new to hou

For women by women: New coworking space to open in Houston

SheSpace is planning to open in a new mixed-use facility just south of Interstate 10 near downtown. Image via shespacehtx.com

To Stephanie Tsuru, there is strength in numbers — especially, when women are involved.

"Women coming together is powerful," explains Tsuru, the founder of SheSpace, an all-women coworking space coming soon to The Heights that seeks to build a collective community of entrepreneurs and business professionals.

Mentorship and motivation were always part of Tsuru's purpose since the start of her career. Her background in healthcare and rehab gave her insight into how powerful mindset can be in a person's growth.

"I have always been involved and really driven by motivational psychology," she says.

Her affinity for mentorship continued as she went on to coach women in her own life. With her 35 years of life experience, Tsuru feels there is "no substitute for wisdom." Her passion for cultivating relationships and inspiring other women led her to want to create an environment where women could network and learn from mentors and peers.

"I really was passionate about leveraging mentoring on a big scale," she says.

From idea to innovation

SheSpace is run by Stephanie Tsuru and her daughter-in-law Katie. Photo courtesy of SheSpace

After a trip to Israel, Tsuru met two best friends — an Israeli woman and Palestinian woman — who teamed up to help at a local women's center. After touring the space and witnessing the collaboration, she left inspired.

"I was so blown away by what was happening in the center," she muses, "I knew I had to have a space for women."

She partnered with her daughter-in-law, Katie, who has assumed the role of CFO. She compares their relationship to the "Old Masters and Young Geniuses" model, first written about by David Galenson. While Tsuru brings the "life experience and wisdom," her daughter-in-law is the young innovator.

"She just looks at the world a little bit fresher," she admits, "This is the perfect combination."

For women, by women

The space was designed and set up by female professionals. Image via shespacehtx.com

Browse through architectural renderings and you'll find a chic industrial space with pops of color at every turn. An energizing palette of green, pink, orange and yellow effervescently leap from the walls. The space is donned with graphic patterns and motivational virtues that preach collaboration and empowerment. Behind every piece of drywall and design is the work of a woman.

"I started enlisting the best and the brightest females I could find. Now there's a team of about 23 women that have all come together in their various domains to put this together," she explains. From the architect to the drywall company, the soon-to-open space is entirely built by women-led companies.

Finding women in some industries was no easy feat for Tsuru, who was committed to her mission of empowering and collaborating with women for SheSpace's production. From the IT networking to the construction manager, every external and internal working of the company is female.

"I set out doing this not having any idea how hard it is to find women in some of these areas," she explains, "We are so proud to say that it's all women."

Intentionality in design

SheSpace will have a cafe for refueling. Image via shespacehtx.com

Female intentionality doesn't mean an all-pink space—it's designs focused on women to help excel their productivity. From a lactation room to the artwork, women are at the center of the design.

According to the Office on Women's Health, no employer is required to have a lactation room, which is an issue that can plague working moms. From bathrooms to storage closets, women in some companies have had to be creative while the workforce catches up to design needs.

SheSpace created a lactation room, designed with a lock for privacy and individual, portable fridges available for nursing women to store breast milk.

"It's the prettiest room, it's beautiful, calming it's very serene. Women can go in there and just kind of catch their breath and use their breast pump," says Tsuru.

Personal and professional branding has become a central role in business ownership. The influencer space is 77 percent women, and continues to grow with the emergence of platforms like TikTok. SheSpace is equipped with a professional podcast recording room as well as an influencer nook.

The space also exhibits the talents of women by incorporating an book niche featuring all-female authors as well as a "SheShop," a pop-up shop where female-business owners can showcase and sell their products.

The power of female collaboration

SheSpace will have several rooms for different purposes — meetings, podcasting, privacy, etc. Image via shespacehtx.com

Coworking spaces have been on the rise in Houston over the last several years. From popular global brands like WeWork to small startups, the trend has consistently been on the rise.

Rather than compete with to co-ed spaces, Tsuru has kept women in mind from the beginning. "Women tend to dream smaller than men. While we strenuously support small businesses, the trend we see is women often do not aim high enough. When networking with women in positions of power we see a measurable shift in goals," she explains.

The comradery of women working alongside each other is a huge asset in Tsuru's eyes.

"Women understand women. There is an implicit understanding that already exists that you don't have to explain," she explains, noting that shared experienced bring women together.

There's also an understanding that women can be themselves without having to face the judgment of their male peers.

"It's also a comfort level that women can be themselves, that they can act [like] themselves. They don't have to talk a certain way. They don't have to sit a certain way. They find their voice when they're surrounded by women," shares Tsuru.

Tapping into collaboration, Tsuru is most excited for the educational workshops and networking opportunities that will come to the space. From public speaking to organizing finances, the space has an agenda planned for its upcoming launch.

