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10+ can't-miss Houston business and innovation events in June

Here's your one-stop shop for innovation events in Houston in June. Photo via Getty Images

This month, Houstonians have yet another good batch of online innovation events — from Zoom panels to virtual conferences — and you and your tech network need to know about them.

Here's a roundup of virtual events not to miss this month — like demo days, workshops, competitions, and more.

Note: This post might be updated to add more events.

June 10-11 — Interdisciplinary Symposium on Decision Neuroscience

The Interdisciplinary Symposium on Decision Neuroscience brings together a range of constituencies involved in the use of neuroscience techniques to understand decision making: world-renowned academics, neuroscience research companies, marketing research executives, and industry leaders. It offers an opportunity to learn, present and discuss the latest breakthroughs in using neuroscientific and physiological measures to inform decision making in individuals, groups, societies, organizations, and markets.

The event is on Thursday, June 10, to Friday, June 11. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

June 11 — Enventure Venture Investment Panel

The 2021 Venture Investment Competition by Enventure is happening June 11th. VICE is a (virtual) venture investment competition where students will play the role of investors to perform diligence on our partnering startups and be judged by real venture capitalists. Enventure has over 100 participants competing and will see four teams make it to the finals. The competition is a closed event, but at the end of the competition, Enventure will be hosting a panel with the judges that will be broadcast publicly.

The event is on Friday, June 11, at 3 pm. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

June 14-16 — Super Demo Day

Announcing The Ion's SUPER DEMO DAY. Live from The Ion & The Ion Online. Catch 19 startups across three accelerators.

The event is on Monday, June 14, to Wednesday, June 16. It's free and can be accessed online and in person. Click here to register.

June 17 — LGBTQ+ in Tech

Capital Factory is calling for all LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs, and allies in tech who support and invest in diversity and inclusion. Join the new LinkedIn Group to discuss takeaways, the session topics as well as future opportunities during and after the event.

The event is on Thursday, June 17, at 1:30 pm. It's free and can be accessed online or in person. Click here to register.

June 17 — Greentown Labs Investor Speaker Series: Spotlight on Houston

Greentown Labs is going to host its next Investor Speaker Series event at Greentown Houston. A rapidly unfolding energy transition will require a robust early-stage investment community to fund the creation of new technologies—and Houston is home to this type of vibrant investment ecosystem.

The hybrid event is on Thursday, June 17, at 3 p.m. It's free and can be accessed online or in person. Click here to register.

June 17 — Igniting Possibilities

Join us for stories of inspiration from winning CEOs of the Ignite Healthcare Network's Fire Pitch Competition as they share successes for overcoming challenges of the past year. Moderated by Susan Feigin Harris, Partner at Morgan Lewis & Bockius, the panel of solutions-driven women entrepreneurs will provide enlightening advice from what worked, what didn't work and the exciting plans they have for the future.

The virtual event is Thursday, June 17, at 6:30 pm. It's free with reservations required for accessing online. Click here to register.

June 17 — Investor Speaker Series: Spotlight on Houston

Join Greentown Labs virtually or in person for our next installment of our Investor Speaker Series.

A rapidly unfolding energy transition will require a robust early-stage investment community to fund the creation of new technologies—and Houston is home to this type of vibrant investment ecosystem. Hear from leaders of this community and how they are approaching investing in the companies and technologies that will power the energy transition.

The event is on Thursday, June 17, at 3 pm. It's free and can be accessed online or in person. Click here to register.

June 22 — Plug and Play Summer Summit 2021

Plug and Play's Summer Summit is quickly approaching and the Batch 8 startups are getting ready to showcase their progress and accomplishments. Catch the energy presentations on June 22, but there are other cohorts premiering between June 14 and June 24.

The event is on Tuesday, June 22, at 8 am. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

June 23 — The Ion Innovation Summit: Future of Energy Tech presented by Baker Botts

The Ion's inaugural innovation summit will focus on the transformation of the energy sector – from digitalization to the investment landscape to support the energy transition. Hear from our three Founding Partners (Baker Botts, Chevron, and Microsoft), as well as other industry experts, investors, and innovation ecosystem supporters. This event will be virtual with the fireside chat broadcast live for the virtual audience from the forum stairs at The Ion.

