Software startups rake in big funding — and more trending Houston innovation news

top stories

Houston startups celebrate big wins — and more top stories from the week. Photo via Getty Images

Editor's note:Another week has come and gone, and it's time to round up the top headlines from the past few days. Trending Houston tech and startup articles on InnovationMap included two software companies securing funding and other startup wins.


Houston software company raises $50M series A, plans to scale

Fresh off a win at the Houston Innovation Awards, RepeatMD has raised funding. Photo by Emily Jaschke/InnovationMap

Just nine months after its seed round, a Houston startup with a software platform for the aesthetic and wellness industry has secured $40 million in venture capital and $10 million in debt facility.

RepeatMD, a SaaS platform, announced today that it's secured $50 million, which includes a $10 million debt facility from Silicon Valley Bank. The round was co-led by Centana Growth Partners and Full In Partners with participation from PROOF and Mercury Fund, which also contributed to the seed round earlier this year. Read more.

Houston startup develops tech to equip businesses with the social media skills they need to thrive

Guide App, a Houston startup, is looking to help its users tap into social media better. Photo via Getty Images

Just look at any smartphone on the market and it becomes evident just how pervasive mobile apps have become, especially social media apps.

As the social networking sphere has revolutionized communication, technology has spawned multitudinous variants in the most organic way. That kind of technological momentum lends itself to why platforms like Guide App have a chance to be the next big thing in the space.

The company's CEO and co-founder, Tim Salau, tells InnovationMap that Guide is a social learning and development platform that aims to revolutionize learning experiences for creators, leaders, and organizations. Read more.

Houston software company with HR solutions raises $21M series B

Kahuna Workforce Solutions, which provides HR software solutions, announced it has closed a $21 million series B. Photo via Getty Images

A Houston company with a software platform to enhance skills management operations has raised its series B.

Kahuna Workforce Solutions announced it has closed a $21 million series B funding round led by Baltimore-based Resolve Growth Partners. Kahuna's platform provides its users — which come the from health care, energy, field service, and manufacturing industries — with effective assessment, training and development, and staffing and deployment initiatives. Read more.

Houston health tech startup taps into IBM tech for AI integration

WellnessWits, founded by Kike Oduba to enhance patient-physician interaction, has integrated AI with the help of IBM. Photo via WellnessWits.com

A Houston startup aimed at transforming healthcare with solutions for chronic disease and its prevention has teamed up with IBM technology.

WellnessWits has embedded IBM watsonx Assistant into its app for both iOS and Android. By making generative AI part of the app, WellnessWits now boasts an AI-based chat functionality.

That cutting-edge aspect of the platform allows patients to get information on chronic disease more quickly than ever, even before meeting with their physician. But it helps with that, too, aiding in scheduling appointments more easily with doctors who specialize in a host of chronic maladies. Read more.

Houston suburb ranks No. 10 for holiday spending

The Woodlands is the U.S. city with the No. 10 biggest holiday spending budget in 2023, and a few other Texas neighborhoods rank highly as well. The Woodlands Mall/Facebook

Santa and his elves get busier with every passing year, but sometimes even Kris Kringle has to use his black card to get the job done. And according to a new study by Wallethub, Santa's gonna be working overtime to fulfill the orders for residents of The Woodlands this holiday season.

The personal finance experts have determined The Woodlands is the U.S. city with the No. 10 biggest holiday spending budget in 2023. Shoppers in the affluent Houston suburb are expected to spend $3,316 this festive season.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, The Woodlands' estimated population of 114,436 had a median household income of $130,011. Read more.

The Ion expanded its coworking space — and more top stories from the week. Photo via iondistrict.com

Ion grows coworking footprint, Cart.com returns HQ to Houston, and more top stories

trending news

Editor's note:Another week has come and gone, and it's time to round up the top headlines from the past few days. Trending Houston tech and startup articles on InnovationMap included the Ion growing its coworking space, Cart.com moving its headquarters back to Houston, and more.

Houston-founded unicorn logistics company returns HQ to the Bayou City

It's a homecoming for this Texas unicorn. Photo via cart.com

While originally founded in Houston in 2020, Cart.com has called Austin home for the past two years. Now, the scaling software company is coming home.

