best of the rest

2023 Houston Innovation Awards finalists announced

Natalie Harms
Oct 17, 2023, 1:58 pm
Here's what Houston startups and innovators will be honored at the Houston Innovation Awards on November 8. Graphic via Gow Media

In just three weeks, all of Houston's innovation ecosystem will gather to celebrate the hard work of startups, entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, and more — and over 50 honorees will be recognized for their achievements.

Scroll down to see the 2023 Houston Innovation Awards finalists.

A group of 10 judges evaluated over 200 submissions across 12 categories, and 12 individuals and 39 companies were named finalists. The winners in each category will be announced at the event on Wednesday, November 8, at Silver Street Studios. Additionally, the event will honor the 2023 Trailblazer Award recipient, Brad Burke of Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship, who was announced earlier this month.


If you are interested in sponsorship opportunities, please reach out to sales@innovationmap.com. The program is a collaboration between InnovationMap and Houston Exponential. If you have questions about the Houston Innovation Awards, email awards@innovationmap.com.

BIPOC-Owned Business, honoring an innovative company founded or co-founded by BIPOC representation

  • CaseCTRL, an AI-powered surgery scheduling and coordination software for optimized procedures.
  • Kanin Energy, helping heavy industry monetize their waste heat and decarbonize their operations.
  • Mars Materials, developing a carbon-negative pathway for carbon fiber and acrylamide production using CO2 and biomass as raw materials.
  • Milkify, a service that turns breast milk into a shelf-stable powder.
  • Rosarium Health, a platform that connects independent home health clinicians and home remodeling companies to households in need of accessible home modifications.

Female-Owned Business, honoring an innovative company founded or co-founded by a woman

  • ALLY Energy, helping energy companies and climate startups find, develop, and retain great talent.
  • Feelit Technologies, nanotechnology for preventive maintenance to eliminate leaks, fires and explosions, increase safety and reduce downtime.
  • Koda Health, , a tech-enabled care coordination service to improve serious illness care planning and drive savings for value-based care at scale.
  • The Postage, a comprehensive life planning and succession software platform for families and small businesses.
  • UpBrainery Technologies, an innovative educational technology company that provides personalized and adaptive learning experiences to learners.

Hardtech Business, honoring an innovative company developing and commercializing a physical technology

  • FluxWorks, making frictionless gearboxes for missions in any environment.
  • Helix Earth Technologies, decarbonizing the built environment and heavy industry.
  • Solugen, decarbonizing the chemical industry
  • Square Robot, applying robotic technology to eliminate the need to put people into dangerous enclosed spaces and eliminate taking tanks out of service.
  • Syzygy Plasmonics, a deep decarbonization company that builds chemical reactors designed to use light instead of combustion to produce valuable chemicals like hydrogen and sustainable fuels.
  • Venus Aerospace, a hypersonics company on track to fly reusable hypersonic flight platforms by 2024.

Digital Solutions Business, honoring an innovative company developing and programming a digital solution to a problem in an industry

  • InformAI.com, AI-enabled healthcare informatics solutions focused on AI innovation to improve safety, quality, efficiency, and consistency of healthcare delivery.
  • Innovapptive, empowering the deskless workers in operations, maintenance and warehouses by unlocking the power of SAP through mobility.
  • Molecule, an energy/commodity trading risk management software that provides users with an efficient, reliable, responsive platform for managing trade risk.
  • RepeatMD, software platform for customer loyalty, eCommerce, and fintech solutions to enhance the patient experience and provide a new source of revenue for the aesthetics and wellness space.
  • Voyager Portal, helping commodity shippers identify root causes of demurrage, reduce risk and streamline the entire fixture process.

Social Impact Business, honoring an innovative company providing a solution that would enhance humanity or society in a significant way

  • ALLY Energy, helping energy companies and climate startups find, develop, and retain great talent.
  • Asia Society Texas Center, a nonprofit educational institution that's tapping into tech to advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia and Houston
  • Milkify, a service that turns breast milk into a shelf-stable powder.
  • The Postage, a comprehensive life planning and succession software platform for families and small businesses.

