Loading...
20-2172ORDNANCE NO. 20-2 1 72 AN ORDINANCE APPROVnqG AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF DENTON AND HICKORY & RAn, VENTURES, LLC, REGARDUqG AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR STOKE DENTON; AND PROVDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Denton (“City”) deems it is in the public interest and serves a municipal and public purpose to enter into an agreement with Hickory & Rail Ventures, LLC (“HRV”), for the purpose of providing for a program to promote economic development through the joint effort of the City and HRV; and WHEREAS, to achieve this public purpose, the City created Stoke Denton in 2016 to offer a co-working space and access to resources to support entrepreneurship, small business development, and the development of tech and tech-enabled businesses and workers; and WHEREAS, Stoke Denton is focused on the recruitment and support of tech and tech- enabled startups, as well as memberships of businesses in other sectors that are complementary to a healthy startup community; and WHEREAS, the City maintained a lease for a commercial space of approximately 9,000 square feet at 608 East Hickory, Denton, Texas 76201 (the “Commercial Space”) from Rail Yard Partners, Ltd. for Stoke Denton from June 16, 2016 to June 30, 202 1; and WHEREAS, the City contracted with HRV on November 14, 2017 for the management and operation of Stoke Denton and the sublease of the Commercial Space to HRV, and WHEREAS, the City’s management agreement and sublease with HRV and the City’s lease with Rail Yard Partners, Ltd. will terminate on June 30, 2021; and WHEREAS, HRV intends to execute a new lease agreement for the Commercial Space with Ran Yard Partners, Ltd. and desires to continue to manage Stoke Denton; and WHEREAS, HRV has submitted a proposal to the City for the continued support and management of Stoke Denton and entrepreneurship focused programming after June 30, 2021 in the amount of $133,170; and WHEREAS, Article III, Section 52-a of the Texas Constitution and Chapter 380 of the Texas Local Government Code authorize the City to enter agreements that promote local economic development and stimulate business and commercial activity in the City of Denton; and WHEREAS, the City agrees that HRV is uniquely positioned to continue management of Stoke Denton and can assist in the City’s strategic goals to support entrepreneurs, startups, and other small businesses and support the recruitment and growth of tech and tech-enabled businesses and workers; WHERAS, City Council deems it in the public interest to authorize such a payment and program agreement; NOW THEREFORE, THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DENTON HEREBY ORDAINS: SECTION 1. The findings and recitations contained in the preamble of this ordinance are incorporated herein by reference. SECTION 2. The City Council finds that the Agreement between the City and Hickory & Rail Ventures, LLC, attached hereto and made a part hereof by reference (the “Agreement“) serves a valid municipal and public purpose and is in the public interest. SECTION 3. The Agreement shall be effective on July 1, 2021 and shall remain in full force and effect until June 30, 2022. SECTION 3. The City Manager is hereby authorized to execute the agreement between the City and Hickory & Rail Ventures, LLC, and the expenditure of funds and transfer of property pursuant to the Agreement is hereby authorized. SECTION 4. The City Council hereby expressly delegates the authority to take any actions that may be required or permitted to be performed by the City under the Agreement to the City Manager of the City, or the City Manager’s designee. SECTION 5. This Ordinance shall become effective upon its passage and approval. Th, m,ti,„ t, .,Pj„Q~, thi, ,,,di„,„„ w„ m,d, by 3essa DU IS m secondedbyC6t\ high@r I the orcd–b; the following vote n - b : Aye\/ V, \/ bCV’ \/ Nay Abstain Absent Mayor Gerard Hudspeth: Birdia Johnson, District 1 : Connie Baker. District 2: Jesse L. Davis, District 3 : John Ryan, District 4: Deb Armintor, At Large Place 5 : Paul Mekzer, At Large Place 6: PASSED AND APPROVED thi, th, ao©d,y ,f APC: \, 2021. Page 2 GERARD UUDgPETH, MAYOR ATTEST ROSA RIOS, CITY SECRETARY L\\t 111111/ A APPROVED AS TO LEGAL FORM: AARON LEAL, CITY ATTORNEY Digitally signed by Mack 04.16 08:34:36 -05'OOBY: Page 3 DocuSign