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

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

It's time to look at what's on the agenda for Houston innovators for the month of March — a busy one, from the end of Tech Rodeo and the start of CERAWeek, plus many more things to add to your calendars.

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


March 2 — CodeLaunch Houston

Improving is hosting CodeLaunch Houston — a high energy startup pitch competition — which will round out Houston Tech Rodeo, which is taking place from Monday, February 17, through Thursday, March 2. Check out the finalists here.

The event is Thursday, March 2, from 6 to 9 pm, at 713 Music Hall. Click here to register.

March 4 — Softeq Chili Showdown

Softeq is hosting its chili cookoff event and official after-party of Houston Tech Rodeo. The event will include the broader Houston community, drive awareness of startup development resources available to the community, demonstrate new technology, feature local culture, and promote local startup job creation, all while benefiting Lemonade Day, a fun, experiential program that teaches youth how to start, own and operate their very own business.

The event is Saturday, March 4, from 10 am to 2 pm, at Truck Yard Houston. Click here to register.

March 6 — Energy Workforce of the Future Summit

At this year's summit, Ally Energy will unveil the Energy Workforce Outlook study on workforce transition and hear from leaders, policymakers, startup CEOs, investors, and innovators about how to take all energy forward.

The event is Monday, March 6, from 8 am to 2 pm, at The Petroleum Club of Houston. Click here to register.

March 6 — Transition on Tap at Greentown Labs

Transition On Tap is Greentown Labs' monthly networking event devoted to fostering conversations and connections among the climate and energy transition ecosystem in Houston and beyond. Entrepreneurs, investors, students, and friends of climatetech are invited to attend, meet colleagues, discuss solutions, and engage with our growing community.

The event is Monday, March 6, at 5 pm, at Greentown Houston. Click here to register.

March 6-10 — CERAWeek by S&P Global

CERAWeek by S&P Global returns to downtown Houston. The annual conference brings energy leaders from around the world to discuss the industry's trends and future. The Agora track focuses on the future of energy, which includes clean energy and innovation.

The conference is Monday, March 6, to Friday, March 10, at The George R. Brown Convention Center. Click here to register.

March 7 — Energy Tech Venture Day

The Rice Alliance Energy Venture Day is a fast-paced event connecting nearly 40 energy ventures with venture capitalists, corporate innovation groups, industry leaders, academics and service provider. Ventures will give 3-minute pitches with a networking reception so you can meet the energy ventures and learn more about their technologies.

The event is Tuesday, March 7, from 3 to 6:30 pm, at Rice University. Click here to register.

March 8 — Navigating Careers: Insights & Inspiration from Women Who Have Done It All

In today’s career landscape for C-level leaders, directors, university innovators, entrepreneurs, and founders, what does success look like? How do women navigate barriers, turn challenges into opportunities, and tackle whatever comes their way with poise and confidence? Join us at the Ion for a panel featuring high-profile women thought leaders, entrepreneurs, and influencers--all on top of their field and all with incredible journeys and stories. These women will share their wisdom and wit in authentic ways. A not-to-miss panel, followed by breakout room discussions with each panelist!

The event is Wednesday, March 8, from 8:30 to 11 am, at the Ion. Click here to register.

March 8 — International Women’s Day Luncheon

This luncheon aims to celebrate womanhood while acknowledging and getting inspired for the challenge of promoting progress.

The event is Wednesday, March 8, from 11 am to 2 pm, at Sesh Coworking. Click here to register.

March 9 — Dream Big Ventures Investor Studio Series: Energizing Latino/a Investors

Join the Ion for a fireside chat with Dream Big Ventures Founder & CEO Staci LaToison, and Angeles Investors CEO & Board President David Olivencia, to discuss trends in venture capital and angel investing, and how they are helping increase access to capital for underrepresented founders.

The event is Thursday, March 9, from 5 to 7 pm, at the Ion. Click here to register.

March 10 — TMC Innovation: Federal Health Innovation Day

TMCi is hosting a Federal Health Innovation Day with participation from various federal government agencies focused on health care and innovation. There will be opportunity for face time with the representatives and food will be provided.

The event is Friday, March 10, from 8 am to 2 pm, at TMC Innovation. Click here to register.

March 10-19 — SXSW (in Austin)

Houston founders, investors, and other tech community members will make their way to Austin for SXSW, an interactive festival that is again bringing startup pitches, thought leadership, and more. The Greater Houston Partnership's Houston House returns on March 13 at the Fairmont Hotel, and will be open to badge holders.

The conference is Friday, March 10, to Sunday, March 19, in Downtown Austin. Click here to register.

