There's a new leader at the helm of the city's startup and innovation nonprofit — and he has some familiarity with the innovation ecosystem.

Harvin Moore was announced to be the new president of Houston Exponential, replacing Russ Capper, the inaugural executive director of HX. Capper has served since April 2018 and will stay involved with the organization, according to a news release.

Moore, a Houston native, has a 20-year career in tech and startups in Houston. He is a principal at an early-stage investment firm, Frontera Technology Ventures, and before that served as COO for Space Services Holdings Inc.

"We are excited to welcome someone with Harvin's track record to lead Houston Exponential through the next phase of growth in the ecosystem," says Gina Luna, chair of HX, in the release. "The Houston innovation community has made great strides in the last couple of years, and with Harvin's leadership, HX will take our work to the next level."

Moore, who was re-elected three times as Houston Independent School District's Board of Education, is described as an active advisor, mentor, and angel investor for the likes of Houston Angel Network, Capital Factory and Station Houston.

"As someone who has been involved in Houston's digital tech ecosystem since its earliest days, I am inspired by the tremendous momentum generated in just the last few years," Moore says in the release. "We are at an inflection point, and I believe Houston Exponential will continue to be a catalyst driving Houston to become a leading innovation hub within the next two to three years."

Moore joins HX at a pivotal moment as many exciting innovation projects are expected to deliver the next few years, such as MassChallenge Texas' inaugural Houston cohort, the Texas Medical Center's TMC3 campus, Rice Management Co.'s The Ion, the close of the HX Venture Fund and more.

"The pace of the wins and major announcements in our innovation space is rapidly accelerating, and I am pleased that HX has played a role in many of these, including being an enthusiastic champion for the work of many of our partners," Luna says in the release. "In this next phase of work, I expect we will continue to build valuable partnerships and will activate the venture capital firms that are showing tremendous interest in the Houston ecosystem and the startups here."