Sustainability Business, honoring an innovative company providing a solution within renewables, climatetech, clean energy, alternative materials, circular economy, and beyond

  • Fervo Energy, leveraging proven oil and gas drilling technology to deliver 24/7 carbon-free geothermal energy.
  • INOVUES, re-energizing building facades through its non-invasive window retrofit innovations, making building smarter, greener, and healthier for a better and sustainable future.
  • Kanin Energy, helping heavy industry monetize their waste heat and decarbonize their operations.
  • Sage Geosystems, a cost-effective geothermal baseload energy solution company, also innovating underground energy storage solutions.
  • Tierra Climate, decarbonizing the power grid faster by helping grid-scale batteries monetize their environmental benefits and change their operational behavior to abate more carbon.
  • Utility Global, a technology company converting a range of waste gases into sustainable hydrogen and syngas.

Life Science Business, honoring an innovative company within the health and medical industries designing a treatment or technology

  • CaseCTRL, an AI-powered surgery scheduling and coordination software for optimized procedures.
  • CellChorus, using AI to evaluate immune cell function and performance to improve the development and delivery of therapeutics.
  • Hope Biosciences, a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on the development and delivery of adult stem cell based therapeutics.
  • Starling Medical, bringing the future of a proactive and predictive home-based healthcare system to patients today through passive AI powered at home urine screening.
  • Taurus Vascular, pioneering a new era of aortic aneurysm treatment by developing minimally invasive catheter solutions to drive better long-term patient outcomes.

People's Choice: Startup of the Year, selected via an interactive voting portal during the event

  • Blue People, helping bring ideas to life through software development expertise.
  • DrySee, innovative waterproof dressing with liquid intrusion technology.
  • Eden Grow Systems, next generation farming technologies.
  • Feelit Technologies, nanotechnology for preventive maintenance to eliminate leaks, fires and explosions, increase safety and reduce downtime.
  • Fervo Energy, leveraging proven oil and gas drilling technology to deliver 24/7 carbon-free geothermal energy.
  • Rhythm Energy, 100 percent renewable electricity service for residential customers in Texas.
  • The Postage, a comprehensive life planning and succession software platform for families and small businesses.

Corporate of the Year, honoring a corporation that supports startups and/or the Houston innovation community

  • Aramco Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm for Aramco investing globally in startup and high-growth companies of strategic importance to Aramco.
  • Chevron Technology Ventures, leveraging equity investments and its pilot and deployment resources to take technological innovation from early concept all the way through scale within the Chevron enterprise.
  • Houston Methodist, a hospital system and health care innovation leader.
  • Microsoft, empowering every person and organization on the planet to achieve more.

DEI Champion, honoring an individual who is leading impactful diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and progress within Houston and their organization

  • Calicia Johnson, chair of Blacks at Microsoft Houston
  • Jesse Martinez, founder and CEO of LSA Global - Latinx Startup Alliance
  • Jessica Adebiyi, diversity and professional development director at Womble Bond Dickinson
  • Michelle Ngome, founder and president of the African American Marketing Association

Ecosystem Builder, honoring an individual who has acted as a leader in developing Houston’s startup ecosystem

  • Jan E. Odegard, executive director of the Ion
  • Jason Ethier, co-founder of Lambda Catalyzer and host of the Energy Tech Startups podcast
  • Joey Sanchez, founder of Cup of Joey and senior director of ecosystems at the Ion
  • Kendrick Alridge, senior manager of community at Greentown Labs
  • Wade Pinder, founder of Product Houston

Mentor of the Year, honoring an individual who dedicates their time and expertise to guide and support to budding entrepreneurs

  • LaGina R Harris, founder and CEO of The Us Space
  • Lance Black, chief clinical strategy officer of Prana Thoracic
  • Muriel Foster, director of gBETA Houston
  • Wade Pinder, founder of Product Houston

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