Envelope ID: 3C5A9ADOd+E73-479B-B25D-7CBF9CA22ECF AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS AND HICKORY & RAIL VENTURES, LLC THIS AGREEMENT i, m,d, ,nd ,nt„,d int, „ ,f th, aoA d,y ,f APf f t 2021 between the City of Denton, Texas, a home rule municipal corporation, hereinafter referred to as the “City”, and Hickory & Rail Ventures, LLC hereinafter referred to as “HRV”, jointly referred to herein as “parties” and each separately as a “party.” WHEREAS, the City seeks to support, encourage, and promote the public purpose of driving new business creation and job growth by fostering a sustainable startup community for entrepreneurs primarily in early-stage tech and tech-enabled businesses; and WHEREAS, to achieve this public purpose, the City created in 2016 a co-working space with access to resources to support entrepreneurship, small business development, and the development of tech and tech-enabled businesses and workers (“Stoke Denton“); and WHEREAS, Stoke Denton is focused on the recruitment and support of tech and tech- enabled startups, as well as memberships of businesses in other sectors that are complementary to a healthy startup community; and WHEREAS, the City maintained a lease for a commercial space of approximately 9,000 square feet at 608 East Hickory, Denton, Texas 76201 (the “Commercial Space”) from Rail Yard Partners, Ltd. for Stoke Denton from June 16, 2016 to June 30, 2021; and WHEREAS, the City contracted with HRV on November 14, 2017 for the management and operation of Stoke Denton and the sublease of the Commercial Space to HRV, and WHEREAS, the City’s management agreement and sublease with HRV and the City’s lease with Rail Yard Partners, Ltd. will terminate on June 30, 202 1; and WHEREAS, HRV intends to execute a new lease agreement for the Commercial Space with Rail Yard Partners, Ltd. and desires to continue to manage Stoke Denton; and WHEREAS, HRV has submitted a proposal to the City for the continued support and management of Stoke Denton and entrepreneurship focused programming after June 30, 202 1 ; and WHEREAS, Article III, Section 52-a of the Texas Constitution and Chapter 380 of the Texas Local Government Code authorize the City to enter agreements that promote local economic development and stimulate business and commercial activity in the City of Denton; and WHEREAS, the City agrees that HRV is uniquely positioned to continue management of Stoke Denton and can assist in the City’s strategic goals to support entrepreneurs, startups, and I DocuSign Envelope ID: 3C5A9AD04E73J179B-B25D-7CBF9CA22ECF other small businesses and support the recruitment and growth of tech and tech-enabled businesses and workers; NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the covenants, promises, terms, and provisions contained herein, and for the considerations expressed herein, the City and HRV mutually AGREE to the following: ARTICLE I SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED BY HRV HRV represents, acknowledges, warrants, and agrees to perform and provide the following with regard to its operation, purpose, and services provided for Stoke Denton: ( 1) Purpose. HRV agrees to operate Stoke Denton for the purpose of providing support to entrepreneurs, startups, small businesses, tech and tech-enabled workers, and remote workers in Denton. The goal of the partnership will be to build businesses, create jobs, and strengthen the culture and economy of the City of Denton. (2) Mission. HRV, through Stoke Denton, will support programs, partnerships, events, and activities that will build a supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem in the City of Denton. (3) Independent. HRV operates as a private legal entity separate from the City. This Agreement does not in any way constitute a joint venture or create a partnership or principal-agent relationship between the City and the HRV. Neither party will assert control over the operations of the other party. (4) Organization. HRV is a Texas limited liability company duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the State of Texas and is qualified to do business in the State of Texas. HRV has the legal capacity and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement. (5) Administration. HRV will administer funds, property, services, or other benefits in accordance with the following procedures and requirements: a. HRV shall maintain records and accounts that document all funds received by HRV and all costs incurred by HRV, including any in-kind support received by HRV. b. HRV shall provide a report to the City of Denton City Council annually to summarize HRV’s financial information and benefit to the City as it relates to the performance under this Agreement. 