3 Houston innovators to know this week

who's who

This week's roundup of Houston innovators includes Erica Sinner of DanceKard, Angela Wilkins of Rice University, and Gina Luna of GP Capital Partners. Courtesy photos

Editor's note: In this week's roundup of Houston innovators to know, I'm introducing you to three local innovators across industries — from dating tech to investment — recently making headlines in Houston innovation.

Erica Sinner, founder of DanceKard

Houston-based DanceKard is focused on getting singles off the endless swiping in order to make lasting connections and relationships. Photo courtesy of DanceKard

A proud Houstonian, Erica Sinner, whose background is in commercial real estate, was interested in creating a dating app that brought in local businesses. She launched DanceKard with several different offerings — all geared at driving in-person connections. Users can join the app to find events — not necessarily singles-specific events, although those are an option, but meetups where you know a certain number of singles will be in attendance.

"We focus a lot on group dating," Sinner explains. "That's something nobody does."

Singles, along with their single friends, can indicate on the app that they are interested in four, six, or eight-person dates, and see if their are other groups of friends looking to connect. Click here to read more.

Angela Wilkins, executive director of the Ken Kennedy Institute at Rice University

"Better and personalized healthcare through AI is still a hugely challenging problem that will take an army of scientists and engineers." Photo courtesy

Angela Wilkins, executive director of the Ken Kennedy Institute at Rice University, knows data and artificial intelligence can hold bias. It is, after all, designed by humans who have biases whether they know it or not. An issue with this is when these biases affect health care.

"AI presents the opportunity to bring greater personalization to healthcare, but it equally presents the risk of entrenching existing inequalities. We have the opportunity in front of us to take a considered approach to data collection, regulation, and use that will provide a fuller and fairer picture and enable the next steps for AI in healthcare," Wilkins writes in her guest column. Click here to read more.

Gina Luna, partner at GP Capital Partners

Gina Luna joins the Houston Innovators Podcast this week. Photo courtesy of Gina Luna

For most of Gina Luna's career, which includes two decades at JP Morgan before running her own strategic consulting firm, her bread and butter has been working with privately held, lower-middle market companies. Her latest endeavor is no different.

Luna — along with Paul Hobby, and Peter Shaper at Genesis Park — have joined forces to create GP Capital Partners, a new $275 million fund structured as a Small Business Investment Company. The fund will deploy funding into 20 to 25 companies within the region.

"The four of us just thought there was a real opportunity to bring this kind of capital to middle market companies in Houston, Texas, an the Gulf Coast region," Luna says on this week's episode of the Houston Innovators Podcast. "We have already seen, even in the relatively early days, there is a need an an opportunity to invest in great companies, and we are really excited to be doing that." Click here to read more and stream the podcast.

Houston-based DanceKard is focused on getting singles off the endless swiping in order to make lasting connections and relationships. Photo courtesy of DanceKard

Houston entrepreneur is flipping the switch on online dating with new app

so over swiping

Like most people who are single and looking for a relationship, Erica Sinner is familiar with the dating apps. She's swiped and messaged with men in her area, but has little to show for it other than comically lazy responses from not-so potential soulmates.

Then Sinner had an idea. What if there was a platform that encouraged meetups and group dates and limited in-app conversations? An anti-dating app platform that took users off their phones, paused endless swiping, and also gave local businesses — bars, restaurants, etc. — a chance to host events or generate new business?

Then she thought, why not create it herself? Sinner started DanceKard to fill this need within the dating app landscape. After a soft launch a couple months ago, the app has over 170 users on the platform and recently joined gBETA's early-stage accelerator program.

"I think people forgot how great an in-person meeting is whenever you're getting to know someone," Sinner tells InnovationMap. "I love the fact that dating apps have made it easier to meet people, but at the end of the day, after you spend three days or a week talking to someone and then you meet them in person, and there's just something you don't like."

Sinner explains it like reading the book before seeing the movie — everyone is going to seem better when you build them up in your head.

"I've found, personally, there are guys who I met in person who are amazing, and I just wouldn't have thought that if I saw them online first," she says.

The name is a callback to when women connected with their suitors at a local dance. Women penciled in dances with their gentlemen callers, and that's how they got to know them — through a spin around the dancefloor.

"We're the modern day version of that type of dating," Sinner says, with less dancing but right in line with generating in-person conenctions.

A proud Houstonian, Sinner, whose background is in commercial real estate, was interested in bringing in local businesses from the start. DanceKard has several different offerings — all geared at driving in-person connections. Users can join the app to find events — not necessarily singles-specific events, although those are an option, but meetups where you know a certain number of singles will be in attendance.

"We focus a lot on group dating," Sinner explains. "That's something nobody does."

Singles, along with their single friends, can indicate on the app that they are interested in four, six, or eight-person dates, and see if their are other groups of friends looking to connect.

