Check out these seven innovation events in Houston this month. Photo via Getty Images

It's a new year, and it's time to look at what's on the agenda this month for Houston innovators.

Here's a roundup of events not to miss this January — like workshops, summits, meetups, and more.

Note: This post might be updated to add more events.


January 9 — How to Leverage Media

In this session at The Ion, attendees will learn how businesses should and can leverage media opportunities. Leveraging media opportunities, including podcasts, interviews, and articles, is an excellent way to highlight how your product or service can provide a solution. As an entrepreneur, founder, or small business owner, you should attend this workshop to learn how to use media and the platforms to your advantage.

The event is Monday, January 9, at 10 am, at The Ion. Click here to register.

January 10-12 — Ten Across Summit: The Future is Here

Today more than ever, society has access to the future in ways unparalleled in history. The question is, what will people do with this knowledge? Attend the Ten Across Summit: the Future is Here to hear from and engage with esteemed thought leaders and experts. They'll share insights and discuss solutions for the future in topics related to water, heat, energy, infrastructure, equity, risk, and affordable housing. Come and add your voice to the discussions, network, and discover new resources.

The event is Tuesday, January 10, to Thursday, January 11, at Hotel Zaza Museum District and Asia Society Texas Center. Click here to register.

January 20 — HOU Innovation Career Gigs & Tech Expo

The Ion is excited to bring back Startup Gigs in person and a new and expanded format. You don’t want to miss this opportunity to meet Houston’s most innovative companies. HOU Innovation Career Gigs & Tech Expo is a platform to connect you with the HOU tech ecosystem. Explore entry-level job and internship opportunities and discover the HOU tech opportunities.

The event is Friday, January 20, at 2 pm, at The Ion. Click here to register.

January 24 — Engage VC: Activate Capital

Join HX Venture Fund at the Ion on January 24 to hear Raj Atluru, Managing Partner of Activate Capital discuss his perspective on how to scale a startup successfully, how Houston can become the leader in the energy transition movement, how to build great companies, and what investors are looking for among other topics.

The event is Tuesday, January 24, at 8:30 am, at The Ion. Click here to register.

January 24 — 2022 Nobel Prize: From Einstein's Disbelief to Quantum Technology

The worldview presented by quantum physics contradicts seemingly self-evident truths, for example, that objects have a well-defined position. Such preposterous implications were directly demonstrated by the experiments that were awarded the 2022 Nobel Prize in physics. This session will cover these experiments, the radically different picture they give of our world, and how physicists now use these quantum effects to create technology such as quantum computers.

The event is Tuesday, January 24, at 5 pm, at The Ion. Click here to register.

January 30 — Creating Space for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Join The Ion to hear from Tracie Jae, Founder of The Quiet Rebel, will share a paradigm shift designed to disrupt the current DEI model.

The event is Monday, January 30, at 10 am, at The Ion. Click here to register.

January 31 — Bots & Brews

This is the top winter meetup of the Energy Drone / Robotics / Data crowd, with over 100 industrial robotics and UAV leaders, investors and startups attending. Enjoy beer, bites and bots! Energy companies and tech/service providers will be sharing their 2023 plans, projects and solutions.


The event is on Tuesday, January 31, from 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm at The Ion. Click here to register.

Here's your one-stop shop for innovation events in Houston this month. Photo via Getty Images

5+ can't-miss Houston business and innovation events for January

where to be

Houstonians have the chance to start off the new year with a bang. In this batch of in-person and online innovation events, you can check out five Houston innovation and entrepreneurship events you and your tech network need to know about.

Here's a roundup of events not to miss this month — and this article will be updated as more business and tech events are announced.

January 5 — Business Planning with SCORE

A business plan is an important planning tool for raising startup capital and helping you monitor progress of your business venture. It is a “living” document that should be updated often. The webinar will help you prepare a realistic plan in a very easy way that focuses on answering audience questions rather than fitting into a prescribed format. No business should be started or maintained without a plan. The method presented in the webinar is different from following a traditional template approach which can be sometimes overwhelming and disjointed.

The event is on Wednesday, January 5, at 10 am It's free and happening online. Click here to register.

January 14 —  Innovation, Science Education, and the Enhancement of Americans' Quality of Life

Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy will host a breakfast reception and presentation – Innovation, Science Education, and the Enhancement of Americans' Quality of Life – which will examine the ways in which innovation, science and technology are used in tandem to solve the challenges society faces on both a national and global scale.

The Honorable Sethuraman Panchanathan, Director of the United States National Science Foundation and a distinguished leader in computer science, engineering and entrepreneurship, is the featured speaker.