2 DocuSign Envelope ID: 3C5A9AD04E73J+79B-B25D-7CBF9CA22ECF c. A copy of any HRV financial audits and required tax filings shall be provided to the City upon request. (6) Staff. HRV shall employ an Executive Director for the entirety of this Agreement. HRV must also maintain the appropriate staff to carry out the functions Stoke Denton in accordance with this Agreement. The Executive Director and any other staff member of HRV are employees of HRV and shall not be considered an employee of the City and shall not be entitled to any payment or benefit from the City on account of services performed pursuant to this Agreement. (7) Commercial space. HRV shall secure a lease agreement for the Commercial Space and will maintain at its sole cost any utilities, contracts, equipment, supplies, or materials necessary to perform the obligations pursuant to this Agreement. (8) Equipment and Supplies. HRV shall provide any equipment, supplies, or materials necessary to fulfill the obligations of this Agreement, except those provided for in Article II of this Agreement. (9) Performance. HRV will perform all actions listed in Exhibit A “Scope of Work“ attached hereto and incorporated herein for all purposes. ( 10) Reporting. HRV will attend meetings and submit reports on actions and progress according to the following schedule: a. b. C. Monthly meetings between Stoke Denton Executive Director and City’s Director of Economic Development. Progress on economic development strategic plan work plan items will be provided to City’s Director of Economic Development as needed, but no less than monthly. Quarterly reports to be provided by Stoke Denton Executive Director to City’s Director of Economic Development which must include the following: i. Number of active memberships, ii. Percentage of tech or tech-enabled members, iii. Member satisfaction (at least annually), iv. Description of and number of regional startup and tech event sponsorships, v. Number of blog posts/content creation regarding Denton’s startup communIty) Social media metrics, Description of and number of educational events or programs held at Stoke Denton, Description of and number of startup/tech events held at Stoke Denton, Number of mentor sessions held at Stoke Denton, and Vl . Vll Vl11. IX. 3 DocuSign Envelope ID: 3C5A9AD04E73479B-B25D-7CBF9CA22ECF x. Description of activities with partner entities, including education, nonprofit, and government agencies. d. Annual report and presentation to the City of Denton City Council. ( 11) Sponsorship and Acknowledgement. For any programs listed in Exhibit A which are supported by or partially supported by funding provided by this Agreement, the City must be listed as a co-sponsor and acknowledged on any applicable marketing materials and event materials, both verbally and in print, whenever possible. ARTICLE II OBLIGATIONS OF THE CITY OF DENTON The City will provide the following to HRV: ( 1) Funding. The City shall pay One Hundred Thirty-Three Thousand One Hundred Seventy Dollars ($ 133,170) to HRV to be utilized for the purposes set forth in Exhibit A. Payment shall be made no later than July 3 1, 2021. (2) Security Deposit. The City, as the lease holder of the Commercial Space before June 30, 2021, provided a security deposit (“Security Deposit”) in the amount of Seventeen Thousand Two Hundred Eighty Dollars ($17,280) to Rail Yard Partners, Ltd., for the Commercial Space. In the event that HRV executes a lease agreement for the Commercial Space, the City hereby transfers the City’s right to the return of the Security Deposit to HRV. The City only transfers its rights to the Security Deposit and does not guarantee the amount of the Security Deposit, after deductions by Rail Yard Partners, Ltd., that will be available to HRV. The parties acknowledge and agree that Rail Yard Partners, Ltd., may have the right to make deductions from the Security Deposit and that any deductions will reduce the amount of the Security Deposit that will be transferred to HRV, in which case the City will not provide additional funds to HRV pursuant to this Subsection II.