More than 500 entrepreneurs, small business owners, and aspiring founders have registered for VentureFest Pflugerville, a weeklong entrepreneurship festival hosted by the Pflugerville Community Development Corporation (PCDC). The event runs from Saturday, September 26, through Thursday, October 1, at the Marriott Pflugerville, marking a significant expansion from its origins as a small meetup just two years ago.
The festival's growth reflects a deliberate effort by PCDC to address the needs of local entrepreneurs. After surveying over 3,000 individuals, PCDC found that respondents wanted more than just networking; they sought practical skills and meaningful connections. "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 sold-out mastermind classes on September 26 and 27, each limited to 80 seats with 30-person waiting lists. Sessions cover AI marketing, website development, transitioning from a side hustle to a brick-and-mortar location, and pitch competition preparation. The weekend scheduling was a direct response to feedback that weekday sessions conflicted with work and business obligations. PCDC is in talks with Pflugerville ISD to secure a larger venue for future events.
On Tuesday, the Women's Summit takes place at the Cinemark theater at Stone Hill from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring keynote speaker Kathy Terry, a dozen additional speakers, and fireside chats. About 130 people have registered. Wednesday's session at Spare Time revives the popular rotating round tables, where participants cycle every seven to ten minutes among seven to eight specialists to ask questions and exchange ideas. Roughly 100 people are signed up.
The finale on Thursday, October 1, runs from 9 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. at the Marriott Pflugerville, opening with 13 vendor booths, including the City of Pflugerville, the tourism office, and the public library. Keynotes and a book signing fill the day, culminating in a pitch competition that will name three winners.
The event's expansion underscores the importance of supporting local entrepreneurship as a pillar of economic development. "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 building the statewide VentureFest momentum that Pflugerville and other Texas communities are now part of.
For the Long Beach area, this news highlights a growing trend of community-driven entrepreneurship festivals that could serve as a model for local economic development efforts. The Pflugerville Community Development Corporation, now celebrating its 25th anniversary, demonstrates how dedicated support for small businesses can yield tangible results, from sold-out workshops to a thriving startup ecosystem. As other regions look to replicate this success, the implications for local economies are profound: by investing in entrepreneurs, communities can foster innovation, create jobs, and build a resilient economic future.
