5 can't-miss events at Houston Tech Rodeo 2023

where to be

These are the events to attend each day during the Houston Tech Rodeo 2023. Photo via Getty Images

Houston innovators — a week of panels, networking opportunities, and more has been coordinated just for you. Are you ready to make the most of it?

Houston Tech Rodeo from Houston Exponential officially starts next week with swag pick up on Sunday, February 26. The programming runs from Monday, February 27, through Thursday, March 2, and wraps up with a chili cook off on Saturday, March 4. There are 30 events to choose from across the Houston innovation corridor near downtown. The full schedule, which launched earlier this month, is available online. Check it out to register for what all you want to attend and for more detailed info.

Each day has themes — space, life science, energy, emerging tech, etc. — and one to two locations for activations. Every day has a happy hour for those interested in networking opportunities, panels for opportunities to hear from industry experts, and more.

Here are five of the Houston Tech Rodeo events you definitely want to make sure you attend.

Networking — #LaunchCity Happy Hour

Start off the week strong with a happy hour at The Ion from 6 to 8 pm on Monday, February 27. The networking event wraps up the first full day of Tech Rodeo and follows space tech-focused programming. If you're able to make it earlier, don't miss the Founder's Live pitch event at Common Desk starting at 3:30 pm or the Future of Space Tech panel at 4:15 pm that will feature representatives from NASA, Axiom, and Intuitive Machines.

Panel — Navigating the Entrepreneurial Landscape: Accessing the Resources You Need to Succeed

If you're a Houston founder, you won't want to miss the first panel of day two of Tech Rodeo. The panel, "Navigating the Entrepreneurial Landscape: Accessing the Resources You Need to Succeed," starts at 9 am on Tuesday, February 28, and will feature experts from a handful of organizations who will speak to resources available for startups and small businesses. The full morning of programing will be hosted at Houston Community College's Central Campus.

Pitch — Rodeo for the Rest of Us Reverse Pitch

Sesh Coworking is hosting an inclusive networking breakfast on Thursday, March 2, beginning at 9 am and followed by a unique opportunity for startups. Sesh is flipping the script on the traditional pitch process and putting the mics in the hands of investors. Expect direct access to these VCs and angels at the Rodeo For the Rest of Us reverse pitch as well as more networking over lunch.

Meeting — Houston Innovation Town Hall

Don't miss the unique opportunity to hear from the Houston innovation community at this unique event. The town hall on Thursday, March 2, will start with announcements from HX and a few other players in the ecosystem, and wrap up with a conversation with Houston's mayoral candidates — Chris Hollins, Lee Kaplan, and Amanda K Edwards — that begins at 4 pm at 713 Music Hall in the Post.

Competition — CodeLaunch by Improving

The weeks programming concludes with a high energy event and startup pitch competition. CodeLaunch by Improving, which announced its finalists earlier this month, will host its main event at 713 Music Hall from 6 to 9 pm. RSVP to Tech Rodeo to get your ticket to the event.


Houston Tech Rodeo returns with in-person events — here are the must-attend panels, networking opportunities, and more. Photo by Nijalon Dunn

5 can't-miss events at Houston Tech Rodeo 2022

where to be

Saddle up, Space City. Houston Exponential's Houston Tech Rodeo is back for its third year — and the innovation-focused programing returns with in-person events scattered in downtown and beyond.

The week-long event is organized by themes and hubs. For example, WeWork Downtown will host conversations on consumer packaged goods and food tech on Monday, while health tech programing will take place Thursday at Texas A&M's EnMed building. The full schedule is available online and registration is completely free, but if you'd like to attend some can't miss panels and events, look no further than this guide below.

Feb. 28 — Lasso The Moon

What do civil, commercial, and military players need from Houston’s innovation and academic communities to solve our most far-reaching challenges? Join the Space Force Association and TexSpace for a multi-disciplinary presentation and roundtable discussion with networking and tabletop exhibits that aim high. The event features SpaceForce, Limitless Space Institute, Axiom Space, Intuitive Machines, and more.

The event takes place on Monday, Feb. 28, from 1 to 5 pm at The Ion Houston (4201 Main St.)

March 1 — Investing in ClimateTech

This discussion will bring together local VCs to discuss sourcing, diligencing, and investing in climatetech solutions, as well as how Houston is perfectly positioned to benefit from this momentum.

Speakers:

  • Ernst Sack, Blue Bear Capital
  • Eric Rubenstein, Managing Partner, New Climate Ventures
  • Amy Henry, CEO/Co-Founder, Eunike Ventures
  • Moderated by Juliana Garaizar, VIP of Innovation and Head of Houston Incubator, Greentown Labs

The event takes place on Tuesday, March 1, from 1:30 to 2:30 pm at Greentown Houston (4200 San Jacinto St.)

