Resumes do not tell the full story as it is and it’s almost impossible for applicants to put their potential, soft skills and work personality into a document to be reviewed, but this Houston startup has a solution. Photo via Getty Images

Confident job seekers have mostly been of the mindset that if they can just get in front of an employer, they can sell themselves into an offer for the open position. The obstacle then, is getting through the screening process to get an actual interview.

Until recently, the price of admission for starting or progressing in a desired career was a resume and cover letter stellar enough to catch the eye of the human resources and recruiting team. Outside of being buried in the immense pile of resumes recruiters do not have the bandwidth to get to, standing out in the sea of candidates can be daunting.

Resumes do not tell the full story as it is and it’s almost impossible for applicants to put their potential, soft skills and work personality into a document to be reviewed. So, what’s the solution?

It is a multi-layered problem, which requires a multi-layered solution, but one of the options gaining steam in the recruitment space is provided by SeekerPitch, a Houston-based HR technology platform utilizing generative AI to make hiring and interviewing more efficient.

“I've noticed that there's a ton of people that slip through the cracks,” says Ryan Reisner, president and founder of SeekerPitch and The Reisner Group. “And we spend all our time interviewing people to see if they have the soft skills. Resumes are hard skills. And now with AI, anybody can build the same exact resume. Everybody can say they have communication skills, leadership skills, and a lot of people say they have those.

“But when it's all said and done, you interview those people to find out if they truly have them, and many of them don't have them. So, the resume is just a door opener. The door closer is the soft skills. So, with me being an underdog and growing up in underserved communities and just hoping to be found and applying to a bunch of places, I asked, what do I need to do to stand out from the crowd?”

Creating a solution

In addition to adding value during the actual interview, SeekerPitch solves the problem of feedback for applicants. Photo via SeekerPitch

That thought sparked the idea for the SeekerPitch platform and its signature feature that enables candidates to create video cover letters and skill-specific videos, allowing them to showcase their soft skills and personality.

In short, static candidate profiles come to life via SeekerPitch’s Pitch Sessions feature, which is purpose-built for job seekers to flesh out their full self and for employers to host multiple rounds of interviews with actionable insights from the platform’s generative AI to facilitate well-informed hiring decisions.

“Our product gives the employer a 30-second elevator pitch of an individual so they can interview people that are better fits for the jobs they are trying to fill,” says Reisner. “Unlike our competitors, we are normalizing ‘speed interviewing’ to maintain a more personal, holistic approach to the virtual interview.

“While the employer is interviewing the candidate in real time, the platform is transcribing the interview so the built-in AI model can give feedback such as culture fit, other mechanisms such as specific skills for a sales position and a total summary on that candidate’s ability to succeed in the role, which is enabling employers to make better hiring decisions and is vastly increasing the quality of the talent pool.”

In addition to adding value during the actual interview, SeekerPitch solves the problem of feedback for applicants.

“After the interview is completed, the employer has three choices: interested, still deciding and not interested,” adds Reisner. “And then if the employer is still deciding, it gives them a 72-hour countdown to make a decision and once that 72-hour window is over, that candidate is automatically rejected.

“What we have found is that job seekers, whether they're in the running or not, they just want to know, if they are moving forward or not. With our platform, they’re not stranded in feedback limbo for two plus weeks, so they love that part. They also like the holistic part where they're being judged off of who they are, their authenticity, and also their personality traits.”

Benefiting both sides of the equation

Ryan Reisner is the president and founder of SeekerPitch and The Reisner Group. Photo via LinkedIn

Another prime feature for employers is the video job description, which is expanding its reach with its intended audience: job seekers.

With everyone, including those in the candidate pool, now watching short-form videos on TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube as a lifestyle, employers can reach the next generation of the workforce using video job postings via the platform.

“Statistics show that 90 percent of job seekers don't even read job descriptions,” says Reisner. ”So, employers are automatically getting a poor candidate pool because it's easy to apply for job seekers and they just apply because it’s a numbers game. But what we have found is that the video job descriptions are an engaging medium that has vastly increased the quality candidate pool, as opposed to quantity.”

Another facet of SeekerPitch’s goal to streamline hiring is the automated scheduling process, whereby the platform uses chatbots to chat in real time with job seekers to get the best availability for interview time slots.

“We’ve also implemented an AI feature that helps the interviewer prepare for the interview based on the candidate’s profile, application and resume,” says Reisner. “It will provide questions to the interviewer that they might not have otherwise thought to ask to dive deeper into the candidate’s overall fit for the role. And based on the candidate's answers, more questions will populate tailored to that candidate.

“Then, after that interview is completed, and the employer is interested in moving the candidate forward in the interview process, it queues up the next interviewer in line to schedule that second or next round interview and so on. This automatically synchs with the employer’s applicant tracking system to get the employer all the way through the hiring process.”

