Novartis Breaks Ground in Denton, Expanding North Texas’ Role in the Future of Cancer Innovation
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Global healthcare leader Novartis recently broke ground on its new 46,000-square-foot radioligand therapy (RLT) manufacturing facility in Denton, its first Texas manufacturing site and a major investment in the future of precision cancer care.
The event brought together international Novartis leadership, regional stakeholders, and ecosystem partners, including BioNTX leadership alongside organizations such as BioLabs and the Dallas Regional Chamber. The facility is expected to create high-value jobs in advanced manufacturing, bioengineering, and operations while further establishing North Texas as a growing hub for next-generation therapeutics.
A key voice during the event was Debra Patt, MD, PhD, MBA, Executive Vice President of Policy and Strategy at Texas Oncology, who described the project as “hope rooted in innovation, science, and the conviction that we can do better for people living with cancer.”
The project also reflects the continued leadership of regional partners like Kelly Cloud and the Dallas Regional Chamber in helping attract transformative life sciences investment to North Texas.
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BioNTX CEO Gina Ford on Building a
Full-Scale Life Sciences Hub in North Texas
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In a Dallas Morning News interview, Gina Ford, CEO of BioNTX, outlined her vision for accelerating North Texas’ growth into a major life sciences hub after returning to the region following a biotech career on both coasts.
She emphasized strengthening the full innovation pipeline, helping early-stage discoveries move toward commercialization and large-scale company growth so talent and companies can build long-term careers in Dallas–Fort Worth rather than leaving for traditional biotech hubs.
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Help Shape the Conversation at iC³ 2026
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BioNTX is seeking dynamic speakers for the 2026 iC³ Life Science Summit, taking place Thursday, September 24 – Friday, September 25 at the Loews Arlington Hotel & Convention Center.
This premier gathering brings together innovators, investors, and industry leaders to exchange insights, explore emerging trends, and drive collaboration across the life sciences ecosystem.
We’re especially interested in perspectives across funding and capital formation, modulating disease in rare, chronic, and catastrophic conditions, advancing science within a regulated industry, and other ideas shaping today’s evolving ecosystem.
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Nominate the Next Generation of
Texas Life Sciences Leaders
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BioNTX invites you to nominate a Rising Star in the Texas life sciences community.
The Rising Stars program highlights pioneering Texas companies driving meaningful impact through innovation, leadership, and bold solutions to today’s most pressing challenges.
Deadline to nominate is Friday, July 31, 2026.
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Elevating Texas Innovation Through the Hill Prizes
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The Hill Prizes, funded by Lyda Hill Philanthropies, recognize and advance top Texas innovators whose high-risk, high‑reward ideas have potential for significant real‑world impact. The prizes aim to elevate exceptional researchers, accelerate paradigm‑shifting science and position Texas as a premier destination for world‑class innovation.
By providing funding that helps bridge the gap between early‑stage research and business development, the Hill Prizes strengthen recipients’ ability to pursue large‑scale grants, build collaborations and bring transformative discoveries closer to practical application.
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Texas Healthcare Challenge Accelerates
Healthcare Innovation Across Texas
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Health Wildcatters hosted the 8th annual Texas Healthcare Challenge Hackathon at Pegasus Park, bringing together more than 230 applicants and 120 selected participants for a 48-hour sprint to tackle urgent healthcare challenges.
Winning teams included SurgeReady Health, Price Pulse, TrueStep, ColonOwl, Mind Bridge, Scalpel.ai, Promptly, Tomato Roll, and Foot Forward, with solutions spanning AI-enabled care, access, and patient experience.
The Texas Healthcare Challenge continues to demonstrate how collaboration, speed, and multidisciplinary thinking can turn early-stage ideas into meaningful solutions with real potential to improve healthcare delivery.
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TWU Chemistry in Action: Hands-On Science for Future Innovators
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Texas Woman’s University (TWU) invites 9th–12th grade students to discover the excitement of chemistry through interactive, hands-on labs and activities designed to explore dynamic careers in the field.
Students will engage with research scientists and industry experts while learning about topics such as microplastics, green chemistry, solar cells, and chemical recycling.
Through simulations and 3D modeling guided by TWU chemists, participants will see science come to life in new and meaningful ways.
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PCCP: Building Our Talent Network
May 13, 2026
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Presents
Peer Career Connect Program
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The Peer Career Connect Program (PCCP) is a platform for professionals navigating career transitions and for employers seeking talent in life sciences and related industries. PCCP facilitates meaningful connections, peer learning, and knowledge sharing to help jobseekers explore opportunities and employers connect with qualified candidates.
