On October 1, the Buda Economic Development Corporation will host Texas Venture Fest: Buda 2026 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Buda HIVE, 307 N. San Marcos St. The event marks Buda's participation in a statewide, simultaneous celebration of entrepreneurship taking place across more than 10 Texas cities on the same day.
The evening will feature the public debut of the Buda HIVE Incubator Program's Cohort 5, which began in August and completed an eight-week program of weekly guidance, one-on-one coaching, and collaborative networking. Attendees can visit a Small Business Expo featuring the graduates, watch a live pitch competition, hear investor insights, and network with founders, business owners, and community leaders. The event is free with registration at luma.com/texas-venture-fest-buda-2026.
Texas Venture Fest, now in its fourth year, began in 2022 as the Austin Venture Crawl with about 700 attendees. It grew to 10 cities and roughly 2,000 participants in 2023, passed 3,000 in 2024, and reached 3,500 Texans across 25 venues in 2025. This year's theme, "Innovation is Statecraft," frames innovation as a strategic capability that strengthens the Texas economy. The Fest is the anchor of Texas Startup & Tech Week, September 28 through October 2.
For Buda, participation signals a significant step in its economic development strategy. The Buda HIVE is the EDC's incubator and accelerator, created to give entrepreneurs mentorship, funding connections, training, and a peer network so they can launch, build, and scale locally. The program aligns with the EDC's Business Retention & Expansion strategy and complements The Depot on Main, a retail incubator and collective marketplace scheduled to open in downtown Buda in early 2027.
"Bringing the Texas Venture Fest momentum to Buda allows us to give our local entrepreneurs the community support and network opportunities they deserve," said Jacquie Martinez, Assistant Director of Small Business Initiatives at the Buda EDC. "With investor insights, a pitch competition, and a dynamic small business expo, 'Buda-ful Fest 2026' demonstrates that major innovation and talent thrive just south of Austin."
By joining the statewide network, Buda's founders gain access to investors, accelerators, universities, chambers, and economic development organizations from El Paso to Dallas. The event also gives the community a chance to see what is next for Buda's growing business ecosystem. "The Building Texas Show exists to put a microphone in front of the people doing the work in cities like Buda, not just the big metros," said Justin McKenzie, host of The Building Texas Show. "I have watched the Buda EDC back its entrepreneurs, from small business support to the HIVE, and Texas Venture Fest is that work on display."
While Buda celebrates at the HIVE, fellow Texans will gather across the state. In Austin, the Austin Venture Crawl runs across downtown venues, with events hosted by Silverton Partners, S3 Ventures, and others. Georgetown hosts a pitch-preparation workshop with Gary Forni of Central Texas Angel Network. Round Rock features a fireside chat on building a company. Pflugerville's Venture Pfest includes a Women's Summit. San Antonio's Emerge and Rise showcases local founders and arts. North Texas's Founders Arena meets at Kiln in Dallas. Hill Country students pitch at Mason's historic Odeon Theater. El Paso's Pioneers 21 partners with UTEP's Hunt G.O. Foundry.
For more information on the statewide celebration, visit https://www.texasventurefest.com. The event's implications extend beyond a single evening: it positions Buda as a rising innovation hub and demonstrates that smaller cities can play a vital role in Texas's broader economic future.
