Key Takeaways
- • Frisco City Council has set an explicit goal to become the "capital of venture capital in the central United States by 2040," backed by dedicated economic development resources and infrastructure investment.
- • The Frisco Economic Development Corporation (FEDC) appointed Jon Nordby, managing partner of Anthropy Partners, as the region's first-ever Venture Capitalist in Residence (VCiR) in February 2025, tasked with connecting investors, representing Frisco at investor events, and curating investment opportunities.
- • Frisco hosts over 400 startups and 13 corporate innovation and research development centers, with documented exits for 35+ startups and nearly 100 new startup investments over a four-year period.
- • The city opened Origin, a 6,000-square-foot innovation hub on the 10th floor of Baylor Scott & White Sports Therapy & Research facility, operated by Plug and Play to connect startups, investors, and corporate partners with focus areas including sportstech, healthtech, fintech, AI, and cybersecurity.
- • Frisco's strategy aims to consolidate talent, companies, and capital within a single geography, shifting the city's role from participant in the larger Dallas-Fort Worth region to an independent center of gravity for venture capital activity.
Summary
Frisco, Texas, is executing a deliberate strategy to transform itself from a peripheral node in the Dallas-Fort Worth innovation ecosystem into a standalone venture capital hub. The Frisco City Council established an ambitious 2040 target to position the city as the central United States' premier venture capital destination—a publicly declared goal that distinguishes Frisco's approach from other municipalities attempting similar initiatives. According to Jeremiah Anderson, Director of Innovation for the FEDC, "no other city or state has publicly declared the goal of becoming a venture capital hub and dedicated resources to the effort."
The city's economic development apparatus has backed this ambition with concrete institutional infrastructure. In February 2025, the FEDC created the region's first Venture Capitalist in Residence program, appointing Jon Nordby, managing partner of early-stage venture capital firm Anthropy Partners, to the inaugural role. The VCiR position functions as a dedicated liaison tasked with building investor partnerships, representing Frisco at capital events, engaging venture and corporate venture capital funds, curating deal flow for investors, and advancing the city's broader venture capital strategy. This represents a pilot program designed to scale Frisco's appeal to institutional capital sources.
Complementing this personnel strategy, Frisco unveiled Origin, a 6,000-square-foot innovation hub that opened at Baylor Scott & White Sports Therapy & Research facility. Operating through a public-private partnership with accelerator firm Plug and Play—selected in 2023 following a competitive RFP process—Origin provides co-location space for startups, investors, and corporate partners. The facility targets specific vertical focus areas including sportstech, healthtech, fintech, AI, and cybersecurity, with programming designed to connect early-stage companies to institutional capital and corporate innovation resources.
The city's existing startup ecosystem demonstrates measurable momentum. Frisco currently hosts over 400 active startups alongside 13 corporate innovation and research development centers. Over a four-year period, the region has documented exits for more than 35 startups and attracted nearly 100 new startup investments. By consolidating talent, companies, and capital within Frisco's geographic footprint, the city aims to establish network effects and agglomeration advantages that shift it from a participant within Dallas-Fort Worth's broader innovation system to an independent center of gravity. This represents an economic development strategy premised on geographic concentration of venture capital ecosystem components rather than reliance on regional distribution networks.
The city's economic development apparatus has backed this ambition with concrete institutional infrastructure. In February 2025, the FEDC created the region's first Venture Capitalist in Residence program, appointing Jon Nordby, managing partner of early-stage venture capital firm Anthropy Partners, to the inaugural role. The VCiR position functions as a dedicated liaison tasked with building investor partnerships, representing Frisco at capital events, engaging venture and corporate venture capital funds, curating deal flow for investors, and advancing the city's broader venture capital strategy. This represents a pilot program designed to scale Frisco's appeal to institutional capital sources.
Complementing this personnel strategy, Frisco unveiled Origin, a 6,000-square-foot innovation hub that opened at Baylor Scott & White Sports Therapy & Research facility. Operating through a public-private partnership with accelerator firm Plug and Play—selected in 2023 following a competitive RFP process—Origin provides co-location space for startups, investors, and corporate partners. The facility targets specific vertical focus areas including sportstech, healthtech, fintech, AI, and cybersecurity, with programming designed to connect early-stage companies to institutional capital and corporate innovation resources.
The city's existing startup ecosystem demonstrates measurable momentum. Frisco currently hosts over 400 active startups alongside 13 corporate innovation and research development centers. Over a four-year period, the region has documented exits for more than 35 startups and attracted nearly 100 new startup investments. By consolidating talent, companies, and capital within Frisco's geographic footprint, the city aims to establish network effects and agglomeration advantages that shift it from a participant within Dallas-Fort Worth's broader innovation system to an independent center of gravity. This represents an economic development strategy premised on geographic concentration of venture capital ecosystem components rather than reliance on regional distribution networks.
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