The event is on Friday, January 14, at 7:30 am It's free and happening at James A. Baker III Hall, Rice University (6100 Main St.) Click here to register.

January 20 — Ignite Network’s Annual Fire Pitch

Ignite Healthcare Network’s Annual Fire Pitch Competition is returning as an in-person event January 20 at TMC Innovation. The unique accelerator connects female entrepreneurs leading healthcare start-ups with potential customers and investors who advise them on the strengths and weaknesses of their companies. The opportunity for direct feedback from industry experts provides competing health and med-tech companies with long-term benefits in addition to awarded cash prizes. The 2021 eight finalists, selected from a total of 125 applications, will present on January 20th at TMC Innovation. The event is open to the public and tickets are available through the Ignite website.

The event is on Thursday, January 20, at 5 pm. It's free and happening at TMC Innovation (2450 Holcombe Blvd.). Click here to register.

January 24-28 — ShiftEd: Career Camp to Relaunch Your Career

Join General Assembly for a weeklong camp to gain the skills and knowledge that will enable you to fulfill your mission without burning out. The first step to doing work that matters is identifying what ignites passion, purpose, and satisfaction in your career and in you. If you don’t have answers right away, you’re not alone. We often don’t have the time, tools, or guidance to find a clear answer. Finding work that really matters requires — well — work.

The event is on January 24-January 28. It's free and happening online. Click here to register.

(POSTPONED) January 27 — Rice Alliance's 19th Annual Energy Tech Venture Forum 

This event has been postponed to Sept. 15. The original event listing is below.

This event is an opportunity to learn about the latest emerging technologies, meet investors to seek funding, see promising companies, learn about investment opportunities, meet individuals from the energy industry, as well networking and learning opportunities for entrepreneurs, researchers, investment professional and business executives.

The event is jam-packed with quality companies and conversations and is the go-to event of the year to connect with and see where energy is headed. The conference will include industry speakers, investors, and promising startups from throughout the U.S. and beyond.

The event is on Thursday, January 27. It's happening at Jones School of Business, McNair Hall ( Rice University, 6100 Main St.). Click here to register.

January 28 — Greater Houston Partnership's Partnership Week Begins

Annual Meeting kicks off the second annual Partnership Week, a multi-day opportunity to learn more about the Partnership’s work and how members can get involved in our efforts to make Houston even greater. Details on Partnership Week activities are coming soon.

GHP's Partnership Week begins on Friday, January 28. Click here to learn more.

Here's your one-stop shop for innovation events in Houston this month. Photo via Getty Images

10+ can't-miss Houston business and innovation events in October

where to be

This month, Houstonians have yet another good batch of in-person and online innovation events, and you and your tech network need to know about them.

Here's a roundup of virtual events not to miss this month — like demo days, workshops, conventions, and more.

Note: This post might be updated to add more events.

October 5 — Perfecting Your Pitch

"Zoom in" for The Ion's event, Perfecting your Pitch. DeckLaunch and Fresh Tech Solutionz will discuss the importance and value of your pitch deck when reaching your target audience.

The event is on Tuesday, October 5, at 1 pm. It's free and happening online. Click here to register.

October 5-6 — re:3D SBIR Workshop

The purpose of this workshop is to train and equip participants to identify a federal opportunity and apply for an SBIR/STTR.

The event is on Tuesday, October 5, and Wednesday, October 6, beginning at noon. It's free and happening online. Click here to register.

October 6 — Email Marketing: A How To

Join The Cannon's HubSpot for Startups' partners for a fast-paced session covering the key elements of Email Marketing! In this workshop, we'll go over HubSpot's playbook for creating a winning email marketing strategy, generating traffic to your website and converting traffic into leads, and leveraging automation to nurture leads- Email marketing best practices and common mistakes to avoid.

The event is on Wednesday, October 6, at 1 pm. It's free and happening online. Click here to register.

October 12-14 — Ignite Healthcare Network's 2021 Fire Pitch: Semi-Finals

Fire Pitch 2021 is Ignite Healthcare Network's 5th annual mini-accelerator program created to encourage innovation in emerging women-led digital health and med-tech companies. The program provides women-led healthcare startups with the unique opportunity to engage with potential customers and investors to assess their solutions and advise them on what they need to build successful businesses.

The summit is Tuesday, October 12, to Thursday, October 14. Click here to register.

October 13 — State of the City Address

This signature event, hosted and produced by Houston First Corporation is an opportunity for community and business leaders to reflect upon the year's challenges and celebrate the city's successes as they hear directly from Houston's CEO.

The event is on Wednesday, October 13, at 11:30 am. Tickets start at $150 and the event is hosted at Hilton Americas-Houston. Click here to register.

