Editor's note: Every week, I introduce you to a handful of Houston innovators to know recently making headlines with news of innovative technology, investment activity, and more. This week's batch includes a robotics expert, a space tech leader, and a therapeutics CEO.
Howard Berman, co-founder and CEO of Coya Therapeutics
This week's episode of the Houston Innovators Podcast revisits a conversation with Howard Berman, co-founder and CEO of Coya Therapeutics. Photo courtesy of Coya
It's been a busy summer for Houston-based Coya Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotech company that's creating revolutionary treatments for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and ALS.
In July, Coya announced that has expanded its collaboration with Houston Methodist Research Institute, or HMRI. The publicly traded company also announced fresh funding from the Johnson Center for Cellular Therapeutics.
Last month, Coya reported that it has expanded its treatment research to see how GLP-1 drugs — a trending drug for weight loss — can enhance the effects of its proprietary therapeutics. By combining the medicines, Howard Berman, co-founder and CEO of Coya Therapeutics, says he thinks Coya can better treat these complex immune-based diseases. Read more.
Elad Inbar, founder and CEO of RobotLAB
Elad Inbar is the founder and CEO of RobotLAB. Photo courtesy of RobotLAB
Elad Inbar, founder and CEO of RobotLAB, who in July expanded his company’s Texas franchise operations with the opening of a Houston branch.
“For many years, robots were toys — for geeks. You had to build them yourself, program them yourself,” Inbar says.
But the electronics revolution that brought handheld phones to the mainstream inspired Inbar to turn that concept to robotics when he formed RobotLAB in 2007.
“To me, this was completely a wake up call — seeing the market shift, and you know, bringing the opportunity to the mass market,” he says. Read more.
Steve Altemus, co-founder, president, and CEO of Intuitive Machines
Per the contract, Intuitive Machines will provide near space communications and navigation services for NASA. Photo via intuitivemachines.com
Houston-based space exploration, infrastructure, and services company Intuitive Machines has snagged a deal with NASA that could be worth more than $4 billion.
Under the contract, Intuitive Machines (Nasdaq: LUNR, LUNRW) will supply communication and navigation services for missions in the “near space” region, which extends from the earth’s surface to beyond the moon.
The five-year deal includes an option to add five years to the contract. In total, the contract could be worth $4.82 billion. The initial round of NASA funding runs from October 2024 through September 2029.
“This contract marks an inflection point in Intuitive Machines’ leadership in space communications and navigation,” Steve Altemus, CEO of Intuitive Machines, says. Read more.