Houstonians get revved up at exclusive AutomotiveMap launch party

Vroom, vroom

Gow Media launched a new platform and sister site to InnovationMap with a reception at The Grove on Nov. 5. Photo by Jacob Power

On a crisp Election Night evening, Houstonians motored to The Grove to mix and mingle at the exclusive launch party for the hottest new destination for car lovers, AutomotiveMap.

The newest site from Gow Media and the team behind CultureMap, InnovationMap, and SportsMap, AutomotiveMap will steer passionate readers to the latest car news and inside looks at the hottest rides, from an army of in-the-know experts.

The exclusive event featured a host of business leaders, social stars, and motoring enthusiasts. Gow Media CEO David Gow welcomed guests, explaining the "wild ride" growth of Gow Media's platforms and introducing the new site and founding editor, Eileen Falkenberg-Hull.

"What I love about Eileen is that she knows everything about about autos, she's a great writer, and she's savvy," Gow noted.

Falkenberg-Hull laid out the map for AutomotiveMap. "AutomotiveMap appeals to the average customer with the goal of informing their purchasing decisions," she explained. "It engages with enthusiasts and works to encourage enthusiasm among those discovering their passion. And it covers a wide variety of material from new cars to auto industry innovations to sexy cars and car culture."

While trading cool car stories, guests noshed on a feast provided by The Grove, including bacon-wrapped quail, fried truffle macaroni and cheese, tuna tartare tacos, avocado toast with lentils and radishes, and fried fish fritters. A smorgasbord in the form of a massive antipasto station with cured meats and cheeses greeted diners.

Attendees also snapped pics at the selfie booth and clamored around ESPN 97.5 hosts Fred Faour, A.J. Hoffman, and Glenn Davis as the teams broadcasted live from the event.

"I don't think people realize how many people have a passion for cars in this city," said avid car collector Alan Stein, whose collection ranges from a 1935 Chrysler AirFlow to new Ferraris. "A lot of it is under the radar. I think people love their cars, their collections, and so this will be interesting."

Seen in the crowd were NBA legend, Elvin Hayes; Nick Florescu; Elizabeth Stein; Lawson Gow; John and Leah Manlove; John and Mary Craddock; David Stevenson; Scott and Linda Burdine; Steven and Andi Berkman; Mark and Meredith Barineau; Audrey Gow; Natalie Harms; Chris Dvorachek; Justin Makris; and Neal Patel.

Revved-up enthusiasts can follow AutomotiveMap daily as well as on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

"The launch party is just the beginning," said Falkenberg-Hull. "AutomotiveMap will evolve to be a true multimedia destination for everything automotive."

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This article originally ran on CultureMap.

AutomotiveMap is the newest outlet from Gow Media. Courtesy graphic

Announcing AutomotiveMap: The new destination for auto enthusiasts has arrived

Calling all car fans

The automotive industry is now on the map. Gow Media, the large multi-platform media company with leading online destinations CultureMap, SportsMap, and InnovationMap, as well as sports radio properties ESPN 97.5 FM in Houston and SB Nation Radio, has announced the launch of its newest outlet, AutomotiveMap.

The new site will cover industry news from coast to coast, provide auto reviews, showcase innovation, and serve as a thoughtful guide to consumers.

"We are excited to add AutomotiveMap to our portfolio of media platforms," says David Gow, CEO of Gow Media. "We now have four content categories — culture, sports, innovation, and automotive — all under the 'map' brand identity. And we love that each of these categories taps into the passions of our audiences.

"Eileen Falkenberg-Hull will serve as inaugural editor of AutomotiveMap. She brings 10 years of digital publishing experience to her new position and has covered the automotive segment exclusively for five years, with regular bylines in Trucks.com, U.S. News & World Report, and American City Business Journals. She is a co-host of Let's Talk Wheels on SB Nation Radio.

In her new role, Falkenberg-Hull will report to Arden Ward, vice president of editorial for Gow Media statewide. "Eileen is an outstanding addition to our team," says Ward. "Her enthusiasm for the auto industry is unmatched, and, as editor, she blends her extensive knowledge with an approachable voice that connects to our readers."

