“LAST YEAR WAS HUGE, BUT THIS YEAR IS EVEN BIGGER.” 
          [00:00:06]
FRISCO IS THE DESTINATION IN NORTH TEXAS FOR INNOVATORS AND ENTREPRENEURS AS IT HOSTS DALLAS STARTUP WEEK. 
          “I’M SUPER IMPRESSED. IT’S BEEN PHENOMENAL.” “THE INNOVATION IS SORT OF SHIFTING NORTH AND SO THERE IS SO MUCH GOING ON UP HERE. WE WANT TO BE A PART OF IT.” FOR A SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, FRISCO'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TEAMED WITH THE DEC NETWORK TO HOST THE ANNUAL DALLAS STARTUP WEEK IN FRISCO. 
          “ONE THING WE’RE SEEING IS THAT TALENT IS DRIVING SORT OF INNOVATORS AND INNOVATIVE COMPANIES INTO FRISCO." “THIS IS A GREAT PLACE FOR ENTREPRENEURS. WE’RE A 501C3 NON-PROFIT, WE JUST CARE ABOUT ENTREPRENEURS.” IT'S ONE WAY THE DALLAS-BASED NON-PROFIT HELPS ENTREPRENEURS START, BUILD AND GROW BUSINESSES. 
          A RECORD NUMBER OF MORE THAN 6,400 PEOPLE ATTENDED LAST YEAR'S EVENT AT THE UNT AT FRISCO CAMPUS IN HALL PARK. 
          “THE FIRST TIME OUT OF DALLAS MADE SENSE FOR US. 
          AND THEN LAST YEAR WAS SUCH A SUCCESS WE WERE LIKE YEAH, WE’LL DO IT AGAIN HERE.” DALLAS STARTUP WEEK EXPANDED TO EMBASSY SUITES FRISCO FOR ITS 9TH YEAR. 
          “IT’S MORE ABOUT THE QUALITY OF PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE AND THE CONNECTIONS THAT YOU’LL MAKE. 
          FROM FINDING YOUR BUSINESS PARTNER, CO-FOUNDER, HIRING FOLKS OR LOOKING FOR JOBS. 
          THERE ARE SO MANY GREAT RESOURCES AS WELL THAT YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW ABOUT.” ONE OF THE HOT TOPICS DISCUSSED THIS YEAR WAS AI. 
          “WE TRY TO GET IN FRONT OF THESE THINGS, SO WHEN WE SEE MICROSOFT INVESTING HEAVILY INTO AI, THAT’S A GOOD INDICATION FOR US TO START SHIFTING OUR CURRICULUM AROUND AI.” “JUST THINKING OF TELECOM AND AT&T, THE FIRST THING THAT COMES TO MIND IS HOW DO WE GET MORE EFFICIENT, SO DEFINITELY GENERATIVE AI PROJECTS THAT REDUCE COSTS MAKE US MORE EFFICIENT AS A COMPANY.” “DEFINITELY HAVING THE END VIEW IN SIGHT, WHAT ARE THE TARGET GOALS THAT YOU’RE TRYING TO HIT. 
          THAT’S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FOR YOU AND YOUR PRODUCT TO SHOW THE VALUE THAT IT’S DELIVERING TO THE COMPANY.” “IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AI HAS REALLY TAKEN A FRONT AND CENTER SEAT, SO I THINK THE REAL FOCUS OF THE PANEL WAS TO UNDERSTAND WHERE IT’S BEING USED IN THE INDUSTRY, WHAT ARE THE BUSINESS APPLICATIONS, WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES, WHAT ARE THE FOCUS AREAS. 
          “YOU TALK ABOUT GROWTH OF SMALL ENTREPRENEURS, AI IS FANTASTIC FOR SMALL ENTREPRENEURS. THAT NEEDS TO INNOVATE THROUGH SMALL, CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURS.” “WE’RE SO PROUD AND EXCITED TO HAVE IT HERE IN FRISCO. THE EDC HAS BEEN WORKING ON INNOVATION INITIATIVES FOR 5 YEARS NOW AND WORKING TO RECRUIT EVENTS AND RESOURCES FOR THE COMMUNITY.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.