n the face of the SVB collapse, North Texas entrepreneurs are not immune to worries about what the future holds for their startups and investments.
Despite the uncertainty, one community north of Dallas, McKinney, has found firm footing in establishing and growing a thriving startup and technology ecosystem of founders, investors, and industry experts.
The McKinney Economic Development Corporation has been known for impacting the startup community with the launch of the Innovation Fund since 2020, but the reach goes much farther than simply the grant funding (so far, more than 34 companies have been given funding out of the nearly 150 applicants in just over three years).
As a part of its business retention and expansion efforts, the MEDC hosts a quarterly event called Tech and Trucks – we collaborated with founders to meet the need for connection and community in the McKinney Startup Ecosystem and have found great success by hosting events at local coworking spaces. This past month’s event in March was hosted at Lucid Private Offices, in the new building at District 121 at Alma Rd and 121 in McKinney. Over 100 people were in attendance, along with investors from the North Texas Angel Network (NTAN) as well as several community partners.
Founded in 2008, NTAN focuses on early-stage companies, which are precisely the type of companies that are flocking to McKinney. NTAN is also a recipient of the Investor Organization of the Year at The DEC Network, recognized at the State of Entrepreneurship Event on March 29th.
Chris Wilkes, chairman of the board of NTAN and owner of McKinney-based Enginsoft, said this about the Tech and Trucks event: “Great partnering with McKinney EDC to gather over 100 founders and investors. Incredible spirit of entrepreneurship in McKinney.”
Chris has lived in McKinney for years and has played a pivotal role in helping foster this community, as well as his larger investments in the region with involvement at the DEC as well.
Startups like StadiumDrop, Confer, Review Wave, Xcelerate, Autix, Playful Studios, CX Data Labs, Snipitz, and more have found thriving ground to plant in McKinney.
For more information or to learn more about the Innovation fund, head to uniquemckinney.com/innovation-fund
Madison Clark