Leveling the playing field

SeekerPitch won the third annual CodeLaunch Houston. Photo by Natalie Harms/InnovationMap

SeekerPitch’s goal is to also raise awareness about unconscious bias in the hiring process and point it out so that an employer can review any biases their team may have and improve upon them for their process moving forward.

Thanks to the platform’s unprecedented growth and innovation, SeekerPitch won over the crowd at the third annual CodeLaunch Houston event in March. The company has now moved on to CodeLaunch “World Championship” event in Dallas latter this month. The competition brings together the 8 best and the fastest-growing startups to compete for $50,000 in deployed investments and showcase their potential to venture capitalists and angel investors from across the country.

Whether or not SeekerPitch wins the competition, they’ll continue to make strides in the hiring vertical.

“Video is powerful,” says Reisner. “It can tell a story, so our platform makes it a better experience for the job seeker, giving them a competitive edge and helps them stand out from the crowd. We’ve only been in business for six months, but we will continue to disrupt the industry with this platform, especially with the proliferation of AI.”

Blue People has named Luis Arregoces as the company’s first chief artificial intelligence officer. Photo courtesy of Blue People

Houston software shop bets on AI with new C-suite member

eyes on AI

A Houston-based software company has named its first chief artificial intelligence officer.

Blue People has named Luis Arregoces as the company’s CAIO. With 20 years of experience, Arregoces has led AI projects for global Fortune 100 companies in various industries.

He has a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of New Mexico and is an adjunct professor in Statistics and Data Science at the University of Houston. He previously led the Applied Intelligence and Data Science at Accenture's Innovation Hub.

“We are beyond excited to have Luis on board,” Alfredo Arvide, chief innovation officer of Blue People, says in a news release. “His leadership and vision will allow Blue People to help clients and C-level executives develop AI roadmaps and solutions for real-time analytics, secure data sharing, and technology-agnostic ecosystems that will shape the future of innovation across all industries in Houston and throughout the region.”

Blue People has offices in Houston, Austin, Texas, and Monterrey, México. Blue People was named People’s Choice: Startup of the Year at the 2023 Houston Innovation Awards. The company also recently participated in CodeLaunch Houston, where its startup partner won the judges' pick in the competition.

“I am honored to join Blue People and be a part of this historic moment,” Arregoces says in a news release. ”Together, we have the opportunity to shape the future of AI in Houston and beyond. AI’s versatility and transformative potential make it indispensable across all industries to drive innovations, efficiency, and competitiveness.”

SeekerPitch won the third annual CodeLaunch Houston. Photo by Natalie Harms/InnovationMap

2 Houston workforce solutions startups win at annual software pitch competition

winner, winner

The third annual CodeLaunch Houston event resulted in two winners — one chosen by the audience, the other by judges — both tackling separate issues in the future of work.

SeekerPitch, a next-generation hiring platform that provides artificial intelligence-enhanced and video technology tools to both job hunters and hiring teams, took the grant prize, which was voted on by the audience of the February 28 event. The team was supported by Honeycomb Software, which won last year's competition too with its startup partner, E360.

"In Gen Z right now, landing an interview is like winning the lottery," Ryan Reisner, president and founder of SeekerPitch, says in his pitch at the event. "And employers have their own set of problems — they're having a hard time connecting with the next generation."

iShiftX, supported by Houston-based Blue People, secured the judges' award with a tie-breaking vote. The company, founded by Landi Spearman, uses digital twin technology to provide 24/7 leadership coaching at a scalable level.

"Leaders have the biggest impact on our teams, our children, on the future, and on the next generation," Spearman says in her final appeal to judges and the audience. She called out the burnout and stress of leadership and coaching, and she pitched her tech enabled solution.

In addition to SeekerPitch and iShiftX, four other startups with their development support partners pitched, including:

The competition consisted of three rounds where two startups went head-to-head, and attendees were asked to vote for their favorite pitch. SeekerPitch, iShiftX, and Allonge Financial made it to the final round before the two winners were announced based on a final round of voting.
Ad Placement 300x100
Ad Placement 300x600

CultureMap Emails are Awesome

9 can't-miss Houston business and innovation events for June

where to be

Editor's note: From lightning pitches to a female-focused AI summit and energy conferences, there's still plenty to do as Houston settles into the summer. Here are the Houston business and innovation events you can't miss in June and how to register. Please note: this article might be updated to add more events.


June 3 – Founders Live Houston 

Watch five Houston founders present their 99-second pitches at Founders Live Houston. Competing teams include AyeDu (Vinita Gupta), Omniscale (Tony Hernandez-Ferman), AnswerPath (Chris Mullins), Katana.video (Sam Bhattacharyya) and TraceWrap (Laketta B.).

This event is Tuesday, May 3, at 5:30 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

June 4 – Center for Human Performance Research & Networking Event

Rice University and Houston Methodist's Center for Human Performance will host an event to support its work in the study of exercise physiology, injury prevention and rehabilitation. The organizations will share more information on seed grant opportunities, and the event will feature presentations from Rice and Houston Methodist leaders, networking sessions and a poster showcase.