March 2 — The Founder Institute Texas Showcase

It's Tech Rodeo time which means we've rounded up several strong local founders to pitch as well as recognized experts to judge and AMA panel. This year we'll be available in-person at Houston's Downtown Launchpad as well as live-streaming & replaying the pitches and an impactful AMA. Join for best-in-class startup networking afterwards.

The event takes place on Wednesday, March 2, from 12:30 to 3 pm at Downtown Launchpad (10th floor, 1801 Main St.)

March 3 — Four Fierce Females - Innovator, Igniter, Inventor, Investor

Talk about girl power. Four female panelists engage in a health tech conversation from their four points of view as an innovator, igniter, inventor, and investor. Houston Methodist is hosting the entire morning's conversations from 8:30 am to noon.

  • Michelle Stansbury – Houston Methodist
  • Ayse McCracken – Ignite Healthcare Network
  • Emma Fauss - Medical Informatics
  • Samantha Lewis - Mercury Fund

The event takes place on Thursday, March 3, from 9:30 to 10:15 am at Texas A&M EnMed building (1020 Holcombe Blvd.)

March 4 — Tech Rodeo Career Fair

HTX Talent and the University of Houston Downtown Career Centers (Main Career Center and the Marilyn Davies Career Center) has introduced the first Tech Rodeo Career Fair. Top tech companies will connect with talented job seekers from all over the Houston community and surrounding areas. Learn what type of positions employers are looking for, meet recruiters and companies that fit your job profile, and grow your network.

Register to attend here: https://bit.ly/3GtcKaR

Employer registration here: https://bit.ly/3Amo7zB

The event takes place on Friday, March 4, from 1 to 4 pm at The University of Houston - Downtown.

Bonus: Where to network at HTR

A huge portion of HTR is getting the community out and about to meet, network, and share ideas and energy. There are plenty of opportunities to do so, including the following events:

  • Swag pickup (Sunday, Feb. 27, from 1 to 4 pm.) at McIntyre's Downtown (901 Commerce St.)
  • Cup of Joey (Daily, from 7 to 8:45 am) at Finn Hall (712 Main St.). Note: Coffee networking takes place at Texas A&M's EnMed building on Thursday, March 3.
  • Happy Hour and Mini-Showcase at Greentown Labs (Tuesday, March 1, from 5 to 7 pm) at Greentown Labs (4200 San Jacinto St.)
  • Techqueria at the Tech Rodeo (Wednesday, March 4, from 3:30 to 8:30 pm) at West Houston Cannon Location (1334 Brittmoore Rd.)
  • What's Your Anthem? A Happy Hour hosted by Accenture & Hines (Wednesday, March 4, from 5 to 7 pm) at The Square by Hines (717 Texas St, Floor 12)
  • Inclusive Innovation Community Happy Hour (Thursday, March 3, from 5 to 7 pm) at Weights + Measures (2808 Caroline St.)
  • Tech Rodeo Block Party (Friday, March 4, from 7 to 9 pm) at Main Street 300 block (between Congress and Preston)

All of these events have more details on the HTR website, which can be accessed here once you are registered.


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Screen-free hiking app developed in Houston earns 'Best of the Best' award

Peak Prize

An AI-powered, screen-free hiking system developed by Varshini Chouthri, a recent industrial design graduate from the University of Houston, has received Red Dot’s “Best of the Best” award, which recognizes the top innovative designs around the world.

Known as NOMAD, the system aims to help users stay in the moment while still utilizing technology. It will go on to compete for the Red Dot Luminary Award, the highest recognition given at the international event.

“NOMAD was truly a passion project, inspired by years of hiking growing up, where the outdoors became a place of peace, challenge, and reflection,” Chouthri said in a news release.

“I wanted to design something supporting those kinds of experiences by helping hikers feel more grounded and confident while staying present in nature. It was a way to give back to the moments that made me fall in love with the outdoors in the first place.”

The app “reimagines” outdoor exploration by removing the dependence on screens by using adaptive AI, contextual sensing, and an optional, wearable companion device. It employs a circular learning model that enables hikers to receive real-time guidance, safety alerts, personalized trip planning, hands-free navigation and more through a natural interface, according to UH.

NOMAD was developed at the Hines College of Architecture and Design’s PXD LAB. In 2023, Lunet, developed by David Edquilang at Hines College, received the “Best of the Best” recognition and went on to win the Red Dot Luminary Award.

