A key factor in growing an innovation ecosystem is having the funds to fuel startup growth. Samantha Lewis, director for The GOOSE Society of Texas — a local group of investors — and an entrepreneur herself, is calling on the city's players to help move the needle.

"We have to think about getting more capital available for companies that add strategic value to Houston," Lewis says on the second episode of the Houston Innovators Podcast

Lewis is a Rice University MBA graduate and was involved in two startups before beginning her role at GOOSE, which stands for the Grand Order of Successful Entrepreneurs. The group of 25 high-net-worth individuals operates similar to an angel investment group, in that they invest in early stage companies, but also like a fund, in that they take an active role in the companies in which they invest. The group invests around $10 million annually, with a quarter of that being new deals ranging from $1.5 million to $2 million per check.

"What we do is, as we find these companies, there's usually me and one or two of the investors working on the sourcing and the due diligence. If we find a company and we like it, we bring it in front of the entire group of investors," Lewis says on the podcast. "Each investor gets to decide on its own whether or not they want to commit money.

On the podcast, Lewis talks a bit about GOOSE's recent investment with Syzygy Plasmonics, as well as an investment in Topl, a company she personally felt compelled to help make happen. Both deals came about with networking, a path she gives some guidance on during the episode.

"It's much easier to get in front of investors when you have a referral," she says.

For the full interview, check out the podcast below. Subscribe to the series so you never miss the latest Houston entrepreneur conversations.