The event is on Wednesday, June 23, at 11 am. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

June 23 — Houston Startup Showcase: Energy Tech

The Ion's inaugural innovation summit will focus on the transformation of the energy sector – from digitalization to the investment landscape to support the energy transition. Join Baker Botts and The Ion to hear from three energy tech startups pitch their company and see who the judges will select to move on to the Final and have the opportunity to compete for a prize package.

The event is on Wednesday, June 23, at 6 pm. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

June 24 — ALUMNI 2021 H. Albert Napier Rice Launch Challenge - Startup Competition

Support Rice alumni startups and join us virtually for the H. Albert Napier Rice Launch Challenge Startup Competition. Rice-affiliated teams are competing for cash prizes. Watch pitches, network with the Rice entrepreneurship community, and vote for your favorite idea! Attendance is open to the Rice community and the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The event is on Thursday, June 24, at 6 pm. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

June 26 — Understanding Success for Sales by Silver Brick Sales Solutions

Sales organizations oftentimes focus most heavily on the lagging indicators. They look almost exclusively at results while not organizing and measuring the leading indicators for sales success. The Cannon and Silver Brick Sales Solutions will discuss how to identify and focus on the leading indicators of attitude, behavior, and technique. By focusing on what you can control you can more reliably predict and improve your sales success.

The event is on Saturday, June 26, at 10 am. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

Trending News

Building Houston

 
 

BiVACOR has received fresh funding from its investors to further develop its artificial heart. Photo courtesy of BiVACOR

A Houston medical device company that is developing an artificial heart announced it has received investment funding to the tune of $18 million.

BiVACOR's investment round was led by Boston-based Cormorant Asset Management and Australia's OneVentures's Healthcare Fund III. According to the company, the funding will be deployed to continue research and development, hiring executives, and support the path to first in human trials.

“We are extremely grateful for the ongoing support from our core investors," says Thomas Vassiliades, who was named CEO of BiVACOR last year, in a news release. "This additional commitment further validates our technology and the need for improved options to treat end-stage biventricular heart failure.

“With this financing, we will be able to double the size of our organization and add key positions from the C-suite to research and development. We are well positioned to advance our preclinical activities and aim to conduct our First in Human early feasibility study planned for the end of the year,” he continues.

Billed as the first long-term treatment for patients with severe biventricular heart failure, the BiVACOR Total Artificial Heart is an implantable artificial heart that utilizes rotary blood pump technology. This technology includes magnetic levitation and is a "durable, reliable, and biocompatible heart replacement," per the company's release. It's about the size of a fist and can be used in a wide range of patients including some children and women and up to adult males.

“Under the leadership of its expert management team, the company has developed a credible strategy for growth as they march toward first in human studies,” says Jeannie Joughin, board chair and principal at One Ventures, in the release. “There is a huge gap in care for patients waiting for a heart transplant, and we are confident that BiVACOR will continue to execute its strategy to swiftly get the Total Artificial Heart into the patients who need it most.”

The company raised its $22 million series B round in early 2021, which was also led by Cormorant Asset Management and OneVentures. To date, BiVACOR has raised $60 million.

“BiVACOR continues to execute on its strategy, and there was no question that we would jump in to lead this funding,” says Bihua Chen, CEO and founder of Cormorant Asset Management. “We are impressed by BiVACOR’s world-class team and continued dedication to push the technology in the clinic. We’re excited to support their growth and vision to transform the treatment of biventricular heart failure with the world’s first fully MAGLEV total artificial heart.”

Founded in 2008, BiVACOR maintains offices in Cerritos, California, and Brisbane, Australia. The company is affiliated with Houston's Texas Heart Institute, where the world's first artificial heart was implanted. BiVACOR's headquarters is at the Texas Medical Center complex.

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