Mike Moe and Mike Hoque
A conference that combines the spirit of for-profit entrepreneurism with the heart of nonprofit altruism seems right up Fort Worth's alley. After all, the city is well known for its philanthropic innovators and business leaders.
With that said, we'll forgive the upcoming SMU+GSV Mission Summit for making Cowtown residents drive to Dallas for its inaugural conference. The three-day event, which promises to accelerate ideas that combine purpose and profits, is set to take place May 22 – 24 on the SMU campus in Dallas.
While this is technically the first of its kind, the summit — a collaboration between Global Silicon Valley (GSV Ventures) founder and CEO Mike Moe, Hoque Global CEO Mike Hoque, and Southern Methodist University — is a spin-off from the ASU+GSV Summit, an event that has taken place annually in San Diego since 2010. The key difference between the two conferences is the inclusion of Moe's Mission Movement, a "movement that's afoot," according to Moe, "and has the ambition of a for-profit in the heart of a not-for-profit."
"Capitalism is the best system for advancing society," Moe says. "But it needed a refresh, and that's what this Mission Movement is all about: combining purpose and profits.
"I think that's where we're going to have the greatest scale impact for society, and it's really exciting."
Over the years, the ASU+GSV Summit, of which Moe is the brainchild, has become an increasingly prodigious conference that attracts over 7,000 attendees and top-of-the-line speakers that include the likes of former presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush, Bill Gates, Howard Schultz, Condoleezza Rice, and Sandra Day O'Connor.
Speakers at this year’s SMU+GSV Mission Summit, which hopes to accelerate entrepreneurial ideas that combine "purpose and profits," include CEO of Super Bowl Champions Kansas City Chiefs, Clark Hunt; Governor of Oklahoma, Kevin Stitt; former NBA player and Dallas Mavericks coach, Avery Johnson; former president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Rob Kaplan; and many more, including Fort Worth Magazine publisher, Hal Brown.
Ultimately, at the conference's core is the idea that amazing things can happen if one gets enough amazing people together in one room.
Another key component of the summit is a state-wide pitch competition for university students who attend Texas schools. Dubbed the Texas Cup, the contest is like a "Shark Tank" for up-and-coming business leaders and entrepreneurs — minus Mark Cuban and the vitriolic swipes. Instead, attendees will see a dozen teams pitch business ideas that combine purpose and profits to create an impactful business or idea that is scalable and sustainable.
"I think startups bring an energy and creativity that is important for community," Moe says. "[The Texas Cup] is such a cornerstone to the summit. You know, we're going to have successful leaders in business, government, entrepreneurship, and finance speaking and attending. But what's super important is having people that have these ambitions, these dreams, and they can get plugged into this, and that's gonna invigorate and catalyze people that have been successful."
One doesn't have to press Moe, whose GSV Ventures fittingly focuses on the global education and workforce skills sector, on why the Metroplex is primed for such an event.
"My whole career has been built on trying to be in front of the future," Moe, who has called North Texas home for two years, says. "As Global Silicon Valley is evolving, I believe this market has an opportunity to be the hub of innovation, growth, and this Mission Movement." Moe operates GSV Ventures out of downtown Dallas' Adolphus Tower, a Hoque-owned and renovated project. Hoque, who Moe affectionately calls his brother from a different mother, met Moe over four years ago — before he arrived in Dallas — when he sought a partner to create an innovation district in South Dallas.
"So, I started thinking about who I should align myself with, who should I talk to?" Hoque says. "And when I started talking to people in education, everybody mentioned Michael Moe." After a meeting followed by three years of working together, Governor Greg Abbott recently designated the pair's development, GSV Labs at SoGood, an Opportunity Zone. The development is slated to serve as an incubator for local startups and entrepreneurs, "providing them with critical business tools and resources needed for their ideas and businesses to grow."
Attempting to revitalize a part of town, Hoque Global, Hoque's investment and development company, also plans to make its mark in Fort Worth. In 2022, Hoque announced plans for a large East Side project at the crossroads of Evans Avenue and Rosedale Street. According to the Hoque Global website, the site will include "urban living and neighborhood retail with gathering and green spaces throughout. Upon construction, the mixed-use development is expected to lead the way for growth and more investment in this part of town."
"I'm a mission-driven real estate guy," Hoque says. "When I first met [Moe], we talked about creating a space where we could create opportunity for people who don't have opportunity. I think that's when we fell in love with each other." Moe and Hoque will be on-hand at the SMU+GSV Mission Summit in two weeks.
For those interested in registering for the summit, tickets are $500 online and $800 at the door. For more information or to purchase tickets now, visit smugsvmission.com. If you're interested in attending but don't have the funds, click here to learn more about limited scholarship availability.