Cart.com, a tech company providing commerce and logistical solutions for businesses, announced today that its corporate headquarters has returned to Houston amid its rapid growth.

“I couldn’t be happier to bring Cart.com back home to Houston as we continue to revolutionize how merchants sell and fulfill products to meet customers anywhere they are,” Cart.com Founder and CEO Omair Tariq says in a news release. “The idea for Cart.com was born in Houston and we’ve always maintained a strong local presence with the majority of our executive team and board based here. As our customer mix increasingly moves upmarket and our own needs evolve, I’m confident Houston has what we need as we look towards the next stage of Cart.com’s growth story.” Read more.

Growing femtech company chooses Houston for first out-of-state expansion

After growing in Chicago and raising funding, Partum Health selected Houston to expand its femtech platform. Photo via Getty Image

A startup dedicated to comprehensive pregnancy, birth and postpartum care has expanded from its Chicago birthplace to Houston.

Last summer, Partum Health raised $3.1 million in seed funding, which makes it possible for the company to begin a nationwide expansion. That begins in Space City.

“We looked at states where there is work to do on outcomes for maternal health. Texas rose to the top and Houston, in many ways is fairly close to Chicago, our home city. The really thriving healthcare ecosystem attracted us as well,” CEO and Co-Founder Meghan Doyle tells InnovationMap.Read more.

Coworking concept delivers 28,000-square-foot expansion in the Ion

The Ion now officially has more coworking space. Photo via thecommondesk.com

The coworking space in the Ion has increased by 50 percent thanks to a recent expansion project.

Dallas-based Common Desk has officially delivered on its project to expand the coworking space in the Ion that it originally opened on the second floor two years ago. Now, coworkers have access to a total of 86,400 square feet of space, including newly opened space on the fourth floor. The company has agreed to a 10-year commitment to the Ion with the expansion.

“This expansion of Common Desk at The Ion was designed specifically to complement the existing amenities and serve remote and hybrid work styles," Austin Gauley, head of design at Common Desk says in the news release. "There's a variety of video conferencing room types—from multiple individual private rooms, to a large group presentation-style room—all equipped with state-of-the-art technology that is also user-friendly. Read more.

Houston founders named winners for 2023 Entrepreneur of the Year awards

Gaurab Chakrabarti and Sean Hunt were originally named regional winners in this year's competition this summer along with nine other Houston entrepreneurs. Photos via solugen.com

Houston’s Gaurab Chakrabarti and Sean Hunt, the founders of the transformative chemical manufacturing company Solugen, have been named EY’s US National Award winners for Entrepreneur of the Year.

Solugen, also recently named a finalist in the 2023 Houston Innovation Awards, is an environmentally friendly approach that relies on smaller chemical refineries that helps in reducing costs and transportation-related emissions. Some of their noted accomplishments includes innovations like the proprietary reactor, dubbed the Bioforge, which is a carbon-negative molecule factory and manufacturing process produces zero wastewater or emissions compared with traditional petrochemical refineries.The Bioforge uses a chemienzymatic process in converting plant-sourced substances into essential materials that can be used instead of fossil fuels. Read more.

4 Houston life science startups secure over $40M in CPRIT funding

Four Houston startups have received over $40 million in funding from a Texas organization. Photo via Getty Images

Four Houston bioscience startups have collected nearly $43 million in grants from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT).

The four startups, the amount and purpose of each grant, and some background information about each company are rounded up here.

A self-driving car service has launched in Houston — and more trending tech and innovation news from this week. Photo courtesy of Cruise

Self-driving cars roll out in Houston, Q3 VC funding recap, and more trending innovation news

what you're reading

Editor's note:Another week has come and gone, and it's time to round up the top headlines from the past few days. Trending Houston tech and startup articles on InnovationMap included a roundup of VC funding from last quarter, finalists named for the Houston Innovation Awards, and more.

Exclusive: First self-driving car service for passengers launches in Houston

Cruise is now cruising some Houston streets. The self-driving car service has launched with $5 flat-rate rides. Photo courtesy of Cruise

For the first time, Houstonians can hail an autonomous vehicle to get from point A to point B, thanks to a tech company's latest market roll out.

