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

where to be online

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

Going into April, the city of Houston has another month at least of working from home, hopping on calls, and setting up video chats — but you don't have to go through this all alone.

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.

April 1 — Social Entrepreneurship Meetup

Impact Hub Houston is bringing this monthly meetup online. Registrants will receive an email with the link to attend the Zoom meeting.


Details: The event is at 5:30 pm on Wednesday, April 1. Learn more.

April 2 — Considerations for Emerging Companies in the COVID-19 Era

A group of experts will discuss how the coronavirus and all its resulting complications will affect startups.

Details: The event is at 2 pm on Thursday, April 2. Learn more.

April 3 — UH's Red Labs Pitch Madness

You are invited to watch the final round of Pitch Madness, a pitch competition for UH students. Students will give a four minute pitch and be asked questions about their startup idea by judges. You can attend digitally the finals and watch students pitch at bit.ly/pitchmadness_finals.

Details: The event is at 1 pm on Friday, April 3. Learn more.

April 7 — CARES Act and Managing your Startup through the COVID Crisis

Carolyn Rodz, CEO of Alice, and Aziz Gilani, managing director of Mercury Fund, answer tech startups' questions about the CARES Act. Zoom link will be sent to attendee's prior to the event.

Details: The event is at 4 pm on Tuesday, April 7. Learn more.

April 8 — Startups & Sustainability - How to Make a Profit and Impact

Join as General Assembly brings together entrepreneurs in sustainability to examine how business and tech can be a force for good. Hear from leaders who will share their insights into how industry can impact the environment. Event will be hosted via Zoom, and registrants will be sent a link to attend.

Details: The event is at 5:45 pm on Wednesday, April 8. Learn more.

April 9 — Out of the Lab & Into the Newsroom: Media 101

This JLABs webinar will discuss trends in the media world, how these impact best outreach practices, and tips for designing a successful media campaign.

Details: The event is at 9 am on Thursday, April 9. Learn more.

April 9 — Webinar: In Today's Market - Do Patents Even Matter?

Inventors and business professionals are asked to review the claims of their patent application before it is filed. This step is THE critical step that is supposed to ensure that the claims will protect their invention. The decision you make here determines if you will be part of the 97% of all patents that never recoup the cost of filing them. This event is virtual and a Zoom link will be emailed on the day of the event.

Details: The event is at noon on Thursday, April 9. Learn more.

April 13-16 — Capital Factory's Founders Academy Essentials

Amongst all the excitement of running a startup is a lot of hard work and stressful decisions. Founders Academy Essentials is a 4-day lunch-n-learn curriculum designed specifically for driven entrepreneurs that are passionate about their business potential.

Details: The event is from Monday, April 13, to Thursday, April 16. Learn more.

April 14 — Black in Tech Summit

Capital Factory welcomes you to its 2nd Annual Black In Tech Summit. We're dedicated to increasing diversity in the tech community and making our coworking space an inclusive environment for people of all backgrounds and identities.

Details: The event is at noon on Tuesday, April 14. Learn more.

April 21 — Don’t Go Pitching in the Dark: How to Navigate Investor Interactions

In this webinar, experts of the craft will share practical tips on becoming more effective in communicating your story to investors, increasing your chances of successful fundraising.

Details: The event is at 9 am on Tuesday, April 21. Learn more.

April 21 — Employable in 2030: Closing the skills gap.

What jobs will exist in 2030? Come along and hear from a panel of industry leaders on how to stay relevant in the rapidly changing space for 2030 and beyond. Event will be hosted via Zoom, and registrants will be sent a link to attend.

Details: The event is at 7 pm on Tuesday, April 21. Learn more.

April 22 — Ion Startup Demo Day (Virtual Edition)

Top tier mentors, local investors, and personalized pitch feedback for participating startups -- nothing's changed but the address. Whether you're a serial entrepreneur or just looking to get involved in the community, this event is for YOU.

Details: The event is at 6 pm on Wednesday, April 22. Learn more.

