HOUSTON INNOVATORS PODCAST EPISODE 79

Diversity-focused nonprofit leader announces new VC partner, calls for Houston to be sports tech hub

Ashley DeWalt, managing director of DivInc, joins the Houston Innovators Podcast to discuss diversity and inclusion, sports tech, and all things Houston. Photo courtesy of DivInc

For 15 years, Ashley DeWalt has been working within the sports and entertainment industry — particularly within branding and consulting. Now, as managing director for DivInc, he's taking his business acumen and relationship-focused style to fostering startup growth for diverse founders in Houston.

DivInc, which was founded and is based in Austin, is a nonprofit focused on identifying hurdles for diverse founders as well as providing support for these founders. The organization recently announced its expansion into the Houston market, and DeWalt joined as managing director to focus on building the nonprofit's relationships with startups, corporations, universities, and more.

"I'm laser focused on identifying corporate partners aligned with our mission and vision of what we are striving to do within this ecosystem," DeWalt says on this week's episode of the Houston Innovators Podcast.

Also on his list of groups to partner with is investors — whether that's individual angel investors or venture capital funds. The very first official partner DeWalt himself has brought on is Houston-based Mercury Fund.

"I've always been about building long-term relationships with people that are meaningful relationships," DeWalt says. "With Mercury, they understood that and were willing to commit and step up to the plate."

The new partnership, which was officially announced today, includes bringing on Mercury Fund's team to provide mentorship and support from a programming perspective, but also financial support. Mercury committed to partnering on a $1 million capital campaign that will support the organization.

DivInc's first Houston cohort, which was recently announced, will be able to benefit from this partnership as well as a partnership with Verizon that is providing each company in this current cohort a $10,000 undiluted grant.

While his involvement with DivInc is fairly recent, DeWalt has been working with sports startups from all over the world for a few years through Stadia Ventures, a sports innovation hub. DeWalt shares on the show how he has been a huge advocate for Houston and the sports activity in the area. From his perspective, the city has so many coaches and athletes on both the professional and collegiate levels — and these coaches and athletes are the future sports innovators and investors.

"We have a very high concentration of current and former professional athletes that live in Houston," DeWalt says, "and I truly believe — and the data shows this — these professional athletes are going to invest in sports tech."

Fostering diverse innovators and sports tech are two separate but overlapping goals that DeWalt has and is passionate about — and he's determined to help Houston's innovation ecosystem develop in an inclusive and equitable way.

"At the end of the day, if we can't figure out that rubix cube here in Houston, no one can," he says.

DeWalt shares more about what he's focused on and where DivInc is headed on the episode. Listen to the full interview below — or wherever you stream your podcasts — and subscribe for weekly episodes.


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Building Houston

 
 

Students from the University of Houston are celebrating a win at a national competition focused on carbon innovation. Photo via UH.edu

A team of students from the University of Houston have placed in the top three teams for a national competition for the Department of Energy.

The inaugural American-Made Carbon Management Collegiate Competition, hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, or FECM, tasked the student teams with "proposing regional carbon networks capable of transporting at least one million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year from industrial sources," according to a news release from DOE.

“With this competition, DOE hopes to inspire the next generation of carbon management professionals to develop carbon dioxide transport infrastructure that will help drive technological innovation and emissions reductions, new regional economic development, and high-wage employment for communities across the United States,” Brad Crabtree, assistant secretary of fossil energy and carbon management at DOE, says in the release.

GreenHouston, the University of Houston team mentored by Assistant Professor Jian Shi from the UH Cullen College of Engineering, took third place in the competition, securing a $5,000 cash prize. Sequestration Squad of University of Michigan secured first place and $12,000 and Biggest Little Lithium of the University of Nevada won second and a $8,000 prize.

The UH team's proposal was for an optimized carbon dioxide transportation pipeline for the Houston area. The presentation included cost analysis, revenue potential, safety considerations, weather hazards, and social impact on neighboring communities, according to a release from UH.

“We chose the greater Houston metropolitan area as our target transition area because it is a global hub of the hydrocarbon energy industry,” says Fatemeh Kalantari, team leader, in the release.

“Our team was committed to delivering an optimized and cost-effective carbon dioxide transfer plan in the Houston area, with a focus on safety, environmental justice, and social engagement,” she continues. “Our goal is to ensure the health and safety of the diverse population residing in Houston by mitigating the harmful effects of carbon dioxide emissions from refineries and industries in the area, thus avoiding environmental toxicity.”

With the third place win, GreenHouston will get to present their proposal at DOE’s annual Carbon Management Research Project Review Meeting slated for August.

"We are thrilled to see the exceptional work and dedication displayed by the GreenHouston team in this competition," said Ramanan Krishnamoorti, vice president of energy and innovation at UH. "The team’s innovative proposal exemplifies UH’s commitment to addressing the pressing global issue of carbon management and advancing sustainable practices. We wish the students continued success."

The team included four Cullen College of Engineering doctoral students from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering – Kalantari, Massiagbe Diabate, Steven Chen, and Simon Peter Nsah Abongmbo – and one student, Bethel O. Mbakaogu, pursuing his master’s degree in supply chain and logistics technology.

The prize money will go toward funding additional research, refining existing technologies, addressing remaining challenges and raising awareness of CCUS and its project, according to the release, as the team feels a responsibility to continue to work on the GreenHouston project.

“The energy landscape by 2050 will be characterized by reduced greenhouse gas emissions, cleaner air quality, and a more sustainable environment,” Kalantari says. “The transition to green energy will not only mitigate the harmful effects of carbon dioxide on climate change but also create new jobs, promote economic growth, and enhance energy security. This is important, and we want to be part of it.”

The team of students plans to continue to work on the GreenHouston project.

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