You Won't Believe Which 3 North Texas Startups Dominated the 2025 Venture Dallas Awards!

A digital asset infrastructure company, a physical AI platform, and a 3D interactive instruction technology firm have been recognized as the top innovators at the annual Venture Dallas conference. The 2025 Startup of the Year awards were announced on October 30, 2023, at the George W. Bush Institute and Presidential Library in Dallas, following a record 140 nominations, the largest pool in the award’s three-year history, according to Venture Dallas Chair and Perot Jain Partner Aaron Pierce.

This year’s winners include **StableCore**, which won in the Seed category, **Worlds**, awarded in the Series A category, and **BILT**, which claimed the title in Series B and Beyond. The awards were presented by David Evans, managing partner of Sentiero Ventures and a member of the Venture Dallas steering committee, who outlined the rigorous selection process.

Nominees were categorized by their development stage and narrowed down to 18 finalists. Students from the University of Texas at Dallas contributed by preparing one-page deal memos on each finalist for review by guest judges. Evans emphasized that the event aims to recognize “the best and the brightest of the Dallas startup community.”

Seed-stage Winner: StableCore - Digital Infrastructure for Community Banks

Founded in 2025, Dallas-based **StableCore** has distinguished itself as the winner in the Seed category by building a digital asset infrastructure specifically designed for community banks and credit unions. In a recent funding round, StableCore raised $20 million, backed by investors representing over 290 FDIC-insured institutions, including prominent names like **Coinbase Ventures** and **Norwest**.

StableCore's platform integrates various components such as custody, key management, blockchain infrastructure, compliance, orchestration, and ledgering into a single system labeled the “digital asset core.” This innovation enables banks and credit unions to offer stablecoin and digital asset products, allowing them to stay competitive in a landscape increasingly dominated by fintech challengers.

Co-founder and COO **Nick Elledge** noted that StableCore is fundamentally re-architecting the core infrastructure for financial partners, providing "stability, security, and next-generation compliance." He emphasized the company's commitment to supporting local economies and helping financial institutions innovate safely.

Series A Winner: Worlds - Physical AI Takes Center Stage

<pWorlds, led by CEO Dave Copps, secured the Series A award for its groundbreaking AI technology that transforms existing cameras and sensors into live spatial intelligence across extensive enterprise sites. By integrating various data sources, Worlds creates “intelligent environments” that enhance productivity, efficiency, and safety in operations.

Copps described the technology as heralding a shift in how “intelligence and automation are being woven into the fabric of the physical world.” The company’s clients span commercial distribution centers, manufacturing facilities, logistics operations, and federal agencies. With heavyweights like **Jeff Bezos** investing in similar AI initiatives, the sector is poised for significant growth.

The recognition of Worlds is viewed as a reflection of the broader momentum within North Texas’s innovation landscape. “When you see a team that has cracked both the technology and the market timing, you recognize something special,” Evans remarked.

Series B and Beyond Winner: BILT Inc. - 3D Instructions at Enterprise Scale

**BILT Inc.** won the Series B and Beyond category for its platform that delivers “intelligent instructions” using voice, text, and animated imagery for product assembly. The Grapevine-based company was founded out of necessity when co-founders **Nate Henderson** and **Ahmed Qureshi** realized that traditional paper instructions often failed users.

Since then, BILT has emerged as a disruptor in its field, providing step-by-step 3D guidance to improve customer satisfaction and reduce return rates. The platform also serves professional technicians and has recently expanded its partnerships in the federal space, including a $15 million STRATFI contract with the U.S. Air Force.

The company is continually innovating, recently hiring Chief Technology Officer **Mitch Dawson** to bolster its AI strategy. Dawson framed the offering as “Instructions as a Service,” which is designed to make instructions adaptive for end-users while being efficient to produce and maintain.

A Growing Ecosystem in North Texas

The awards ceremony highlighted not only the achievements of these startups but also the evolving entrepreneurial ecosystem in North Texas. The region, once perceived as a venture desert, is now seeing a significant influx of capital and innovation. Dallas companies are projected to raise $2 billion in venture capital this year, a fourfold increase from just three years ago.

Venture Dallas is playing a key role in this transformation, with Pierce noting that “every year, our startup community becomes stronger and stronger.” As the landscape continues to develop, events like Venture Dallas serve to showcase the potential of local startups and the broader implications for the U.S. economy.

The conference concluded with insight from industry leaders, emphasizing the importance of strong governance and sustainable business practices. As the entrepreneurial spirit thrives in North Texas, the region is poised to continue making waves on the national stage.