Dallas – – September 29, 2026 -- MassChallenge, ranked the No. 2 accelerator in the U.S. by TIME and Statista, has named Dallas its second U.S. headquarters, backed by a renewed two-year grant from Lyda Hill Philanthropies. The investment extends a five-year partnership at Pegasus Park and will fund two ten-week accelerator tracks in Health & Life Sciences and Security & Resiliency, plus Founder Access Clinics connecting early-stage founders with academic, clinical and corporate stakeholders.
Texas applications to MassChallenge grew more than fivefold since 2022
Texas-based applications to MassChallenge's national programs have risen over five times since 2022, while annual innovation-event attendance approaches 1,000. The grant will also support INNOVATE '26, MassChallenge's flagship Dallas convening scheduled for November 17 at Pegasus Park.
Pegasus Park lab space filled 15 months ahead of a five-year projection
BioLabs at Pegasus Park reached full occupancy in its shared workspace in just 15 months, against an original five-year timeline. That demand drove development of Bridge Labs, which opened on the campus in 2024 with 135,000 square feet of growth-stage lab space. Pegasus Park also hosts one of three national hubs for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), selected through a competitive nationwide process.
Dallas-Fort Worth logged 14 life sciences corporate expansions in 2025
The Dallas Regional Chamber recorded 14 life sciences corporate locations or expansions across Dallas-Fort Worth in 2025 alone. CPRIT reports that 10 companies it supported through startup, expansion or relocation in the region have since raised more than $2 billion in direct follow-on funding.
MassChallenge CEO Cait Brumme said the renewed funding continues "the long-term work of accelerating high-potential biotechnology companies" in North Texas. Nicole Small, CEO of Lyda Hill Philanthropies, said the partnership reinforces the case for sustained investment in regional scientific talent and infrastructure. Dallas Economic Development Corporation CEO Linda McMahon said the region must now invest in companies that start locally, requiring access to capital, talent, infrastructure and cross-sector partnerships to retain and scale them.