Public universities can be negatively affected during a government shutdown — especially within its research department. Miguel Tovar/University of Houston

As the partial government shutdown loomed, academic institutions explored ways this might affect their research operations. Although we expect delays in processing proposals and award payouts, the impact on the institution may have been much less than expected. Consequently, most of the impact occurred at the individual principal investigator, or PI, level. That is where research that required federal resources came to a halt.

This is also the case for researchers at the Borders, Trade, and Immigration (BTI) Institute at the University of Houston. As a result of the shutdown, they were unable to start any new projects. Sadly, the government furloughed their program manager at the Department of Defense- Science and Technology Office of University Programs.

Education initiatives and multiple other research projects pending review were stuck along the "assembly line," as approvals did not happen during the month of January.

Consequently, BTI is a granted institution. Current projects were able to continue with slight delay due to the requirement to have meetings with the DHS representatives for their projects.

This scenario echoed across the research enterprise, as other researchers found themselves in similar situations.

Business as somewhat usual

Moreover, Nicholas Bond, climatologist and associate professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Washington, felt the pinch of the shutdown and chronicled his experiences of how it impacted his research on climate and oceanography of the North Pacific.

Academic institutions across the country became burdened with the task of assuming unexpected financial responsibilities. In mid-January, the lapse in governmental funding forced The Ohio State University to temporarily cover the costs of unbilled expenditures to the tune of about $3 million. Harvard University continued to pay stipends for fellowships. They did this despite the fact that the shutdown included the federal funding agency.

Many faculty members, including our own, were able to continue working on their projects with the expectation of administrative delays. No new funding opportunities were issued, panel reviews were postponed and no new grants or no-cost extensions were awarded. For the most part, it was business as (somewhat) usual.

The big picture

It may be safe to say that the partial shutdown acted more as an inconvenience to the research enterprise than anything. Which is great news! Especially for the University of Houston, who has recently ignited the campus with the announcement of the 50-in-5 initiative. This ambitious program will increase the research and scholarly output by 50 percent over the next five years.

While this article focuses on the inconvenience of administrative delays, it's critical not to skim the surface. It may seem minute when compared to recipients of public assistance fearing not receiving benefits, but short-term implications are likely.

Keep in mind that most often, grants are not awarded by a single payment from the agency. Timelines are established between agencies and the institutions, and funds are released accordingly. Because of this, it's likely that research programs and educational initiatives across the academic research enterprise will not receive their funds on schedule.

What the future holds

Imagine, if you will, a conveyor belt. A system designed to allow items to move through a process with maximum efficiency. Because of the partial shutdown, research proposals that were in queue for review or funding experienced interruption along the conveyor belt.

Once disruptions to processes within federal agencies happen, it becomes inevitable that there will be delays further down the line.

Claudia Neuhauser, associate vice chancellor/vice president for Research and Technology Transfer for the UH System, warns of the "ripple effect" of the downstream delays and the potential impact on expenditures. We'll have to wait until the end of the year when annual reports are prepared for answers.

For now, it's a question of what the aftereffect will be.

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This article originally appeared on the University of Houston's The Big Idea.

Nitiya Spearman is the internal communications coordinator for the UH Division of Research.

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Houston digital health platform Koda closes $7 million funding round

fresh funding

Houston-based digital advance care planning company Koda Health has closed an oversubscribed $7 million series A funding round.

The round, led by Evidenced, with participation from Mudita Venture Partners, Techstars and Texas Medical Center, will allow the company to scale operations and expand engineering, clinical strategy and customer success, according to a news release.

“This funding allows us to create more goals-of-care product lines, expand our national footprint, and bring goal-concordant care to millions more patients and families," Tatiana Fofanova, co-founder and CEO of Koda Health, said in the release.

Koda Health, which was born out of the TMC's Biodesign Fellowship in 2020, has seen major growth this year and said it now supports more than 1 million patients nationwide. The company integrated its end-of-life care planning platform with Dallas-based Guidehealth in April and with Epic Systems in July. Users of Epic's popular Mychart system and Guidehealth's clinically integrated networks can now document and share their care preferences, goals and advance directives for health systems using Koda Health's platform. It also has partnerships with Cigna, Privia and Memorial Hermann.

The company shared that the recent series A "marks a pivotal moment," as it has secured investments from influential leaders in the healthcare and venture capital space.

