The adoption space isn’t known for innovation. But Mark Melson is changing that. The Gladney Center is an adoption center, connecting families and children to education, resources, cutting edge tools. For over 135 years, they have been a pioneer in the field of adoption. Committed to finding loving homes for children, Gladney offers a range of services to birth parents, adoptive families, and children. Through the use of technology, Gladney has facilitated connections between birth parents and adoptive families, ensuring a more efficient and supportive adoption process. After going through a recent acquisition, they now offer services outside of Fort Worth and have offices in Delaware, New York and Pennsylvania, just to name a few.

To learn more about the Gladney Center for Adoption, visit: https://adoptionsbygladney.com

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Meet Demetrie King, the local app builder who is working to connect customers with local merchants so they can make sure and stock their favorite brands. Pivoting from a company that stocked vending machines based on consumer preferences, Market Match gives customers the opportunity to customize their experience at smoke shops, wedding venues, travel destinations, concerts, and more. He is also using and innovative giveaway program to incentivize users to keep sharing their preferences. Similar to the swiping functionality of apps like Tinder, Market Match gives the power to the consumer to get when what they want, where they want it.

To learn more about Market Match, visit https://marketmatch.app

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Nobody knows change like Jason McCann. CEO of Vari, the DFW based company revolutionizing office furniture, Jason discusses Vari's journey. From a simple sit-stand desk converter to a full-fledged office furniture leader, Vari is disrupting the industry with its direct-to-consumer model and focus on speed, simplicity, and flexibility. Jason shares his vision for the future of workspaces and wellness and Vari's role in shaping it, along with insights into his serial entrepreneur background and advice for aspiring innovators.

Learn more about Vari at https://www.vari.com/

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Victor Hwang is empowering entrepreneurs by improving state and local policy. As the CEO of Right to Start, he and his team are advocating for entrepreneurs in governments around the country to ensure their voices are heard. By initiating round tables and cross-country road trips, Victor is meeting and teaching entrepreneurs across the nation how to work with their local governments to inform change. Right to Start is leveling the playing field for starters, makers, doers and dreamers that are building our country.

Learn more about Right to Start: https://www.righttostart.org

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Jenny McDonald is tackling policy on behalf of entrepreneurs across the country. She is the Assistant Director of Activism and Special Projects at The Institute for Justice (IJ) and IJ’s Cities Works program, where she is meeting entrepreneurs, getting to the root of business struggles, and helping local government find solutions to those problems. Jenny shares the discoveries from the 2023 IJ report for Fort Worth around local entrepreneur’s biggest hurdles and recommendations for the city on how to overcome those challenges.

Find the IJ Fort Worth report here: https://ij.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2023-Fort-Worth-Insights-Week-Report_web.pdf

Learn more about Institute for Justice here: IJ.org

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Explore the future of cancer care with Dr. Kartik Krishnan, CEO of OncoNano Medicine, a biotech company revolutionizing treatment with a new technology targeting solid tumors with high precision. Dr. Krishnan will discuss their innovative approach, leveraging the immune system and CPRIT grants to fast-track impactful therapies, while highlighting the supportive role of the Fort Worth entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Learn more about OncoNano here: https://www.onconano.com

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Wade Myers is looking for entrepreneurs who are solving some of the world’s toughest challenges. He is the CEO of Eagle Venture Fund, a venture studio and investment firm, and they focus on opportunities that will positively impact other people. He sees innovation to tackle tough problems, like creating economic opportunities for entrepreneurs, fighting against human trafficking, and broadening healthcare access. Eagle Ventures is also innovating tools to support founders, through their Pro Forma pitch competition which allows founders to use their proprietary software to help entreprneurs and investors alike.

Learn more about Eagle Ventures at https://www.eagleventurefund.com/

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Remember that baby gorilla that was born at the Fort Worth Zoo earlier this year? Meet Dr. Ja#122 mie Erwin, the human OB/GYN that performed the rare procedure to birth a gorilla, alongside a team of experts, that made national news. Dr. Erwin shares the story of her work at the Fort Worth Zoo consulting on several different medical issues that need assistance at the zoo, and she talks about her all-female obstetrics and gynecology practice called Vivi Women’s Health. Her practice is exploring an idea to develop one of the first birthing centers that is connected to a hospital in the state.

To learn more about Dr. Erwin and Vivi Women's Health, visit: https://www.vivifw.com

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