October 25 — Climathon 2021 Kick-Off

Impact Hub Houston kicks off Climathon 2021! Come learn about this year's challenges, connect with the teams, and get ready for the week. Impact Hub envisions a more prosperous, inclusive, climate-resilient economy, where finance flows to green projects and activities, and where motivated people are empowered with the skills and capacity they need to take action.

The event is on Monday, October 25, at noon. It's free and happening online. Click here to register.

October 25-29 - InnovateEnergy Week 2021

Today's energy companies are working with more emerging technology than ever before, with new projects and technology announced daily.

To enable the growth of these technologies and focus on the impact they are having with the digitalization of energy projects, we are bringing together 4 major Summits to Houston for innovation & emerging tech leaders to attend in one place at one time, including;
  • 5th Annual Energy Drone & Robotics Summit
  • 3rd Annual Industrial XR Summit-
  • Energy EdgeTECH & Industrial Digital Twin Summit
  • MethaneTECH Forum

The events run Monday, October 25, through Friday, October 29, at the Woodlands Waterway Marriott Convention Center. Click here to register.

October 25-26 — Frontiers of Brain Science and Medicine - The Welch Foundation conference

The Welch Foundation's 64th conference, titled "Frontiers of Brain Science and Medicine," will explore the brain and the new technologies driving fresh insights into this still little-understood organ. The conference is divided into four sessions over two days, featuring presentations from some of the top global researchers in brain science.

The conference is Monday, October 25, through Tuesday, October 26. It's free and happening online. Click here to register.

October 25-26 — Ken Kennedy AI and Data Science Conference

Join the virtual Ken Kennedy AI and Data Science Conference, which will feature invited keynote speakers, technical program, sponsors, student poster presentations, and an outdoor networking reception. This year, expect an exciting lineup of speakers from NASA, IBM, AWS, Human Rights Data Analysis Group, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and Rice University.

The conference is Monday, October 25, through Tuesday, October 26. It's free and happening online. Click here to register.

Wednesday, October 27, will offer an in-person add-on day to the conference with a technical workshop highlighting deep learning and high-performance computing with Alex Smola, VP of AWS, and Anshumali Shrivastava with Rice University. Workshop registration comes with a small fee. Click here to register.

October 26 — Digital Fight Club: Houston 2021 (Virtual Edition)

Tired of boring Zoom calls? Digital Fight Club is turning the virtual event world on it's head with the first Digital Fight Club, Virtual Edition. Just like IRL, two experts in their fields go up against each other in front of a raucous virtual audience.

The event is Tuesday, October 26, at 6:30 pm. Click here to register.

October 26-27 — Houston DiverseCity Summit

The Houston DiverseCity Summit will inspire action to advance equity and inclusion in the greater Houston region. The Summit offers content for companies and organizations of all sizes with a focus on best practices, peer connection, and first-rate resources to help you mature your diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategies.

The summit is Tuesday, October 26 (in person), and Wednesday, October 27 (online). Click here to register.

October 27 — Energy Tech Night

Each Energy Tech Night offers insights from energy digitalization experts and rapid-fire pitches from the cutting edge in startups offering solutions for the energy challenges of today and tomorrow. After the rapid fire pitches, there is a panel of industry leaders having an open discussion on important topics. Presenters include: LiquidFrameworks, Soft Serve, Simetry, eLynx, Inside Petroleum, and GeoNote.

The event is on Wednesday, October 27, at 6 pm. Tickets start at $50 and the event is hosted at The Heights Theater. Click here to register.

October 27 — Houston Startup Showcase Semifinals

The Ion's four semifinalists will come together on the virtual stage and compete for a chance to move on to the finals. Watch the four startups pitch their company and see who the judges will select to move on to the final round and have the opportunity to compete for the prize package.

Presenting Companies:

The event is on Wednesday, October 27, at 6 pm. It's free and happening online. Click here to register.

October 27 — The Ion's Industry Day

The Ion District Team and General Contractor, Gilbane welcomes MWDBE firms to learn more about potential opportunities. The area has $15 million in upcoming construction opportunities. There will be a discussion of The District Garage Construction, Vendor opportunities, Q&A Session, and a Tour of The Ion District.

The event is on Wednesday, October 27, at 4 pm. It's free and happening at The Ion. Click here to register.

October 28 — The 2021 MassChallenge U.S. Showcase and Awards

The 2021 MassChallenge U.S. Showcase and Awards is a celebration of creativity and innovation coming from the minds of entrepreneurs building game changing businesses that will impact the way we live, work, and play. Check this year's Boston, Rhode Island, Houston & Austin cohorts at the event.