“Koda is the only company combining technology and service to deliver comprehensive solutions that help health plans, providers, and health systems scale goals-aligned care. With satisfied customers expanding their partnerships and policy shifts reinforcing the need for patient-centered care that also contains costs, we couldn’t be more excited to support the Koda team and their vision,” Sean Glass, managing partner at Evidenced, said in the release.

According to the company, a recent peer-reviewed study with Houston Methodist ACO showed that the platform can have a major impact on palliative care results and costs. The findings showed:

  • 79 percent reduction in terminal hospitalizations
  • 20 percent decrease in inpatient length of stay
  • 51 percent increase in hospice use among decedents
  • Nearly $9,000 in average savings per patient

“Patients long for clarity, families deserve peace of mind, and providers demand ease of use,” Dr. Desh Mohan, chief medical officer of Koda Health, added in the release. “At Koda, we make it possible to deliver all three — transforming Advance Care Planning into a compassionate, ongoing dialogue that honors patients and supports families every step of the way.”

Koda Health also closed an oversubscribed seed round for an undisclosed amount last year, with investments from AARP, Memorial Hermann Health System and the Texas Medical Center Venture Fund. Read more here.

TXSE Group wins SEC approval for Texas Stock Exchange to start in 2026

Trading in Texas

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has given the go-ahead to the Dallas-based Texas Stock Exchange to operate as a national securities exchange, clearing the way for the TXSE to begin trading stocks and exchange-traded products by early 2026.

TXSE is the first fully integrated national securities exchange to receive SEC approval in decades. A release calls it "a milestone decision" that restores competition in America's public markets.

The organization has already laid the groundwork with an exchange platform utilizing the appropriate hardware and software that will function in an evolving trading and regulatory environment.

TXSE, which opened its headquarters in Dallas in spring 2025, will launch trading as well as ETP and corporate listings for companies that meet their standards and are fully transparent. Their goal is to compete with the NYSE and NASDAQ by building up a large roster of newly listed companies.

"Today's approval marks a pivotal moment in our effort to build a world-class exchange rooted in alignment, transparency, and partnership with issuers and investors," says TXSX founder and CEO James H Lee. "Real competition for corporate listings in the United States has finally arrived."

According to the release, TXSE's mission is to reverse a decades-long decline in the number of U.S. public companies by reducing the burden of going and staying public while maintaining high quantitative standards in the industry.

They've already pushed for legislative and legal reforms to strengthen Texas' pro-business environment and establish the state as the premier jurisdiction for corporate headquarters, listings, and exchange operators — working alongside Texas leadership to advocate on behalf of issuers and investors to reform policy.

"As the one and only national securities exchange built and headquartered in Texas, we are proud to have been the catalyst for the development of capital markets in our great state," Lee says.

TXSE's founding investors include financial institutions, retail, and institutional investment organizations, including BlackRock, Citadel Securities, and Charles Schwab, as well as major liquidity providers and corporate executives from across the U.S.

TXSE will be one of three exchanges to join Texas' so-called economic hub Y’all Street, along with the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ.

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This article originally appeared on CultureMap.com.

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

where to be

Editor's note: Houston's October calendar is packed with informative and impactful events—plus a few fun ones, too. From the fourth annual Tejano Tech Summit to the first-ever Ion Family Tech Festival, here's what not to miss and how to register. Please note: this article may be updated to include additional event listings.

Oct. 3 — Houston Methodist Joy in Medicine Initiative Symposium

The Houston Methodist Joy in Medicine Initiative Symposium will explore the power of connection in enhancing professional fulfillment for clinicians and healthcare teams, this year under the theme “The Power of We.” Hear from Dr. Shlomit Schall, Houston Methodist Physician Organization president and CEO and chief physician executive, and Dr. J. Bryan Sexton, director of the Duke Center for Advancement and Well-being Science. Stick around for a networking happy hour.

This event is Friday, Oct. 3, from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the InterContinental Houston. Find more information here.

Oct. 6-10 — Surgical Technology & Robotic Surgery Summit (STaRS)

Surgeons, engineers, researchers and innovators can explore the latest advancements in surgical robotics, imaging and AI-integrated technologies at this year’s Surgical Technology & Robotic Surgery Summit. They can also take in the inaugural Surgical Technology & Robotic Surgery Innovator Competition. The summit will feature live demonstrations, interactive panels and cutting-edge research.