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For more virtual events, check out Houston Exponential's calendar.

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6+ can't-miss Houston business and innovation events in March

where to be

Editor's note: March brings the return of some of Houston’s signature innovation events, plus insightful talks and celebrations in honor of Women's History Month. Here’s what not to miss and how to register. Please note: this article may be updated to include additional event listings.

March 3-4 — Houston MedTech Rodeo

Head to Armadillo Palace for the annual Houston MedTech Rodeo. The casual, Texas-themed conference brings together 350 medtech professionals who come from over 10 countries and 15 states to highlight Houston's growing medtech ecosystem. The event will feature panel discussions, startup showcases, networking sessions—plus, armadillo races, mechanical bull riding and live country music.

The event begins March 3 at Armadillo Palace on Kirby Drive. Register here.

March 4 – Humans of Healthcare

Houston Methodist Center for Innovation will present its new quarterly speaker series, Humans of Healthcare. The series will feature a panel of experts who will share about their career paths and discuss the nuances of the health care industry. This month's session will focus on IT. The panel will be moderated by Houston Methodist's Director of Innovation Murat Uralkan.

The event is Wednesday, March 4, from 5-6 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

March 5 — The Future of Women in STEM

Celebrate Women's History Month at SUPERGirls SHINE Foundation's The Future of Women in STEM event, presented in partnership with the Ion. The event will feature speakers and panelists, including Kalila Winters Hines, senior public affairs advisor for Holland & Knight; Dr. Natacha Chough, NASA Johnson Space Center Flight Surgeon; and Andrea Course, rocket scientist and founder of Course Investments.

The event is Thursday, March 5, from 8:30-10 a.m. at the Ion. Register here.

March 10-12 — World Hydrogen & Carbon Americas

S&P Global Energy brings together two leading events—Carbon Management Americas and World Hydrogen North America—to form a new must-attend event for those in the hydrogen and carbon industries. More than 800 senior leaders from across the energy value chain will attend this event featuring immersive roundtable discussions, hands-on training, real-world case studies and unparalleled networking opportunities.

This event begins March 10 at the Marriott Marquis Houston. Register here.

March 20 — Ideas to Impact Accelerator Graduation and Showcase

Join Impact Hub Houston as it celebrates its inaugural Ideas to Impact Accelerator cohort. The 16-week accelerator is designed to help early-stage entrepreneurs validate their business models, strengthen confidence and gain traction. Hear short pitches and network with founders and mentors.

The event is Friday, March 20, from noon-2 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

March 23-27 — CERAWeek 2026

CERAWeek 2026 will focus on "Convergence and Competition: Energy, Technology and Geopolitics." The industry's foremost thought leaders will convene in Houston to cultivate relationships and exchange transformative ideas during the annual event. CERAWeek 2026 will explore breakthroughs, cross-industry connections and powerful partnerships that are accelerating the transformation of the global energy system. 2026 highlights include an appearance by tech magnate Bill Gates.

This event begins March 23. Register here.

March 24-25 — 2026 Energy Venture Day and Pitch Competition

The Energy Venture Day and Pitch Competition, co-hosted by the Rice Alliance, Ion, HETI and TEX-E, offers two days of exciting pitches from more than 40 global energy ventures that are transforming the industry. On Tuesday, March 24, you can attend a fast-paced pitch preview event at the Ion, followed by the official Pitch Competition at 1 pm on Wednesday, March 25, at the George R. Brown Convention Center.

March 30-April 4 — H-Town Roundup

Celebrate innovation, entrepreneurship and collaboration at Houston Exponential's sixth-annual H-Town Roundup. During the free event series, previously known as Houston Tech Rodeo, attendees can expect insightful talks, workshops and networking events at venues across the city.

This event begins Monday, March 30. Register here.

Intuitive Machines secures $175M equity investment to fuel growth

space funding

Houston-based space infrastructure and services company Intuitive Machines has secured a $175 million equity investment from unidentified institutional investors. The investors received shares of Class A stock in exchange for their funding.