DanceKard also provides discounts and deals at its business partners' establishments. This drives business while also making deciding where to meet up a lot easier — and affordable.

"Everyone knows dating can get expensive — especially for the guys," Sinner says. "So, daters can go out on these dates and use a discount."

At the end of the day, DanceKard and Sinner are laser focused on creating relationships for their users. Modern dating has been defined by swiping on apps or drinking in bars, but that doesn't have to be your only options. DanceKard's events and opportunities will be more than just at bars — users can meet at the museum or the zoo and have an activity to connect with others over.

"People are looking for things other than drinking," she says. "They're realizing that if they are going to a bar where there are singles, that doesn't equate to a relationship."

For now, she's also focused on her hometown of Houston and is really being intentional about supporting local businesses and Houstonians themselves.

"Houston is a great opportunity," she says. "It's not about me, it's about this town. We have great people and great businesses."

Here's what companies are in the latest cohort for gBETA. Photo courtesy of gBETA

Early-stage accelerator announces 5 startups to its fall 2021 Houston cohort

ready to grow

An early-stage accelerator has picked its latest cohort of five Houston companies.

The Fall 2020 cohort of gBETA Houston includes:

AllIDoIsCook is founded by Tobi Smith and focused on exposing the world to Africa's cuisine by manufacturing gourmet food products delivered directly to customer doors and available at grocers. Since launching, AllIDoIsCook has built out a manufacturing facility, shipped over 8,000 boxes and generated $1.1 million in revenue all without outside funding.
Chasing Watts makes it easy for cyclists to coordinate or find rides with fellow riders in their area with its web-based and native application. The company has over 3,000 users and grew 135 percent from Q2 to Q3 in new ride views.
DanceKard, founded by Erica Sinner, is a new dating platform that connects individuals and groups with one another by bringing the date to the forefront of the conversation and making scheduling faster and easier with special promotions featuring local establishments. Since launching in August of 2021, DanceKard has over 170 users on the platform.
Dollarito is a digital lending platform that helps the low-income Hispanic population with no credit history or low FICO score access fair credit. Founded by Carmen Roman, Dollarito applies AI into banking, transactional and behavioral data to evaluate the repayment capability more accurately than using FICO scores. The company has1,000 users on their waitlist and plans to beta test with 100 or more customers in early 2022.
SeekerPitch, founded by Samantha Hepler, operates with the idea that jobseekers' past job titles and resumes are not always indicative of their true capabilities. Launched last month, SeekerPitch empowers companies to see who jobseekers are as people, and get to know them through comprehensive profiles and virtual speed interviews, and the company already has 215 jobseekers and 20 companies on the platform, with one pilot at University of Houston and three more in the pipeline.

The companies kicked off their cohort in person on October 18, and the program concludes on December 14 with the gBETA Houston Fall 2021 Pitch Night. At this event, each company will present their five-minute pitch to an audience of mentors, investors, and community members.

"The five founding teams selected for our gBETA Houston Fall 2021 cohort are tackling unique problems they have each experienced personally, from finding access to cultural foods, fitness communities and authentic dating experiences to challenges with non-inclusive financing and hiring practices," says Kate Evinger, director of gBETA Houston, in the release. "The grit and passion these individuals bring to their roles as founders will undoubtedly have a tremendous impact in the Houston community and beyond."

The accelerator has supported 15 Houston startups since it launched in Houston in early 2020. The program, which is free and hosted out of the Downtown Launchpad, is under the umbrella of Madison, Wisconsin-based international accelerator, gener8tor.

"Downtown Launchpad is an innovation hub like no other, and I am so proud of what it is already and what it will become," says Robert Pieroni, director of economic development at Central Houston Inc., in the release. "The five startups selected for the gBETA Houston Fall 2021 cohort are exploring new challenges that can become high-impact Houston businesses."

gBETA announced its plan to launch in Houston in September 2019. The program's inaugural cohort premiered in May and conducted the first program this summer completely virtually. The second cohort took place last fall, and the third ran earlier this year.

"These founders are building their companies and benefiting from the resources Downtown Launchpad provides," Pieroni continues, "and the proof is in the data – companies in these programs are creating jobs, growing their revenues and exponentially increasing their funding, which means these small starts up of today, working in Downtown Launchpad, are growing into the successful companies of tomorrow."

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TMC med-tech company closes $2.5M series A, plans expansion

fresh funding

Insight Surgery, a United Kingdom-based startup that specializes in surgical technology, has raised $2.5 million in a series A round led by New York City-based life sciences investor Nodenza Venture Partners. The company launched its U.S. business in 2023 with the opening of a cleanroom manufacturing facility at Houston’s Texas Medical Center.

The startup says the investment comes on the heels of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granting clearance to the company’s surgical guides for orthopedic surgery. Insight says the fresh capital will support its U.S. expansion, including one new manufacturing facility at an East Coast hospital and another at a West Coast hospital.