Open to professionals at all career stages and employers across sectors including biopharma, digital health, aerospace, research, engineering, logistics, and manufacturing, PCCP provides a space to exchange insights, explore career paths, and build valuable professional relationships in a collaborative and results focused environment.
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Thank you for your support
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Summer Sizzler Happy Hour with the
BioNTX Facilities Committee: Connect & Unwind
May 20, 2026
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Join the BioNTX Facilities Advisory Committee for an afternoon of networking and refreshments at McMillan James Equipment Company’s state-of-the-art facility.
Connect with fellow life science professionals, explore the facility, and enjoy the chance to unwind with the BioNTX community as we continue building momentum for Life Science in North Texas.
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Thank you for your support
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Discover Leading Lab Solutions with BioNTX and Avantor
June 4, 2026
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Join BioNTX and Avantor for an engaging opportunity to explore leading life science vendors from the Avantor VWR catalog.
Discover a wide range of innovative, high-quality tools, products, and solutions designed to support research across multiple areas of the life sciences. This event is a chance to connect with industry partners, learn about emerging technologies, and identify resources that can help accelerate and enhance your research and development efforts.
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BIO BREAK: Connect, Collaborate, Innovate
July 20, 2026
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BIO BREAK brings the life sciences community together for an evening of connection and conversation. Attendees will have the opportunity to network with peers, share insights on emerging trends, and explore ideas driving collaboration and innovation across the ecosystem. The event is designed to strengthen professional relationships and support a more connected life sciences community in the region.
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Join Us This September at the 2026 iC³ Summit
September 24 - 25, 2026
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The BioNTX iC³ Life Science & Healthcare Innovation Summit is North Texas’s premier convening for the region’s bioscience and healthcare community. Each year, we bring together industry leaders, pioneering researchers, investors, entrepreneurs, and innovators to share insights, explore emerging trends, and collaborate on the next breakthroughs in life sciences and healthcare.
At iC³ 2026, you will have the opportunity to engage with thought leaders, connect with peers, and participate in conversations that are shaping the future of healthcare innovation in North Texas and beyond. Whether you are looking to gain knowledge, showcase your work, or build meaningful partnerships, iC³ provides the platform to make an impact.
Thank you for your support
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iC³ Hotel Room Block
BioNTX has secured discounted room blocks at nearby hotels for the iC³ Summit,
please feel free to take advantage of these options during your stay.
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Drury Plaza Hotel Dallas Arlington
101 West Road to Six Flags Street
Arlington TX 76011
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Live! By Loews
1600 E Randol Mill Road
Arlington, TX 76011
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Risk and Advisory Support for
BioNTX Members Through NFP Partnership
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BioNTX members gain access to specialized expertise and advisory support to better manage risk and support growth through its collaboration with BIO and NFP.
NFP, an AON company, is a leading insurance broker and risk advisor providing tailored solutions in property & casualty, executive liability, cyber, and people risk. The team works directly with leadership to structure risk strategies aligned to business objectives. With deep experience across biotech, pharma, and life sciences, NFP understands the unique regulatory and operational risks from early development through commercialization.
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Scaling Innovation Without Compromise:
Welcoming Kimball Medical Solutions
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BioNTX is pleased to welcome Kimball Medical Solutions as a new member of our life science and healthcare innovation ecosystem.
Kimball partners with customers to meet complex medical manufacturing needs—spanning electronics and plastics manufacturing, complex assembly, and end-to-end supply chain management for medical device and drug delivery solutions. Their integrated approach supports companies as they move from development to scalable, compliant production.
As part of their engagement, Kimball will host an upcoming webinar on May 19 titled Compliance Without Compromise: When EMS and CMO Capabilities Are Truly Integrated, exploring how integrated capabilities can strengthen quality, compliance, and operational performance across manufacturing models.
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AstraZeneca Secures FDA Approval for Saphnelo Pen,
Enabling Self-Injection for SLE Patients
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AstraZeneca’s Saphnelo (anifrolumab) has received FDA approval for use as a once-weekly self-administered autoinjector in adults with systemic lupus erythematosus on standard therapy, marking an important step forward in treatment convenience by enabling at-home administration while maintaining a safety profile consistent with IV infusion and demonstrating clinically meaningful reductions in disease activity compared to placebo in the Phase III TULIP-SC trial.
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Colossal Biosciences Launches Bluebuck De-Extinction
Project Using Genome Editing
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Colossal Biosciences has announced a new de-extinction project focused on the bluebuck, an extinct South African antelope, making it the company’s sixth target species as it continues using genome editing to restore lost traits.
