This Month's Latest Tech News in Plano, TX - Wednesday April 30th 2025 Edition

Plano's technology sector surged in April 2025, signaling a major AI renaissance for the region. The month saw global AI agent leader Cognigy relocate its U.S. headquarters from San Francisco to Plano, drawn by the area's strong talent pipeline from top universities and robust enterprise landscape, with plans to expand its workforce to over 100 employees in two years (read details on the headquarters move).

Corporate office leasing jumped in the first quarter, following high-profile moves from billion-dollar firms like Diversified, which emphasized Plano's central location and access to top talent as critical factors for choosing North Texas (see how this bolsters Plano's status as a tech hub).

Local innovation is also thriving, as Plano-based precision device startup Glydr secured new pre-seed funding, reflecting the city's growing role as a launchpad for cutting-edge AI and hardware startups (learn about recently funded Plano startups here).

Cognigy, a global leader in AI-powered customer service automation, has officially relocated its U.S. headquarters from San Francisco to Plano, Texas - a move that cements North Texas's ascent as a top-tier tech hub.

The company, which serves more than 1,000 global brands including Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, and Nestle, highlighted Plano's business-friendly climate, strong infrastructure, and access to a growing pool of tech talent as core reasons for the transition.

• Business-friendly climate: Plano's welcoming environment for tech companies was a key driver in Cognigy's relocation decision.
• Infrastructure benefits: Robust local infrastructure investments support the company's planned expansion and daily operations.
• Local talent pool: Ready access to an expanding tech workforce will fuel Cognigy's plan to double its Texas staff from 50 to about 100 employees in the coming year.
• Industry momentum: Cognigy's local expansion mirrors a broader industry shift toward automated customer engagement solutions.
• Plano's appeal: The city's growth, community support, and central location continue to attract tech firms and corporate headquarters.

Cognigy's move signals North Texas's rise as a national epicenter for tech enterprise relocation and innovation, emphasized by expansions in local hiring and infrastructure investment. - Sarah Perez

Key Factor	Impact on Cognigy	Implication for Plano
Business Environment	Facilitates smooth expansion	Boosts reputation as tech hub
Workforce Availability	Enables quick recruitment	Increases local employment
Community Support	Enhances integration	Strengthens regional innovation

Alongside plans to double its Texas workforce, Cognigy's local expansion reflects both the region's rising innovation profile and an industry-wide shift toward meeting demand for hyper-personalized, automated customer engagement solutions.

As Cognigy deepens its commitment to the U.S. market, it joins a wave of tech firms choosing Plano for its unrivaled growth potential, community support, and central location - traits that make North Texas increasingly attractive for corporate headquarters relocation according to Dallas Express.

Local hiring, infrastructure investments, and broader tech migration trends were all cited as pivotal factors in Cognigy's decision, further explored in detailed coverage by The Dallas Morning News.

For a summary of this strategic shift and its implications for Plano's growing tech sector, see the news breakdown at HERE Georgetown.

NVIDIA has announced a transformative step for North Texas, revealing plans to build state-of-the-art AI supercomputer manufacturing plants in Dallas and Houston as part of its first-ever all-American-made AI infrastructure initiative.

This massive investment, valued at up to $500 billion over the next four years, marks a shift in both industrial strategy and supply chain resilience, with the Dallas facility - developed in partnership with Wistron - expected to be operational within 12 to 15 months and to create thousands of skilled jobs.

These plants will manufacture, test, and assemble the Blackwell AI supercomputers that serve as the backbone for emerging "AI factories," advanced data centers designed specifically to power modern artificial intelligence applications.

By leveraging advanced robotics, digital twins, and local energy resources, NVIDIA's expansion not only cements North Texas as a new hub for semiconductor and AI-driven technology but also positions the region at the core of the next era of industrial innovation.

For more details on the project scope and partnerships, read the announcement in NVIDIA's newsroom, coverage on Local Profile North Texas, and the statewide perspective from the Texas Governor's press release.