The event is on Thursday, October 28, at 3 pm. It's free and happening online. Click here to register.

Houston is hosting a bit of a tech takeover next week. Photo via Getty Images

These are the events to attend each day during the Houston Tech Rodeo 2021

where to be

For the second year, Houston Exponential has tapped into the Houston innovation ecosystem to coordinate a week of events to speak to the city's startups, investors, and startup development organizations.

Houston Tech Rodeo will feature over 160 events between May 16 to 23 both online and all across town. From panels and meetups to office hours and pitch events, there's a lot to navigate in the second annual week. For a complete list of Tech Rodeo events (most of which are free), head to the website.

Here are the events you should make sure not to miss. (InnovationMap is a partner for the event.)

Note: You must register for HTR to be able to register for each event. For that reason, the event pages aren't linked directly. Find the information for each event through the HTR event website under the agenda tab, then sort by the day to find the specific event.

Monday: Gettin' in the Game with Master P: A Fireside Chat

The second annual Houston Tech Rodeo kicks off with hip-hop mogul, actor, producer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, Percy (Master P) Miller on Monday, May 17, at 8 pm. "Gettin' In the Game with Master P" will be an exclusive fireside chat with the legend himself, interviewed by A-List Angels author and former Forbes editor, Zack O'Malley Greenburg. Hear about Master P's journey going from an international rap artist to a CEO, avid investor, and founder of Nemesis RR-- adding diversity in the automotive industry and empowering a culture of dreamers.

The event is free and available online. Register online.

Other Monday online events not to miss:

  • 11 am — HTX: Building a Thriving & Inclusive Innovation Ecosystem — join leaders from across the region's startup ecosystem, including Halliburton Labs, DivInc and The Ion, as they discuss how Houston has become a thriving hub for digital technology while fostering a culture of inclusive innovation.
  • 3 pm — All Roads Lead to Houston - Cross Industry Collaboration, the Intersection of Innovation — this event will focus on the "how" rather than "why", systemic barriers to collaboration, and available resources to analyze, de-risk and solve technology problems through meaningful collaboration.

Tuesday: Unleashing Innovation for Resilience in Disaster and Risk Mitigation

Tired of the hurricanes, snow and ice, COVID and just about every other disaster affecting Houstonian's businesses, homes, communities? Join risk mitigation experts for an in-person and virtual panel on May 18 at 2 pm. The panelists will address how Greater Houston becomes an innovation hub for pre-disaster and risk mitigation across droughts and floods, spills and leaks, fires and explosions, health and pandemics...and engages diverse populations for inclusion as entrepreneurs and mitigated locations.

The event is free and available online. Register online.

Other Tuesday online events not to miss:

  • 11:30 am — Demystifying Med Tech & Digital Health InvestmentsAttend this event to learn from the experts on what investors are seeking in digital health and med tech.
  • Noon — Made in Houston: Building Houston's Digital FutureHouston is on a mission to lead the way in digital transformation. How governments and corporations should accelerate the use of tech solutions and services while balancing the concerns of individuals on the adoption of such tools?
  • 5 pm (hybrid) — HTX Sports Tech: Panel & Happy Hour — HTX Sports Tech is hosting an in-person and online happy hour discussion between Houston's esports and sports industry leaders as we'll discuss the landscape of the esports and sports tech industry, share ideas on the role the industry can impact Houston's developing tech ecosystem, and opportunities to shape the future of the industry through innovative and collaborative efforts.

Wednesday: How Will Innovation Create a Diverse Rising Tide Within Houston's Ecosystem?

Houston is building a thriving innovation ecosystem, but innovation itself won't advance diverse economic prosperity given the status quo. So the question is…how will Houston leverage the city's biggest asset — its diversity — to maximize our potential? Panelists discuss at the online event on May 19 at 11 am.

The event is free and available online. Register online.

Other Wednesday online events not to miss:

  • 11 am — The Big Deal with EsportsDid an esports tournament really sell out the Staples Center? Did the winner of the Fortnite World Cup really make more than Tiger Woods in the Masters? Is esports really bigger than Major League Baseball? Join the discussion on how esports is transforming the business of competitive entertainment.
  • 3 pm — How 3D Printing Can Transform Houston's Manufacturing LandscapeJoin Houston 3D printing experts as they discuss the changing manufacturing landscape of the city and highlight the importance of innovation, economic impact, and sustainability through the adoption of industrial 3D printing technologies.
  • 4 pm — Rice Business Entrepreneurship Association Presents: Throw Your Wild Idea into the Arena First Pitch Competition Have you identified a problem space and a tech-enabled potential solution? The Rice Business Entrepreneurship Association wants to hear your early-stage wild idea. Come make your 90 second pitch and seek advisors, team members, and helpful feedback on your concept. Submit your info here.