The PXD LAB offers a platform to expand concepts into system-level designs that address real-world challenges, according to UH.

“Varshini’s work on NOMAD exemplifies the future-focused, systems-driven thinking we promote in the Advanced UX Design curriculum,” Min Kang, director of PXD LAB, added in the release. “NOMAD goes beyond being just a product; it reimagines how technology can enhance outdoor exploration without disrupting the experience.”

In addition to the Red Dot honors, NOMAD has already earned distinction from the FIT Sport Design Awards and was a finalist for the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) presented by the Industrial Designers Society of America.

NASA signs on latest tenant for new Exploration Park campus, now underway

space hub

Exploration Park, the 240-acre research and commercial institute at NASA's Johnson Space Center, is ready for launch.

Facilities at the property have broken ground, according to a recent episode of NASA's Houston We Have a Podcast, with a completion date targeted for Q4 2026.

The research park has also added Houston-based KBR to its list of tenants. According to a news release from the Greater Houston Partnership, the human spaceflight and aerospace services company will operate a 45,000-square-foot food innovation lab at Exploration Park. KBR will use the facility to focus on customized food systems, packaging and nutrition for the low Earth orbit economy.

“Exploration Park is designed for companies in the space ecosystem, such as KBR, to develop, produce, and deploy innovative new technologies that support space exploration and commerce,” Simon Shewmaker, head of development at ACMI Properties, the developer behind Exploration Park, said in the GHP release. “This project is moving expeditiously, and we’re thrilled to sign such an innovative partner in KBR, reflecting our shared commitment to building the essential infrastructure of tomorrow for the next generation of space innovators and explorers.”

NASA introduced the concept of a collaborative hub for academic, commercial and international partners focused on spaceflight in 2023. It signed leases with the American Center for Manufacturing and Innovation and the Texas A&M University System for the previously unused space at JSC last year.

“For more than 60 years, NASA Johnson has been the hub of human space exploration,” Vanessa Wyche, NASA Johnson Space Center Director, said in a statement at the time. “This Space Systems Campus will be a significant component within our objectives for a robust and durable space economy that will benefit not only the nation’s efforts to explore the Moon, Mars and the asteroids, but all of humanity as the benefits of space exploration research roll home to Earth.”

Texas A&M is developing the $200 million Texas A&M Space Institute, funded by the Texas Space Commission, at the center of the park. The facility broke ground last year and will focus on academic, government and commercial collaboration, as well as workforce training programs. ACMI is developing the facilities at Exploration Park.

Once completed, Exploration Park is expected to feature at least 20 build-to-suit facilities over at least 1.5 million square feet. It will offer research and development space, laboratories, clean rooms, office space and light manufacturing capabilities for the aerospace, robotics, life support systems, advanced manufacturing and artificial intelligence industries.

According to the GHP, Griffin Partners has also been selected to serve as the co-developer of Exploration Park. Gensler is leading the design and Walter P Moore is overseeing civil engineering.

Houston cleantech co. plans first-of-its-kind sustainable aviation fuel facility

coming soon

Houston-based Syzygy Plasmonics announced plans to develop what it calls the world's first electrified facility to convert biogas into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

The facility, known as NovaSAF 1, will be located in Durazno, Uruguay. It is expected to produce over 350,000 gallons of SAF annually, which would be considered “a breakthrough in cost-effective, scalable clean fuel,” according to the company.

"This is more than just a SAF plant; it's a new model for biogas economics," Trevor Best, CEO of Syzygy Plasmonics, said in a news release. "We're unlocking a global asset class of underutilized biogas sites and turning them into high-value clean fuel hubs without pipelines, costly gas separation, or subsidy dependence.”

The project is backed by long-term feedstock and site agreements with one of Uruguay's largest dairy and agri-energy operations, Estancias del Lago, while the permitting and equipment sourcing are ongoing alongside front-end engineering work led by Kent.

Syzygy says the project will result in a 50 percent higher SAF yield than conventional thermal biogas reforming pathways and will utilize both methane and CO2 naturally found in biogas as feedstocks, eliminating the need for expensive CO2 separation technologies and infrastructure. Additionally, the modular facility will be designed for easy replication in biogas-rich regions.

The new facility is expected to begin commercial operations in Q1 2027 and produce SAF with at least an 80 percent reduction in carbon intensity compared to Jet A fuel. The company says that once fully commercialized the facility will produce SAF at Jet-A fuel cost parity.

“We believe NovaSAF represents one of the few viable pathways to producing SAF at jet parity and successfully decarbonizing air travel,” Best added in the release.

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This article originally ran on EnergyCapital.

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