Publicly held Intuitive Machines (Nasdaq: LUNR) says it plans to use the capital to help build revenue and invest in technology, including communications and data-processing networks.

“We are building a scalable infrastructure platform from low-Earth orbit to the moon and into deep space,” Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus said in a news release. “With this investment, we can accelerate the integration of the combined company’s collective capabilities to deliver next-generation data, communications, and space-based infrastructure services.”

Intuitive Machines says the $175 million investment will improve its ability to secure deals for satellite systems, the proposed Golden Dome missile defense system and the proposed Mars telecommunications orbiter.

As the company pursues those deals, it’s seeking partners to develop space-based data centers.

The $175 million equity stake comes on the heels of Intuitive Machines completing its $800 million cash-and-stock purchase of Lanteris Space Systems. Intuitive Machines bought the satellite manufacturer from private equity firm Advent International.

In the third quarter, which ended Sept. 30, Intuitive Machines posted a $10 million net loss on revenue of $52.4 million.

Rice to revolutionize lymphatic disease research and more news to know

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Editor's note: We're looking back at the five biggest innovation headlines from the second half of February 2026, which include exciting Rice research advancements and Apple doubling down on production in Houston. Below are the five most-read InnovationMap stories from Feb. 16-28, 2026.

1. Rice University lands $18M to revolutionize lymphatic disease detection

Rice University scientists are pioneering two technologies to better diagnose and treat complex lymphatic anomalies. Photo via Getty Images.

An arm of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded $18 million to scientists at Rice University for research that has the potential to revolutionize how lymphatic diseases are detected and help increase survivability. Continue reading.

2. Tech giant Apple doubles down on Houston with new production facility

Apple doubles down on Houston with new production facility, training centerPhoto courtesy Apple.

Tech giant Apple announced that it will double the size of its Houston manufacturing footprint as it brings production of its Mac mini to the U.S. for the first time. The company plans to begin production of its compact desktop computer at a new factory at Apple’s Houston manufacturing site later this year. The move is expected to create thousands of jobs in the Houston area, according to Apple. Continue reading.

3. Houston startup debuts new drone for first responders

Paladin Drones has revealed its next-gen emergency response drone, Knighthawk 2.0. Photo courtesy Paladin.

Houston-based Paladin Drones has debuted Knighthawk 2.0, its new autonomous, first-responder drone. The drone aims to strengthen emergency response and protect first responders, the company said in a news release. “We’re excited to launch Knighthawk 2.0 to help build safer cities and give any city across the world less than a 70-second response time for any emergency,” said Divyaditya Shrivastava, CEO of Paladin. Continue reading.

4. XSpace adds 3 Houston partners to fuel national expansion

XSpace, an innovative commercial real estate company, has partnered with three Houston firms to help grow its footprint. Rendering via xspacegroup.com

Texas-based XSpace Group has brought onboard three partners from the Houston area to ramp up the company’s national expansion. The new partners of XSpace, which sells high-end multi-use commercial condos, are KDW, Pyek Financial and Welcome Wilson Jr. Houston-based KDW is a design-build real estate developer, Katy-based Pyek offers fractional CFO services and Wilson is president and CEO of Welcome Group, a Houston real estate development firm. Continue reading.

5. Houston doctor wins NIH grant to test virtual reality for ICU delirium

Dr. Hina Faisal will test the effects of VR games on patients coming out the ICU, thanks to a recent NIH grant. Photo via Getty Images.

Think of it like a reverse version of The Matrix. A person wakes up in a hospital bed and gets plugged into a virtual reality game world in order to heal. While it may sound far-fetched, Dr. Hina Faisal, a Houston Methodist critical care specialist in the Department of Surgery, was recently awarded a $242,000 grant from the National Institute of Health to test the effects of VR games on patients coming out of major surgery in the intensive care unit (ICU). Continue reading.

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