paving the way

2022 Trailblazer Award recipient named for Houston Innovation Awards

Blair Garrou will be recognized as the 2022 Trailblazer Award recipient at the Houston Innovation Awards Gala on November 9. Photo courtesy

In less than a month, InnovationMap and Houston Exponential will honor dozens of movers and shakers within the Houston innovation community at the 2022 Houston Innovation Awards — and the first award recipient has officially been named.

Blair Garrou, managing director and founder of Houston-based venture capital firm Mercury, has been named the 2022 Trailblazer Award honoree. This award was established to honor a Houston innovation leader and advocate who's making a lasting impact on the Houston innovation community.

"I am very honored to be nominated and named the Trailblazer Award recipient. As many of us who contribute to Houston’s innovation community know, it’s a decades-long commitment," Garrou says.

Last year, the Trailblazer Award was introduced and honored Barbara Burger, former president of Chevron Technology Ventures. Garrou is the second individual to receive the recognition.

"This award is even more special for me since it’s the year after my good friend and colleague, Barbara Burger, was named as the inaugural award winner," he tells InnovaitonMap. "Barbara is a trailblazer for our tech ecosystem in so many ways, especially around diversity and inclusion. Her leadership has provided a framework for me, Mercury, and other leaders and organizations to continue growing Houston’s tech ecosystem in an inclusive, sustainable manner."

Mercury, founded in 2005 by Garrou and Dan Watkins, is an early-stage venture capital organization focused on software technology across the country — particularly focused on middle America or "fly-over" states. According to its website, the VC has created over $9 billion of value within is investment portfolio.

In addition to Mercury, Garrou helped launch and was the director of operations for the Houston Technology Center and led the formation of the Houston Angel Network. He also serves in board and/or advisory roles for The Artemis Fund, DivInc, Houston Exponential, HTX Impact Fund, UTHealth, and more.

"The main purpose of any innovation ecosystem is to help entrepreneurs succeed. These communities need leaders, feeders and instigators," says Scott Gale, executive director of Halliburton Labs and 2022 awards judge. "Blair transcends all of these distinct and critical roles for Houston."

Garrou will be honored among the finalists and winners at the Houston Innovation Awards Gala on November 9 at the Ion. Buy tickets now. For sponsorship information, email Chris Buckner at cbuckner@gowcompanies.com

"So many tiles in the mosaic of Houston’s Innovation Ecosystem have Blair’s fingerprints on them," Gale continues. "The earliest echoes of his influence include the Houston Technology Center (a pre-cursor in many ways to Houston Exponential) and the Houston Angel Network. Now decades later his influence continues to reverberate as he continues to be that first believer that Houston needed and that startups are so often looking for. A trailblazer in every sense of the word."

A brief Q&A with this year's honoree:

Houston's innovation ecosystem has evolved significantly since you founded Mercury in 2005. How would you describe your impact on that growth and evolution?

I’ve been helping to grow Houston’s tech ecosystem since 1999, when I joined the Houston Technology Center. Working at HTC, launching the Houston Angel Network, and then working at Genesis Park, gave me a foundation of venture experience, a network, and a community-oriented framework that helped guide my next twenty years. I was greatly inspired by the leaders of those organizations and how they gave back to the Houston community. I hope that my efforts have inspired other tech leaders to give of themselves, while they work on their own businesses, so that Houston can continue to reach its true potential.

​What excites you most about Houston's future as an innovation community?

The best is yet to come. When HX was formed in 2017, VC investment in Houston was less than $300 million per year. In 2021 that figure grew to over $2 billion. Over the last five years, our city has had major growth in almost all areas that matter for a tech ecosystem – the launch of accelerators and coworking centers, tech talent migration, venture capital investment, and venture capital fund formation. Although we are in the midst of a recession, Houston continues to grow in three key industrial sectors of innovation – EnergyTech/ClimateTech, HealthTech, and SpaceTech. Our city has the opportunity to be a national leader in each of these sectors, and drive tremendous job growth in the future.

What’s your favorite part of your role working with startup founders and other innovators?

I love helping founders navigate the ups and downs of the startup lifecycle. From providing founders frameworks to help grow their business, to taking midnight calls to “walk them off the ledge” of anxiety, my job is to be present and accountable for founders and truly advocating for their success.

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You can tap into AI to run your office more efficiently, according to this expert. Image via Getty Images

We are crossing a Rubicon. A point of no return. The birth of Chat GPT has opened a world of possibilities not seen before. Though artificial intelligence has been a part of our lives for many years, it has now taken a form that will become more universal. And nowhere will it be more prevalent than in the workplace. Companies all around the world are using this technology to transform the way we work and the offices we inhabit. The race is on.

Many companies are already using AI to drastically change their office design and the way they work. Those that haven’t embraced it are now faced with a choice – to incorporate the AI revolution into their business, tactics, and workspace or get left behind. Luckily, the companies that are utilizing AI and ChatGPT have proven several ways that the technology can benefit their workflow and company culture, including:

  • Speech recognition capabilities
  • Task automation
  • Improved workplace design

In this article, we will explore each of these benefits and how they are helping businesses enhance productivity, support their employees, and transform their offices.

Voice to Text Capabilities

Companies are using AI to support employees by alleviating mundane tasks that can lead to burnout, starting with typing. AI-powered speech recognition software enables employees to use their voice to respond to emails, create reports, and fill out forms. This type of solution is effective because the average typing speed is in the 40 words per minute range. However, speech-to-text entries are about three times faster and more accurate. Additionally, the technology can reduce repetitive stress injuries and eliminate barriers for employees with disabilities.

Task Automation

AI-powered technologies can also automate other tasks like generating meeting summaries and minutes. This can save time and ensure that critical information is not missed. ChatGPT can even automate the scheduling of meetings and appointments. Shaffra, a company in Dubai, is utilizing the chatbot’s services to free up time and resources for more creative and strategic work. Other startups like Growdash are leveraging ChatGPT to provide insights into why a particular marketing campaign has not performed well and how it can be improved.

ChatGPT also helps streamline processes, such as onboarding new hires. By providing an accessible, centralized repository of information, ChatGPT can help employees reduce decision-making time and improve accountability. With its visibility into task completion, the technology also encourages remote workers to stay engaged, speeding up workflows.

Improved Workplace Design

ChatGPT is also impacting workplace real estate by influencing design choices. With the rise of virtual communication, businesses are reconsidering the layout of physical workspaces. ChatGPT can help inform these decisions by analyzing employee feedback and identifying patterns in communication and collaboration. This data can be used to design workspaces that are optimized for productivity, improving employee satisfaction, and reducing turnover.

At Telstra, Australia's leading telecommunications company, CEO Vicki Brady identified AI as a key part of the company's 2025 strategy and has already implemented various AI technologies to improve customer service, network security, and software development. This in turn could lead to a need for more versatile and adaptable workspaces that can accommodate different work styles and preferences.

Conclusion

It is important to note that AI technologies are not perfect. Users have stated that AI may occasionally give inaccurate responses or have untrustworthy information sources. But the benefits of using AI-powered technologies to support employee throughput and well-being still outweigh the risks.

As companies navigate a rapidly changing global landscape, technological advancements can play a critical role in ensuring their success. From automating tedious tasks to enabling remote work, artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT and speech recognition platforms have become vital assets for optimizing workplace efficiency and processes. Ultimately, the success of any business lies in its ability to adapt to ever-changing technologies, and ChatGPT is undoubtedly leading the way.

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Matt Norberg is the associate technical designer at Gensler.

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