Editor's note:Another week has come and gone, and it's time to round up the top headlines from the past few days. Trending Houston tech and startup articles on InnovationMap overwhelmingly were stories about the 2023 Houston Innovation Awards, including the announcement of the winners.
Houston Innovation Awards winners revealed at 2023 event
The 2023 Houston Innovation Awards revealed its big winners across 13 categories. Photos courtesy
Who are the top innovators and startups in Houston? We just found out for you.
The Houston Innovation Awards honored over 50 finalists categories, naming the 12 winners at the event. The 2023 Trailblazer Award recipient, Brad Burke, managing director of the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship, was also honored at the event by inaugural winner, Barbara Burger.
The 2023 judges — who represent various industries and verticals in Houston — scored over 200 submissions. The event, hosted November 8 in partnership with Houston Exponential and emceed by Scott Gale, executive director of Halliburton Labs, revealed the winners. Read more.
Houston universities rack up rankings in reports on top schools for entrepreneurship
Rice University and the University of Houston share the accolades of recent entrepreneurship program rankings. Photo via Rice.edu
Rice University and the University of Houston have once again scooped up accolades for their entrepreneurship programs.
For the fifth consecutive year, Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business has been ranked the No. 1 graduate entrepreneurship program by The Princeton Review, a provider of education services, and Entrepreneur magazine.
“Our close ties to Houston as well as national startup ecosystems give our students unique opportunities to pitch to and connect with angel investors, venture capitalists and corporations,” Brad Burke, managing director of the Rice Alliance, says in a news release. “These connections allow for mentorship, as well as launch points for new ideas, not only for our students but also for the city and surrounding communities.” Read more.
Overheard: Houston Innovation Awards finalists share top advice for fellow founders
Fifteen of Houston Innovation Awards finalists share the best advice they've given or received. Photo via Getty Images
The startup journey is a long and winding road, and there's many ways to navigate it. Fifteen of this year's finalists have shared what their most valuable startup advice for their fellow Houston founders.
From the importance of mentorship to tips for female and BIPOC founders, these pearls of wisdom come directly from a selection of finalists across a handful of categories, including DEI Champion, BIPOC-Owned Business, Female-Owned Business, and Mentor of the Year.
Read these excerpts of advice from Houston's innovation community's top startup founders and supporters. Read more.
Houston space tech company snags $9.5M contract, sets launch date for lunar mission
It's a busy time for Houston-based Intuitive Machines, which recently announced the launch date for its historic lunar mission and a new Air Force contract. Photo via intuitivemachines.com
Business at Houston-based space exploration company Intuitive Machines is taking off on two fronts.
First, Intuitive Machines has landed a nearly $9.5 million Air Force contract to develop technology for NASA’s Gateway project, the first space station that will orbit the moon. Specifically, the technology will support a high-powered nuclear fission system that will supply electricity for satellites, bypassing the need for power from solar, battery, or fuel-cell sources.
“As space exploration ventures become more ambitious and diverse, the need for efficient and reliable power sources in space is paramount,” Pete McGrath, vice president of business development at Intuitive Machines, says in a news release. “Developing the ability to expand power sources beyond solar, which requires heavy battery storage, could remove the burden of constantly worrying about a spacecraft’s arrays relative to the sun, and potentially deliver long-term stability for satellites that would otherwise lose power over time.” Read more.
Top Houston-based sustainability startups share their 4 biggest challenges
The six finalists for the sustainability category for the 2023 Houston Innovation Awards weigh in on their challenges overcome. Photos courtesy
Six Houston-area sustainability startups have been named finalists in the 2023 Houston Innovation Awards, but they didn't achieve this recognition — as well as see success for their businesses — without any obstacles.
The finalists were asked what their biggest challenges have been. From funding to market adoption, the sustainability companies have had to overcome major obstacles to continue to develop their businesses.Read more.