This month, Dallas-Fort Worth's thriving artificial intelligence scene takes center stage as the much-anticipated 2025 AI 75 list is unveiled at Convergence AI Dallas, hosted at the Irving Convention Center on April 30.

Presented by Dallas Innovates in partnership with the Dallas Regional Chamber and Google, the AI 75 recognizes individuals leading the region's AI revolution - including visionaries in enterprise, healthcare, robotics, infrastructure, and academia - across seven distinguished categories such as AI Visionaries, Mavericks, and Champions.

The honorees range from technology executives driving transformation at Fortune 500 firms to pioneering founders harnessing AI for social good and academics shaping the next generation of talent.

As North Texas emerges as a national leader in applied AI and research, events like Convergence AI Dallas not only spotlight the area's most influential innovators, but also underscore the region's critical role in shaping the future of artificial intelligence in business, policy, and society.

For highlights on the 2025 AI 75 honorees and their diverse impact, explore the coverage from Dallas Innovates, details on the Convergence AI Dallas event, and deeper insights into the list's categories and origins in the AI 75 archives.

• AI community honored: The AI 75 list features leaders from various industries, emphasizing the depth of Plano's artificial intelligence talent.
• Event significance: The Convergence AI Dallas summit hosts top innovators, solidifying North Texas' place as a major hub in technology.
• Regional impact: Honorees - from executives like Christopher Anderson to academic pioneers such as Nancy Jackson - showcase the broad influence of AI throughout business and society.
• Further resources: Explore event recaps and honoree profiles through trusted local publications and organizational archives.

Category	Honoree Example	Sector
AI Visionary	Christopher Anderson	Enterprise
Maverick	David Jones	HealthTech
Champion	Nancy Jackson	Academia

"Events like Convergence AI Dallas amplify North Texas' reputation as a national leader in artificial intelligence, innovation, and technology-driven growth."

Global tech leader NTT DATA has been chosen by UPS, the world's largest package delivery company, for a transformative 10-year partnership that will modernize UPS's IT infrastructure and fuel the next generation of AI-driven logistics solutions.

Central to this agreement is NTT DATA's acquisition and operation of a key UPS data center, enabling a hybrid strategy that combines public cloud and on-premises systems to boost operational flexibility and efficiency.

By outsourcing these mission-critical technology operations, UPS will empower its internal teams to focus on developing digital innovations and customer-centric logistics services as part of its “Efficiency Reimagined” initiatives.

• Operational flexibility and efficiency are being improved through NTT DATA's hybrid cloud and on-premises strategy.
• The outsourcing allows UPS teams to focus on innovation and logistics services for customers.
• This move aims to lower costs and risks while accelerating digital growth through targeted investment.
• NTT DATA's expertise in transformation is expected to help UPS maintain its leadership in a competitive, evolving industry.

This collaboration is expected to not only lower costs and risks but also accelerate growth by reallocating savings into new digital projects - a move reflecting the logistics industry's urgent need for data-driven agility and resilience.

“The partnership underscores a wider shift in supply chain modernization, with NTT DATA bringing end-to-end expertise in digital transformation, ultimately helping UPS maintain leadership in a rapidly changing marketplace.” - Barbara Martin

Resource	Coverage Focus	Link
NTT DATA announcement	Official partnership details	View here
Supply Chain Digital's analysis	Logistics and supply chain impact	Read more
IoT World Today's coverage	Industry and tech context	See article

HARTING's Plano-based team has achieved a significant breakthrough in industrial connector design, slashing configuration and prototyping times with artificial intelligence.

Leveraging Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service alongside Siemens' NX and Simcenter tools, the company's new Han® Configurator enables customers to describe their requirements in plain language, receive technical specifications, and visualize 3D connector models - all in about one minute, a dramatic reduction from the previous 15–20 minutes or more.

• Artificial intelligence streamlines the design process, reducing configuration and prototyping times for industrial connectors.
• Cross-industry collaboration between Siemens, Microsoft, and HARTING showcases the power of partnership in manufacturing innovation.
• AI-assisted workflow allows engineers to create custom prototypes in minutes rather than weeks, boosting manufacturing agility.

