where to be online
Updated: 15+ can't-miss virtual business and innovation events in Houston for October
Every year, October is jam packed with tons of business events across Houston. Even in light of the pandemic, the shows must go on — online, that is.
From fireside chats and ask-me-anything meetings to summit and startup competitions, here are over 10 Houston innovation events you can attend virtually via online meetings. Be sure to register in advance, as most will send an access link ahead of the events.
Note: This post has been edited and republished to reflect new events.
October 5 — Introduction to the Latinx Startup Alliance
The Ion is hosting this fireside chat to allow attendees to learn what resources San Francisco-based Latinx Startup Alliance will bring to Houston and the importance of promoting opportunities and access for all Houstonians launching a tech startup and funding resources.
The event will take place online on Monday, October 5, at 5:30 pm. Register here.
October 6 — HXTV| VC Ask Me Anything Virtual Event ft Companyon Ventures
Houston Exponential is hosting a virtual ask-me-anything event with Companyon Ventures, which funds B2B software startups into their expansion-stage by injecting decades of startup and VC experience through operational hands-on investing.
The event will take place online on Tuesday, October 6, at noon. Register here.
October 6, 13, 20, & 27 — ABC's of Accelerators Series
Join The Ion for a series of virtual events throughout the month that tackle the ins and outs of startup accelerator programs.
The events will take place online on every Tuesday of the month at noon. Register here.
October 8 & 15 — Houston Low-Carbon Energy Innovation Summit
The Center for Houston's Future has put together two full days of programming centered around low-carbon innovation. Registration options $50 one-day passes or $75 two-day passes.
The event will take place online on Thursday, October 8, from 9 am to 1:30 pm, and Thursday, October 15, from 9 am to 3 pm. Register here.
October 14 — HXTV| VC Ask Me Anything Virtual Event ft IronSpring Ventures
Houston Exponential is hosting a virtual ask-me-anything event with IronSpring Ventures, a network-driven venture capital fund investing in digital industrial innovation.
The event will take place online on Wednesday, October 14, at noon. Register here.
October 14 — Pandemic Rising: The Threat to Female Ambition & Our Nation's Recovery
Join Sesh Coworking for a virtual town hall to discuss the impacts of the global pandemic and economic downturn on female career trajectory, female unemployment rates, increased childcare burdens and how the pandemic has thrust female equality in the workspace backwards by decades.
The event will take place online on Wednesday, October 14, at 1 pm. Register here.
October 14 — Core Conversations: Transition with Purpose
Join a Core Conversation with Brandy Guidry to learn how she leveraged her outreach and advocacy work to start consulting with startups.
The event will take place online on Wednesday, October 14, at 4 pm. Register here.
October 16 — Design Thinking for Tech and Innovation Workshop | Prototypes+User Testing
At this Ion Online event, learn some of the ways to prototype and identify features that will make up your MVP and usability testing techniques.
The event will take place online on Friday, October 16, at 11:30 am. Register here.
October 19 — PR 101 for Startups and Small Businesses
Want to generate press for your startup but have no budget? Join General Assembly for this PR 101 session to learn how to leverage PR strategies to grow your business. This session is ideal for startup founders and marketers and general enthusiasts who would like to learn PR strategies and tips. Our panelists will cover effective story telling, media relations, and content development.
The event will take place online on Monday, October 19, at 5 pm. Register here.
October 19-29 — Space Com Expo
We are dedicated to accelerating the global business of space. SpaceCom 2020's online event will feature eight days of unprecedented innovation, superior thought-leadership, and forward-thinking strategies all for free.
The event will take place online at various times from Monday, October 19, to Thursday, October 29. Register here.
October 20 — Houston, We Have a Leader: Fireside Chat with Head of JLABS @ TMC
Fiona Mack, the new regional head for JLABS @ TMC has landed in Space City, and she's sitting down with the one-any-only Melinda Richter, Global Head of JLABS, for a fireside chat on all things Lone Star State, JLABS and her Texas-sized plans for the future of JLABS @ TMC.
The event will take place online on Tuesday, October 20, at 11 am. Register here.
October 21 — Diversity Investor Academy's panel on cleantech
The Diversity Investor Academy has announced a panel will be discussing the latest reports published, the trends in Cleantech, and how it could affect early-stage investment from different perspectives: startups, BA, and VC.
The event will take place online on Wednesday, October 21, at 2 pm. Register here.October 22 — MassChallenge 2020 Virtual Awards
MassChallenge Texas's Houston Cohort will reveal its top companies of 2020 at MCTX's first virtual awards. Cohorts from Austin, Boston, and Rhode Island will also be represented, and headliners for the event include Arianna Huffington, founder and CEO of Thrive Global, and Linda Pizzuti Henry, managing director of the Boston Globe, and Chris Denson of Innovation Crush will be the host.
Click here to see the Houston finalists.
The event will take place online on Thursday, October 22, at 4 pm. Register here.
October 22 — How to Start a Startup: Heath Butler, Mercury Fund
Learn how to identify problems, needs, and trends worth pursuing and then how to create and evaluate possible solutions to these problems.
The event will take place online on Thursday, October 22, at 5:30 pm. Register here.
October 26-28 — 2020 Ken Kennedy Institute Data Science Conference
Now in its fourth year, the Ken Kennedy Institute Data Science Conference is a research, development, and innovation (RD&I) gathering, bringing together university and research labs (technology developers), key industry verticals (technology consumers), and IT industry (technology providers) that are looking at opportunities created by advances in AI, data analytics, machine learning and deep learning. It is structured to facilitate engagement and networking across all of these boundaries. The conference is specifically interested in highlighting use-cases that translate data to knowledge enabled by data and fueled by advances in data analytics, machine learning, deep learning, and AI.
The event will take place online on Monday, October 26, to Wednesday, October 28. Register here.
October 27-29 — ATCE Startup Village
In addition to the Energy Startup Competition, the event will include expert presentations and table discussions. Participants will have opportunities to ask questions and hear advice from investors, industry representatives and veteran entrepreneurs. ATCE Startup Village is a partnership between the Society of Professional Engineers and the Rice Alliance.
The event will take place online on Tuesday, October 27, to Thursday, October 29. Register here.
October 28 — Venture Development Series #3: No Coding Required
In the last of its Venture Development Lilie workshop series, the Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship will build upon the themes covered in previous events and show participants how to create low fidelity prototypes without spending a dollar or knowing how to write a single line of code.
The event will take place online on Wednesday, October 28, at 4 pm. Register here.
October 29 — Ignite Madness finals
Female-led health tech founders face off in a startup competition like none other. Catch the first round bracket on October 22 at 9:30 am, or just tune in to the finals to see who takes the win (and, more importantly, the investment prizes).
The event will take place online on Thursday, October 29, at 6 pm. Register here.
The UH Innovation Hub is in its early stages. Photo via uh.edu