Page 46 - CityofArlingtonFY26AdoptedBudget

Business Plan

Grow Our Economy
Forge Local Business Community
Project Performance Measure(s) Department(s)
Innovation and Entrepreneurship Economic Development Services and
Economic Development Corporation

Summary:
In FY 2025, the Arlington Economic Development Corporation
(EDC) added a Director of Innovation & Entrepreneurship to
lead a long-term strategy focused on two goals:

1. Building and launching high-growth startups in
Arlington
2. Attracting companies and talent in target industries

To support these, FY 2026 efforts will focus on strengthening
the seven types of capital critical to startup ecosystems
(intellectual, human, financial, institutional, physical, network,
and cultural), guided by tactics such as:

• Startup Support: Accelerator programs, Small
Business Innovation Research/Small Business
Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) Matching Grants,
Student-to-Startup internships, and an Innovation
Fund
• Industry Engagement: Innovation Advisory and
Industry Councils, targeted seed accelerators, and
innovation challenges

Initial priorities include developing these programs and
building partnerships with University of Texas at Arlington,
investors, and industry associations.

Key metrics include:
• Idea-to-launch ratio
• Startup revenue generation timelines
• Funding types and rounds
• Job creation and pay growth
• Investment and grant totals
• Business move-in/move-out rates
• SBIR/STTR grant awards and liquidity events

FY 2026 Proposed Budget and Business Plan 40 City of Arlington, Texas