ABOUT US
We're here for people who want to build businesses that shape the future.
Whether it's your own, Waco's, or the entire world's.
We're here for you.
Fuel Founders. Grow Waco.
Waco 2035
Our goals in numbers
Projections
500+
entrepreneurs served annually
2500+
jobs created or supported
$10M+
in capital
activated locally
100+
startups
launched
3+
high-growth
ventures devloped
$5M+
endowment established
Our dual focus
High-growth ventures + small business = a rising tide for all
Waco is growing fast, and that growth needs businesses of every size to truly lift the city. Small businesses create the heartbeat of daily life while high-growth ventures drive outsized job creation together forming the kind of balanced economy where prosperity lasts. Startup Waco supports both because this mix fuels a rising tide for everyone: families, neighborhoods, and future founders.
ABOUT US
A letter from our CEO
Hey, I’m Hob.
I’m a fifth-generation Wacoan and a lifelong believer in the enterprising spirit of this city. I grew up watching firsthand what entrepreneurship makes possible.
My dad ran his own small business. Because of that, he never missed a single basketball game my brother and I played. At the time, I didn’t realize how rare that was — or how deeply it would shape me. I learned early that when someone builds a business, they’re really building a life: one with freedom, opportunity, and space for the people who matter most.
That belief pulled me into entrepreneurship and eventually into four different startups — riding the waves of growth, scale, failure, acquisition, and success. I’ve seen the highs and the gut-check lows. I’ve worked alongside founders who were thriving and founders who were on their last legs — all of us trying to make smart decisions for our families, our teams, and our futures.
What became clear to me is this: founders need more than advice.
They need practical skills to make hard decisions.
Access to capital to fuel real growth.
And an electric, experienced community of peers and coaches who truly understand the weight they’re carrying.
That’s why Startup Waco exists.
We’re here to connect you to the right people, the right resources, and the right next step — so you can build a business that works, a team that thrives, and a life you’re proud of.
If you’re building something meaningful, we’d love to build alongside you.
Let’s get to work.
.jpg)
Hear from our people.
Play video to learn more about us and how we can help you invent your success.
Our team
Our team is a sharp, hands-on crew of connectors, coaches, and problem-solvers who run the programs, make the introductions, and walk with founders through every stage of the entrepreneurial journey.
Fuel founders. Grow Waco.
Founding board member names: L-R: Jeremy Vickers, Baylor University. Weldon Ratliff, Community Leader & Philanthropist. Fernando Arroyo, Waco Family Medicine. Mark Reynolds, Extraco Banks. Sarah Roberts, KSR Consultancy. Ashley Allison, Waco Foundation. LaDainian Tomlinson, University High, TCU & San Diego Chargers. Bob Knorr, Baylor Entreprenuer in Residence. Andrea Barefield, Waco City Council. Rachel Pate, CenTex African American Chamber of Commerce. Alfred Solano, CenTex Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Sherman Ayres, Community Leader & Philanthropist. Leah Teague, Baylor Law School Kris Collins, Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce.
Our origins
Startup Waco was created for people like you: people with big ideas, ambition, and the drive to make it happen.
Before Startup Waco, founders kept running into the same barriers: local support was scattered, access to capital was unclear, and too many people felt like they were building alone.
That’s why in 2018, some of Waco’s most trusted and influential local leaders came together to build Startup Waco—a neutral, trusted business growth hub at the intersection of the public, private, and philanthropic sectors. We coordinate worlds that don’t typically overlap, bringing together partners, capital, and opportunities so founders don’t have to navigate alone.
Our Board of Directors
Our Board is a powerhouse mix of former city officials, high-growth and small-business founders, and capital leaders who are all fiercely committed to Waco’s future and the entrepreneurs shaping it.
