It's been a crazy start to 2021 with the innovation ecosystem being especially busy. For this reason, Houston innovation news may have fallen through some of the cracks.
In this roundup of short stories within Houston innovation, Greentown Labs makes a big announcement, new accelerator programs open applications, a UH-born technology wins big, and more.
Greentown Labs announces grand opening for Houston location
Greentown Houston is opening next month. Photo via GreentownLabs.com
Last Earth Day, the City of Houston launched its first Climate Action Plan. This Earth Day, the Greentown Houston is opening its doors. On Thursday, April 22, from 2 to 3:30 pm, Greentown Labs is hosting a virtual event to mark the grand opening.
At the event, attendees will be able to meet startups that are a part of the program, hear from energy and civic leaders, catch the latest Greentown partners, and watch the building's ribbon cutting. The event is free and registration is open.
"Greentown Houston is our first out-of-state expansion, and we have already welcomed more than 20 startup members and more than 20 Founding and Grand Opening partners," reads a recent announcement from Greentown. "Located in the city's Innovation District, Greentown Houston will provide more than 40,000 sq. ft. of prototyping lab, office, and community space for about 50 climatetech startups, totaling 200-300 employees."
Rice Alliance opens applications for its clean energy accelerator program
The Rice Alliance Clean Energy Accelerator's inaugural cohort will be held virtually — but will eventually be housed in The Ion. Courtesy of Rice University
The Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship has opened applications for its inaugural cohort for the recently announced Clean Energy Accelerator. The program will be held virtually this summer from June to September — but will eventually be hosted out of The Ion.
At the conclusion of the program, the cohort will present in a Demo Day in conjunction with the 19th annual Rice Alliance Energy Venture Forum.
Applications are due by April 14 and interested parties can apply online.
University of Houston-born innovation wins big at SXSW
A UH-born device won a $25,000 investment at a SXSW event. Photo via UH.edu
A University of Houston professor took home an innovation prize and $25,000 investment from the Southwest National Pediatric Device Innovation Consortium's Pediatric Device Prize at this year's SXSW. The UH-born device is the Pediatric Lower-Extremity Gait System – known as P-LEGS – which is a mobility assistant, rehabilitation platform and diagnostic tool designed to help children with motor disabilities. It won one of two prizes out of 18 devices.
The principal investigator for the project, Jose Luis Contreras-Vidal, is a Hugh Roy and Lillie Cullen Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the director of UH's BRAIN Center. Other team members include graduate student lead, David Eguren, as well as Alexander Steele, Yang Hu, Krishna Sarvani Desabhotla, Swagat Bhandari, Lujayna Taha, Nivriti Sabhnani, and Allen Shen.
"We were excited and honored to have been selected by the SWPDC for this award," Eguren says in a news release. "The award will be valuable in helping us continue device development and testing."
Halliburton Labs opens next round of applications
Halliburton Labs is looking for its next cohort. Photo courtesy of Halliburton
A new corporate accelerator has announced that its latest round of startup applications is open. Halliburton Labs looking for startups for its next cohort, and applications are due on April 23.
"We're excited to identify technology entrepreneurs with ready-to-scale solutions in energy generation, storage, distribution, conservation, and the circular economy," says Dale Winger, managing director of Halliburton Labs, in a news release. "Our program provides critical resources, including technical and operational expertise across numerous hardware disciplines and a global business network, to help participants advance their products, prepare for further scale and position for additional financing."
Halliburton Labs will make their selections by the ongoing program's pitch day, which is slated for May 21. The Halliburton Labs Finalist Pitch Day will be a part of the Houston Tech Rodeo.
To apply to participate, click here.
Innovative organization names new board members
Baylor College of Medicine-supported, and NASA-backed TRISH has new board members. Photo via NASA/JPL-Caltech
The Translational Research Institute for Space Health — known as TRISH — recently announced seven new members to its Scientific Advisory Board. The Houston-based, NASA-funded organization is focused on cultivating space health innovations.
"We are at the cusp of space becoming more accessible to regular people. We are working toward safeguarding the health of all humans -- astronauts exploring deep space and people with preexisting conditions that want to experience space for short periods," says TRISH Director Dorit Donoviel. "TRISH's diverse advisory board members will help us focus our resources on the most impactful health technology and science innovations."
According to a press release, the newly appointed members are:
- Col. Catherine Coleman, Ph.D., is a former NASA Astronaut and the Global Explorer in Residence at Arizona State University and Research Affiliate at the MIT Media Lab.
- Asha Collins, Ph.D., is the U.S. Country Head for Country Clinical Operations at Genentech.
- Armen Kherlopian, Ph.D., is a founding partner of BAJ Accelerator.
- Manish Kothari, Ph.D., is the President of SRI International.
- Nicole Stott, M.S., is a former NASA Astronaut and the Founding Director of the Space for Art Foundation.
- Matthew Wagoner, Ph.D., leads Investigative Toxicology at Takeda Pharmaceuticals.
- Brian Zambrowicz, Ph.D., is Senior Vice President of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals.
They join existing members:
- Board Chair Lisa Suennen, M.A., is the leader of Manatt Digital and Technology and the firm's related consulting practice.
- Imran Alibhai, Ph.D., is the Chief Executive Officer of Tvardi Therapeutics.
- Susan Alpert, M.D., Ph.D., is the Founder and Principal of SFA Consulting, LLC
- Catherine M. Davis-Takacs, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.
- Seth Feuerstein, M.D., J.D., is a faculty adviser in innovation and entrepreneurship and Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Yale University Center for Biomedical and Interventional Technology
- Daniel Lowenstein, M.D., is the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost of the University of California San Francisco.
- Ted Smith, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology and Director of the Center for Healthy Air, Water and Soil at the Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute of University of Louisville School of Medicine.
- Maj. Gen. Annette L. Sobel, M.D., M.S., is an Adjunct Professor in the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center's Schools of Nursing and Texas Tech University's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.