A Houston startup that uses tech to speed up and lower the cost of home building will pitch at SXSW this year. Photo via 3spacemakers.com

Conroe-based construction tech company that specializes in creating technology to develop cost-efficient high-quality homes built in half the time is gearing up for new growth due to their recent selection as a finalist in SXSW Pitch 2020.

3Space Makers was at first selected as an alternate in the "Artificial Intelligence, Robotics & Voice" category for the 12th annual SXSW Pitch, formerly known as SXSW Accelerator, but was recently bumped to finalist.

"It's gratifying to learn that we have been selected," Ted Cox, CEO and co-founder of 3Space Makers, tells InnovationMap. "Our team has been working really hard for this moment. I think that not only do we have a good product, but the mission that we are on is what is resonating the most."

3Space Makers uses robotics, artificial intelligence, and 3D printing to spur innovation in the construction industry, allowing for faster manufacturing processes which, according to Cox, will enable homes to be built better, faster, and cheaper. The typical 3Space Makers home takes one month to build, drastically reducing the time frame of construction projects and thus reducing their cost.

"Everything in the construction industry right now is manual and human-driven," says Cox. "Until now that has been enough to get the job done. A typical home currently takes 3 to 6 months to build, 3Space Makers dramatically takes the inefficiencies out of the construction industry."

The company is developing new innovative technology marrying autonomous robotics and cloud-based control systems to produce detailed data to validate building standards. Their Fab & Fill process uses eco-friendly material known as BioSilicate to manufacture complete metal-framed walls and roofs using semi-automated processes.

The eco-friendly material can be made from natural materials native for particular regions such as corn husks and sugar cane, converting waste material into revenue for local farmers.

"We are building homes that are safe, durable, and affordable to those who are most in need using our processes," says Cox "We can cut the time of construction in about half along with the cost, that makes homes available for those who couldn't afford it otherwise, it's a bringing the promise of technology to the construction industry."

The idea for 3Space Makers was born out of the need to help vulnerable members of society, including low-income families and homeless veterans who cannot afford to buy a home with current high real estate prices.

The construction start-up aims to meet its '50/50/50' performance target to benefit veterans and low-income families.

"Any technology or process we develop," says Cox. "Must be 50 percent faster, 50 percent less expensive and 50 percent better than current methods on the market."

At their SXSW pitch, 3Space Makers will premiere as Integra Homes, a rebrand that represents a focus on increasing affordability for homes. The company is also currently working on raising a round of funding this year, along with gearing up to grow their facilities to finish their current projects, including building 5,000 homes in the U.S. and Jamaica.

"When we were originally founded, our focus was on serving homeless veterans, that remains to this day," says Cox. "But we also found that there is quite a need, not only in the U.S. for affordable homes. By being able to come in and build high-quality affordable homes with the help of our technological processes, it's going to make a big difference for many individuals."

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Houston palliative care company integrates with Epic platforms

epic scale

Patients and medical teams using MyChart and other Epic Systems' software will now be able to access Houston-based Koda Health's AI-enhanced end-of-life planning platform.

The Houston-based palliative care company, which was born out of the TMC's Biodesign Fellowship, has integrated its advance care planning platform with Epic, one of the most widely used electronic health record (EHR) systems in the U.S., according to a news release.

Epic estimates that more than 325 million patients have a current electronic record in its systems.

“This is a significant milestone for our mission to make advance care planning scalable, meaningful, and seamless,” Tatiana Fofanova, CEO and co-founder of Koda Health, said in the release. “By integrating into systems already used by care teams, we help eliminate friction and ensure that care delivery honors what patients truly want—especially during serious illness and at the end of life.”

The partnership will streamline processes for both patients and clinicians. Users will be able to drop advance care plans directly into the Epic charts, which will be accessible through MyChart for patients and proxies and through Epic Hyperspace/Hyperdrive for care teams. Doctors can also initiate and manage advance care plans through a simple Epic order for patients.

According to Koda Health, its platform saves an average of $10,000 to $15,000 per patient. Roughly 85 percent of users complete advance care plan documents when using the platform, which is four times the national average.

