Nation's Top-Ranked Large Metro Hosts Onward FX Venture Capital Program This Spring

Founders nationwide can apply through Feb. 23 for curated one-on-one meetings with venture investors

2025 Onward FX Video Recap
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BENTONVILLE, Ark., Feb. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- This spring, more than 30 venture capital firms will convene in Northwest Arkansas, the nation's top-ranked large metropolitan area according to the Milken Institute, to meet founders ready for serious conversations about capital, growth and scale. Together, these firms represent more than $7 billion in assets under management.

Home to three Fortune 500 companies — Walmart, Tyson Foods and J.B. Hunt — Northwest Arkansas has become a national hub for retail, logistics and supply chain innovation while rapidly expanding its technology and startup ecosystem.

Onward FX invites startups from across the country for a unique opportunity to participate in curated, one-on-one meetings with venture investors. This process compresses months of outreach into a single, focused experience.

Taking place April 20 and 21 in Bentonville, the spring 2026 Onward FX cycle represents the next phase of a growing, statewide platform designed to connect founders with venture capital at key moments of readiness.

Led by the Northwest Arkansas Council in partnership with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, the program supports early-stage founders as part of a broader effort to strengthen Arkansas' innovation economy and attract venture capital to one of the fastest-growing states in the country, which continues to rank among national leaders for inbound movers and business expansion.

By bringing decision makers directly to Arkansas, a state rooted in agriculture and food production yet increasingly diversified across technology, aerospace, advanced manufacturing and energy, the program expands access to early-stage capital and creates a more efficient path for founders seeking institutional investment.

Since launching in 2024, Onward FX has delivered measurable outcomes for participating founders and investors. Across cycles to date, the approach has:

• Facilitated more than 500 curated founder-investor meetings, including hundreds involving Arkansas-based startups and investors
• Resulted in approximately one in four participating companies securing a term sheet
• Led to more than $22 million in investment capital raised by participating companies
• Supported company expansion and relocation conversations, with several startups choosing to establish or grow a presence in Arkansas

Together, these outcomes reflect both the quality of companies participating and the seriousness of investor engagement.

"Onward FX illustrates that Arkansas is the front door to the Heartland for venture capital, a place where founders can build and scale," said Serafina Lalany, executive director of StartupNWA, the Northwest Arkansas Council's entrepreneurship program. "The program creates space for focused, substantive conversations between founders and venture investors."

"Entrepreneurs in Arkansas are creating jobs and growing our state's economy with innovative new businesses and ideas," said Clint O'Neal, executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. "AEDC is committed to supporting entrepreneurs, and programs like Onward FX are helping company founders connect with investors to scale their businesses."

Participating venture capital firms include investors with experience across health, retail, industrial and frontier technology, including Legendary Ventures, Precursor Ventures, Hustle Fund, MaC Venture Capital, Upfront Ventures, Mercury, Ingeborg, Flyover Capital, S3 Ventures, Run Ventures, Perot Jain, Wildwood Ventures and others from across the country.

How to Apply
Startup applications for the spring cycle are open through 11:59 p.m. CT Feb. 23. The program is open to startups nationwide across a range of sectors, including health tech, fintech, consumer packaged goods, aerospace and defense, cybersecurity, climate and energy, and enterprise software. Companies do not need to be based in Arkansas to participate. Founders can apply at onward.nwacouncil.org/fx.

All applicants are added to a venture deal database shared with more than 200 institutional investors nationwide, extending the value of participation beyond the event itself.

Founders are also invited to participate in networking opportunities with peers and funders, supporting longer-term relationship building. To understand more about Onward FX and its impact, watch this video.

Additional details on public sessions, featured speakers and community programming will be announced in the coming weeks.

About StartupNWA
StartupNWA, an initiative of the Northwest Arkansas Council, strengthens the region's startup ecosystem by expanding access to capital, mentorship and networks. Building on the Council's longstanding commitment to entrepreneurship, StartupNWA connects founders with education, resources and community to help them build and scale their companies in Arkansas and contribute to a more dynamic innovation economy. Signature programs include Onward FX, the Heartland's premier founder funder exchange, designed to accelerate venture capital activity outside the traditional coastal hubs. Since launching in 2024, the program has facilitated more than 500 curated founder-funder meetings and helped startups secure millions in venture capital investments nationwide. In partnership with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, Onward FX has expanded statewide, providing founders across Arkansas direct access to national investors.

StartupNWA is supported by the Walton Family Foundation. The Foundation's funding supports education and resource offerings for entrepreneurs in Northwest Arkansas, helping ensure founders have the tools, guidance and connections needed to build scalable, high-growth companies.

About the Arkansas Economic Development Commission
At AEDC, we know economic advancement does not happen by accident. We work strategically with businesses and communities to create strong economic opportunities, making Arkansas the natural choice for success. AEDC is a division of the Arkansas Department of Commerce. To learn more, visit ArkansasEDC.com.

Contact:
Amanda Horn
Senior Communications Advisor
Northwest Arkansas Council
[email protected]
775.636.2567

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SOURCE Northwest Arkansas Council