The Real Guide to the Dallas Startup Community (2025)
If you’re a founder new to Dallas, or just ready to plug into what’s happening, you’ve probably noticed something: i’s not always obvious where the energy is.
We built Dallas Founders Club because we felt that too. What we’ve discovered is that Dallas has real momentum, but it’s spread out across coffee shops, coworking spots, student incubators, low-key pitch nights, and private happy hours.
This guide pulls together the best of what we’ve seen so far.
Whether you're a first-time founder, solo creator, CPG builder, or carrying forward your family’s business, here’s your insider map to the Dallas startup ecosystem in 2025.
Where Founders Work: Coworking Spaces in Dallas
Common Desk – Laid-back, design-forward spaces with founder-friendly events.
The Slate – Great for creatives and storytellers. Female-founded. Community-driven.
Good Coworking – For mission-driven founders. Sustainability-focused, warm vibe.
WeWork / Industrious – Sleek spaces, corporate feel, but solid if you’re meeting VCs.
GeniusDen – Startup incubator meets coworking in Deep Ellum. Low-key and legit.
Where Founders Pitch: Events & Competitions
Dallas Startup Week (by The DEC Network) – Huge annual gathering with big sponsors and local energy.
Startup Grind Dallas – Regular events with founders and investors telling it like it is.
Founders Live Dallas – 99-second pitch battles + beers. Come for the vibe, stay for the people.
SMU & UTD Pitch Competitions – Even if you’re not a student, the crowds and mentors show up.
Where Founders Grow: Accelerators & Incubators
Capital Factory – Austin-based but Dallas is growing fast. Huge network.
Health Wildcatters – Medical and biotech accelerator right here in Dallas.
SMU & UTD Incubators – Active student ecosystems with solid mentors and real capital.
Tech Wildcatters / MassChallenge – For early-stage teams looking for guidance and access.
VCs in Dallas
Disruptive.Tech – Investing in serious scale. They like showing up once things are moving.
Perot Jain – Transportation, logistics, deep-tech. Respected in the city.
RevTech Ventures – CPG, retail tech. They know their niche.
Dallas Angel Network – For smaller checks and early-stage traction.
Capital Factory Fund – Good if you’re part of their mentor network or startup ecosystem.
Where Students Build: University Startup Hubs
SMU Spears Institute – Great leadership, real connections. They back students and local builders.
UT Dallas IIE – Research-heavy, but also home to impressive student founders and funding.
UNT Innovation Hub – Early but growing. Check for community events.
Dallas College Startup Launch – Especially useful for underrepresented founders.
Where Founders Meet: Communities & Groups
Dallas Founders Club – That’s us. We host curated meetups, happy hours, and VC spotlight events. No fluff. No ego.
The DEC Network – Big nonprofit backbone of Dallas entrepreneurship.
Capital Factory Dallas – Weekly events, office hours, startup scene intel.
Founder Institute Dallas – For those who want structured, global training.
1 Million Cups – Show up on a Wednesday, pitch, and meet people over coffee.
TL;DR – How to Plug In
Show up. Go to one event a week for a month. You’ll start seeing the same sharp faces.
Pick a coworking space. Even part-time, it gives you grounding.
Say what you’re building. Out loud. Often. People will help.
Apply to pitch. Even if you’re early. It helps clarify your story.
Join the right group. (We recommend Dallas Founders Club)
Dallas Is Building Something
The Dallas startup community is still maturing, and that’s a good thing. It means there’s room to shape it. New founders. New faces. New energy.
Dallas Founders Club is here to connect the dots, from student builders to legacy operators, from bootstrap crews to venture-backed teams.
Big things happen when you put the right people in the same backyard.
Send us an email at hello@dallasfoundersclub.com or apply here to join us.