The effort uses reconstructed DNA and stem cells from the roan antelope to study and potentially reintroduce key characteristics like the bluebuck’s distinctive silvery-blue coat, while also advancing conservation tools for related antelope species.
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Island Pharmaceuticals Advances Antiviral Program with Regulatory Clarity and Strategic Growth
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Island Pharmaceuticals made key progress in the March 2026 quarter, including FDA alignment under the Animal Rule pathway for its antiviral candidate Galidesivir, clearer regulatory direction, new research collaborations with USAMRIID and the Geneva Foundation, expanded pipeline activity with the Burnet Institute, strengthened US patent protection, and an AU$9 million capital raise to support ongoing development.
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FDA Approves Johnson & Johnson’s STELARA®
for Pediatric Crohn’s Disease
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STELARA® (ustekinumab), developed by Johnson & Johnson, has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of patients aged two years and older with moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease. STELARA® is the only approved IL-12/23 antagonist and the first non-TNF biologic indicated for both adult and pediatric Crohn’s disease patients (2+), addressing a significant unmet need in pediatric care where the disease is often more aggressive and treatment options remain limited.
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Lantern Pharma Launches Real-Time AI-Driven Molecular
Intelligence Engine for Drug Discovery
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Lantern Pharma Inc. announced it has scheduled a Type C meeting with the FDA for mid-May 2026 to discuss proposed protocol amendments to its ongoing Phase 2 HARMONIC™ trial of LP-300 in EGFR L858R-mutant non-small cell lung cancer. The discussion is based on emerging clinical data showing an 8.3-month progression-free survival signal in a post-TKI setting, without added toxicity. The company is seeking FDA feedback to refine the trial design and focus on patients most likely to benefit.
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AES Cleanroom Technology Marks 40 Years
of Innovation in Cleanroom Solutions
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AES Cleanroom Technology marks 40 years of leadership in modular cleanroom design, manufacturing, and construction for the life sciences and biopharmaceutical industries, helping shape the environments where breakthrough therapies are made. Since 1986, AES has delivered 4,000+ facilities and 10M+ sq. ft. of controlled environments supporting advanced therapies from gene to CAR-T. Its integrated model accelerates delivery from concept to clinic. With 16 ISPE Facility of the Year Awards, AES continues to enable the development of patient-ready therapies through high-performance cleanroom infrastructure.
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Baker Tilly and Basis Advance AI-Enabled
Accounting and Finance Services
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Baker Tilly, a leading advisory, tax, and assurance firm, has announced a collaboration with Basis, an AI-native platform for accounting firms, to enhance AI-enabled accounting and finance delivery within its managed services practice. The initiative aims to improve consistency, increase financial visibility, and provide faster access to decision-ready insights, while reducing manual process work and enabling deeper analysis and more proactive decision-making.
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Meta and CBRE Launch “LevelUp” Training Program
for Data Center Workforce
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Meta Platforms, Inc. and CBRE have announced LevelUp, a multi-year program to train thousands of fiber technicians to support U.S. data center construction. CBRE will open training centers nationwide starting this summer, preparing workers to install fiber-optic cables, network equipment, and other critical infrastructure. Graduates will have opportunities to work on Meta data center projects through its contractor network.
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Ecolab Launches AI-Powered Water Intelligence Platform
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Ecolab announced Ecolab® Water Navigator IQ™, an AI-enabled platform designed to help companies monitor, benchmark, and optimize water use across global operations. As water demand rises alongside AI-driven growth, the platform provides real-time insights and predictive analytics to improve efficiency, identify risks, and support smarter decision-making at scale.
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Sikich Acquires Jefferson Wells to
Expand Risk, Finance, and Compliance Services
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Sikich has acquired Milwaukee-based Jefferson Wells from ManpowerGroup, adding more than 300 employees across the U.S. Jefferson Wells provides risk & compliance, finance & accounting, and tax services across industries including financial services, technology, and energy. The acquisition strengthens Sikich’s capabilities in healthcare, life sciences, and manufacturing.
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Dallas College Selects HKS to Design New
Health Sciences Center in Medical District
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Dallas College has selected Dallas-based HKS as the lead architect and engineering firm for its new Health Sciences Center for Excellence in Dallas’ Medical District. The facility will expand hands-on health care education and workforce training, supporting both students and incumbent workers while strengthening pipelines into high-demand health care careers.