Thursday: Female Founders' Tough Lessons Learned

Have an idea for a startup, already launched and building your startup, or just want to hear from those who've already been there? Join a powerhouse panel of female startup founders on May 20 at 9:30 am. Listen as the panelists share their journey and entrepreneurial struggles, and what it really takes to launch and run a startup.

The event is free and available online. Register online.

Other Thursday online events not to miss:

  • 11 am — BORN GLOBAL — Houston Tech Rodeo's International track will offer thoughtful discussions on the hour beginning at 11 am with a keynote.
  • 2 pm — Creating Space (and Tech) for DiversityA diverse panel of experts in space and technology will speak on their experience in these fields.

Friday: $50k Houston Investment Challenge

The Capital Factory challenge will occur on May 21 at Houston Tech Rodeo in partnership with Houston Exponential and will feature five technology startup finalists from greater Houston that will be evaluated by a panel of successful entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. One will walk away with a $50,000 investment.

The event is free and available online. Register online.

Other Friday online events not to miss:

  • 11 am — FemTech Panel — Join a virtual discussion with femtech leaders brought to you by FemTech Focus.
  • 1 pm — Innovation at Scale: Boosting Climatetech and Clean Energy Startups — Join Greentown Labs Houston for a virtual panel on incubating and supporting clean energy startups. The panel, featuring leaders from the regional climatetech innovation ecosystem and moderated by Greentown Houston Launch Director Juliana Garaizar, will discuss how to best set up startups for success and scale.

Register for some of these informative online events happening throughout the month of December. Getty Images

10+ can't-miss Houston business and innovation events online in December ​

where to be

It's the last monthly events roundup for 2020 — and this month, understandably, is a bit slow due to the holidays, but we have a roundup of the must-attend events for December.

From workshops and panels to summits and pitch parties, here are over 10 Houston innovation events you can attend virtually via online meetings. Note: This post will be updated to add more events.

December 1 — National Resilience Town Hall: Year in Review, Year Ahead

The Insurance Information Institute and ResilientH2O Partners, in partnership with the Resilience Accelerator, will hold the final session for 2020 in an ongoing series of thought-leadership among insurance, non-insurance, public sector, and technology senior executives. December's National Townhall will bring five unique perspectives together to discuss lessons-learned from 2020 and predictions for 2021's resilience and risk mitigation "agenda" across residential, commercial, industrial, government operations, infrastructure, facilities, and communities.

The event is on Tuesday, December 1, at 10 am. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

December 1 — Angel Investing 101

Learn about how to make effective angel investment decisions and find out more about the newly launched Chicago Booth Angels Network of Texas. The event's keynote speaker is Ashok Rao, serial entrepreneur and board member of Houston-based GOOSE Capital.

The event is on Tuesday, December 1, from 5 to 6 pm. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

December 1 — The Ion's Industry Day

The goal of the inaugural Industry Day is to introduce and connect minority and women owned businesses (MWBE) with The Ion's Transwestern team. The hour long event is designed to facilitate networking and connect interested businesses with Transwestern, who will run operations for The Ion and catalyze local economic growth. Following the event, interested businesses can set up a walk through of The Ion in mid-December to finalize their bid.

The event is on Tuesday, December 1, from 6 to 7 pm. It's free and can be accessed through Zoom. Click here to register.

December 2 — NASA and Your Small Business: Understanding the NASA Procurement Process

Join The Ion to learn about NASA's commitment to providing access for all categories of small businesses to participate in the procurement process.

The event is on Wednesday, December 2, at noon. It's free and can be accessed through Zoom. Click here to register.

December 3 — Capital Factory's Venture Summit

Capital Factory is calling all investors, accelerator leaders, limited partners, and more to its annual venture summit, which is taking place virtually this year.

The event is on Thursday, December 3, from 9:45 to 2 pm. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

December 3 — Evening of Pediatric Device Innovation

JLABS @ TMC and Southwest National Pediatric Device Innovation Consortium are teaming up for the sixth Annual Evening of Pediatric Device Innovation. The evening of innovation will host top experts from Houston and across the country will discuss their views on the latest in pediatric medical device innovation and updates on bringing a pediatric medical device to market.

The event is on Thursday, December 3, from 3:40 to 5 pm. It's free and can be accessed through Zoom. Click here to register.

December 3 — An Evening With Women in Corporate Innovation

Join General Assembly Houston to hear from inspiring female leaders in corporate innovation who have blazed the path to stand up and stand out. From learnings to failings and their secrets of success, this event is an opportunity to learn from the best — serious wisdom, from seriously cool women, all designed to supercharge you and your organization's success.

