For the third consecutive year, The Founders Arena will host Texas Venture Fest: North Texas 2026 on Thursday, October 1, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. CDT at Kiln Dallas. The event, part of a statewide innovation series that draws more than 3,500 attendees across over 15 cities, focuses on connection rather than pitching. No pitch competition will be held; instead, founders, investors, business and civic leaders, universities, and ecosystem builders will gather at Kiln’s new Preston Hollow coworking space at The Hill, 9850 N. Central Expressway, Suite 230. The evening includes light refreshments, networking, and remarks from a special guest.
Michael Phillips, chief operating officer of T.D. Jakes Enterprises, will join the program. T.D. Jakes Enterprises is a social impact holding company active in content, cultural change, community development, and capital investment. Phillips’ work with the Good Soil Movement centers on expanding access to capital, technology, and growth for entrepreneurs. His participation underscores the event’s emphasis on practical support for founders.
The Founders Arena is marking three years of building in Texas. It has 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. That work has led to five exits and four companies that have relocated or are relocating to Texas. One of those relocations will be visible in the room: Finliti, a Founders Arena cohort company, is moving from Toronto to North Texas. Founder Jennifer Schell will attend as she begins that move, giving guests a chance to hear her share why she chose Texas and North Texas, framed around the strength of the community.
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. 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, said: “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 Founders Arena is also introducing the TFA Innovation Chamber, a separate commercial company connected to its ecosystem, designed to help founders, capital, cities, and partners find one another and turn those introductions into commercial outcomes. Registration is open at luma.com/texas-venture-fest-north-texas-2026.
Hosts and partners include The Founders Arena, Kiln Dallas, Texas Venture Alliance / Texas Venture Fest, and Myngly. Texas Venture Fest began in 2022 as the Austin Venture Crawl with more than 700 attendees. In 2023, organizer CS Freeland expanded it to 10 cities with more than 40 panelists and approximately 2,000 participants. By 2024, participation surpassed 3,000, and the Fest introduced the Texan’s Choice Awards. In 2025, it convened 3,500 Texans across 25 venues, featured nearly 100 panelists, and recognized the Awards at the Texas Venture Gala & Forum six months later. This year, in addition to creating the statewide innovation store, the Fest became part of a statewide innovation week, the Texas Startup & Tech Week.
The implications for North Texas are significant. As one of the fastest-growing regions in the country, North Texas benefits from events that connect local founders with global talent and capital. The relocation of Finliti demonstrates the tangible results of these efforts, bringing jobs and innovation to the area. The TFA Innovation Chamber aims to streamline connections, potentially accelerating deal flow and commercial partnerships. For the broader Texas ecosystem, the continued growth of Texas Venture Fest and its integration into Texas Startup & Tech Week signals a maturing innovation landscape that can compete nationally and internationally. As Cytron noted, the focus on abundance and collaboration could lead to more sustainable companies and lasting economic opportunity across the state.