San Francisco-based Cruise, which has launched in its hometown, Phoenix, and Austin over the past year and a half, previously announced Houston and Dallas as the company's next stops. Dallas, where Cruise is currently undergoing testing, will roll out its service by the end of the year.

As of today, October 12, Houstonians in the Downtown, Midtown, East Downtown, Montrose, Hyde Park, and River Oaks neighborhoods can hail a ride from an autonomous electric vehicle seven days a week between the hours of 9 pm to 6 am.

"We believe that everyone has a right to safer, more accessible and more affordable transportation, and we remain focused on cities first because that’s where our mission will have the greatest impact. Houston follows that city-first strategy with its densely traversed downtown, propensity for ridehail, and vibrant cultural center," Sola Lawal, Cruise's Houston manager, tells InnovationMap. "Cruise also shares in Houston’s Vision Zero mission to end traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2030 and we’re excited to address the transportation needs of Houston communities." Read more.

Houston immunotherapy company achieves FDA designation for cancer-fighting vaccine

A Houston health care company received the green light from the FDA to advance a treatment that's targeting a deadly cancer. Photo via Getty Images

The FDA has granted a Houston-based company a Fast Track designation.

Diakonos Oncology Corp. is a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company that has developed a unique dendritic cell vaccine, DOC1021. The vaccine targets glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common and most lethal malignant brain tumor in adults. The aggressive tumors come with a life expectancy of about 15 months following diagnosis. About 7 percent of those diagnosed survive five years, while the 10-year outlook only sees a one-percent survival rate.

“The FDA’s decision acknowledges the potential of this new treatment approach for a very challenging disease,” Diakonos CEO Mike Wicks says in a press release. “Our protocol represents a first for cancer immunotherapy and could be viable for many types of cancers beyond GBM.” Read more.

2023 Houston Innovation Awards finalists announced

Here's what Houston startups and innovators will be honored at the Houston Innovation Awards on November 8. Graphic via Gow Media

In just three weeks, all of Houston's innovation ecosystem will gather to celebrate the hard work of startups, entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, and more — and over 50 honorees will be recognized for their achievements. Click here to see the 2023 Houston Innovation Awards finalists.

Here's what Houston startups snagged fresh funding last quarter

Here's what Houston startups scored investment in Q3 of 2023. Photo via Getty Images

With Houston's business and innovation community firmly in its final leg of 2023, it's time to look back on funding from the previous quarter.

While last quarter revealed a decline in VC funding in line with the rest of the country, per PitchBook data, around 60 Houston-area companies secured venture funding in the third quarter. These deals spanned across angel and seed rounds all the way up to a monolith of a series C and unicorn status achievement.

According to InnovationMap reporting, 5 Houston-based companies announced VC funding between July and September. Here's a roundup of these second quarter deals — click on each story to read more. Read more.

Houston innovator backed by NIH grant tackles congenital heart disease in pediatric patients

Yaxin Wang leads the IDEA Lab at the Texas Heart Institute. Photo via texasheart.org

In 1969, Dr. Denton A. Cooley implanted the first total artificial heart in a living patient. Most Houstonians know Cooley’s name, but fewer can name his colleague, Dr. Domingo Liotta, who created the device. Liotta died last year at the age of 97, but his work continues at the Texas Heart Institute.

Meet Yaxin Wang, PhD. The research engineer leads the IDEA Lab at THI. IDEA stands for Innovative Device & Engineering Applications, an apt description of what Wang and her colleagues do. She’s currently focused intensely on projects that could radically change transplantation for patients in need of an artificial heart or new, healthy lungs.

Specifically, Wang is helping to develop a pediatric left ventricular assist device (NeoVAD) to mechanically pump that part of the heart in infants and small children born with heart defects.

“There aren’t a lot of options for very small kids,” explains Wang. “That’s why we’re working on an implantable LVAD for very young kids.” Read more.

Events not to miss this month — and other Houston innovation news that trended this week. Photo via Getty Images

5 most popular innovation stories in Houston this week

what's trending

Editor's note:Another week has come and gone, and it's time to round up the top headlines from the past few days. Trending Houston tech and startup news on InnovationMap included June business events not to miss, innovators to know, and more.


