Dallas Startup Week, hosted by The DEC Network, is a vibrant conference focused on innovation and entrepreneurship in Dallas. Sessions include educational classes, workshops, networking opportunities, and much more. I was able to join The DEC Network on Monday to attend sessions in person at Cox Business School at SMU, as well as follow throughout the week – virtually! Overall, I love that Dallas Startup Week’s setup was designed to be accessible online or in person. This gave more opportunities for entrepreneurs to learn, connect, and find new opportunities.
Disrupt Dallas
This event was a full day dedicated to diversity and inclusion during Dallas Startup Week. Its reputation precedes itself as a pillar of what makes Dallas Startup Week great. I love that the event happens on Sunday, so people with full time jobs can attend on the weekend.
HerTexas
Now, I may be a little biased because I am a huge fan of Jasmin Brand, but the HerTexas session was not to be missed. It was great to hear stories of women entering male dominated industries, and what they did to overcome for their startup.
Your Military Service Experience
Although I’m not a Veteran, I’m so glad I attended this session to hear the wise words of Joe Beard. He is the CEO & Co-founder of CollateralEdge, a renowned entrepreneur and investor, and a U.S. veteran. I enjoyed listening to the life lessons he learned in the military, and how those skills are transferrable to becoming an entrepreneur.
Startup Alley
Startup Alley was an opportunity to meet other startups and entrepreneurial resources in the region. It feels like a large party where you go from table to table meeting different people. It provides a space for brainstorming collaboration opportunities, and of course, getting cool free swag.
The Entrepreneurial Mindset
Dave Copps made me think about entrepreneurship in unique way. CEO of Worlds.io, his session felt like talking to a close friend. He made some profound points about business that I found being applicable to life. I love that he says, “entrepreneurs think to the future, not build from the past.” I also like his mentality on greatness, “If you want to be great, help 5 other people become great.” If you have not heard him speak, make this your new priority.
Creating a Virtual Humans Metaverse with 5G
This is one of those sessions that really opened my eyes to transformative innovations. Dr. Marjorie Zielke is the Director of the Center for Simulation and Synthetic Humans (The Center) at the University of Texas at Dallas working with students on human simulation. Dr. Zielke enlightened the audience on the future of what a simulated internet would look like and what that looks like for people’s digital life.
Women in Innovation – The Resilience Trend
I am fortunate to catch The Resilience Trend during Wednesday’s Women in Innovation and hear from fashion entrepreneurs in Dallas. As you would expect, there were lots of bright colors and fun patterns on stage. What really shocked me in this session was the desire to give back from these designers. These women worked hard in a saturated market to share their passion of clothing, but I was impressed with their stance on lifting others up.
Corporate Startup Innovation Summit
This was the last day of Dallas Startup Week, and it ended with a bang! There were many speakers, but I was most excited to hear from Guy Raz from How I Built This. I loved hearing his examples of various companies that started out of necessity. If you have not heard of his podcast, you can check it out here.
Wrap Up
Dallas Startup Week is a blast to attend virtually or in person. I connected with so many entrepreneurs and resource partners. It is a wonderful opportunity to learn something new, work on skills, or even lead a session that you are an expert in.
If you like Dallas Startup Week, you will not want to miss Global Entrepreneurship Week Fort Worth happening November 8-12, 2021.
