XO Halal takes top prize in 2025 Business Plan Competition Finale

XO Halal takes top prize in 2025 Business Plan Competition Finale

Published on October 15, 2025

On Tuesday, Oct. 14, eight businesses gave their final pitch before a panel of judges at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth as part of the Fort Worth Business Plan Competition. Three of those businesses walked away with cash prizes.

The Fort Worth Business Plan Competition is an annual celebration of the city's entrepreneurs and small business ecosystem. Twenty businesses complete several weeks of business development training and coaching before applying those skills to their own written plans. After the written plans are judged, the Top 8 make their final three-minute pitch to the judges, followed by a two-minute round of Q&A.

This year, the grand prize of $10,000 in cash was awarded to Wai-Yan Htun of XO Halal, a company that offers subscription-based snack boxes containing curated, halal-certified treats from around the world.

Second prize-a check for $6,000-went to Ricquel Archer of Create + Collaborate. The nonprofit helps first-generation college students transition into adulthood through mentoring, leadership training and life skills. Create + Collaborate also won the Perfect Pitch Prize audience vote, receiving a $500 credit for custom merchandise courtesy of sponsor Printed Threads.

Third prize-and a check for $4,000-went to Nicholas Ditto of Fort Worth STEAM Academy. Fort Worth STEAM Academy is a tuition-free public charter middle school focused on personalized learning and advanced STEAM education.

The emcee for the evening was Lauren Kutschke of Salted Pages, the 2022 grand prize winner of the competition.

This year, businesses from nine of the city's 10 council districts participated in the competition cohort. As in previous years, the Fort Worth Business Plan Competition was organized by the City of Fort Worth's Economic Development Department and sponsored by Frost Bank.

A variety of supporting partners also helped provide coaching and mentorship to the participating businesses, including the Accelerate Fort Worth Foundation, Ensemble Coworking, Foundations EDC, Tarrant Small Business Development Center (Tarrant SBPC) and SCORE Fort Worth.

The other five businesses who pitched during the Finale were:

• Modern Menagerie Interiors - A full-service interior studio that offers space planning, custom furnishings and project management for remodels and new construction.
• OakSpy Signs and Graphics - A custom sign solution business that specializes in ADA-compliant signage.
• Open-Minded Counseling - Offers mental health and wellness services through in-person, virtual or hybrid sessions.
• Story and Strategy PR - A boutique public relations agency with a focus on healthcare, nonprofit and higher education.
• TULLA - An integrated coaching, consulting, training and therapy company, focused on helping people reach their full potential and contribute their talents in meaningful ways.

Photo: Shannon Watt, executive vice president of Frost Bank (left), and Jessica Rogers, director of economic development for the City of Fort Worth (right), with Fort Worth Business Plan Competition grand prize winner Wai-Yun Htun of XO Halal, second prize winner Ricquel Archer of Create + Collaborate and third prize winner Nicholas Ditto of Fort Worth STEAM Academy.

• Business & Economy