Houston female-focused health tech pitch competition names big winners

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Unlike past awards programs hosted by Ignite Healthcare Network, the Ignite Madness winners accepted their awards via video call. Photo courtesy of Ignite

From the comfort of their own homes, several female entrepreneurs accepted investment and pitch prizes at the finals of an inaugural awards program created by a Houston-based, woman-focused health organization.

Ahead of the Ignite Madness finals on Thursday, October 29, Houston-based Ignite Healthcare Network named nine finalists that then pitched for three investment prizes. The finalists included:

  • Eden Prairie, Minnesota-based Abilitech Medical — medical device company that creates assistive devices to aid those with upper-limb neuromuscular conditions or injuries.
  • New Orleans, Louisiana-based Chosen Diagnostics — a biotech company focusing on custom treatment. First, Chosen is focused on creating two novel biomarker diagnostic kits — one for gastrointestinal disease in premature infants.
  • San Francisco, California-based Ejenta — which uses NASA tech and artificial intelligence to enhance connected care.
  • Highland, Maryland-based Emergency Medical Innovation — a company focused on emergency medicine like Bleed Freeze, a novel device for more efficiently treating nosebleeds.
  • Columbia, Missouri-based Healium — an app to quickly reduce burnout, self-manage anxiety, and stress.
  • Farmington, Connecticut-based Nest Collaborative — digital lactation solutions and support.
  • Palo Alto, California-based Nyquist Data — a smart search engine to enable medical device companies to get FDA approvals faster.
  • New Orleans-Louisiana based Obatala Sciences — a biotech startup working with research institutions across the globe to advance tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
  • Perth, Australia-based OncoRes — a company that's developing a technology to provide surgeons with real-time assessment of tissue microstructure.
The inaugural event that mixed health care and basketball — two vastly different industries with strong connections to women — attracted support from partners and sponsors, such as Intel, Accenture, Morgan Lewis, Houston Methodist, Johnson & Johnson Innovation, and more, according to Ayse McCracken, founder and board chair of Ignite.

"Our partners and sponsors are an integral part of our organization" says McCracken. "Without each and every one of them, the networks, resources, and commitment to advancing women leaders, we would not have grown so rapidly in just four years and our IGNITE Madness event would not enjoy this vibrant ecosystem that now surrounds female entrepreneurs."

First up in selecting their winner for their investment was Texas Halo Fund. Chosen Diagnostics took home the $50,000 investment.

"While we were impressed by everyone who pitched tonight, one company stood out to us," says Kyra Doolan, managing partner. "[Chosen Diagnostics] exemplifies what we are looking for: an innovative solution, a strong CEO, and a real addressable market."

The second monetary award was presented by Tom Luby, director of TMC Innovation. The award was an $100,000 investment from the TMC Venture Fund, as well as admission to TMCx. The recipient of the investment was OncoRes.

"We are absolutely blown away," says Katharine Giles, founder of Onco. "We've already got a great link to Texas and looking forward to more."

The largest monetary award that was on the table was presented by Wavemaker Three-Sixty Health, a leading Southern-California based, early stage venture capital firm, for $150,000. However, at the time of the announcement, Managing Partner Jay Goss decided to award four startups an undisclosed amount of investment. Goss says he and his team will meet with each company to establish an investment.
The companies that were recognized by Wavemaker were: Healium, Ejenta, Emergency Medical Innovation, and Nest Collaborative.
Lastly, Ignite itself had $27,500 cash awards to give out to the pitch competition winners. The funds will be distributed between the winners. OncoRes took first place, Abilitech came in second place, and Obatala Sciences took third place.
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From Houston inventors being recognized to Chevron's latest investment, here's what innovation news you need to know. Photo by Dwight C. Andrews/Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau

Chevron makes another investment, Houston researchers nationally recognized, and more innovation news

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Houston's innovation news hasn't quite slowed yet for the holidays. This most recent news roundup includes lots of money raised, a new contract for a Houston startup, innovators recognized and more.

For more daily innovation news, subscribe to InnovationMap's newsletter, which goes out every weekday at 7 am.

Chevron Technology Ventures invests in Texas company

Courtesy of CTV

Houston-based Chevron Technology Ventures has contributed to Austin-based motor tech company Infinitum Electric's $12.5 million Series B round of financing. New Mexico-based Cottonwood Technology Fund and includes participation AJAX Strategies and other individual investors.