The event is on Thursday, December 3, from 5 to 6:30 pm. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

December 7 — Pumps and Pipes 20/20 Vision

The annual Pumps & Pipes event is focused on convergence innovation in the fields of aerospace, energy and medicine: a truly uniquely Houston approach. The day-long summit features an expo and various panels and speakers.

The event is on Monday, December 7, from 8 am to 3 pm. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

December 8 — The Cannon Q4 Pitch Party: Presented by Dell Technologies

Join The Cannon and Dell Technologies in hearing from new companies working in Digital Transformation Tech.

The event is on Tuesday, December 8, at 5:30 pm. It's free and can be accessed via Zoom. Click here to register.

December 8 — How to Start a Startup with Heath Butler of Mercury Fund

The Ion is hosting a startup 101 workshop with Heath Butler from Mercury Fund. You have an idea...now what? Before you start looking for funding, it's important to make sure that your idea is both viable and valuable — if it doesn't have a sound model and a market willing to pay for it, investors won't be interested anyway.

    The event is on Tuesday, December 8, at 5:30 pm. It's free and can be accessed via Zoom. Click here to register.

    December 10 — Greentown Lab's Energy Bar: Wrapping Up an Unprecedented Year

    Join Greentown Labs virtually for the final edition of the EnergyBar networking event for 2020. Greentown Labs is ready to put a wrap on 2020, an unprecedent year for us all. Between the opening of the new community in Houston and a renewed national policy focus on climate action, the organization is looking ahead to 2021. Entrepreneurs, investors, students, and friends of climatetech are invited to attend, meet colleagues, and engage in a community that is focused on climate action at work.

    The event is on Thursday, December 10, from 3:30 to 6:30 pm. It's free and can be access through Remo. Click here to register.

    December 15 — The State of Space

    The Greater Houston Partnership is hosting its first State of Space event featuring NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine as the keynote speaker. Since his appointment as Administrator in April of 2018, Bridenstine has led NASA in advancing American aeronautic, science, and space exploration objectives.

    The event is on Tuesday, December 15, at noon. It's $35 for GHP members and $60 for nonmembers. Click here to register.

    Here's what interactive, virtual events to log on to this month. Getty Images

    10+ can't-miss virtual business and innovation events in Houston for September

    Where to be online

    While September 1 might mean nearing fall to some, here in Houston we've got several more weeks of summer weather. However, encroaching fall also means the beginning of many annual events that happen in the Houston innovation ecosystem. This year, they'll be pivoting to virtual programming as social distancing continues to be encouraged in light of the pandemic.

    With that in mind, here are over 10 Houston innovation events you can attend virtually via online meetings. Be sure to register in advance, as most will send an access link ahead of the events.

    September 3 — Going From Target to Drug Candidate: A Protocol for Early Drug Development

    Join TMC's ACT program to discuss the step-by-step considerations when designing an early stage drug molecule, led by Entrepreneur in Residence Sarah Hein, PhD. This session will give an overview of the early discovery process, including considerations before starting. Attendees are encouraged to dialogue throughout the session, and to bring their own real-life examples and challenges.

    The event will take place online on Thursday, September 3, at 6 pm. Register here.

    September 8 — Prophetic City Lecture with Dr. Steven L. Klineberg

    Join The Ion and Stephen L. Klineberg, founding director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research, for a discussion on how Houston exemplifies the trends that are transforming the social and political landscape across America. Klineberg recently released his book, Prophetic City: Houston on the Cusp of a Changing America, that explores over 30 years of research on Houston.

    The event will take place online on Tuesday, September 8, at noon. Register here.

    September 8 — Capital Factory's Latinx in Tech Summit

    Capital Factory welcomes you to its first virtual Latinx in Tech Summit. Attendees can look forward to a keynote chat from a serial entrepreneur or investor, insightful discussion sessions, a startup showcase pitch competition, Epic Office Hours, and panels on relevant topics facing the tech ecosystem.

    The event will take place online on Tuesday, September 8, at noon. Register here.

    September 10 — HXTV| VC Ask Me Anything Virtual Event featuring Texas HALO Fund

    Get some virtual face time with Texas HALO Fund's four managing directors at this free, livestreamed event.

    The event will take place online on Thursday, September 10, at 1 pm. Register here.

    September 14-18 — General Assembly's Shift[ED] Summit

    Now more than ever Texans need to be able to shift in their careers. From the current rate of unemployment due to COVID-19 to the rising need to be able to learn new technologies, careers aren't linear any more. Learn to shift your skill set through a week long of programming with experts across the Lone Star State from General Assembly.

