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Southwest Venture Forum
Southwest Venture Forum
In 1990, the Caruth Institute for Entrepreneurship assumed responsibility for operating the Southwest Venture Forum, which had been founded by a local venture capital firm in 1984. The non-profit forum is a bimonthly meeting where entrepreneurs looking to start or expand their businesses meet with venture investors and the professional community to solicit financing and obtain advice.
Entrepreneurs present business plans or executive summaries that describe:
- The opportunity and business concept.
- The existing or proposed products and/or services.
- The industry and target markets in which they will operate.
- Accomplishments of key management personnel.
- Summarized financial projections of sales, profits, and cash flows.
- What they are seeking in terms of financing to build their company.
Following the presentations by selected entrepreneurs, current venture financing topics are discussed by prominent investors or expert panels. Membership in the forum consists of entrepreneurs, venture investors, bankers, attorneys, accountants, and consultants working with early- and intermediate-stage growth-oriented entrepreneurs and their firms.
Are you an entrepreneur and interested in pitching at the next Southwest Venture Forum? Please email Seth Block at least five weeks before the following forum at sblock@smu.edu.
The SMU Cox Southwest Venture Forum (SWVF) – Regular Attendee
Southwest Venture Forum: Investing in the Frontier of AI
Join The SMU Cox Caruth Institute and the Spears Institute on Thursday, October 29 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.
Speaker(s):
- Trey Bowles | Co-Founder, 1845 Ventures
- David Evans | Managing Partner, Sentiero Ventures
- Bhaskar Lokanathan | Global Startup Development Lead, Microsoft
- Gurmeet Singh | Founder, RevvUp.ai | AI & Technology Board Member and Strategic Advisor
Date: Thursday, October 29, 2026
Time: Check-in/Networking/ Breakfast Buffet starts at 7:00 AM
Program/Keynote: 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM
Location: The Elizabeth Perkins Prothro Hall, 5901 Bishop Blvd., Dallas, TX, 75205
Parking on Bishop Blvd. Parking pass will be included in price of ticket.
Registration deadline: Tuesday, October 27
Co-Hosts:
Dr. Emily W. Choi, Executive Director | The Caruth Institute for Entrepreneurship
Josh Taylor, Executive Director | The William S. Spears Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership
The SMU Cox Southwest Venture Forum (SWVF) – Student Attendee
Southwest Venture Forum: Investing in the Frontier of AI
Join The SMU Cox Caruth Institute and the Spears Institute on Thursday, October 29 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.
Speaker(s):
- Trey Bowles | Co-Founder, 1845 Ventures
- David Evans | Managing Partner, Sentiero Ventures
- Bhaskar Lokanathan | Global Startup Development Lead, Microsoft
- Gurmeet Singh | Founder, RevvUp.ai | AI & Technology Board Member and Strategic Advisor
Date: Thursday, October 29, 2026
Time: Check-in/Networking/ Breakfast Buffet starts at 7:00 AM
Program/Keynote: 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM
Location: The Elizabeth Perkins Prothro Hall, 5901 Bishop Blvd., Dallas, TX, 75205
Parking on Bishop Blvd. Parking pass will be included in price of ticket.
Registration deadline: Tuesday, October 27
Co-Hosts:
Dr. Emily W. Choi, Executive Director | The Caruth Institute for Entrepreneurship
Josh Taylor, Executive Director | The William S. Spears Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership
SWVF Business Card Ads (Annual)
Annual (Sept. – May)
Please email a digital business card to be included in our event handout for each event. Having your business card included in our program is another way for you to network and provide your product or services. NOTE: This fee doesn’t include your regular attendance fee; you must register to attend the breakfast event separately. Thank you!