Dallas Innovates

More than 48,000 Dallas ISD students will take part in curriculum-aligned STEM field trips this year through a new districtwide program. The initiative, supported by Lyda Hill Philanthropies, will send students to institutions including the Perot Museum, Dallas Arboretum, Dallas Zoo, and the Environmental Education Center. https://lnkd.in/gDbHXgVN LH Capital, Inc. & Lyda Hill Philanthropies • Dallas Education Foundation #DallasEducation #STEMEducation #Philanthropy #NorthTexasInnovation #K12

Researchers at Mayo Clinic Florida and the University of Basel have been selected as recipients of a 2026 research award announced by The Rainwater Charitable Foundation. The honors will be presented next spring at the Tau Global Conference in Washington, D.C. https://lnkd.in/gjQP32Hj MAYO CLINIC FLORIDA • University of Basel #NorthTexasInnovation #LifeSciences #Neuroscience #MedicalResearch #Philanthropy

Communications & Power Industries (CPI) has been awarded a contract under the Missile Defense Agency’s SHIELD layered defense program. The work will be led by CPI’s Satcom & Antenna Technologies division, supporting the agency’s efforts to develop scalable missile defense capabilities. https://lnkd.in/gqcFywKJ #NorthTexasBusiness #DefenseTech #GovernmentContracts #AerospaceAndDefense #PlanoTexas

Jennifer LaClair has joined Pay With Spire as CEO as the Dallas fintech closes a $10 million Series B round. The company also named Matt Brennan as president and chief commercial officer as it expands its pay-by-bank offering. https://lnkd.in/gkncWsJ5 Spire - Pay with Spire, Inc. #NorthTexasBusiness #Fintech #Payments #VentureCapital #DallasInnovation

From Red Lobster to the Womens Foodservice Forum ... Kelli Valade is tapped to be the WFF's new president and CEO; Bala Pitchandi is named new CTO at Tango; and Clarisa Lindenmeyer is named COO of Revere Capital. Details on these and more moves here: https://lnkd.in/g-MKcgrF

Arctos Partners has agreed to be acquired by KKR in a deal valued at $1.4 billion in initial consideration, with additional future equity tied to performance. The Dallas-based firm is the largest institutional investor in professional sports franchises, with stakes across the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and MLS. https://lnkd.in/gHx3yQZD Ian Charles • David O'Connor(Doc) • Arctos Partners, LLC #NorthTexasBusiness #PrivateEquity #SportsBusiness #MergersAndAcquisitions #DallasInnovation

A Dallas company that helped introduce mobile phone access to hotel rooms has been acquired. OpenKey is now part of Canary Technologies, which plans to integrate OpenKey’s mobile key technology into its hotel guest management platform. https://lnkd.in/e6ZDyUGU Stephen Bodnar • Harman Singh Narula #NorthTexasBusiness #MergersAndAcquisitions #HospitalityTech #TravelTechnology #DallasInnovation

Another restaurant and live-music venue is joining the lineup at Grandscape. The Rustic will open a new location this summer as the mixed-use destination continues to attract experiential concepts. https://lnkd.in/eS2vM5bh Josh Sepkowitz • FreeRange Concepts #NorthTexasGrowth #ExperientialRetail #HospitalityIndustry #MixedUseDevelopment #DallasBusiness

A $606 million second phase of the Fort Worth Convention Center expansion now has a new leader at the helm. Cynthia Sanchez Serrano has been named director of the City of Fort Worth Public Events Department and will oversee the next stage of the center’s $701 million expansion and modernization. https://lnkd.in/ep-axr3y #NorthTexasBusiness #UrbanDevelopment #FortWorth #PublicProjects #EconomicDevelopment

Dallas Meetup takes over Concrete Cowboy in Frisco tonight; also tonight, IoT Texas is hosting the IoT Happy Hour & Fifth Industrial Revolution; and the North Texas Innovation Alliance reverse pitch & mixer is set for Feb 9 at BioLabs Pegasus Park - North Texas. Details and how to RSVP for these and more events here: https://lnkd.in/ggZg7QAu