“We developed Koda to give providers the time, training, and tools to guide these critical conversations," Dr. Desh Mohan, co-founder and chief medical officer at Koda Health, added in the statement. "Our integration now makes it possible to operationalize ACP at scale—aligned with value-based care goals and clinical reality.”

The company announced a partnership with Dallas-based Guidehealth, which integrates into primary care workflows and allows providers to identify high-risk patients, coordinate care and reduce administrative burden. Guidehealth works with more than 500,000 patients

Koda Health was founded in 2020 and closed an oversubscribed seed round for an undisclosed amount last year, with investments from AARP, Memorial Hermann Health System and the Texas Medical Center Venture Fund. The company also added Kidney Action Planning to its suite of services in 2024.

Xfinity goes all-in with new national internet plan

Everything's Included

Following the successful launch and positive consumer reaction to Xfinity’s new 5-year guarantee, the nation’s largest Internet Service Provider (ISP) has launched its everyday pricing (EDP) structure with four simple national Internet tiers that include unlimited data and the advanced Xfinity WiFi Gateway for one low monthly price.

This move is part of the company’s broader strategy to give consumers simple, predictable, all-in plans for the best WiFi in the market. All plans include a line of Xfinity Mobile at no additional cost for a year.

“We said we were going to go ‘all-in’ on a new pricing strategy and we are delivering with our 5-year price lock and our new everyday price plans," says Steve Croney, chief operating officer, Connectivity & Platforms at Comcast. "Now all our Xfinity Internet packages are built on simplicity and transparency — no hidden fees, no confusion — just the best, most reliable and secure WiFi that sets a new standard for the ultimate connected experience. We’re coming out swinging with a superior WiFi product that easily beats the competition at an even better price point for customers.”

 Xfinity pricing table Graphic courtesy of Xfinity

Xfinity delivers the fastest, most reliable* WiFi experience with multi-gig speeds, a low-lag connection for gaming and streaming, the capacity to connect hundreds of devices in the home, and unbeatable wall-to-wall WiFi coverage.

The Xfinity WiFi Gateway blankets the home with cybersecurity protection and provides other advanced WiFi features and parental controls, all easily accessible in the newly redesigned Xfinity app, allowing customers to optimize and manage their WiFi experience in the home.

An unlimited line of Xfinity Mobile is also included at no cost for a year with these plans.

Only Xfinity Mobile customers have access to WiFi PowerBoost, a game-changing feature which increases Xfinity Mobile speeds up to 1 gig — no matter the plan they choose — when they are connected over WiFi in the home or anywhere else on the Xfinity WiFi network, the largest and fastest in the nation.

With 90 percent of mobile traffic traveling over WiFi, Xfinity Mobile is created for how customers use their mobile devices, combining the nation’s best WiFi with the most reliable 5G network.

Consumers can sign up for Xfinity Internet and Xfinity Mobile online at www.xfinity.com or at their local Xfinity store.

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*www.opensignal.com

Houston startup funding surpasses $1B in 2025 despite national slowdown

by the numbers

Houston-area startups raised more than $1 billion in venture capital during the first half of 2025 — almost double the haul for the first half of last year.

According to the new PitchBook-NCVA Venture Monitor, Houston-area startups raised $417.2 million in the second quarter of this year, compared with $281 million during the same period last year. In the first quarter of 2025, local startups collected $607.5 million in venture capital, compared with $281 million during the same period a year earlier.

Based on those figures, Houston-area startups picked up slightly over $1 billion in VC during the first half of this year, compared with $535 million in the first half of 2024.

Nationally, startups gained almost $70 billion in VC in the second quarter, down 25 percent from the same period a year ago, the PitchBook-NCVA Venture Monitor says.

Nizar Tarhuni, executive vice president of research and market intelligence at PitchBook, explained that “the VC landscape continues to navigate a fragile recovery” and is constrained by economic uncertainty.

However, startups in certain sectors are poised to attract a great deal of attention and venture capital over the next several years, according to the report.

“Companies operating in AI, national security, defense tech, fintech, and crypto — sectors aligned with the administration’s priorities — are attracting disproportionately more investor interest, and this trend will likely continue throughout President Donald Trump’s term,” the report says.

The AI sector accounted for 64 percent of VC deal value in the first half of 2025, according to the report.