TUESDAY, DEC. 22, 2020

This year, we witnessed pivots, launches, developments, and big ideas. And North Texans showed us they are extraordinary. 
 
They are the inspiration for our fourth annual magazine—Dallas Innovates 2021: The Resilience Issue. Dallas-Fort Worth breeds trailblazers, and we feature the Future 50 who are rocketing us to tomorrow. We've just put the finishing touches on the issue. Watch for it in the new year.
 
This is our last daily email in 2020, as we recharge and look forward to the year ahead. We'll be back in your inbox on Thursday, January 7. In the meantime, you can find our top stories of the year on DallasInnovates.com.
 
Have a safe and happy holiday, Dallas Innovators. You're the reason we do what we do. 
 
—The Dallas Innovates team

TECHNOLOGY
COMSovereign’s Drone Aviation Unit Delivers the First Drone-Deployed LTE Network

Dallas-based COMSovereign Holding Corp., which aims to provide a 'Made in America path to 5G,' has made a new tethered drone-based aerial platform commercially available. This means the solution can quickly deploy to respond to emergencies and natural disasters, temporarily increase wireless coverage at special events, or provide connectivity in places without any infrastructure.

LOOKING AHEAD
Deloitte’s 2021 Tech Trends Report Shows Enterprises Are Accelerating Digital Transformation

In a year of uncertainty, enterprises have made their operations more agile and productive. Deloitte dives into the nine technology trends that will likely continue to transform business in the next 18-24 months—and shows how tech is enabling fundamental business processes like never before.

VC FORECAST
Pitchbook Forecasts 8 Venture Capital Trends for 2021

The news is mixed as we head into 2021, and COVID-19 is the key variable, says Pitchbook. Still, the capital market data provider believes the outlook is more clear for the VC industry than many other areas. 

Pitchbook also shares a scorecard on its pre-pandemic predictions from 2020.

RESEARCH
UT Dallas Computer Scientists Create Video Game Mechanism To Detect Cheating

Using popular video game Counter-Strike, researchers have created a cheat detection mechanism that can be used in a variety of games. The research is especially important as it has the potential to affect the near $1 billion esports industry.

⓵ EXPANSION: About a year after making its debut in Fort Worth, Air Pros USA is expanding its North Texas footprint with a new office in Plano. The second location comes at a time when the residential and commercial air conditioning services company has seen increased demand as consumers seek better indoor air quality during the COVID-19 pandemic. The team has seen a surge for air purification and filtration products, along with electrostatic systems that can provide clean, efficient energy. In June, Air Pros discussed the effectiveness of UV light on COVID, saying that it could complement an AC system to improve indoor air quality by neutralizing viruses and other microbes.

⓷ UNDER CONSTRUCTION: Cold Summit Dallas, a $60 million cold storage facility project in Southern Dallas, is underway. Demand is hitting a high point for these industrial facilities already in short supply, per Commercial Property Executive. Food supply chains will continue to face challenges “well into next year, given the sub-zero storage requirements of COVID-19 vaccines.” Cold Summit Development expects the new facility—its first in DFW and 12th in the nation—to be completed in late 2021.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT
Dallas’ MAG Impact Collective Launches New Initiative to Help Individuals Align Passion with Purpose

Finding your passion, making a living off it, and helping to improve the world is not easy—that's why we're launching the Make Dents initiative.

"We’re at the cusp of the next revolution with electric flight."

Jesse Crispino
COO
Jaunt
...on the future of air taxi aircraft, via KCTV.

Jaunt Air Mobility, a company developing electric air taxi aircraft, recently moved its headquarters from New Jersey to Dallas. Within six years, Jaunt plans to get its air taxi operations off of the ground, reports KCTV. 

“It would be extremely convenient to operate aircraft here in the Dallas region, like Uber had planned with operations," Jaunt CEO Martin Peryea told KCTV.

Jaunt is teaming up with major aerospace companies such as Triumph Aerospace Structures and hopes to offer its aircraft to the public in 2027.

IMAGE COURTESY JAUNT AIR MOBILITY