    This event will take place online from Monday, September 14, to Friday, September 18. Register here.

    September 15-17 — 18th Annual Rice Alliance Energy Tech Venture Forum

    Meet the future of energy tech at the annual Rice Alliance Energy Tech Venture Forum. For three days, 40 companies will pitch virtually across energy technology, from power storage and carbon modeling to hydrogen innovations and solar energy.

    The event will take place online from Tuesday, September 15, to Thursday, September 17. Register here.

    September 17 — Now What? Resilience and Transformation Strategies for Small Businesses

    The landscape of how business gets done has undeniably changed in the era of COVID-19 - quite likely for years to come. Going digital means more than just digital calls, but instead requires a transformation in how companies should grow and ensure business continuity. Join The Ion and its guest speakers as they discuss how they've adapted to this brave new digital world and what companies can do not only to survive but thrive within it.

    The event will take place online on Thursday, September 17, at 1 pm. Register here.

    September 22 — Venture Debt Workshop

    The Houston Angel Network has teamed up with Silicon Valley Bank to explore venture debt and how it can support your investments and company.

    The event will take place online on Tuesday, September 22, at 11:30 am. Register here.

    September 23 — Why Venture Capitalists are Investing in "Software Beyond the Screen"

    Software has had an amazing decade, as it has transitioned from desktop computers into the cloud and onto smartphones. In the process, entrepreneurs and venture capitalists have smartly capitalized on this trend. The next decade will focus on software making an even more important jump: moving beyond the screen and into the real world around us. In this talk hosted by Rice University's Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Lilie), Sunil Nagaraj of Ubiquity Ventures will explore how software is beginning to animate, understand and navigate the real world with profound implications.

    The event will take place online on Wednesday, September 23, at 4 pm. Register here.

    September 25 — Design Thinking for Tech and Innovation Workshop | Idea Generation

    Join The Ion and speaker Tanveer Chaudhary to get a hands on lesson on how to generate ideas to solve your problem and how to express the finer details of the ideas to gain more clarity.

    The event will take place online on Tuesday, September 29, at 7 pm. Register here.

    September 29 — Startups and Venture Capital Investing in a Pandemic Environment

    Join the Liu Idea Lab for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Rice's Computer Science department, and featured Rice alumni as we discuss how COVID19 has affected launching and investing in startups.

    The event will take place online on Friday, September 25, at 11:30 am. Register here.

    Ad Placement 300x100
    Ad Placement 300x600

    CultureMap Emails are Awesome

    Innovative company with ownable multi-use concept shares details on Houston facility opening

    coming soon

    To some, Houston’s lack of zoning laws is a beautiful thing. The first time Byron Smith visited the city, he remarked on seeing a church, school, office building, and strip club all in startlingly close proximity.

    At the time, the Sydney-born entrepreneur, whose previous experience was primarily in the automotive industry, was living in New York. But he fell in love with Space City.

    “I was like, ‘We need to be in Texas,” he recalls, referring to expanding his next venture, XSpace, to the Lone Star State.

    XSpace is a multi-use commercial condo building that allows entrepreneurs to own a home for their business.

    “We’re a cool warehouse space that you own,” Smith explains, calling it “evolutionary space” where a business can grow from the roots up.

    Though his family business was commercial real estate, Smith first dipped his toe into working with buildings with last year’s opening of the first XSpace in Austin. The city became “a natural fit” for the first project because Smith identified it as “a little bit more receptive to new things.” But Houston was part of the plan from the very beginning.

    Located at 7022 Old Katy Road — close to both an escape room and an Aston-Martin dealership, among other diverse businesses — the Houston XSpace’s 86 units are already between 20- and 30-percent pre-sold, says Smith.

    Rendering courtesy of XSpace

    Confirmed owners of the spaces include “car guys,” such as a car-wrapping business; media companies that plan to podcast from XSpace; and an interior design company. Smith says that he’s been impressed with Houston’s depth of market.

    “We’re trying really hard not to be rich-guy car condo stuff,” explains Smith. “It’s about cool, interesting people who are successful or are going to be successful.”

    Though multiple businesses will all operate in XSpace, don’t think of it as a coworking space. In fact, coworking space is just a component included in the package of what owners get when they purchase part of XSpace. That’s inside the Owner’s Lounge, a flexible 4,000-square-foot area.

    Each unit has natural light, but also metered electric and hot and cold running water. The whole facility is air-conditioned and well-ventilated and offers 24/7 access. The building is triple-gated for optimum security and includes a backup generator to ensure that owners will be able to work even in the case of another power grid failure.