This event is Wednesday, June 4, from 3-5:30 p.m. at the BioScience Research Collaborative at Rice University. Register here.

June 12 – Transition on Tap

Meet and hear lighting pitches from eight of Greentown Labs’ newest startup members. Attendees can network with entrepreneurs, investors, corporate leaders, philanthropists, students and other climate champions. Georgina Campbell Flatter, CEO of Greentown Labs, and Victor Martinez, Greentown's memberships manager, will also speak.

This event is Thursday, June 12, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Greentown Houston. Register here.

June 16-18 — Energy Drone & Robotics Summit

This three-day summit, the largest of its kind, will connect 1,500-plus leaders in the global energy/industrial robotics, drone and data sectors. Attendees will glean the latest ideas, use cases, best practices, tech and trends from a wide variety of robotics and drone industry experts.

This event begins June 16 at Woodlands Waterway Marriott. Register here.

June 17 – SGSF’s #SUPERGirlsInSTEM Summit, The Intersection of AI & Workforce

SUPERGirls SHINE Foundation is hosting a one-day summit for women ages 18-24 focused on the evolving intersection of AI and the STEM workforce. The conference will feature keynote speakers, panel discussions and hands-on workshops.

This event is Tuesday, June 17, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

June 18 – 2025 Obsidi BNXT: Juneteenth Tech Forum

Obsidi.com, an online platform launched by the Black Professionals in Tech Network (BPTN), will host a forum for high-performing Black and allied tech executives. The event offers networking opportunities, keynotes and panels that feature executives from Echelon Health Partners, Hewlett-Packard Enterprise, SAP, Intuit and more.

The event is Wednesday, June 18, at NRG Center. Register here.

June 24 — Houston Methodist Leadership Speaker Series

Head to the Houston Methodist Tech Hub at Ion to hear the latest installment of the Houston Methodist Leadership Speaker Series. Trent Fulin, vice president and CEO at Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital, will discuss the new 105-acre campus and its first 100 days of patient care, followed by a Q&A.

This event is Tuesday, June 23, from 4:45-6 p.m. Register here.

June 25-26 – Carbon Capture Technology Expo and  Hydrogen Technology Conference & Expo North America

Tackling climate change is one of the biggest global challenges that requires immediate action, and many industrial sectors are now looking to new technology to help meet net-zero emission targets. The Carbon Capture Technology Expo is North America's leading event for carbon capture, utilization and storage. The expo offers opportunities to network with industry frontrunners and best-in-class solution providers.

This event begins June 25 at NRG Center. Click here to register. It is co-located with the Hydrogen Technology Conference & Expo North America. Expo passes are free.

June 26 – NASA Tech Talk

Every fourth Thursday of the month, NASA experts, including longtime engineer Montgomery Goforth, present on technology development challenges NASA’s Johnson Space Center and the larger aerospace community are facing and how Houston’s innovation community can leverage them. Stick around after for drinks and networking at Second Draught.

This event is Thursday, June 26, from 6-7 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

3 Houston innovators who made headlines in May 2025

Innovators to Know

Editor's note: Houston innovators are making waves this month with revolutionary VC funding, big steps towards humanoid robotics, and software that is impacting the agriculture sector. Here are three Houston innovators to know right now.

Zach Ellis, founder and partner of South Loop Ventures

Zach Ellis. Photo via LinkedIn

Zach Ellis Jr., founder and general partner of South Loop Ventures, says the firm wants to address the "billion-dollar blind spot" of inequitable distribution of venture capital to underrepresented founders of color. The Houston-based firm recently closed its debut fund for more than $21 million. Learn more.

Ty Audronis, CEO and founder of Tempest Droneworx

Ty Audronis, CEO and founder of Tempest Droneworx

Ty Audronis, center. Photo via LinkedIn.

Ty Audronis and his company, Tempest Droneworx, made a splash at SXSW Interactive 2025, winning the Best Speed Pitch award at the annual festival. The company is known for it flagship product, Harbinger, a software solution that agnostically gathers data at virtually any scale and presents that data in easy-to-understand visualizations using a video game engine. Audronis says his company won based on its merits and the impact it’s making and will make on the world, beginning with agriculture. Learn more.

Nicolaus Radford, CEO of Persona AI

Nicolaus Radford, founder and CEO of Nauticus RoboticsNicolaus Radford. Image via LinkedIn

Houston-based Persona AI and CEO Nicolaus Radford continue to make steps toward deploying a rugged humanoid robot, and with that comes the expansion of its operations at Houston's Ion. Radford and company will establish a state-of-the-art development center in the prominent corner suite on the first floor of the building, with the expansion slated to begin in June. “We chose the Ion because it’s more than just a building — it’s a thriving innovation ecosystem,” Radford says. Learn more.