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UNT Health's Research Appreciation Day
Unites North Texas Students
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UNT Health Fort Worth’s Division of Research and Innovation hosted its annual Research Appreciation Day, bringing together participants, including faculty and research partners. Representatives from UNT Health Fort Worth, the University of North Texas, UNT Dallas, and Texas Christian University presented research posters and shared findings across biomedical sciences, clinical research, public health, and emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, highlighting the breadth of research activity across the region.
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UT Arlington Researcher Leads Study on
Linked Heart & Muscle Decline in Aging
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A University of Texas at Arlington researcher is leading a new study on cardio-sarcopenia, a condition involving the combined decline of heart and skeletal muscle health in aging adults.
The project is led by Kamal Awad, assistant professor of research in the Bone-Muscle Research Center and faculty member in the Department of Kinesiology, who has received the American Heart Association Career Development Award.
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UTD Scientist Uncovers How Viruses
Rewire Cell Metabolism to Fuel Infection
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Dr. Erica Sanchez, assistant professor of biological sciences at The University of Texas at Dallas, studies how viruses hijack the metabolic systems of human cells to replicate and cause disease.
Her research aims to uncover the specific cellular pathways that viruses depend on, with the goal of identifying vulnerabilities that could be targeted to stop infection without harming healthy tissue.
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UT Southwestern Innovation Hub Advances the
Journey from Discovery to Patient Impact
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(from left to right) Daniel Hommes, MD, PhD,
Kaitlynn Moser and Maggie Wang, PhD
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UT Southwestern Medical Center has launched the Innovation Hub to help researchers translate discoveries into real-world medical products and therapies. Led by Chief Innovation Officer Daniel Hommes, MD, PhD, the initiative supports projects in drug development, AI, and medical devices by providing pathways to commercialization and industry collaboration.
The program aims to reduce barriers between academic research and patient impact, helping promising innovations move more quickly from the lab to the marketplace.
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UT Tyler Celebrates Grand Opening of
School of Medicine Building in East Texas
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UT Tyler and UT System leaders marked the grand opening of the new School of Medicine Building, the future home of East Texas’ first medical school. The nearly 250,000-square-foot facility in Tyler’s medical district is designed to integrate medical education with clinical training through its connection to UT Health East Texas.
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FUNDING & MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
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2026 Eli Lilly and Company Grand Challenge
The 2026 Grand Challenge will bring selected participants together to network with Lilly executives and scientists, compete for $100,000 in non-dilutive funding, and gain access to Lilly’s scientific and business network to help advance their technologies.
Applications due May 15th
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Texas Woman’s University ChemCamp
TWU's ChemCamp is a week-long summer program designed for rising 9th–12th grade students to explore chemistry through hands-on labs and interactive activities.
Applications due June 1st
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The Hill Prizes
The Hill Prizes supports top Texas innovators working
on high-risk, high-reward research with strong
real-world impact potential.
Applications due June 1st
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Texas Woman’s University STEMM Camp
TWU's STEMM Camp is a week-long summer program designed for high school students to explore careers in biology and healthcare through hands-on lab work.
Applications due June 1st
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Upcoming Events & Opportunities
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Compliance Without Compromise
Join Kimball Medical Solutions to learn how tightly aligned design, manufacturing, and quality systems help medical OEMs navigate regulatory complexity while scaling production.
May 19th | Virtual
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AIM Health R&D Summit
Join military and civilian leaders, researchers, and innovators to explore breakthrough technologies, share cutting-edge research, and forge partnerships that will transform healthcare for our service members and beyond.
May 19th | San Antonio, TX
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BioNTX "Summer Sizzler" Happy Hour
Join the BioNTX Facilities Advisory Committee for an afternoon of networking and refreshments at McMillan James Equipment Company’s state-of-the-art facility.
May 20th | Grapevine, TX
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Southwest Venture Forum
Join The SMU for an afternoon of networking, community, and high-impact conversations alongside co-hosts Dr. Emily W. Choi of the Caruth Institute for Entrepreneurship and Josh Taylor of the William S. Spears Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership.
May 21st | Dallas, TX
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Menopause Matters
Join the Gwen Lily Research Foundation to explore menopause as a critical stage of women’s health, bringing greater visibility to the physical, emotional, and social dimensions of this transition.
May 21st | Virtual
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Nucleate Texas Demo Day 2026
Nucleate Texas Demo Day is the culminating event of the Nucleate Texas Activator, bringing together founders, scientists, investors, and industry partners from across the state and beyond.
May 29th | Austin, TX
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Thank you for your support!
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