    Smith says that groundbreaking for XSpace will take place in seven weeks. Likely, owners will be able to start moving into the building in the summer of 2024. Until then, Smith says to expect some “sexy announcements” about upcoming partnerships and additional XSpace sites.

    Though Smith says that global expansion isn’t yet in the plans for XSpace, “North American domination” is.

    “All the cool cities, we’re going to be there,” he says. And it was all inspired by the coolest city of all and its eclectic business landscape.

    Rendering courtesy of XSpace

    Houston maintains its top 3 position on ranking of cities that best attract biz

    by the numbers

    According to a recent report, Houston is still one of the top city in the United States for attracting new companies.

    The ranking, which was researched and published by Site Selection Magazine, found that the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land region attracted 255 business projects last year. This put the metro in the third place of the list that analyzed larger regions.

    It's the third year in third place for Houston, and the city had a year over year improvement in number of deals; 2021 reported 213 new business projects in Houston. In fact, the top three cities – Chicago, Dallas, and Houston, respectively — has remained the same for all three years. For 2022, the Chicago metro garnered 448 projects, while Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington reportedly had 426 projects.

    The report also called out a recent statistic from Kastle Systems, which was based on building access control data. The stat found that among 10 major cities analyzed based on t week of February, Houston was one of three metros that had a returned-worker percentages higher than 50 percent.

    According to the Greater Houston Partnership data, new business accounted for more than 50 percent of business announcements in 2022. GHP's data varied from Site Selection's due to a difference in reporting methods, but the organization's research identified 199 new business announcements in the Houston area in 2022.

    The NBAs included new businesses, HQ announcements, and expansions. The GHP data included information about these deals' industry verticals — and the manufacturing sector accounted for almost a third of the total NBAs in 2022.

    Chart via houston.org

    The GHP also rounded up a few of the most prominate deals reported in their data. According to the Partnership, here were more details about these NBAs:

    • Orsted — an offshore wind developer from Denmark is expanding its presence in Texas by establishing a new office in the Woodlands. The move is expected to create up to 100 jobs in the region.
    • Syzygy Plasmonics — a Houston-based energy 2.0 company is expanding its operations to Pearland. The new location will serve as HQ, R&D, and manufacturing for its deep-decarbonization platform, creating up to 120 jobs.
    • Alfred Talke Logistic Services — a German logistics firm is establishing a new facility in the region, serving as its U.S. headquarters. This project represents a $25 million investment and will create 240 jobs.

    Trevor Best, co-founder and CEO of Syzygy, first discussed the company's expansion last year on the Houston Innovators Podcast.

    "What we're seeing is the market's appetite for our kind of technology — deep tech for decarbonization in energy and chemicals — is really high. If we want to meet global demand for our product, we need to get ready to scale," he says on the show.


    3 Houston innovators to know this week

    who's who

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

    Gaurab Chakrabarti, the CEO and co-founder of Solugen

    Gaurab Chakrabarti shared his entrepreneurial journey on the SXSW stage this year. Photo courtesy of the Greater Houston Partnership

    Houston doesn't have too many unicorns — startups valued at $1 billion or more — in its innovation ecosystem, but Solugen, a sustainable chemicals company, is among the elite group. Gaurab Chakrabarti, the CEO and co-founder of the company, joined Houston House by the Greater Houston Partnership, to share his story on the SXSW stage.

    “You do make your own luck, but you have to be putting in the work to do it," Chakrabarti says, adding that it's not an easy thing to accomplish. “There are things you can be doing to increase your luck surface area."

    He shared several lessons he learned on his founder journey in the discussion. Read more.

    Sandy Guitar, managing director of HX Venture Fund

    Sandy Guitar shares some lessons learned from the fallout of Silicon Valley Bank. Photo via HXVF

    Following the failure of Silicon Valley Bank, there's one thing Sandy Guitar can say has changed for Houston innovators: Bank diversification is going to be a must.

    “We didn't think we needed one last week, but this week we know we need a resilience plan," she says, explaining that bank diversification is going to be added to "the operational due diligence playbook." Read more.

    Cameron Owen, co-founder and CEO of rBIO

    San Diego-based rBIO moved to Houston to take advantage of the growing ecosystem of biomanufacturing and synthetic biology. Photo courtesy of rBIO

    Founded in San Diego, rBIO recently relocated to Houston and has big plans for settling in the city, says Cameron Owen, the company's co-founder and CEO.

    “Companies from California like us and the coastal areas were converging here in Houston and creating this new type of bioeconomy,” he tells InnovationMap.

    He shares that Houston wasn't originally on his radar, until it was. A visit turned into a relocation, and it's just the beginning for the biotech startup that's focused on using synthetic biology for pharmaceuticals. Read more.