"I am thrilled to become part of Gow Media," says Falkenberg-Hull. "I have been impressed with the creative energy, professionalism, and commitment to storytelling that the team has. AutomotiveMap will be both informative and highly engaging; it will educate consumers and delight enthusiasts."

AutomotiveMap is the latest addition to Gow Media's ever-growing portfolio. Since acquiring CultureMap in February of 2017, Gow has launched SportsMap; InnovationMap; and GiftingMap, an e-commerce site.

"Our other site launches are going very well — we are experiencing tremendous audience and revenue growth — enabling us to step out again with AutomotiveMap," says David Gow.

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This article originally ran on CultureMap.

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Autonomous truck co. goes public and more innovation news to know

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Editor's note: It's time to catch up on the top Houston innovation news for the first half of November. From major investments to a big boost in dementia research, here are the most-read InnovationMap stories from Nov. 1-15, 2025:

1. Autonomous truck company with Houston routes goes public

Kodiak Robotics has formed Kodiak AI, whose stock now trades on the Nasdaq market. Photo via kodiak.ai.

Kodiak Robotics, a provider of AI-powered autonomous vehicle technology, has gone public through a SPAC merger and has rebranded as Kodiak AI. The company operates trucking routes to and from Houston, which has served as a launchpad for the business. Privately held Kodiak, founded in 2018, merged with a special purpose acquisition company — publicly held Ares Acquisition Corp. II — to form Kodiak AI, whose stock now trades on the Nasdaq market. Continue reading.

2. Venus Aerospace picks up investment from Lockheed Martin Ventures

Lockheed Martin Ventures says it's committed to helping Houston-based Venus Aerospace scale its technology. Photo courtesy Venus Aerospace

Venus Aerospace, a Houston-based startup specializing in next-generation rocket engine propulsion, has received funding from Lockheed Martin Ventures, the investment arm of aerospace and defense contractor Lockheed Martin, for an undisclosed amount. The product lineup at Lockheed Martin includes rockets. The investment follows Venus’ successful high-thrust test flight of its rotating detonation rocket engine (RDRE) in May. Venus says it’s the only company in the world that makes a flight-proven, high-thrust RDRE with a “clear path to scaled production.” Continue reading.

3. America's first Ismaili Center set to open in Houston in December

Nearly 20 years in the making, The Ismaili Center, Houston, opens in December 2025. Photo by Iwan Baan

The long-awaited Ismaili Center, Houston is set to open to the public next month. The 11-acre site has been painstakingly designed and constructed to offer indoor and outdoor public spaces for Houstonians to enjoy, connect, and engage. As the only Ismaili Center in the United States — and seventh in the world — it joins its international communities in London, Vancouver, Lisbon, Dubai, Dushanbe, and Toronto. Community welcome events are scheduled for December 12 and 13, but, until then, here are 10 features and things to know about the Ismaili Center, Houston. Continue reading.

4. Texas voters OK $3 billion for new dementia research institute

Thanks to the passage of Proposition 14, Texas now boasts the country’s largest state-funded initiative dedicated to dementia research and prevention. Photo via Unsplash.

Texas voters on Nov. 4 overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure that provides $3 billion in state funding over a 10-year span for the newly established Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (DPRIT). Thanks to the passage of Proposition 14, Texas now boasts the country’s largest state-funded initiative dedicated to dementia research and prevention, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Up to $300 million in grants will be awarded during the 10-year funding period. Continue reading.

5. 2025 Houston Innovation Awards winners revealed at annual event

2025 Houston Innovation Awards winners revealed at annual eventThe 2025 Houston Innovation Awards winners have been revealed. Courtesy photo

After weeks of anticipation, the 2025 Houston Innovation Awards winners have been revealed. Finalists, judges, and VIPs from Houston's vibrant innovation community gathered on Nov. 13 at Greentown Labs for the fifth annual event. This year, the Houston Innovation Awards recognized more than 40 finalists, with winners unveiled in 10 categories. Continue reading.