"It's all about building confidence and you're in a nice supported environment. It's the perfect place to do that," explains Tsuru. "With that comes everything else, the networking and the flow of ideas...it's a huge resource center. No matter who you're looking for, we have a resource directory," she continues.

Transitioning amid COVID-19

SheSpace will be opening in Lower Heights, a 24-acre mixed-use district. Image courtesy of Gulf Coast Commercial Group

One of the benefits of being built during a pandemic, is the ability to keep new social distancing rules and considerations in mind. While Tsuru and her team have been able to anticipate life in a COVID-19 world, they've adjusted the space to include features like a lock on the lactation room door and individualized amenities.

As SheSpace has transitioned, so are women going through the pandemic and other phases of their lives. "There are all these women that are now office-less. They couldn't afford the overhead of the big office and where were they going to go?" says Tsuru. Women who want a space outside of their home five days a week can also utilize the vibrant, collaborative space and make it their own.

Above all, Tsuru hopes the space can be an aid to the women of Houston. "We're just in a moment of interruption, just the entire nation. I do think this is going to be a big place of healing for women," she shares.

SheSpace will be located at 2799 Katy Freeway in the Lower Heights district. Follow SheSpace to stay updated on the details of its launch.

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Building Houston

 
 

Fourteen companies are joining the spring cohort of the Softeq Venture Studio. Photo courtesy of Softeq

A Houston tech company has announced the latest cohort of its accelerator program, bringing the total number of startups supported by the company to 63.

Softeq Development Corp., a technology services development company, named 14 new startups joining its three-month spring Softeq Venture Studio cohort.

“We are so proud of the success we have had with the Softeq Venture Studio, helping to support and secure funding for 63 startups to date through the Softeq Venture Fund," says Christopher A. Howard, founder and CEO of Softeq. "With 23 of 89 founders coming from outside of the U.S., we demonstrate Houston’s growing influence as a startup hub where entrepreneurs can find a welcoming innovation community, a strong talent base, and world-class research facilities."

The spring 2023 cohort for Softeq includes:

  • Houston-based AIM7, data intelligence platform that unlocks wearable and mHealth data to provide customized and predictive wellness solutions.
  • Avendly, based in Providence, Rhode Island, makes robotic automation for restaurants to help, not supplant humans. Its first of many products is Mixibot, an integrated back-bar cocktail vending system.
  • Founded in Austin, ClioVis, is meeting today’s content-creator students where they are and how they learn. The company provides unique experiential learning tools designed for today’s content-creator students who learn by doing, not lectures.
  • Based in Tel Aviv, Israel, Flometrica, is a digital health solution featuring "use anywhere" devices to remotely monitor and diagnose various urinary tract problems through analysis of different urine parameters.
  • Gophr, from Lake Charles, Louisiana, is a technology-driven logistics company that provides tailored and efficient delivery solutions for various industries, individuals, and businesses of all sizes.
  • Chicago-based KarChing puts cash in teens’ hands for safe driving. The only app built for parents, teens, and insurance companies that rewards drivers for phone- and distraction-free behavior behind the wheel.
  • Houston-founded Meander collects travel customer satisfaction micro-surveys as people go about their trips. The research platform rewards travelers for sharing their pics, videos, and insights.
  • MEedia, based in Sacramento, California, puts a professional press conference event in your pocket. Individuals can create broadcast-worthy interactive shareable content with just their phone.
  • MeterLeader, from Huntington Beach, California, gamifies saving energy in homes by using real-time utility data and behavioral science. We're like a Fitbit challenge for your home, but instead of steps we measure kWh, therm, and CO2 reductions.
  • Houston-based PayOnDelivery, integrates secure payment with delivery for markets like Craigslist and Facebook. It’s low-hassle, fraud-free buying and selling for peer-to-peer marketplaces.
  • Another Lake Charles business, Picasso Analytics has a platform that can reduce delays and save oil refiners and petrochem owners 10 to 15 percent on multi-million dollar turnaround events by providing a single source of truth integrating the schedule, time entry, and shop status.
  • Sarasota, Florida-based Toivoa develops software-based therapies for people with disabilities who experience mental health disorders. On track for FDA approval, the platform is prescription-based, clinically validated, and delivered on your phone.
  • UpBrainery Technologies, founded in Houston, helps students explore careers through digital experiences. AI guides their interests in career paths and credentials their achievements for employers and colleges.
  • Also from Houston, WellWorth (https://wellworthapp.com/), is a financial modeling SaaS platform that helps upstream oil and gas finance leaders improve their decision-making around raising, managing, and deploying capital.

Softeq Venture Studio launched over a year ago with its inaugural cohort in 2021, and the fund was launched last year. Since launch, Softeq has raised 80 percent of its inaugural $40 million Softeq Venture Fund and made investments in 63 startups. Softeq has also reformatted its accelerator program to include two cohort classes per year, allowing for more time to be spent with the Venture Studio and its cohort startups.

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