The company plans to use the funds to build out its research and development, engineering, supply chain, and production teams.

"Infinitum's mission aligns well with our goals for the Future Energy Fund," says Barbara Burger, president of CTV, in a release. "The purpose of the Future Energy Fund is to invest in breakthrough energy technologies that reflect Chevron's commitment to lower emission energy sources and that are integral to low-carbon and efficient value chains."

4 Houston researchers named fellows of the National Academy of Inventors

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The National Academy of Inventors named 168 academic innovators to NAI Fellow status — and four conduct their research right here in Houston. The program "highlights academic inventors who have demonstrated a spirit of innovation in creating or facilitating outstanding inventions that have made a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development and the welfare of society," reads the news release.

The four Houston inventors and their institutions are as follows:

List ranks Houston's fastest growing companies

Chart via Grojo.com

Growjo named the 100 fastest-growing companies in Houston for 2019, and, while the study notes the city's large oil and gas and medical industries, also acknowledges its growing tech and software scene. The companies were selected by a myriad of factors.

"Our algorithm is based on multiple datasets including employee growth, estimated revenue growth, valuations, quality and quantity of funding, hiring announcements, current job openings, leadership team announcements, and numerous other growth triggers," reads the website.

The top five companies on the list are:

  1. Midcoast Energy, which has 183 employees and a 17 percent employee growth rate.
  2. ibüümerang, which has 528 employees, and a 633 percent employee growth rate.
  3. Arion, which has 136 employees and a 216 percent employee growth rate.
  4. GoExpedi, which as 59 employees and a 119 percent employee growth rate.
  5. Code Ninjas, which has 338 employees and a 63 percent employee growth rate.

For the full list, visit Growjo.com.

TMCx company wins awards 

Image via abilitechmedical.com

Abilitech Medical, which recently completed the TMCx program, has taken home some wins in Minnesota, where it's based. The company was named named among the state's topmed tech companies by the Minnesota High Tech Association at the 2019 TEKNE awards and 2019, as well as the grand prize winner and top woman-led business by the University of Minnesota's business school at its 2019 Minnesota Cup competition.

The medical device company's technology includes the Abilitech™ Assist, which assists patients with Multiple Sclerosis, rehabilitating from stoke, or other conditions with eating, drinking, and using a computer.

"We've met so many people whose lives will be changed with this innovation," says CEO and founder Angie Conley in a news release. "Through the Texas Medical Center accelerator, we met Dr. Hany Samir who championed our upcoming stroke study."

Samir is a cardiac anesthesiologist at Houston Methodist. He lost his ability to work and perform simple daily functions after a stroke debilitated his left arm.

"I'm unable to practice the medicine I love. I want to hold my wife again with two hands and enjoy dinner with her, without having her cut my food. I want to have a cup of coffee without asking for help," says Samir in the release. "Regaining function in my arm will restore my life."

Pandata Tech receives Department of Defense contract

Photo courtesy of Pandata Tech

Houston-based ​Pandata Tech secured a contract with the United States Department of Defense from the Rapid Sustainment Office of the the United States Air Force last month. The Phase II contract will allow the company to work with Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska to develop a scalable data quality platform.

The access to data will aid in natural disasters, per the release. The goal of the contract would be for a Phase III contract and an opportunity to scale the technology into other branches of military. The company also had a Phase I contract signed in August before securing the Phase II in November.

"Pandata Tech's proprietary DQM software was built during a development partnership with one of the world's largest offshore drilling companies. Because the technology was tested and built with offshore drilling data, the shift to aircraft carriers would be smooth," explains Gustavo Sanchez, co-founder of Pandata Tech, in a news release.

Houston company receives Department of Energy funding

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The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory — with funding from the DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Wind Energy Technologies Office — selected a Houston company for its Competitiveness Improvement Project.

Westergaard Solutions, founded by Houstonian Carsten Westergaard, was named among the 2019 CIP Awardees. Among the company's assets is AeroMine, which competed in the most recent Houston cohort in MassChallenge Texas. The company "will implement an innovative building-integrated wind generation concept with no external moving parts, moving from a preliminary conceptual design to a pre-production prototype design that is ready for testing," according to the release.

Here's what life science startups were named most promising at the recent Rice Alliance Texas Life Science Forum.. Getty Images

Rice Alliance names most promising life science companies at annual forum

Best of the best

Houston hosted an annual meeting of the minds that included thoughtful discussions, presentations, panels, and startup pitches within the life science industry.

