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April 22By Comments OffRead more...

Eclipsing Expectations: DFW Startups/Small Businesses Benefit from Celestial Craze

On a slightly cloudy Monday afternoon on April 8th, 2024, the bustling life of DFW came to a momentary standstill as residents and visitors alike lifted their gazes skyward. The cause for this pause? A spectacular solar eclipse. Such celestial events are relatively rare, occurring approximately every 18 months and often over remote regions. Notably, the 2024 eclipse marks the first such event to traverse the United States since 2017 and an even rarer occasion for Texas, finding itself directly in the path of totality for the first time since 1878. The 2024 eclipse has reignited the public’s fascination, much like its...

December 12By Comments OffRead more...

Announcing our Favorite Innovators of 2023

There is so much exciting innovation happening in Fort Worth in  many different areas of our city. But, who were some of the Innovate Fort Worth podcast teams favorites in the last year?  Kendel Rogers, the producer of the podcast, Rob Upchurch, the technical producer and Cameron Cushman, the host, share their favorite innovators on the most recent episode of the show.   Kendel Rogers I have two actually.  My first was Jose Alfaro from co-starters (Episode 83). We interviewed him at the beginning of the year. I love what he is doing for communities around the nation. We are so lucky to...

November 7By Comments OffRead more...

Co-Working + Storage + Shippin’ It = E-commerce Solutions

In an era of rapid online growth and changing business dynamics, the warehousing landscape has experienced a pivotal shift in Fort Worth. Traditional warehousing, with its expansive space and vast inventories, served only the biggest industries. However, as the business climate evolves and need for microentrepreneurs multiply, there’s an evident shift from large warehouses to more sustainable, small warehouse spaces that may offer even more benefits to micro and small businesses compared to their larger counterparts. This shift is not just about downsizing but about adapting to the needs of an agile market. When small businesses, particularly e-commerce entrepreneurs, have...

October 9By Comments OffRead more...

Why You Should Consider Partnering with a Cofounder

What "Working Capital: Assembling Your Team" Has to Say About Cofounders When it comes to cofounders, there can be a lot of questions regarding the logistics, relationship, and even the necessity of them. Luckily, Sean K. Murphy’s book, Working Capital: Assembling Your Team, Vol.2, addresses most of the common concerns and inquiries surrounding such partnerships. Instead of merely recommending this book to you, I’ve outlined the insights Murphy provides toward developing a cofounder partnership.   Murphy starts by addressing that cofounders are very similar to the initial startup founder. They’re both ‘generalists’ and ‘fast learners,’ and they have the same sense of perseverance....

September 25By Comments OffRead more...

Interview with Caroline McKnight from Create Fort Worth

Fort Worth's newest addition to the entrepreneurial ecosystem, Create Fort Worth, is officially open and welcoming small businesses and entrepreneurs to take advantage of its resources and coworking space. We interviewed one of the powerhouses behind this space's success, Caroline Mcknight, Create Fort Worth's Community Coordinator. The Abilene Christian University alumna is bringing her classroom experience with non-profit and corporate communications to Fort Worth's small business owners and entrepreneurs as the "house mom" of the new space. McKnight will be leading tours, directing onboarding and offboarding, meeting with community members, and everything in between to make sure that Create Fort Worth...

September 18By Comments OffRead more...

Scaling Your Sales

The dream of many entrepreneurs is to get their product on the shelves of big-box merchandise retailers. But how do you take your product from the R&D stage to stores such as Walmart and Target? We’ve compiled a list of steps needed to make your goal a reality. If you’re new to the entrepreneurial world, this cluster of words may seem overwhelming. Here’s what you need to know about creating a product:   Product Validation is a process that decides whether there is a demand for your product. Do consumers really want or need this solution you're providing? Once you’ve decided that your product...

September 11By Comments OffRead more...

Meet the Companies of Techstars Physical Health Fort Worth Accelerator 2023

Get to know the startups in the Techstars Physical Health Fort Worth second year's accelerator cohort. Check out the companies and their innovative solutions for addressing the challenges and opportunities that exist in the world of Physical Health.  Brilliantly: The flagship product, Brilliantly Warm provides flexible and safe warmth for your entire body, all from your bra. Our wearable warms up your whole body invisibly under your clothes and effectively at your core. Comeback Mobility: The ComeBack Mobility Smart Crutch Tips are an IoT biofeedback device & mobile app to guide patients on how to apply the right amount of force to the...

September 7By Comments OffRead more...

The 5 Things I Learned on the HSC Next Team This Summer

As a Fort Worth native, the opportunity to work in our entrepreneurial ecosystem and startup scene has been very fulfilling. But when I started this internship, I didn’t know how much I would learn about my hometown, myself, and the business world beyond our city limits. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to work for Sparkyard and HSC Next as my first internship. Regarding introductions to professional life, I would say that mine was pretty stellar. Writing about what I learned this summer without launching into a full novel is challenging because the amount of experience and understanding I've gained...

August 31By Comments OffRead more...

Emerald City vs. Cowtown Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

From 2015-2020, 16 cities raised over one billion dollars in early-stage capital. Of those cities, nine of them have less than one million people, similar to Fort Worth. Removing the well-established startup cities from the equation, we are left with Seattle, Atlanta, Denver, Oakland, Washington, DC, and Nashville. However, these six cities have an average population of 604,706 (about half the population of Hawaii): roughly 350,000 less than the estimated population of Fort Worth in 2023. If Fort Worth is the 13th most populated US City, why is our entrepreneurial ecosystem not reflecting its size?  Last summer, we analyzed what makes...

August 24By Comments OffRead more...

5 Unexpected Lessons From This Summer

Last summer, I dove headfirst into the workforce a few weeks following my high school graduation. And I guess you could say I had an okay experience because I ended up coming back for a second summer—and better yet, I was able to work with them full-time.   As I enter the last week of my internship, I can’t help but feel somewhat perplexed as to where I should start my end-of-summer blog. Since this is my second summer with HSC Next, (you can see my takeaways from last summer here) I’m forced to be a little more creative with my points...