Dallas-Fort Worth’s growing hub of innovation was well represented at CES 2016, the world’s largest consumer electronics show. Tech-giants like AT&T and Texas Instruments made big announcements, while many of the city’s emerging startups used the tech industry’s ultimate stage to raise the curtains on their cutting-edge technologies a couple weeks ago.

“The energy is amazing at CES,” says TJ Person, CEO of OpenKey Inc., a DFW startup that is redefining the way a hotel guest checks into her room by providing keyless entry through smartphones. “Walking around the show has been really inspiring to see all the new gadgets and technology from around the world.”

According to its website, “CES is the world’s gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. Every major technology company on the planet participates in CES by exhibiting, speaking, sponsoring, attending, or holding co-located events and business meetings.”

The first CES took place in New York City in 1967, with 250 exhibitors and 17,500 attendees. Since then, CES has grown to feature more than 3,600 exhibitors who now range from the smallest of startups to the biggest of companies.

“There is really nothing like this anywhere for a small company to get so much exposure,” Person says.

CES 2016 was held from January 6-9 in Las Vegas. More than 150,000 people attended the event.

Check out our gallery below for video coverage, major announcements from leading DFW businesses, and viewpoints from area entrepreneurs who attended CES 2016. And if you were at the world’s biggest consumer electronics show, send us your experiences in the comments below or via social media.

AT&T

Dallas’ largest company showcased its plans to expand innovation in healthcare, the Internet of Things, and big data, and announced that it is building a framework to help cities better serve their citizens. The company also held its 2016 Developer Summit Hackathon, which gave emerging developers the ability to use AT&T technology to create exciting applications.

Take a look at the top stories from AT&T at CES 2016, and get an inside look at the Developer Summit Hackathon in the videos below.

OpenKey

Plano-based OpenKey, which offers hotel owners the technology to control guest room access remotely regardless of existing lock-and-key technology, made its first appearance at CES this year. The startup launched in January 2015, and has already raised $3 million. CEO TJ Person offers this advice for any entrepreneurs planning on attending CES in the future: “Don’t try to take it all in one day! Make a plan to see certain sections of the show but also take time to try to have some fun and meet up with other startups that are there in town or downtown in the hub of the Vegas startup scene.”

You can learn more about Openkey here.

Texas Instruments

The world’s third largest manufacturer of semiconductors showcased more than 100 demonstrations of technologies that included everything from an autonomous vehicle to next-generation designs for the Internet of Things to cutting-edge wearable technologies.

Check out the video below for an up-close look at some of the best technologies that were displayed at the TI Village at CES 2016.

Orbii

Made in Dallas, Orbii is a wifi-connected robotic ball that uses an HD camera and environmental monitoring sensors homeowners can drive so they can monitor any part of their home while away. An alum of Tech Wildcatters in Dallas, Orbii was named a CES Innovation Award Honoree.

Fresh off a successful trip to CES 2016, Orbii CEO Omar Barlas leaves this advice to new startups planning for CES next year: “If you’re a startup and making business around consumers, then plan well ahead of time (at least five months in advance). Get a CTA membership before signing up for the CES show, because you will get steep discounts on the booth pricing in Eurika Park. The most important thing is to go there with a functional prototype and have demo units at your booth. Also, setup media and press appointments before the show.”

Check out Orbii here.

Ericsson

The communication technology and services company, with North American Headquarters in Plano, unveiled a plethora of game-changing innovations at CES 2016. Watch the video below to hear about the company’s visions for autonomous driving, a more immersive and personalized media experience, smart cities, and 5G technology that will give access to HD content and broadband everywhere.

Buddy Tag

Launched in November 2013, Buddy Tag is a child-safety wearable that helps prevents lost children and accidental drowning. The DFW-based company gained great exposure at CES 2016. Its founder and CEO Willie Wu’s was a speaker at the CES 2016 BabyTech panel. “Buddy Tag also got a lot of press coverage by media from all around the world. We made connections with distributors that can potentially open new sales channels in different parts of the world,” says Wu, highlighting the importance of utilizing the buzz CES generated.

Find out more about Buddy Tag here.

Mark Cuban Companies

Several emerging companies that are backed by Mark Cuban, Dallas Mavericks owner and Shark Tank investor, made a splash at CES 2016. They included DFW-based iLumiSolutions, which showcased its second-generation smart bulbs; Breathometer, which displayed a working prototype of a sensor that measures breath keynotes to encourage healthier eating; and Luminaid, whose founders donated 200 units of their inflatable solar lights to aid the Red Cross’ cleanup efforts following the recent tornado that touched down in DFW.

Read more about Mark Cuban, Shark Tank, and the companies that go on the show here.

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