The Texas Life Science Forum, organized and hosted by the Rice Alliance and BioHouston, took place on November 6 at Rice University's Bioscience Research Collaborative. Throughout the day, over 50 life science startups pitched to the audience. At the end of the forum, 10 startups — most of which are based in Houston — were recognized as being the most promising.

Here's what life science startups you should be keeping an eye out for.

Abilitech Medical

abilitech

Photo via abilitechmedical.com

A St. Paul, Minnisota-based medical device company, Abilitech Medical develops assistive technology to Multiple sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, Parkinson's and stroke patients. The first product, Alibitech Assist, will be cleared by the FDA in 2020, with other devices to follow in 2022 and 2023.

AgilVax

agilvax

Photo via agilvax.com

Based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, AgilVax is a biopharmaceutical company that works with chemotherapy, checkpoint and KRAS inhibitors to fight various cancers. The company's AX09 is an immunotherapeutic that is headed for human clinical trials in 2020. Another product, M5, is a monoclonal antibody currently in preclinical trials.

Altoida

altoida

Photo via altoida.com

Altoida, based in Houston, has created a medical device that uses artificial intelligence and augmented reality to collect functional and cognitive data in patients to determine their risk Mild Cognitive Impairment from Alzheimer's Disease. The Altoida Neuro Motor Index has been cleared by the FDA and CE and detects cognitive decline with a 94 percent diagnostic accuracy six to 10 years ahead of the onset of symptoms.

ColubrisMX

Photo via Pexels

Houston-based ColubrisMX makes surgical robots specializing in minimally invasive and endoluminal surgeries. The company's team of engineers and surgeons works adjacent to the Texas Medical Center.

Cord Blood Plus

stem cell

Photo via Getty Images

Cord Blood Plus, based in Galveston, is working to commercialize its human umbilical cord blood stem cell technology. The company's primary mission is to use its research and treatment on breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy in order to prevent infections, speed up recovery, and shorten hospital stays.

CorInnova

CorInnova

Photo via CorInnova.com

Another Houston company, CorInnova is a medical device company that has developed a cardiac assist device to treat heart failure without many of the consequences from standard treatment. The device is able to self expand and gently compress the heart in sync with the heartbeat.

Mesogen

mesogen

Photo via Mesogen.com

Mesogen, which is based in The Woodlands, is in the business of using a patient's own cells to grow a human kidney for transplant. The tissue engineering technology allows for the creation of a kidney in less than a year with less risk of transplant rejection and a better quality of life over dialysis treatment.

Saranas

Courtesy of Saranas

Houston-based Saranas has created its Early Bird device to more quickly and more accurately detect bleeding in the human body. The company, which underwent successful clinical trials last year, recently received FDA clearance and launched the device in the United States.

Stream Biomedical

stream biomedical

Photo via streambiomedical.com

Stream Biomedical Inc. is tapping into a therapeutic protein that has proven to be neuroprotective and neuroreparative. The Houston company is aiming to apply the treatment in acute stroke cases and later for traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer's, and dementia cases.

VenoStent

Photo via venostent.com

Houston-based VenoStent has created a device that allows a successful stent implementation on the first try. VenoStent's SelfWrap is made from a shape-memory polymer that uses body heat to mold the stent into the vein-artery junction.

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Houston biomanufacturing accelerator adds pilot plant to support scale-ups

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Houston accelerator BioWell announced this month that it has taken over operations of Texas BioTechnology’s pilot plant in Richmond, Texas.

The 33,000-square-foot facility is one of the largest of its kind in the U.S. and features molecular biology labs, advanced automation, fermentation equipment and 16 dedicated benches for early-stage industrial biomanufacturing companies, according to a release from the company. It will allow BioWell to offer on-site education, workforce development, and lab training for students and workers.

BioWell and its founding company, First Bight Ventures, report that the facility should help address the industry's "scale-up bottleneck due to limited pilot- and demonstration-scale infrastructure" in the U.S.

"As a Houston-based accelerator dedicated exclusively to early-stage biomanufacturing startups, partnering with this facility was a natural and highly strategic decision for us. The site is fully operational and offers a strong platform to support biomanufacturing companies, industry leaders, and research institutions, providing critical expertise and infrastructure across a broad range of biotechnology production processes,” Veronica Breckenridge, founder of First Bight Ventures and BioWell, said in a news release.

