Frisco to host Dallas Startup Week in September

Frisco - In Frisco, the week starting September 10th marks a new chapter as the city becomes a dynamic hub for energetic discussions and thorough deliberation focused on the rapidly growing startup industry, Dallas Metro News reported.

Dallas Startup Week, a yearly gathering connecting entrepreneurs, investors, professionals in the industry, and budding students, has chosen Sports City USA as the location for this year's activities. More than just a networking event, it will feature a spectacular launch party, varied panel discussions, key speeches, and additional programs.

This year's speakers comprise an impressive list of influential figures. Among them are Troy Aikman, a Hall of Fame Cowboys Quarterback; Chamillionaire, a noted rapper; AOL's Co-Founder Steve Case; Next Door's Co-Founder Nirav Tolia; and the resilient CEO of Buzzballz, Merrilee Kick.

The event is coordinated by The DEC Network, a praiseworthy nonprofit organization committed to fostering and strengthening the entrepreneurial spirit. Whether you're an industry veteran or a hopeful newcomer, Dallas Startup Week promises to be an inspiring and enriching experience.

“We’ll have over 200 speakers, 100 events, we’ll have 11 tracks which kind of cover a wide range of topics, technology, investment, marketing, legal,” said Kendall Castillo, senior manager of events and operations at The DEC Network and lead organizer for Dallas Startup Week, according to Star Local Media. “I mean you name it, we really try and cover all of our bases, so it’s a busy, busy week but it’s one you just definitely don’t want to miss out on.”

Reflecting on last year's successful turnout of around 3,000 attendees, Castillo anticipates welcoming between 3,000 to 5,000 participants to this year's event with great enthusiasm.

“You can come every single day, you can come one of the days, you can come just half of a day, whatever,” she said. “The door is open, it’s a completely free event.”

Scheduled from September 10-14, the event will take place at the University of North Texas at Frisco campus, situated in Hall Park.

“So much business innovation, so much growth has been happening there,” Castillo said of Frisco. “You think of the PGA, you think of the Academy of Country Music awards that was there, you think of Universal Studios coming, it just made a lot of sense for us to go and be in Frisco, because these are some new cool connections that can happen organically just from having it at Frisco.”

Castillo expressed hope that the week-long gathering will serve as a platform for founders, entrepreneurs, and others involved in the startup ecosystem to engage and connect. Her enthusiasm for the location and inclusivity of the event underscores its significance in the industry's landscape.

“Really it’s an encouraging week, but it just fosters so much community, so many connections and it’s just honestly super fun too, so we just get to highlight so many people and just give space for everyone to be together,” Castillo said.

Major Dallas Startup Week Events are listed below:

September 10, 2023

• Kick-Off Celebration in the evening

September 11, 2023

• Dell Pitch Showcase
• Disrupt Dallas Summit (Chamillionaire as Keynote)
• Startup Alley Showcase

September 12, 2023

• Corporate Startup Innovation Summit (Founder of Nextdoor, Nirav Tolia as Keynote)
• Capital One Accelerator Pitch Competition

September 13, 2023

• Women of Innovation Summit (Merrilee Kick as Keynote)
• Women Entrepreneurs Marketplace

September 14, 2023

• The Future of Venture Forum Summit (Steve Case and Troy Aikman with Doug Campbell as Keynotes)

Registration information and more details are at dallasstartupweek.com.

Content credit: Dallas Metro News, Dallas Startup Week, Star Local Media