(2). This Agreement constitutes authorization for Rail Yard Partners, Ltd., to transfer the balance, if any, of the City’s security deposit to HRV. (3) Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment. The City owns furniture, fixtures, and equipment located at Stoke Denton. The City hereby transfers the City’s ownership of the following furniture, fixtures, and equipment to HRV: a The City will not provide internet or other technology network services to Stoke Denton, but notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the City hereby transfers the City’s ownership interest in the following existing equipment located at the Commercial Space to HRV: i. One (1) Cisco switch ii. One (1) Palo Alto Firewall: Model Number 4 DocuSign Envelope ID: 3C5A9AD04E73'+79B-B25D-7CBF9CA22ECF 111. IV. V. VI. Vll. Vlll. Three (3) Panasonic cameras Eight (8) Meraki wireless access points Two (2) Tripp Lite wall mount cabinet One (1) Honeywell door access control system Three (3) card readers One (1) Tripp Lite IU UPS b.The City hereby transfers the City’s ownership interest in the following existing furniture and equipment located at the Commercial Space to HRV: i. Thirty (30) dedicated desks ii. Twenty-four (24) coworking desks iii. Three (3) standing desks iv. One (1) L-shaped desk v. One (1) refrigerator vi. Eight (8) file cabinets vii. Four (4) folding tables viii. Six (6) circular tables ix. One hundred (100) event chairs x. Three (3) conference room tables xi. Twenty-two (22) conference room chairs xii. Three (3) flat screen televisions xiii. One (1) projector and screen xiv. Fifty-four (54) charging pedestals xv. Two (2) wooden benches xvi. Twelve (12) chairs xvii. Four (4) white boards (4) Brand, logo, and Other Intellectual Property. The City hereby transfers the City’s ownership of the brand and logo of Stoke Denton to HRV for the purposes of operating or marketing Stoke Denton and for other purposes required in carrying out the terms of this Agreement. The ownership rights to the brand and logo of Stoke Denton granted from City to HRV by this Agreement will immediately, automatically and completely revert to City for its sole benefit in the event HRV ceases to manage and operate Stoke Denton for the purposes provided in this Agreement or otherwise breaches or terminates this Agreement. ARTICLE III TERM OF THE AGREEMENT This Agreement shall be effective on July 1, 202 1 and shall remain in full force and effect until June 30, 2022. The City or HRV shall have the right to terminate the Agreement, in whole or in part, without cause any time upon sixty (60) calendar days’ prior written notice to the other party. Upon receipt of a notice of termination by the City, HRV shall promptly cease all further work pursuant to the Agreement, with such exceptions, if any, specified in the notice of 5 DocuSign Envelope ID: 3C5A9AD04E73Jj79B-B25D-7CBF9CA22ECF termination. If this Agreement is terminated by HRV, or terminated for cause by the City because HRV fails to meet the performance requirements of this Agreement, HRV shall pay the City a prorated amount of the funds provided by the City pursuant to this Agreement, which amount shall be prorated to the months remaining in the term of this Agreement. ARTICLE IV ASSURANCES BY THE PARTIES The following is a list of representations, assurances, understanding, policies, procedures, and agreements regarding the roles, relationship, and functions of the City and HRV in their working relationship pursuant to this Agreement: A. Any agreement between the HRV and City that is not within the scope of the terms of this Agreement shall receive the prior approval of the City Council. B. HRV has no authority to supervise, direct, control, or demand that a City employee perform any function on behalf of HRV. C. This Agreement does not grant HRV authority to use the City’s name and trademarks unless directly specified in this Agreement. D.Any personnel employed by or volunteering on behalf of HRV shall be deemed employees or volunteers respectively of the HRV, and shall not be deemed employees or volunteers of the City. HRV shall be responsible for the supervision, management, and control of such HRV employees and volunteers and any payroll, taxation, or other