This event begins Monday, Oct. 6, at MITIE at The Bookout Center. Find more information here.

Oct. 7 — SUPERGirlsInSTEM Summit: The Intersection of AI & Workforce

The SUPERGirls SHINE Foundation presents its SUPERGirlsInSTEM Summit, where attendees can take part in open discussions, networking and workshops while learning about AI skills that can advance college studies and entry into the workforce.

This event is Tuesday, Oct. 7, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Ion. Find more information here.

Oct. 7 — Future of Health Care: Thought Leader Series

Hear from Rice University President Reginald DesRoches, and Kristen Doyle, CEO of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, at the Greater Houston Partnership’s Future of Health Care: Thought Leader Series. The expert panel will discuss key topics, including the proposed Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (DPRIT), Rice's Momentous strategic plan and "critical role of public health systems and cross-sector partnerships in advancing access, equity, and workforce readiness."

This event is Tuesday, Oct. 7, from 9-10:15 a.m. at The Partnership Tower. Find more information here.

Oct 7-9 — Tejano Tech Summit Week

LSA Global will present its fourth annual Tejano Tech Summit Week. The week will feature happy hours, networking opportunities and a founders dinner, along with talks from Mariela Salas, co-founder and partner of Alma Fund; Latina in Tech Houston, Blue People, The Magnolia Fund and others.

This event starts on Tuesday, Oct. 7, with most events taking place at the Ion. Find more information here.

Oct. 8 — Digital Health Institute Launch event

Celebrate the launch of the Houston Methodist-Rice Digital Health Institute, which aims to translate “innovative ideas into scalable solutions” with a focus on engineering, digital health and artificial intelligence. The event will feature presentations from Houston Methodist clinical researchers and Rice University faculty, a startup and industry panel and a venture capital investment panel.

This event is Wednesday, Oct. 8, from 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m. at Rice University's Duncan Hall - McMurtry Hall. Find more information here.

Oct. 8 — Founders Live Houston

Founders Live Houston returns this month with its happy hour pitch event. The global competition will select five Texas founders to present 99-second pitches and participate in a four-minute audience Q&A. Voters decide the winner.

This event is Thursday, Oct. 8, from 6-8 p.m. at the Ion. Find more information here.

Oct. 14 — NASA Stories at the Ion

Dina Contella, deputy manager of NASA’s International Space Station Program, will speak at this month's NASA Stories event. Contella will share insights from her career overseeing International Space Station operations, shaping Artemis missions and guiding real-time decisions in Mission Control.

This event is Tuesday, Oct. 14, from 8:30-10:30 a.m. at the Ion. Find more information here.

Oct. 16 — Impact Hub Houston Celebrates 7 Years in Community + Open Project Night

Celebrate seven years of Impact Hub Houston with a hands-on learning experience focused on hosting. The organization will share the tools, practices and hosting frameworks that have helped it build community and support local changemakers since it launched in 2018. Afterward, participate in Impact Hub's signature Open Project Night, where developers can come together to work on solutions for some of Houston’s most pressing issues.

These events are on Thursday, Oct. 16, at the Ion. The anniversary party is from 2-5 p.m. and Open Project Night begins at 5:30 p.m. Find more information here and here.

Oct. 16 — Future of Global Energy presented by Shell

Industry leaders, academia, and government will "explore the forces shaping the future of energy" at the Greater Houston Partnership's fifth annual Future of Global Energy Conference. Andy Karsner, chief strategist for energy and innovation at X, Alphabet’s Moonshot Factory, and a former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Energy, will present the keynote address. Speakers from companies Fervo Energy, S&P Global, Bechtel and others will also be featured on panels and in fireside chats. The event will culminate in Houston's first National Labs Day, where attendees can engage with leaders and technology specialists from Argonne National Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory and other institutions.

This event is Thursday, Oct. 16, from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Find more information here.

Oct. 23 — NASA Tech Talks

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 they can be leveraged by Houston’s innovation community. Stick around after for drinks and networking at Second Draught.

This event is Thursday, Oct. 23, from 6-7 p.m. at the Ion. Find more information here.

Oct. 25 — Ion Family Tech Festival

The Ion and partners will present the first-ever Ion Family Tech Fest this month, where families can participate in hands-on STEAM experiences.

This event is Saturday, Oct. 25, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Ion. Find more information here.