Applications open for 2026 Fort Worth Business Plan Competition

The Fort Worth Business Plan Competition is now accepting applications for its 2026 cohort, putting small businesses back in the spotlight.

The Fort Worth Business Plan Competition, sponsored annually by Frost Bank, is one of several ways that the City helps set local small-business owners up for success. Research shows that entrepreneurs who operate based on a written plan improve their long-term ability to generate revenue and create jobs, and solid business plans are crucial when seeking out investors and other sources of funding.

After several weeks of workshops and coaching, participants will develop a comprehensive business plan that covers everything from market competitiveness to financial outlooks, with the goal of learning their business inside and out. Then it's time to put their skills to the test at a final Pitch Night, with a total of $20,000 worth of cash prizes on the line.

Competition details

Applications for the Fort Worth Business Plan Competition are currently open on the City of Fort Worth website and will close at 11:59 p.m. Saturday, June 13.

To be eligible for the competition, applicants must have been in business for between two and five years, have a physical business address located within the Fort Worth city limits and have an annual revenue of less than $1 million.

Businesses that do not meet the qualifications above are not eligible to participate.

As part of the online application, applicants will be required to verify their eligibility by including a copy of their formation documents, which can be a DBA, certification from the State Secretary's office or other legal business documentation.

Similar to previous years, the 2026 Business Plan Competition will feature cash-only prizes for the finalists, with $10,000 going to the first-place winner, $6,000 going to second place and $4,000 going to third place.

Once these applications are submitted, the Top 20 who will participate in classes with Frost Bank and City partners will be announced in late June.

Final business plans will be due Sunday, Aug. 16, and the Top 8 contestants will participate in the competition finale - a "pitch night" before a panel of judges - on Thursday, Oct. 15.

In addition to the support of Frost Bank, this year's professional development workshops will be presented by small-business ecosystem support organizations such as TechFW, Accelerate Fort Worth, the Small Business Administration (SBA) and several others.