DFW Startup Roundup: Sports Apparel Booming, Learn About Blockchain and SMU Launches Incubator

It's been a busy start to the year for area startups. Here's the latest on who's growing, merging and changing as well as some events making news. Ramping up growthDallas-based sports and group apparel sales platform Order My Gear has raised $35 million to add more features to its software and boost its marketing efforts.The company got the investment from Susquehanna Growth Equity, which has offices in Pennsylvania and Israel.Order My Gear began as a software tool that CEO Kent McKeaigg built to help his father, who was a team sports apparel and equipment dealer. Instead of juggling dozens or even hundreds of paper forms and individual checks from parents, apparel dealers can create a unique online store to display gear and manage customer payments.Order My Gear works with about 2,500 sports goods distributors and apparel decorators across the U.S. and Canada. Its platform handles group sales of gear for school sports teams, recreational leagues, student council groups and more. Since it was founded in 2008, Order My Gear has grown to 80 employees and plans to add 35 to 40 people by the end of 2018, McKeaigg said. About $200 million of gear was purchased through stores that used the Order My Gear platform last year, he said.Snapped up by a sports giantNike has acquired Invertex, a startup that got early funding from Dallas startup accelerator Health Wildcatters. The sports giant did not disclose terms of the deal.   Continue reading...