employment obligation, if any, incident to their work. Any personnel employed by or volunteering on behalf of the City shall be deemed employees or volunteers respectively of the City, and shall not be deemed employees or volunteers of the HRV. The City shall be responsible for the supervision, management, and control of such City employees and volunteers and any payroll, taxation, or other employment obligation, if any, incident to their work. E. HRV shall maintain general liability insurance in the amount of $1,000,000 and in accordance with City insurance requirements, including adding the City as an additional insured party. F. HRV will appoint a representative who will be available to meet with City officials when requested. G HRV AGREES TO INDEMNIFY, HOLD IIARMLESS, AND DEFEND THE CITY, ITS OFFICERS, AGENTS, AND EMPLOYEES FROM AND AGAINST ANY AND ALL CLAIMS OR SUITS FOR INJURIES, DAMAGE, LOSS, OR LIABILITY OF WHATEVER KIND OR CHARACTER, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE PERFORMANCE BY HRV OR THOSE SERVICES CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT, INCLUDING ALL 6 DocuSign Envelope ID: 3C5A9AD04E732179B-B25D-7CBF9CA22ECF SUCH CLAIMS OR CAUSES OF ACTION BASED UPON COMMON, CONSTITUTIONAL, OR STATUTORY LAW, OR BASED, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, UPON ALLEGATIONS OF NEGLIGENT OR INTENTIONAL ACTS OF HRV, ITS OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, VOLUNTEERS, SUBCONTRACTORS, LICENSEES, AND INVITEES. ARTICLE V NOTICE Any notice or other written instrument required or permitted to be delivered under the terms of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been delivered, whether actually received or not, when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, registered or certified, return receipt requested, or via electronic mail, hand-delivery or facsimile, addressed or sent to HRV or the City, as the case may be, at the following addresses: CITY City of Denton, Texas Ann: City Manager 215 E. McKinney St. Denton, TX 76201 Sara.Hensley@cityofdenton.com Hickory & Rail Ventures, LLC Hickory & Rail Ventures, LLC Ann: Heather Gregory 608 E. Hickory Denton, TX 76205 Heather@stokedenton.com City of Denton, Texas Ann: Director of Economic Development 401 N. Elm St. Denton, TX 76201 Jessica.Rogers@cityofdenton.com ARTICLE VI RIGHT TO AUDIT HRV agrees to retain all books, records, documents, reports, and written accounting policies and procedures pertaining to services provided under this Agreement for a period of five (5) years. The City shall have the right to audit and make copies of the books, fundraising activities, pledges, donations, gifts, statements, financial records, and computations pertaining to the Agreement. ARTICLE VII ADMINISTRATION OF AGREEMENT HRV shall designate an officer responsible for the administration of the Agreement for HRV. The City Manager, or designee, shall be the City staff member responsible for the administration of this Agreement on behalf of the City. 7 DocuSign Envelope ID: 3C5A9AD04E73479B-B25D-7CBF9CA22ECF ARTICLE VIII NO ASSIGNMENT The Agreement is solely between the parties and cannot be assigned to another party without the express advance written approval of the non-assigning party. ARTICLE IX MODIFICATION OF AGREEMENT No modification of this Agreement shall be effective unless it is in writing and signed by both parties to the Agreement. ARTICLE X GOVERNING LAW AND VENUE This Agreement is subject to, governed by, and shall be construed under the laws of the State of Texas. Venue of any suit or cause of action arising under this Agreement shall be exclusively in Denton County, Texas. ARTICLE XI SEVERABILITY If any provision of this Agreement is found or deemed by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable, it shall be considered severable from the remainder of this Agreement, and shall not cause the remainder of this Agreement to be invalid or unenforceable. In such event, the parties shall reform this Agreement to replace such stricken provision with a valid and enforceable provision which comes as close as possible to expressing the intention of the parties hereto respecting the stricken provision. ARTICLE XII CAPTIONS The captions of this Agreement are for informational purposes only and shall not in any way affect the substantive terms or conditions of this Agreement. ARTICLE XIII COUNTERPARTS This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts, by one or more signatories, separately and each of such counterparts shall be deemed an original for all purposes, and all such signed counterparts shall constitute but one and the same instrument. For purposes of the parties’ execution of this Agreement, it is expressly agreed that a facsimile or telecopy ofa party’s signature hereto shall be valid, binding and enforceable as the original. 