March 27-28 — Mission Innovate: Reimagining Space Technology to Solve Today’s Challenges

Innovators from around the greater Houston area will convene for a two-day event to innovate, disrupt, and create commercial space companies. Entrepreneurs will work with licensable intellectual property from NASA’s IP portfolio to solve some of the largest problems facing the industry. Experienced and first-time founders will form teams, ideate, and pitch their ideas to renown technology entrepreneurs, including members of the innovation teams at NASA! As part of the event, teams will be taught critical startup methodologies, advised by experienced business leaders, and network with an entire community that dreams of shaping the commercial space industry.

The event is Monday, March 27, to Tuesday, March 28, at The Cannon West Houston. Click here to register.

March 29 — The Cannon Fish Creek Grand Opening Party

Celebrate the opening of The Cannon Fish Creek, which is located in Montgomery, Texas, within the Woodforest community.

The event is Wednesday, March 29, from 4 to 6 pm, at The Cannon Fish Creek. Click here to register.

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7+ can't-miss Houston business and innovation events in June 2026

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Editor's note: The FIFA World Cup comes to Houston this month, joined by major energy conferences and a lineup of fan-favorite, recurring events. Here’s what not to miss and how to register. Please note: this article may be updated to add more events.


June 1-4 — CLEANPOWER 2026 Conference and Exhibition

CLEANPOWER unites policymakers, experts, and corporate leaders to solve the challenges that none can solve alone. This must-attend, four-day conference is packed with cutting-edge discussions about wind, solar, storage, and transmission; dealmaking; networking; and fun.

This event begins June 1 at the George R. Brown Convention Center. Register here.

June 2 — Humans of Healthcare

Houston Methodist Center for Innovation will present its 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 today’s nursing landscape, the industry’s expectations of nurses and what career paths are possible in the field.

The event is Tuesday, June 2, from 5-6:30 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

June 9 — Greentown Go Make Kickoff

Head to the Ion to celebrate the Greentown Go Make 2026 cohort. The open-innovation program with Shell Catalysts & Technologies and Technip Energies focuses on catalytic solutions for industrial decarbonization and the energy transition. Hear pitches from the founders and network with a select group of startups while enjoying food and drink.

This event is Tuesday, June 9, from 5:30-8 p.m. Register here.

June 9-10 — Texas Brain Economy Summit

The Center for Houston’s Future and UTMB are bringing the Texas Brain Economy Summit back to Houston this summer to continue to position the region as a global leader in brain health. Expect to hear from leaders of global institutions, including the World Economic Forum, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, McKinsey Health Institute, Global Brain Economy Initiative, Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative, Business Collaborative for Brain Health (UsAgainstAlzheimer’s), Rice University, Memorial Hermann, MD Anderson and many others. Read InnovationMap's full preview of the event here.

This event begins Tuesday, June 9. Purchase tickets here.

June 10 — MIT Future of Healthcare Technology Forum

The MIT Club of South Texas will host an in-person forum to explore how innovation, government and policy are changing the healthcare industry. The event will feature MIT alumni and Houston healthcare leaders, including Dr. Tim Boone, dean of the Texas A&M School of Engineering Medicine; Cynthia Reinhart-King, chair of bioengineering at Rice University; Dr. Tony Lin, CEO and chairman emeritus of Kelsey-Seybold Clinic; and others.

This event is Wednesday, June 10, from 5:15-8:30 p.m. at the TAMU EnMed Building. Register here.

June 11 — Goals & Gigawatts: Houston Energy & Climate Week The Power of & Kickoff Party

Come watch the Mexico City FIFA opening match while celebrating energy and innovation at the Goals & Gigawatts Kickoff Party. The event will feature food, drinks, and a showcase on Houston Energy & Climate Week. Learn what to expect and how to get involved in HECW before closing the night with a DJ and karaoke.

This event is Thursday, June 11, from 1:30-6:30 p.m. Find more information here.

June 16-17 — Energy Projects Conference & Expo

The Energy Projects Conference & Expo (EPC Show) is the largest event in North America for professionals working at the heart of major energy projects. The essential event for engineering, construction, commissioning, operations and maintenance across multiple energy sectors brings together five leading conferences under one roof. Conference subjects span LNG exporting, hydrogen and ammonia, midstream, petrochem and refining, and sustainable aviation fuels.

This event begins June 16 at George R. Brown Convention Center. Register here.

June 25 – 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 they can be leveraged by Houston’s innovation community. Stick around after for drinks and networking at Second Draught.

This event is Thursday, June 25, from 6-7 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

Houston researchers report promising first in-human trial for implantable cancer therapy

cancer breakthrough

When it comes to cancer remedies, the treatment can be as challenging for the body as its cause. But what if immunotherapy could be localized? That’s precisely what a Houston team may soon make a reality.

