Summit
by | Jul 27, 2022
The DEC Network’s flagship event—Dallas Startup Week—will be held August 7 through August 11 both virtually and in person at SMU's Cox School of Business.

Bringing together the local ecosystem’s “breadth and diversity” of corporations and startups, the Corporate Startup Innovation summit will feature Jim Adler, founding managing director of Toyota Ventures, and Steven Levy, editor at large at Wired—plus a deep dive in the funding landscape, an accelerator pitch competition, and more.
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See What’s on Tap for Dallas Startup Week’s Disrupt Dallas Summit
by | Jul 20, 2022
The Disrupt Dallas summit will highlight "champions who are disrupting the entrepreneurial ecosystem and talent pipeline,” says The DEC Network. The summit on August 8—part of Dallas Startup Week's multi-day event—offers education and programming from local entrepreneurs of color on how to help support and grow a business. Dear Fathers, a media platform for Black fatherhood, was co-founded by Jesse Alex and Lamar Johnson Jr., who "turned their pain of not having real father experiences growing up" into a positive mission. [Image: Dear Fathers] Dear Fathers is a platform “dedicated to telling stories of black fathers from all angles while also empowering our community with tangible resources that inspire, heal, and strengthen the Black man.” Odell Beckham, Sr. Lamar Quinn Dessie Brown, Jr. LaDarius Campbell
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Women of Innovation Dallas Startup Week 2022
Here’s What’s Happening at Dallas Startup Week’s Women of Innovation Summit
The Women's Innovation Summit during Dallas Startup Week celebrates women who transform their ideas and ambitions into a reality.

The summit, powered by Toyota Financial Services, features a dynamic group of leading visionaries to give all women in business greater insights and knowledge into the trends and possibilities of the future. The goal? To set women leaders up for success, says Toyota's Stacey Gee-Miller. Here's what you can look forward to on August 10.
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