8 DocuSign Envelope ID: 3C5A9AD04E73-479B-B25D-7CBF9CA22ECF IN WITNESS THEREOF, the City and HRV have executed this Agreement in original counterparts, the City acting by and through its duly-authorized City Manager, and HRV acting by and through its duly-authorized undersigned officer. CITY OF DENTON a C IIt 1111111bF Of ROSA RIOS, CITY SECRETARY ]B11p III(Ir : Ja22&1121 ATTEST APPROVED AS TO LEGAL FORM: AARON LEAL, CITY ATTORNEY DocuSlgned by: BY: THIS AGREEMENT HAS BEEN BOTH REVIEWED AND APPROVED As to financial and operational obligations and business terms. Director of Economic Development Title Economic Development Department DocuSign Envelope ID: 3C5A9AD0-:IE73-479B-B25D-7CBF9CA22ECF HICKORY & RAIL VENTURES, LLC Its. Owner / Executive Director 10 DocuSign Envelope ID: 3C5A9ADOJ+E73d+79B-B25D-7CBF9CA22ECF EXHIBIT A SCOPE OF WORK TABLE I-A Program Area City Amount Work to be Performed by HRV Event Support $26,750 Funds will be used by HRV to produce annual events such as: FlintConf Big Ideas Startup Crawl Global Entrepreneurship Week• The event support would also include development and production of new events including: • Pitch competition • Reverse pitch competition • State of entrepreneurship/entrepreneur recognltron Program Support 855,600 Funds will be used for: • Monthly education events (Lunch + Learns) • Weekly mentor sessions (Coffee + Conversations) Funds would also support the development of new programs that are targeted at serving current or aspiring technologists and women and minority entrepreneurs. Marketing Support 816, 100 Funds will be used for creation of content, such as blog posts, press releases, podcasts, ebooks, and videos to raise awareness of the entrepreneurship community and the positive impact it has on the Denton economy and culture. 11 DocuSign Envelope ID: 3C5A9AD04E73479B-B25D-7CBF9CA22ECF Ecosystem Support 834, 170 Funds will be used to support efforts to coordinate and convene stakeholders and thought leaders represented in the Denton Innovation Group, TechMill, and Denton Angels and continue to develop and distribute and entrepreneurial ecosystem map $133,170Total HRV will support City staff in the implementation and reporting of progress of the following strategies and actions identified in the City of Denton Economic Development Strategic Plan (“Strategic Plan”) by performing the following Work Plan Items: Strategic Plan Goal 2B. Foster Growth 2B.1. Champion and Convene 2B.1.2. Establish connections with DFW entrepreneurship organizations such as Dallas 1 Million Cups, 1 Million Cups Frisco, Dallas Innovates, Capital Factory, and the Dallas Entrepreneur Center. 2B.1.3. Assemble a knowledge resource network to support entrepreneurs and companies with access to financial, legal, policy, and research information needed for their businesses to grow. 2B.1.4. Partner with local and regional partners to design reverse-pitch competitions to engage major corporations and organizations in the DFW Metroplex with needs for innovation. 2B.1.5. Ensure that targeted resources are available for businesses owned by women and people of color, who have historically faced barriers to accessing traditional economic development tools 2B.1. Work Plan Items • Attend events hosted by regional startup organizations and stakeholders. • Host and sponsor events that support students and connect them to entrepreneurs, mentors, and peers. Seek out opportunities for partnerships, sponsorships, or collaborations with regional entrepreneurial organizations and stakeholders. • Continue to develop entrepreneurial ecosystem “map” which details companies, mentors, support organizations, resources, etc. and make the document available to the public. • Write and publish ebook to provide entrepreneurs with tangible tools, templates, and resources for launching their business. • 12 DocuSign Envelope ID: 3C5A9AD0-+E73'+79B-B25D-7CBF9CA22ECF • • • • Expand network of mentors and advisors, specifically increasing participation from women and minority entrepreneurs and thought leaders. Initiate the planning of a reverse pitch competition with local and regional partners. Launch accelerator program that focuses on women entrepreneurs in partnership with Texas Woman’s University. Pursue programming and partnerships that help connect minority entrepreneurs with peers, mentors, and resources. 