A Community of North Texas Leaders
Venture Dallas exists to amplify the entrepreneurial spirit of Dallas by connecting innovators with investors, celebrating our pioneering roots, and driving impactful growth for a thriving business community. The conference and our community are the catalysts for entrepreneurial growth in the heart of Texas, bridging innovators and investors with trusted connections, meaningful support, and a shared pioneering spirit.
We shape Dallas into a thriving hub for business, where ideas ignite, opportunities abound, and success is celebrated.
Who We Are
Remarkable Speakers
At the crossroads of creativity and capital, we recognize that innovation alone isn't enough; it must be met with the right investment to grow and flourish.
Engage with a power-packed lineup of Investors, Entrepreneurs, and High-Growth Companies from Dallas-Fort Worth and around the country. Learn explicitly why our region is experiencing explosive growth.
Venture Dallas brings together visionary investors who see the potential in entrepreneurs' dreams.
Our annual conference convenes innovators, business luminaries, and investors from around the nation to experience the forces propelling Dallas-Fort Worth forward as a premier hub of innovation.
Investors Connect
Interested to learn more about the various angel investor groups, family offices, venture capital, and private equity firms that operate in the Dallas-Fort Worth market?
We’ve partnered with the Dallas Regional Chamber and Dallas Innovates to maintain a list of the capital firms and North Texas deal flow to give you the real picture of our opportunities.
Funding Activity
2025 Sponsors
Jim Lee
John Cornyn
Chris Darby
Amy Abernethy, MD, PhD
Brad Hirsch, MD
Wes Cummins
Nicole Small
Mike Fey
David Hunt
Darren Blanton
Coby Cotton
Andrew Yaffe
Jason Illian
Jesse Draper
JC Raby
2024 Speakers
Elaine Agather
Chairman of the Dallas Region
J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.
CEO of the Central Region and Managing Director of The Private Bank J.P. Morgan.
Anurag Jain
J. Aaron Pierce
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Welcome Remarks & State of VC
Introductory Panel
Venture's Role in Advancing Human Health: North Texas Biotech Success Stories
Steve Curtis, Director of New Ventures, BrightEdge
Dr. Amy Kruse, General Partner and CIO, Satori Neuro
Gwen Watanabe, Managing Director, H.I.G. BioHealth Partners
Gabby Everett, Director of Business Operations & Strategy and Site Head, BioLabs Pegasus Park
Dallas Success Stories: Lyndsey and Scott Harper
Scott Harper, Co-Founder and CEO, Dialexa
Lyndsey Harper, Founder and CEO, Rosy
Defending Tomorrow: Innovations and Collaborations for Defense Technology
Will Edwards, CEO, Firehawk Aerospace
Dyan Gibbens, Strategic Advisor, AFWERX/SpaceWERX
Sha-Chelle Manning, Chief Commercial Strategist, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
Alex Moore, Partner, 8VC
Hal Lambert, Founder, Point Bridge Capital, Founder, Star Castle Ventures
The State of Venture Capital and Financing
Ashraf Hebela, Managing Director, Head of Startup Banking, J.P. Morgan
Michelle Yeh Gillis, Managing Director and Market Executive Technology and Disruptive Commerce, J.P. Morgan
Sara Johnson, Horizon Tech Finance
Kevin Lavelle, CEO, Mizzen+Main
A Conversation with a Champion
Clark Hunt, Chairman and CEO of Kansas City Chiefs and FC Dallas sports teams
Schedule
Oct 25
Startup Award Presentation
Swinging for Success: VC, Sports, and Tech
Keith Bank, Founder and CEO, KB Partners
Arjun Chowdri, Chief Administrative and Innovation Officer, PGA
Ryan Engle, Founder and CEO, Golf+
Artie Starrs, CEO, Topgolf
Adeel Yang, Co-Founder and CEO, Dryvebox
Tammy Meinershagen, CIO, Blackshaw Partners
A Conversation with a Champion
Dirk Nowitski, Special Advisor, Dallas Mavericks & Hall of Fame player for NBA World Champion Dallas Mavericks
Fireside Chat with Nirav Tolia
Nirav Tolia, Founder, NextDoor
CVC and Corporate Innovation, A Discussion with Fortune 500 Innovation Leaders
Moni Chakravorty, Lead Investment Strategist, 7 Ventures
Terence O'Brien, Investment Lead, Aflac Ventures
Vikram Taneja, Head, AT&T Ventures
Gretchen Seay, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Clearsight Advisors
Dallas Success Stories: Jamie and Melbourne O'Banion
Melbourne O'Banion, CEO and Co-Founder, Bestow
Jamie O'Banion, CEO and Founder, BeautyBio