TMC, Memorial Hermann launch partnership to spur new patient care technologies

medtech partnership

Texas Medical Center and Memorial Hermann Health System have launched a new collaboration for developing patient care technology.

Through the partnership, Memorial Hermann employees and physicians will now be able to participate in the TMC Center for Device Innovation (CDI), which will assist them in translating product innovation ideas into working prototypes. The first group of entrepreneurs will pitch their innovations in early 2026, according to a release from TMC.

“Memorial Hermann is excited to launch this new partnership with the TMC CDI,” Ini Ekiko Thomas, vice president of information technology at Memorial Hermann, said in the news release. “As we continue to grow (a) culture of innovation, we look forward to supporting our employees, affiliated physicians and providers in new ways.”

Mentors from Memorial Hermann, TMC Innovation and industry experts with specialties in medicine, regulatory strategy, reimbursement planning and investor readiness will assist with the program. The innovators will also gain access to support systems like product innovation and translation strategy, get dedicated engineering and machinist resources and personal workbench space at the CDI.

“The prototyping facilities and opportunities at TMC are world-class and globally recognized, attracting innovators from around the world to advance their technologies,” Tom Luby, chief innovation officer at TMC Innovation Factor, said in the release.

Memorial Hermann says the partnership will support its innovation hub’s “pilot and scale approach” and hopes that it will extend the hub’s impact in “supporting researchers, clinicians and staff in developing patentable, commercially viable products.”

“We are excited to expand our partnership with Memorial Hermann and open the doors of our Center for Device Innovation to their employees and physicians—already among the best in medical care,” Luby added in the release. “We look forward to seeing what they accomplish next, utilizing our labs and gaining insights from top leaders across our campus.”

Google to invest $40 billion in AI data centers in Texas

Google is investing a huge chunk of money in Texas: According to a release, the company will invest $40 billion on cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, with the development of new data centers in Armstrong and Haskell counties.

The company announced its intentions at a meeting on November 14 attended by federal, state, and local leaders including Gov. Greg Abbott who called it "a Texas-sized investment."

Google will open two new data center campuses in Haskell County and a data center campus in Armstrong County.

Additionally, the first building at the company’s Red Oak campus in Ellis County is now operational. Google is continuing to invest in its existing Midlothian campus and Dallas cloud region, which are part of the company’s global network of 42 cloud regions that deliver high-performance, low-latency services that businesses and organizations use to build and scale their own AI-powered solutions.

Energy demands

Google is committed to responsibly growing its infrastructure by bringing new energy resources onto the grid, paying for costs associated with its operations, and supporting community energy efficiency initiatives.

One of the new Haskell data centers will be co-located with — or built directly alongside — a new solar and battery energy storage plant, creating the first industrial park to be developed through Google’s partnership with Intersect and TPG Rise Climate announced last year.

Google has contracted to add more than 6,200 megawatts (MW) of net new energy generation and capacity to the Texas electricity grid through power purchase agreements (PPAs) with energy developers such as AES Corporation, Enel North America, Intersect, Clearway, ENGIE, SB Energy, Ørsted, and X-Elio.

Water demands

Google’s three new facilities in Armstrong and Haskell counties will use air-cooling technology, limiting water use to site operations like kitchens. The company is also contributing $2.6 million to help Texas Water Trade create and enhance up to 1,000 acres of wetlands along the Trinity-San Jacinto Estuary. Google is also sponsoring a regenerative agriculture program with Indigo Ag in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and an irrigation efficiency project with N-Drip in the Texas High Plains.

In addition to the data centers, Google is committing $7 million in grants to support AI-related initiatives in healthcare, energy, and education across the state. This includes helping CareMessage enhance rural healthcare access; enabling the University of Texas at Austin and Texas Tech University to address energy challenges that will arise with AI, and expanding AI training for Texas educators and students through support to Houston City College.

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This article originally appeared on CultureMap.com.

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