The City of Fort Worth has identified the twenty businesses advancing to the next phase of its 2026 Business Plan Competition. The announcement was published in a city blog post on Wednesday, highlighting the participants selected from the initial pool of submissions.
These twenty enterprises will now engage in a series of business development workshops, mentorship sessions, and pitch preparation exercises. These activities are designed to help the companies refine their strategies before creating comprehensive written business plans. The training program is supported by local partners and Frost Bank, which serves as the competition sponsor.
Following the completion of the training period, the participating businesses will submit their detailed business plans. A panel of judges will evaluate these documents, and the eight highest-scoring entries will advance to the final round. These top eight finalists will present their concepts to the judges during a pitch event scheduled for October 15.
Cash awards will be distributed to the three finalists who place highest in the final round. The first-place winner will receive $10,000, the second-place recipient will be awarded $6,000, and the third-place finalist will take home $4,000.
The list of twenty advancing businesses includes a diverse range of local enterprises. Audrey’s Popcorn offers gourmet popcorn products. Articulate Your Value operates as a workforce development firm providing training and coaching. C. Collins Consulting Services assists truck drivers in scaling their operations. DMG Notaries provides document-signing services for real estate transactions. EPIC Expeditions and Events focuses on luxury travel and event planning.