First Bight Ventures shares that the partnership with the facility will also allow it to better support its portfolio companies and make them more attractive to future investors.

BioWell will host an open house and tours of the fermentation and lab spaces and an overview of current bioindustrial projects Wednesday, May 28, at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. RSVPs are required.

BioWell was originally funded by a $700,000 U.S. Economic Development Administration’s Build to Scale grant and launched as a virtual accelerator for bioindustrial startups. Listen to an interview with Carlos Estrada, head of venture acceleration at BioWell, here.

Ultra-fast EV charging bays coming to Waffle House locations in Texas and beyond

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Scattered, smothered and ... charged?

Starting next year, EV drivers can connect to ultra-fast charging stations at select Waffle House locations throughout Texas, courtesy of bp pulse.

The EV arm of British energy giant bp announced a strategic partnership with the all-day breakfast chain this week. The company aims to deploy a network of 400kW DC fast chargers and a mix of CCS and NACS connectors at Waffle House locations in Texas, Georgia, Florida, and other restaurants in the South.

Each Waffle House site will feature six ultra-fast EV charging bays, allowing drivers to "(enjoy) Waffle House’s 24/7 amenities," the announcement reads.

“Adding an iconic landmark like Waffle House to our growing portfolio of EV charging sites is such an exciting opportunity. As an integrated energy company, bp is committed to providing efficient solutions like ultra-fast charging to support our customers’ mobility needs," Sujay Sharma, CEO of bp pulse U.S., said in a news release. "We’re building a robust network of ultra-fast chargers across the country, and this is another example of third-party collaborations enabling access to charging co-located with convenient amenities for EV drivers.”

The news comes as bp pulse continues to grow its charging network in Texas.

The company debuted its new high-speed electric vehicle charging site, known as the Gigahub, at the bp America headquarters in Houston last year. In partnership with Hertz Electrifies Houston, it also previously announced plans to install a new EV fast-charging hub at Hobby Airport. In a recent partnership with Simon Malls, bp also shared plans to install EV charging Gigahubs at The Galleria and Katy Mills Mall.

bp has previously reported that it plans to invest $1 billion in EV charging infrastructure by 2030, with $500 million invested by the end of 2025.

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A version of this article originally appeared on EnergyCapitalHTX.com.

Texas leaders position state to become next global hub for brain health

event recap

Brain Capital: The New Competitive Edge in a Shifting Economy, a two-day meeting held at the TMC3 Collaborative Building on May 21-22, brought together global business and policy leaders to advance brain health initiatives. The event concluded with the announcement of Texas-focused strategies that will be presented at the G7 Summit in Calgary this June, aiming to position the state as a leading hub for brain health research.

According to an analysis by the McKinsey Health Institute, investing in brain health interventions has the potential to generate a $260 billion boost to Texas’ GDP. Brain health conditions are responsible for more than $1 trillion in lost productivity globally, and the costs are expected to increase to nearly $16 trillion by 2030, according to organizers of the event.

The Texas Legislature recently passed legislation to establish the Dementia Prevention Research Institute of Texas (DPRIT), which includes a $3 billion investment over 10 years. Leaders at the Brain Capital event announced the launch of an advocacy campaign to foster support for DPRIT, which will appear as a November 2025 ballot measure.

“Our work to deliver better brain health to Texas and the world is only just beginning,” Dr. Jochen Reiser, president of The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) and CEO of the UTMB Health System, said in a news release. “Investing in brain capital means protecting our cognitive health, boosting economic growth and securing a future-ready workforce – goals that we believe Texans will rally behind.”

Additionally, the Center for Houston’s Future also announced its goal to make the brain economy a key part of its new plan for the Houston region, called Vision 2050. The Center for Houston’s Future’s goal is to position Houston to become the global leader in the brain economy space, which will serve as a blueprint for other cities

“Houston has a clear track record leading the transition of industry sectors,” David Gow, CEO of the Center for Houston’s Future, said in a news release. “By launching a focused Brain Economy transition plan, Houston can integrate neuroscience, prevention, workforce resilience and cognitive innovation across sectors – preparing businesses and communities for an AI-driven future. Houston has the talent, infrastructure and vision to lead the nation in the next great economic transformation.”

Gow is the founder and chairman of Gow Media, InnovationMap's parent company.

Speakers at the event included executives from Shell Oil Co., scientists from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, professors from Rice University, representatives from D.C.-based UsAgainstAlzheimer’s, and others. Learn more here.

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