Innovate Fort Worth

Despite being an accomplished MD, DO and MBA, the President of the UNT Health Science Center at Fort Worth is an entrepreneur at heart. Michael Williams is using his background and position to transform Fort Worth into a hub of entrepreneurial activity, not only through the work of HSC, but also through his work in the community to solve complex problems and bring new innovations to market. He is not only creating solutions for healthier communities, but is also creating economic opportunity for our region.

Only 25% of Americans with hearing loss use hearing aids.  But three TCU students are working to solve this problem through technology that is changing the way people with hearing loss can hear the world around them. Devan Peplow and Mavis Tang are co-founders of Sounde LLC, a phone application that utilizes the built-in microphone to amplify specific sounds and frequencies. Through cutting edge AI within the app, Sounde transforms how people with hearing loss manage their ear health. 

Artificial intelligence (AI) is re-making how we do just about everything. One local company, Smart Action, is trying to improve the quality of the customer experience every time you have to call a support line for help. After just moving the company from Los Angeles to Fort Worth,  Gary Davis, the President and CEO, shares how he is interpreting human language using machine learning for better customer care experiences. Davis also discusses how he is plugging into the Fort Worth community and how he plans to help the local tech industry grow.

Local journalism is changing. The explosion of social media and declining print advertising have hurt the industry that traditional created fair and factual reporting at the local level. That is where Chris Cobler, Publisher of the new Fort Worth Report comes in. Chris discusses the importance of serving the community by providing high quality, objective local journalism through a nonprofit. He also dives into the need of a free and independent press and why the Fourth Estate is critical to our democracy.

It can be difficult to stay in touch with family, friends, and other important relationships in your life. Chuck Bouligny talks about the latest app hitting the tech scene in Fort Worth. Juggle  helps people balance their relationships and  build authentic connections. Through gamification, Juggle makes connecting with people easier than ever in the city “where relationships matter.” 

What started with an overwhelmed insurance office resulted in a productivity tool that changes how we get work done. Yanira Borges created an innovative digital platform called Sidekick Checkins that helps staff members handle simple tasks…all by asking a few simple questions. This fun and refreshing software builds positive workplace culture, encourages personal and professional development, and increases revenue for businesses. Yanira talks about the importance of checking in on your coworker, and about her experience as an #indiehacker in the tech space.

What do scientists and entrepreneurs have in common? They solve problems! Mike Mathis, PhD, EdD and Thomas Cunningham, PhD from the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) at the HSC in Fort Worth join us to talk about their new Graduate Certificate in Biomedical Entrepreneurship. Centered around individual passion, this virtual, four course certificate program provides additional skills for the next generation of biotech leaders in Fort Worth.

To learn more, visit the link: https://bit.ly/3gZVMaf

Jonathan Morris is making Fort Worth funky by bringing his various visions for cool spaces to life. He is the owner of the Fort Worth Barbershop and Hotel Dryce, and now, he’s the host the brand new show on Magnolia Network’s Self-Employed. A serial entrepreneur, Jonathan talks about his earliest entrepreneurial ideas as a child, how he builds culture into his business ventures and what it is like to be a television host showcasing small businesses.

Texas is a leader in many industries, including energy production. But one local innovator wants to turn Fort Worth into the sustainability capital of the world. Joseph Horn is the driver behind the city-wide collaboration building EcoPlex in Fort Worth, with the vision of turning our city into the center of sustainability in the U.S. He discusses the intersection of innovation and entrepreneurship with sustainability and environmental advocacy through the development of invention showcases and eco-incubators for startups companies and new technologies.

Mia Moss is more than the owner of Black Coffee in Fort Worth, she is a driving force for revitalization on the eastside of Fort Worth.  She has taken her love of coffee, expertise and skills and poured them back into her community. From connecting with customers about different coffee beans to pivoting in the face of COVID-19, Mia is proving that coffee and culture go hand in hand and can be the key to bringing new life into a local neighborhood.