WomenXTech Summit: The DEC Network Aims to Unleash the Power of Women in Tech on Feb. 8

The DEC Network wants to help women take their tech game to the next level in a male-dominated industry. The 2023 WomenXTech Summit, a one-day, in-person summit for women, will be held Feb. 8 at Smart Business Concepts’ headquarters in Dallas.

The event is designed to bring women tech entrepreneurs together to spread their ideas on how to succeed and support each other in the technology industry, the DEC Network said.

Smart Business Concepts, as the presenting sponsor, is committed to supporting women and minority-owned businesses and being a leader in the finance industry. And WomenXTech aligns perfectly with their mission. According to CEO and founder of Smart Business Concepts, Clint Bowers, “We believe that smart companies are the ones with a focus on innovation and a commitment to diversity and inclusion.

“We’re proud to be a part of an event that not only invites brilliant female tech leaders to the table but really gives them the stage.”

The aim of the summit also aligns with a top priority of the state of Texas— to make Texas a place for women entrepreneurs to thrive, according to the Governor’s Commission for Women. Texas is home to 3 million businesses with 1.25 million being women-owned, the DEC said.

The DEC Network works year-round to provide opportunities to all entrepreneurs, and also heavily focuses on focuses on black, indigenous, and people of color populations, the organization says. For the past 10 years, with programs such as WE (Women Entrepreneurs) Dallas, The DEC Network has awarded thousands of dollars through pitch competitions and has put on hundreds of educational and networking events.

Summit lineup highlights women leaders in tech

Valerie Freeman is the keynote speaker at the 2023 Women XTech Summit.

Hall of Fame and Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Valerie Freeman will deliver the keynote address, The DEC Network said. She serves on the board of the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce and the advisory board of Truist Bank.

The summit features lightning talks with topics from branding to budgeting.

Speakers include Katie Polansky (Digital Marketer), Erica Mollet (founder and CEO of Banneky.com), Stephanie Nance (manager of strategy at Smart Business Concepts), and mother and son team, Danny Martin (co-founder/CEO at Esposure) and Rose Johnson (co-founder and chief technology officer of Esposure). Danyel Surrency Jones (co-founder and president of POWERHANDZ), Srii Srinivasan (CEO of Chargeback Gurus), Neha Kunte (CEO of MNK Infotech Inc.), and Mandy Price (CEO and co-founder of Kanarys Inc.).

“This event targets women tech entrepreneurs from all stages: pre-startup, growth/scale, and established/exit. We want Women Tech Entrepreneurs from all stages to create a robust event,” DEC Network said in a statement.

Learn more about the summit here.

Get on the list.
Dallas Innovates, every day.

Sign up to keep your eye on what’s new and next in Dallas-Fort Worth, every day.

One quick signup, and you’re done.  

 

 

R E A D   N E X T

  • The DEC Network, in partnership with Charles Schwab, is putting out a call for founders of color to apply for its BIG IDEA DALLAS cohort by May 16. It calls the seven-week program a "pre-step" in a founder's journey.

  • Tarsha Hearns, the former director of LiftFund DFW, has been hired by The DEC Network as its senior director of the Southern Dallas ecosystem. “I really see this role being a face of the small business community in the southern sector, being someone who is going to be a voice, an advocate, and ensure that entrepreneurs get access to the resources that they need,” Hearns told Dallas Innovates.

  • This Friday and Saturday August 5 and 6, some 250 female leaders will gather for the 5th annual Women’s Leadership Summit at the Renaissance Hotel in Dallas. Founded by former Texas State Representative Helen Giddings, the event has a goal of women empowering women to promote mentorship, entrepreneurship, and breaking down barriers to women in leadership.

  • Of three summits to be held during Dallas Startup Week, the Women of Innovation Summit is right in Miller's wheelhouse. The summit is powered by her company, Toyota Financial Services, and will celebrate women who transform their ideas and ambitions into a reality. The goal? To set women leaders up for success, says Miller.

  • 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.  Each founder had five minutes and could use up to 10 slides to achieve three objectives: talk about themselves, give an overview of their team, and share their financial projections.   One of the people in the audience at the Entrepreneur Center in Red Bird was Freddie Harris, who started Giza Printing in Deep Ellum. He says The DEC Network, which…