From Sports to Startups, How Frisco is Attracting Top Talent and Investment
By Lisa Dawson
If you look closely, it’s easy to see Frisco giving Silicon Valley a run for its money when it comes to tech startups. With a business-friendly environment and attractive qualities that keep people moving here from other parts of the country and the world, Frisco is swiftly becoming an economic powerhouse for innovative companies looking to attract investment funding, network with other companies and hire talented IT professionals. Frisco was recently named one of the top ten tech cities in an industry ranking for tech professionals. And with a lower cost of living than other larger cities like San Francisco and New York, Frisco is becoming an increasingly attractive city to live and work.
Plug and Play is one company helping foster the tech hub startup boom in Frisco. A global innovation platform with a local presence, Plug and Play has a vast network of over 650 corporate partners, 300 venture capital firms, and has helped launch 80,000 startups worldwide. Frisco is now one of their fifty locations worldwide, including Abu Dhabi, Hamburg and Paris, making them a global leader in bringing together an ecosystem of startups, corporations, venture capitalists, governments and universities. By joining Plug and Play, startup founders gain access to their network which gives them connections to companies and investors they may have yet to find on their own. Plug and Play also provides mentorship and resources tailored to the business’s specific needs, such as co-working space with meeting rooms, event space, workshops and boot camps that teach companies how to succeed in the competitive startup world.
One of the most significant benefits of being part of Plug and Play is access to their community of like-minded entrepreneurs, innovators, and industry experts. These communities are popular in other cities for attracting top talent and providing access to investors and funds startups need to launch their businesses. But the fuel that powers startups goes beyond funding. Founders need a collaborative environment that fosters knowledge sharing, networking, and mutual support. “We connect startups with potential investors and venture capital firms, increasing the chances of securing the necessary funding to grow the business,” says David Steele, Director of Frisco – Sportstech Plug and Play
A Playground for Sports and Tech
As the home to multiple professional and college sports organizations, the Dallas Cowboys, PGA, FC Dallas and a flourishing pre-professional and youth sports program, it’s not surprising that Plug and Play is running a Sportstech accelerator program as one of its initial focuses, as well as a fintech startup accelerator program. Sports in Frisco extend beyond the physical playing field. With companies like game developer Gearbox Software and esports company Complexity Gaming, Frisco is at the forefront of digital gaming and esports. The ecosystem continues into the education realm, as well. The University of North Texas (UNT) has corporate sponsorships with the Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, Dallas Mavericks and offers MBA and bachelor’s degrees in Sports Management. With a wide network connecting the business and investment community with sports, sports management, gaming and more, Frisco is carving out an undeniable Sportstech niche in the startup market.
Rijo Walker, Program Manager for the Sportstech innovations vertical at Plug and Play, says Frisco is a jewel in North Texas, and the energy and resources city leaders are putting into making Frisco an attractive startup destination can be felt and seen. “Plug and Play is equipped to provide a worldwide innovation platform right here in Frisco. We are excited to continue meeting local entrepreneurs and making connections with investors and mentors or to even just provide educational resources for their businesses,” says Walker. “We are actively cultivating an ecosystem that will be attractive to both founders and venture capitalists. If we can make a strategic connection for you [as a founder], we will gladly do that.”
The relationship between Plug and Play and Frisco Economic Development Corporation (EDC) is a performance-based incentive agreement that started in late 2021 after Mayor Jeff Cheney announced Frisco would become the venture capital capitol of the central U.S. by 2024.
“We started working with local partners to develop a request for proposals (RFPs) that we put out publicly to help find the operator that would run the program, create connections and open doors to investors and venture capitalists that would help us meet that goal,” said Jeremiah Anderson, Director of Innovation for Frisco EDC, adding that it was a two-year long process to negotiate the details of the Frisco and Plug and Play relationship. Anderson says direct access to funding is what startup-stage companies need to grow, and a partner like Plug and Play can help those companies find the resources they need, including funding, to ensure they succeed. “A gap in funding exists here in Frisco and throughout DFW,” he says. “We need to bring more capital into the market to support those early-stage companies.”
