City creates task force to solidify Dallas as an entrepreneurial hub in the U.S.

Mayor Eric Johnson will create a new task force Monday to examine how to make Dallas a top city for entrepreneurs.

The task force will be led by Mandy Price and Trey Bowles, two significant figures in the Dallas-Fort Worth startup scene.

Bowles has spent the last decade working in the space, mentoring entrepreneurs and developing programs to support them in his work as CEO of the Dallas Entrepreneur Center. Price is CEO and cofounder of Kanarys, a platform where employees can anonymously review companies’ performance on issues like diversity, inclusion and equity in the workplace. Kanarys recently received funding from Google through its startup accelerator program for Black founders.

“Dallas is a great city for big businesses, which is why we are home to 11 Fortune 500 companies’ headquarters,” Mayor Johnson said in a statement. “But as the economy changes and our recovery from COVID-19 begins, we have the opportunity to accelerate our growth if we foster a culture of innovation and focus on doing what it takes to ensure that small businesses are able flourish in Dallas. “

The task force will be working with an April 30 target to recommend a course of action to Johnson and Tennell Atkins, who chairs Dallas City Council’s economic development committee.

Potential funding to support the recommendations won’t come until after city leaders review them. Another of the mayor’s task forces, the Task Force on Safe Communities, recently received $4.5 million in the city’s 2020-2021 budget to implement its recommendations on combating violent crime.

Bowles said it’s the first time he’s seen the mayor take a concerted approach to fostering startup success in Dallas.

“The talent is here,” Bowles said. “I think where we differ from places like Silicon Valley is in entrepreneurial experience.”

The task force is already studying other cities to see what’s applicable to Dallas. Education, mentorship and community programs may play a part in the task force’s proposals, Bowles said.

But Price also sees funding as something the task force will need to prioritize, noting that much of the venture capital investment in Dallas businesses comes from outside Dallas.

“I’m very much a believer in Dallas, and I’ve always grown up knowing that Dallas has a can do attitude,” Price said. “So I feel that we can be the same with respect to innovation and entrepreneurship. We have all the components and keys that are necessary. We just need to activate them right.”