Rice University researchers, in partnership with MD Anderson Cancer Center, recently published their findings from the first in-human trial of an implantable cancer-fighting treatment in the journal Clinical Cancer Research. The paper details testing of AVB-001, encapsulated cells engineered to release interleukin-2 (IL-2)—a naturally occurring signaling protein that boosts immunity—in the peritoneal cavities of 14 patients. The goal is to avoid the toxicity usually experienced with less targeted treatments, as well as find a solution to IL-2s’ abbreviated half-lives.

“Traditional IL-2 therapy has shown potent antitumor activity, but its clinical use has been limited by severe side effects and delivery challenges,” Omid Veiseh, director of the Rice Biotech Launch Pad, professor of bioengineering at Rice and a senior author on the study, said in a press release. “This platform allows us to localize and sustain cytokine exposure directly where tumors reside while minimizing systemic toxicity.”

Serous ovarian carcinoma is especially well-suited to the use of AVB-001 because it tends to spread throughout the abdomen. After a minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure, patients implanted with the cells were noted to tolerate the treatment well. Half of the enrolled patients’ cancer was stabilized, with several among them reporting extended signs of benefit. No maximum tolerated dose was reached and there were no life-threatening events tied to the study.

If that sounds like less-than-earth-shaking results, this is only the beginning. The capsules were implanted for about one week because IL-2 activity drops off after that. The researchers now know that further testing should include either higher levels, repeated doses, or a combination thereof, in order to create stronger advances.

The team has already made early headway on this next step. Preclinical studies in nonhuman primates were not only tolerated well, but without added toxicity, the apes had consistent pharmacological effects.

“This is a foundational step,” Veiseh explained. “We now have evidence that the platform is safe, biologically active and potentially scalable. The next phase is optimizing dosing and exploring combination therapies to unlock its full clinical potential.”

The combination would also include a checkpoint inhibitor, which might improve AVB-001’s tumor-fighting power. “What is exciting is that we are not just delivering a drug, we are programming a microenvironment,” added Dr. Amir Jazaeri, professor of gynecologic oncology at MD Anderson, member of the Rice Biotech Launch Pad’s clinical advisory board and a senior author on the study. “This opens the door to combination strategies that could amplify immune responses in ways that have not been feasible before.”

5 must-read innovation headlines: Pharma giant considers Houston hub + more

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Editor's note: With May coming to a close, it's time to look back at the biggest innovation headlines for the second half of the month. Major moves were made in May, with NuScale Power entering the market, Persona AI inking a deal with Under Armour, and a pharma giant considering Houston for its next manufacturing hub. Here are the most-read InnovationMap stories published May 15-29, 2026:

1. Pharma giant considers Houston for $1 billion manufacturing campus

Another pharmaceutical giant is considering Houston’s Generation Park for a manufacturing hub. According to a recent filing with the Texas Jobs, Energy, Technology and Innovation (JETI) program, Bristol Myers Squibb Co. is considering the northeast Houston management district for a new $1 billion multi-modal pharmaceutical manufacturing campus.

2. Modular nuclear reactor co. NuScale Power moves into Houston market

The nuclear energy renaissance continues in Texas with an announcement by NuScale Power. The Oregon-based provider of proprietary and innovative advanced small modular reactor (SMR) nuclear technology announced in April it would be opening office space in Houston’s CityCentre.

3. Persona AI teams with Under Armour to protect next-gen robots

Houston-based Persona AI has cemented a partnership with sportswear manufacturer Under Armour to provide materials to protect future robots operating in dangerous conditions. Through the partnership, Persona AI and Under Armour will launch a research initiative to explore whether advanced performance textiles can improve the durability and resilience of humanoid robots operating in harsh industrial environments.

4. Houston quantum energy chip startup emerges from stealth with $12M round

Houston-based Casimir has emerged from stealth with a $12 million seed round to commercialize its quantum energy chip. The round was led by Austin-based Scout Ventures. Lavrock Ventures, Cottonwood Technology, Capital Factory, American Deep Tech, and Tim Draper of Draper Associates also participated in the round. The oversubscribed round exceeded the company’s original $8 million target.

5. Global summit spotlights Houston's growing role in brain health, innovation

The Center for Houston’s Future and UTMB are bringing the Texas Brain Economy Summit back to Houston this summer to continue to position the region as a global leader in brain health. The summit, held June 9-10 at the Texas Medical Center's Helix Park, will bring together more than 500 executives, researchers, policymakers and innovators from around the world to discuss the global brain economy.

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