Anderson says there are benchmarks the city is using to ensure the lofty goal of making Frisco the Silicon Valley of the central U.S. happen. “The easiest one for us to track is the engagement of venture capitalists and investors that are visiting Frisco through Plug and Play and learning how to work with startups here. Plug and Play is helping host these meetings and also the investment dollars that are coming to local companies.” Anderson says 7.5 million dollars has been raised to date into early stage Sportstech companies that have come directly from the partnership between Frisco EDC and Plug and Play. “That number will certainly grow with more partnerships that are forming,” he says.
AI and Apps Enhance and Deliver
One company that’s established in Frisco with the support of Plug and Play is StadiumDrop, a mobile ordering delivery app that allows fans to order food, beverages and merchandise from their seat and have it brought to them. Adam McAbee, Co-Founder and Chief Operations Officer says by working with Plug and Play, they have secured their largest client, AT&T Stadium, and expanded partnerships with the Frisco RoughRiders and FC Dallas. “Frisco is a major hub for DFW sports action, and it’s only growing as we approach the World Cup. It’s exciting to see where Frisco will be in the global sports landscape over the next ten to fifteen years,” he says.
While the influx of business has a great economic benefit for Frisco, there’s also a keen focus on effectively managing growth. Anderson says all the city departments play a part in Frisco’s growth. “We’re benefitting from steady leadership at the highest level, and the theme of being forward-facing and looking ahead has been consistent and has led to where Frisco is today.” Anderson says residents’ voices are being heard during this growth phase through the Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee, a group comprised of citizens and business owners assisting the city with managing the challenges and opportunities presented by the city’s from traffic and planning and zoning to its public parks and entertainment venues.
Plug and Play say they have had a lot of support from long-term partners in Adidas and PepsiCo and have welcomed the local support of Baylor Scott & White, Dallas Cowboys, PGA of America, Dallas Stars, Dallas Mavericks, and UNT. As they continue to grow their newest vertical in sports, they will be continuing to add partners to help build the best Sportstech innovation platform in the world.
“We are excited at the opportunity to see our model flourish in Frisco. The foundation for their innovation ecosystem has already been built and has strong support from the public and private sector,” says Michael Olmstead, Chief Revenue Officer of Plug and Play.
Uplift Labs, a Palo Alto company that’s now part of the Frisco startup scene, is focused on optimizing human movement performance with A.I. and is already a part of Major League Baseball and many professional sports teams. Company Co-Founder and CEO Sukemasa Kabayama says Plug and Play invited them to participate in their inaugural sports tech cohort. “I love how Frisco is positioning itself to be the sports hub in the U.S., given the presence of many sports teams, the PGA of America, healthcare organizations, and other key entities in the vicinity. That vision really resonated with us,” explains Kabayama. “The team at Plug and Play Frisco has been outstanding in their outreach and in connecting us with potential partners in the greater Frisco area.”
Dreams for the Future
In August, the DEC Network, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that drives innovation and economic impact for entrepreneurs looking to start businesses, held Dallas Startup Week in Frisco at Embassy Suites by Hilton Dallas Frisco Hotel & Convention Center. It was the second year the event was held in Frisco, a testament to the city’s commitment to attracting businesses and talent to the area. In meeting rooms filled with excitement about Frisco’s future, city leaders and entrepreneurs spoke about the area’s potential. Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Tammy Meinershagen addressed the crowd with examples of how Frisco is leading innovative efforts with drone deliveries and robotics in restaurants. In January, Walmart expanded its airborne drone delivery footprint to reach up to seventy-five percent of the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the largest drone delivery area a U.S. retailer has in a single market. “We consider our entire city an innovation lab,” she said. “We want people to come here with big dreams because this is where dreams are made.”
Lisa Dawson is a freelance writer living in Frisco.
