The pandemic has forced a shift in how economies function, whether locally, nationally and globally, and Mayor Eric Johnson is counting on Dallas to place a higher priority on startup companies and entrepreneurs with the help of a new task force.
On Monday, Johnson announced the Mayor’s Task Force on Innovation and Entrepreneurship to help Dallas become a city that is better for supporting startup businesses. Johnson mentioned that people think of Silicon Valley, Seattle and Austin but don’t connect Dallas with the list of cities for startups, despite the booming growth of North Texas.
“We are committed to be a 21st-century city that equips its workforce for the jobs of tomorrow in a city that dreams no small dreams,” Johnson said. "As we recover from COVID-19 we should strive to make Dallas a hub for entrepreneurs."
Dallas has 11 Fortune 500 companies, but small businesses make up a big portion of the local economy, Johnson said.
"We want Dallas to be the first major city to bounce back," Johnson said. "I believe the way we can do that is by making sure we support existing small businesses and support the development of new ones."
The task force, which is co-chaired by Trey Bowles and Mandy Price, will give their recommendations to the mayor, Councilman Tennell Atkins, the Economic Development Committee and city leaders. Bowles is co-founder and executive chairman of the DEC Network (Dallas Entrepreneur Center) and Price is the CEO and co-founder of Dallas-based Kanarys Inc.
Price mentioned how when she started her company, Kanarys, most of her funding came from outside of Dallas and the task force wants to change that.
“It is more important now than ever that we foster our entrepreneurial talent and support them in every way possible in building D-FW companies together,” Price said.
Johnson said one of his priorities with the task force is to grow the number of businesses owned by underrepresented groups like minorities, women and veterans.
"That’s the city we are and the city we want to be," Johnson said. "No matter who you are, Dallas represents an opportunity for you."