Insight says the investment “will provide surgeons with rapid access to sophisticated tools that improve patient outcomes, reduce risk, and expedite recovery.”

Insight’s proprietary digital platform, EmbedMed, digitizes the surgical planning process and allows the rapid design and manufacturing of patient-specific guides for orthopedic surgery.

“Our mission is to make advanced surgical planning tools accessible and scalable across the U.S. healthcare system,” Insight CEO Henry Pinchbeck said in a news release. “This investment allows us to accelerate our plan to enable every orthopedic surgeon in the U.S. to have easy access to personalized surgical devices within surgically meaningful timelines.”

Ross Morton, managing Partner at Nodenza, says Insight’s “disruptive” technology may enable the company to become “the leader in the personalized surgery market.”

The startup recently entered a strategic partnership with Ricoh USA, a provider of information management and digital services for businesses. It also has forged partnerships with the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, University of Chicago Medicine, University of Florida Health and UAB Medicine in Birmingham, Alabama.

2 Houston suburbs named among 10 best places to live by U.S. News & World Report

Where to Live

The Houston suburbs of Pearland and League City have landed among the top 10 best places to live in 2025, according to U.S. News & World Report.

New for the 2025-2026 "Best Places to Live in the U.S." rankings, U.S. News expanded its coverage from 150 to 250 U.S. cities, and updated its methodology to examine each city based on five livability indexes: Quality of life, value, desirability, job market, and net migration.

Pearland ranked No. 3 nationwide, earning a 7.0 score alongside No. 1-winning Johns Creek, Georgia and No. 2 winner Carmel, Indiana.

Pearland also landed on top of U.S. News separate rankings of the best places to live in Texas for 2025-2026.

Some facts about Pearland that put it at the top of the list include its median household income ($115,504), its median home values ($319,753), and its bustling population of nearly 124,000 residents.

Housing costs in Pearland are extremely attractive compared to other places in the country, as the national average home is worth over $370,000. It's no wonder this Houston neighbor has been adding more high-income households than many other places in Texas.

Pearland's population is a healthy mix of young individuals and families, with 29 percent of residents under 20 years old and 36 percent of the population between the ages of 20-44. Nearly a quarter of Pearland's population is between 45-64-years-old, while only 12 percent of residents are over 65, the report says.

Pearland's reputation as one of the safest cities in America is also boosting its community appeal.

Pearland's Pear-Scape Trail is a popular public art trail that residents, families, and visitors can enjoy. The sculptures are scattered all over the city.City of Pearland - Government/Facebook

"Finding a community to be part of can play a major role in making a place feel like home," U.S. News said. "If you’re a parent with young children, you may want to live in a neighborhood with other people in that phase of life. If you’re a professional moving to a hot job market for your field, you may want to live in an apartment close to the office or within walking distance of friends and colleagues."

Pearland also enjoys a better job market than other cities, the report added. Pearland's unemployment rate as of 2023 was only 3.6 percent, lower than the national average unemployment rate of 4.5 percent.

However, if people are looking for a public transportation-friendly city, they may need to look elsewhere. Almost all commuters in Pearland drive to their workplaces, making access to a vehicle absolutely necessary for living in the suburb. Pearland's 31.2-minute average commute time is also 9.2 minutes higher than the national average, U.S. News said.

Other Houston-area suburbs

League City ranked three spots behind Pearland as the 6th best place to live in the U.S., and No. 2 in Texas. The city boasts a median household income of $120,670, and affordable median home values at $327,511.

Workers in League City also predominantly rely on vehicles for their daily commutes, and only 3.7 percent of the population use public transport to get to work. Commuters spend an average time of 27.5 minutes driving to work, U.S. News determined.

More than half (63.5 percent) of all League City residents are married, and 54 percent of the population are between the ages of 25 and 64-years-old.

Here's how other Houston-area cities faired among the top 100:

No. 16 – Sugar Land
No. 44 – The Woodlands
No. 45 – Katy
No. 67 – Missouri City
No. 73 – Spring

Houston drops out of the top 100

Though Houston proper made substantial improvements to land among the top 100 best places to live in U.S. News' 2024-2025 report, the city has once again plummeted toward the bottom of the list for 2025-2026.

Houston slumped to No. 381 this year, and only ranked No. 63 in the statewide comparison, showing that the city has lost its charm in favor of its appealing suburban neighbors.

The top 10 best places to live in the U.S. are:

No. 1 – Johns Creek, Georgia
No. 2 – Carmel, Indiana
No. 3 – Pearland, Texas
No. 4 – Fishers, Indiana
No. 5 – Cary, North Carolina
No. 6 – League City, Texas
No. 7 – Apex, North Carolina
No. 8 – Leander, Texas
No. 9 – Rochester Hills, Michigan
No. 10 – Troy, Michigan

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This story originally appeared on CultureMap.com.

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.

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