For unique applications, engineers can rapidly develop custom prototypes in minutes instead of weeks, marking a dramatic step forward for manufacturing agility.

This AI-assisted workflow not only addresses the challenge of finding the right fit among HARTING's 27,000 options but also empowers engineers and sales teams to work with unprecedented speed and confidence.

"The innovation is an exemplar of cross-industry collaboration between Siemens, Microsoft, and HARTING, and was recognized at this year's Hannover Messe for accelerating digital transformation in manufacturing." - Matthew Miller

Feature	Previous Time Required	Current Time Required
Configure & Prototype Connector	15–20 minutes	1 minute
Develop Custom Prototype	Weeks	Minutes

Learn more from the official Siemens and Azure AI announcement, explore Microsoft's detailed case study on HARTING's AI-driven manufacturing advances, and see industry context in recent coverage about Hannover Messe's focus on generative AI in manufacturing.

This April, Plano played host to the Global Missional AI Summit, drawing faith leaders, technologists, and ethicists from around the world to One Community Church for three days of in-depth dialogue on the intersection of artificial intelligence, ethics, and faith.

With a program spanning keynote sessions, breakout discussions, and pitch events, the Summit explored emerging questions such as how Christian perspectives can inform the ethical deployment of AI and what responsible innovation in mission-driven contexts should look like.

Event organizers highlighted the role of AI in advancing global engagement while balancing concerns around its societal impact - a conversation that spurred both spiritual reflection and practical strategy.

Notably, the Summit offered accessible registration tiers, including a free virtual attendance option, underscoring its commitment to broad participation and global learning.

• AI and Faith Intersect: The Summit provided a focal point where ethics and faith-based leadership perspectives on AI were brought into open discussion.
• Diverse Participation: An emphasis was made on driving global engagement through multiple registration options, including a notably free virtual tier.
• Responsible Innovation: Christian thought leaders, including Charles Martin, addressed strategies for responsible AI innovation within mission-driven organizations.

For further details about the event's scope and registration opportunities, visit the official Global Missional AI Summit 2025 page, review the organizing vision at Missional AI's homepage, and see an overview of ethical conversations at AI and Faith.

Plano's reputation as a hub for tech innovation strengthened in April 2025 with the relocation of Simplilearn and Care.com's U.S. headquarters to the city.

Simplilearn, a leading digital upskilling provider, announced both its move and a new partnership with Workforce Edge, aiming to expand access to industry-recognized certification programs for professionals nationwide and further boosting the region's talent development pipeline (Simplilearn's partnership announcement).

Meanwhile, Care.com's relocation from Austin aligns with a broader trend of major tech names selecting Plano for business-friendly regulations and proximity to a robust, highly skilled workforce (Details on Care.com and Simplilearn's moves).

These developments add to a surge in corporate office leasing activity across Plano in 2025, as more than ten companies - including prominent technology employers - have secured significant new space, signaling a decisive market shift and reinforcing the city's role in shaping Texas' and the nation's tech landscape (Community Impact's April market overview).

In April 2025, the Dallas-Fort Worth tech community solidified its place as a national AI powerhouse with the unveiling of the 2025 AI 75, a prestigious list recognizing the region's most influential artificial intelligence leaders across startups, enterprise, academia, and social impact sectors.

From real-world innovators like the founders of Illuma Labs and Worlds, to academic visionaries and thought leaders at UT Dallas, SMU, and UT Southwestern, the AI 75 celebrates a diverse community driving breakthroughs in robotics, healthcare, logistics, digital security, and responsible AI adoption.

• Diverse community: The AI 75 list highlights the diversity in leaders, ranging from startup founders to academic pioneers, all driving advancements in North Texas tech.
• Industry partnerships: The event is organized in partnership with the Dallas Regional Chamber and amplified at Convergence AI Dallas, underlining the critical role of collaboration.
• Spotlight on leaders: Honorees like Michael Martin (Keen Technologies), Milind Borkar (Illuma Labs), and Sarah Gonzalez (Colossal) are influencing both local and global tech innovation.
• AI categories: The initiative features categories such as AI Mavericks, Visionaries, Transformers, Champions, Catalysts, Academics, and Impact Innovators, showcasing the region's unique strengths.
• Economic growth: This showcase highlights North Texas' transformation, with AI expected to drive trillions in productivity gains, positioning DFW as a model for national collaboration and ethical leadership.

