More than 500 entrepreneurs, small business owners and aspiring founders have registered for VentureFest Pflugerville, a weeklong series of workshops, summits and a pitch competition hosted by the Pflugerville Community Development Corporation. The festival runs from Saturday, Sept. 26, to Thursday, Oct. 1, at the Marriott Pflugerville, marking a significant expansion from its origins as a small meetup just two years ago. This growth underscores a broader shift in economic development strategies, where communities increasingly recognize the value of supporting homegrown businesses alongside traditional recruitment efforts.
Pflugerville is one of roughly 25 Texas communities staging a VentureFest this fall, but it stands out by stretching the event across an entire week rather than a single day. The schedule was crafted based on a survey sent to over 3,000 individuals, revealing that respondents wanted to network beyond familiar circles and acquire practical skills rather than just collect business cards. "People want to come to events, but they actually want to learn something before just coming to check the box and say I was in attendance," said Jerry W. Jones Jr., executive director of PCDC. "We asked what it is that you need help with as a business, and then we went out and found the most skilled individuals to bring that information back to them."
The week kicks off with mastermind classes on Saturday and Sunday, which sold out their 80 seats within days and each have a 30-person waiting list. These sessions were moved to the weekend after participants noted that weekday sessions conflicted with their jobs. PCDC is in talks with Pflugerville ISD to secure a larger space. Topics include AI marketing, website development, transitioning from a side hustle to brick and mortar, and pitch competition preparation, with business coaches available. Last year's event was scheduled for three hours but ran closer to eight as attendees called friends to join.
The Women's Summit follows on Tuesday at the Cinemark theater at Stone Hill, running 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with keynote speaker Kathy Terry, a dozen additional speakers and fireside chats. About 130 people have registered. Wednesday's session at Spare Time brings back the rotating round tables that drew the strongest requests for a return, with seven to eight specialists anchoring tables and participants rotating every seven to 10 minutes. Roughly 100 people are signed up. The finale on Thursday, Oct. 1, runs 9 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. at the Marriott Pflugerville and opens with 13 vendor booths, including the City of Pflugerville, the tourism office and the public library. Keynotes and a book signing fill the middle of the day, and a pitch competition naming three winners closes the festival.
The growth has been steep. Two years ago VentureFest Pflugerville was a meetup that drew about 50 people to a coffee shop. Last year's expanded format drew more than 400 participants. "Economic development is about attracting businesses to your city, but a lot of the time entrepreneurs and small businesses get overlooked," said Adam Maxon, who leads VentureFest programming for PCDC. "When they start in a city, they usually end up building in that city." Jones also credited C.S. Freeland for quietly building the statewide VentureFest momentum that Pflugerville and other Texas communities are now part of.
The implications of this expansion are clear: by investing in local entrepreneurs, Pflugerville is fostering a ecosystem where startups are more likely to stay and grow, driving long-term economic vitality. The Pflugerville Community Development Corporation, now celebrating its 25th anniversary, continues to recruit in advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, life science, defense and aerospace while supporting small businesses through initiatives like the PFORGE youth entrepreneurship program, which was recognized by the International Economic Development Council. Registration and the full lineup are available through PCDC.