2B.2. Access to Capital 2B.2.3. Network with regional entrepreneurship programs so that they become familiar with Denton and the resources available for businesses looking to grow and expand within the DFW Metroplex. 2B.2.4. Revise the funding requirements for the EDP Investment Fund to be more inclusive of innovative startups that might not meet current thresholds for employment and capital rnvestrnent. 2B.2. Work Plan Items • Participate in Angel Capital Association and Texas Angel Network calls and syndicate deal now when possible • Attend regional events focused on entrepreneurship, specifically with veteran fundraisers, angel investors, or VC firms. • Co-host a networking mixer with Denton Angels, Chamber investors, and the Economic Development Partnership Board. • Engage Denton Angels in Stoke programming and events, specifically pitch events, to increase connections between investors and entrepreneurs. 2B.3. Ecosystem Building 2B.3.1. Partner with the Denton Innovation Group to define a vision for entrepreneurship in Denton, establish goals, measure progress, and connect with DFW organizations. 2B.3.2. Launch an accelerator to support the growth of existing companies. 2B.3.3. Host a Citywide pitch competition to identify and develop innovative entrepreneurs in Denton. This not only builds Denton’s creative brand but also provides the City with a way of identifying top talent in the community. 2B.3. Work Plan Items • Coordinate and host Denton Innovation Group meetings on at least a quarterly basis. • Engage groups of thought leaders to increase connections and opportunities between institutions and anchors (TWU, UNT, NCTC, DISD, Denton Innovation Group, TechMill, Denton Angels, etc.) 13 DocuSign Envelope ID: 3C5A9AD02IE73-479B-B25D-7CBF9CA22ECF • • • • Initiate the planning and production of a city-wide pitch competition. Launch AccelerateHER, a startup incubator program for early stage startups led by women entrepreneurs. Host technical meetups and events at Stoke. Sponsor and support technical meetups and events in Denton and the region. 2.B.6. Promoting Denton’s Creative Brand 2B.6.2. Pitch stories about successful Denton companies to media outlets, such as the Denton Record-Chronicle, Dallas Morning News, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Innovates, and D Magazine. 2B.6.3. Develop a Citywide entrepreneurial recognition program that harnesses the strengths of local efforts that already exist in Denton. 2.B.6. Work Plan Items • Continue to publish two to four blog posts each month, including a regular spotlight of a mentor or members. • Write and distribute press releases around entrepreneurial activity and Denton startups. • Initiate planning of a program that recognizes entrepreneurs, startups, organizations, and educators that are having an impact on the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Strategic Plan Goal 3. Strengthen Community Inclusion 3.3. Grow Your Own Talent Initiative 3.3.1. Support youth entrepreneurship programs at the local level to foster a culture of innovation and cultivate an entrepreneurial spirit. 3.3.2. Encourage Denton ISD to incorporate entrepreneurship into academic curricula and increase exposure and access to Denton’s startups. 3.3 Work Plan Items • Pursue partnership with Denton ISD to support entrepreneurial education and access to Denton’s startups • Seek out opportunities to include Denton ISD students in mentorships programs and other events. • Offer tours to Denton ISD classes/clubs to share out Stoke Denton, its mission, and the entrepreneurial experience. • Work with community members and partner organizations to pursue technical entrepreneurial programming for youth. • Conduct community-wide surveys to learn ways that Stoke could provide better support and resources for traditionally underserved and under-funded entrepreneurs to help narrow the inequity gap. 14