The AI 75 honorees demonstrate how DFW's tech community merges entrepreneurial spirit with community-driven advocacy to achieve national recognition in innovation and collaboration.

To learn more about this year's standout honorees and the impact of AI innovation in North Texas, you can:

1. Explore the honoree list: View the full 2025 AI 75 honoree list to see who's making waves in AI leadership.
2. Delve into community: Discover the categories and community behind the AI 75 initiative.
3. See top innovators: Read the Dallas Innovates' recap of top AI innovators to understand the region's growing influence.

Name	Organization	AI Category
Michael Martin	Keen Technologies	Visionary
Milind Borkar	Illuma Labs	Maverick
Sarah Gonzalez	Colossal	Champion

Plano-based Ribbon Communications unveiled a suite of AI-driven optical networking innovations at the 2025 Optical Fiber Communications Conference, underscoring the city's emerging role in next-generation network technology.

• AI-driven automation: The Muse Multilayer Automation Platform leverages an advanced AI Muse Agent for real-time network management, enabling operators to intelligently query and manage complex network states with greater ease.
• High-capacity hardware: The new NPT 2714 router and Apollo ADM400/800 Switchponders - recognized at the 2025 Lightwave + BTR Innovation Reviews - deliver energy-efficient edge switching to address growing demand from service providers and enterprises adapting to AI workloads.
• Business momentum: Despite a mixed Q1 2025 financial performance, Ribbon saw its backlog rise by 35% year-over-year and maintains a positive outlook built on strong demand and AI-powered infrastructure leadership.

Ribbon's advances reinforce their market position and highlight the rapid acceleration of AI-enabled network transformation both locally and globally.

For additional information, see Ribbon's official announcement, PR Newswire coverage, and their event showcase summary.

Plano's academic sector saw a notable surge in AI workforce development this April, as local institutions expanded both educational programming and engagement around artificial intelligence.

The University of Texas at Dallas hosted its annual Week of AI, a comprehensive series covering practical AI applications, ethics, healthcare innovation, and enterprise tools, drawing participation from students, faculty, and industry partners.

Collin College announced the launch of a new Bachelor of Applied Technology in Software Development beginning Fall 2025, aiming to provide advanced, hands-on training for high-demand tech careers and further cement the region's talent pipeline for software and AI roles (read the Collin College announcement).

Meanwhile, labor market data reveals software development remains among the most sought-after roles in the DFW area, a trend supported by new certificate offerings - such as UT Dallas's summer “Machine Learning for Engineers and Scientists” course and the introduction of interactive workforce pipeline tools to align student skills with employer demand (UT Dallas Economic Development Update).

This alignment between academia and industry highlights Plano's position as a growing hub for AI talent and technical innovation.

Plano's recent surge of tech momentum signals a significant shift in the national AI landscape, positioning the city as an emerging nucleus for innovation and industry growth.

The relocation of AI heavyweights such as Cognigy, which moved its U.S. headquarters from San Francisco to Plano in pursuit of business-friendly policies and robust local talent, exemplifies how North Texas is transforming into a destination for global tech investment and job creation by attracting major AI headquarters.

This environment has fostered local unicorn contenders, like blockchain company InfStones, which is nearing the $1 billion valuation mark following major funding rounds and strategic expansion in Plano driven by significant venture investment.

Together with Plano's growing roster of startups and established innovators, these developments mirror broader trends tracked on the global unicorn stage, where private companies in AI, fintech, and related sectors are reaching unprecedented valuations and market influence according to Crunchbase's Unicorn Board.

All told, Plano's deliberate focus on talent accessibility, connectivity, and a supportive ecosystem is not just reshaping the region; it is helping to define the trajectory of U.S. AI leadership for years to come.