Texas Venture Fest: North Texas 2026 will take place on Thursday, October 1, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. CDT at Kiln Dallas, marking the third year of the North Texas gathering. Organized by The Founders Arena, the event is part of a statewide innovation series that now brings together more than 3,500 people across over 15 cities. Unlike traditional pitch events, this gathering focuses on connection, with no pitching or pitch competition. Founders, investors, business and civic leaders, universities, and ecosystem builders will meet at Kiln’s new Preston Hollow coworking space at The Hill, 9850 N. Central Expressway, Suite 230. The evening includes light refreshments, networking time, and remarks from a special guest, Michael Phillips, chief operating officer of T.D. Jakes Enterprises, a social impact holding company. Phillips’ work with the Good Soil Movement centers on access to capital, technology, and growth for entrepreneurs.
The event underscores the maturation of North Texas as a startup hub. The Founders Arena is celebrating three years of building in Texas, having worked with 36 companies across six cohorts, with companies headquartered in 11 U.S. states and 10 countries represented in its broader founder network. Hundreds of financial services visitors have come to North Texas to meet founders, resulting in five exits and four companies that have relocated or are relocating to Texas. One of those relocations will be visible at the event: Finliti, a Founders Arena cohort company, is moving from Toronto to North Texas. Founder Jennifer Schell will attend as she begins that move, offering guests a chance to hear why she chose Texas and North Texas, framed around the strength of the community.
Pamela Cytron, chief executive officer of The Founders Arena, said, “Over the last three years, we’ve connected founders from across states and countries with people and opportunities here in Texas, and welcomed hundreds of financial services visitors to North Texas. We’ve seen five exits, and Finliti’s move from Toronto will be the fourth company relocation. I’m excited that people at Venture Fest can meet its founder and see one of those connections becoming real. The next chapter is about abundance. Ecosystem builders can work together to get a founder to the right customer, capital, expertise and resources at the right time. That’s how we build sustainable companies and lasting economic opportunity in Texas.”
Justin McKenzie, host of the Building Texas Show, noted, “With 28% of Texans living in the North Texas region, I am excited to see the impact that VentureFest will have in the DFW/North Texas area.” The event falls during Texas Startup & Tech Week, September 28 through October 2. The sister signature gathering is the Texas Venture Gala & Forum at the Texas State Capitol, with an awards dinner in downtown Austin. This year, the Fest also became part of a statewide innovation week and created a statewide innovation store.
In addition, The Founders Arena is introducing the TFA Innovation Chamber, a separate commercial company designed to help founders, capital, cities, and partners find one another and turn introductions into commercial outcomes. Registration for the North Texas event is open, and hosts and partners include The Founders Arena, Kiln Dallas, Texas Venture Alliance / Texas Venture Fest, and Myngly. The implications of this announcement are significant: it highlights the growing connectivity of Texas’s innovation ecosystem, the tangible results of ecosystem building through relocations and exits, and the state’s increasing ability to attract international startups. As North Texas continues to draw founders and investment, events like this serve as catalysts for sustained economic development and collaboration across the state.