3 Houston innovators to know this week

This week's roundup of Houston innovators includes Ramanan Krishnamoorti of UH, Valerie Tompson of SWAN Impact Network, Evan Erickson of TexPower Technologies. Photos courtesy

In this week's roundup of Houston innovators to know, I'm introducing you to three local innovators across industries — from battery tech to impact investing — recently making headlines in Houston innovation. Read more.

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

Check out these conferences, pitch competitions, networking, and more in the month of June. Photo via Getty Images

It's time to look at what's on the agenda for June for Houston innovators — from pitch competitions to networking events.

Here's a roundup of events not to miss this month. Mark your calendars and register accordingly. Read more.

Texas angel investor group expands to make impact in Houston

Austin-founded SWAN Impact Network has entered the Houston innovation ecosystem. Photo via Getty Images

An angel investment network founded in Austin has announced its entrance into the Houston market.

SWAN Impact Network, which focuses on funding early-stage, impact-driven startups, announced that Houston will be its next market expansion. Founded in 2016, the organization expanded to Dallas two years ago. Now, SWAN is hitting the Bayou City and is actively looking for potential angel investors to join its network.

"Houston is the logical place for us to go because a lot of our deep expertise we developed is grounded around life science, health and wellness, and environmental," Bob Bridge, executive director of SWAN, tells InnovationMap. "There's a lot of people in Houston in the spaces where we've spent most of our time and money." Read more.

Houston digital health startup acquired by Illinois-based company

Houston-based Melax Tech has been acquired. Photo via MelaxTech.com

A Houston startup has exited to a clinical terminology management and data quality solutions company.

Melax Technologies Inc., an artificial intelligence and natural language processing technology company, has been acquired by Intelligent Medical Objects, which is headquartered in the Chicago area. It's the first acquisition for IMO, and the deal will allow for the company to expand its offerings to various segments in the health care market.

"Today marks an exciting moment for IMO as we complete our first acquisition,” says Ann Barnes, CEO at IMO, in a news release. “Combining Melax Tech’s analytics and NLP capabilities with IMO’s clinical terminology and data quality platform will enable healthcare organizations to have a more comprehensive solution for both clinical operation and research. Read more.

Houston health care institution secures $100M for expansion, shares renderings

Baylor College of Medicine's Lillie and Roy Cullen Tower is set to open in 2026. Rendering courtesy of SLAM Architecture

Baylor College of Medicine has collected $100 million toward its $150 million fundraising goal for the college’s planned Lillie and Roy Cullen Tower.

The $100 million in gifts include:

  • A total of $30 million from The Cullen Foundation, The Cullen Trust for Health Care, and The Cullen Trust for Higher Education.
  • $12 million from the DeBakey Medical Foundation
  • $10 million from the Huffington Foundation
  • More than $45 million from members of Baylor’s Board of Trustees and other community donors, including the M.D. Anderson Foundation, the Albert and Margaret Alkek Foundation, and The Elkins Foundation.

“The Cullen Trust for Health Care is very honored to support this building along with The Cullen Foundation and The Cullen Trust for Higher Education,” Cullen Geiselman Muse, chair of The Cullen Trust for Health Care, says in a news release. “We cannot wait to see what new beginnings will come from inside the Lillie and Roy Cullen Tower.” Read more.

Check out these workshops, networking events, conferences, and other goings on in Houston this month. Photo via Getty Images

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

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.

November 3 — Enventure "Inspire" Seminar Series - With Dr. Alyssa Johnston

The "Inspire" Seminar Series was developed by Enventure to help students learn about the reality of working in the biotech and biomedical fields. This particular event will star Dr. Alyssa Johnston, PhD, AstraZeneca Medical Science Liaison. Currently, Alyssa is a MSL at AstraZeneca specializing in GI/GU/Head & Neck Oncology. She is the study lead for a gastric cancer clinical trial, tumor lead for several liver cancer trials, and also works on several IITs. She is the field medical trainer for the pan tumor team and works on sustainability projects including inclusion and diversity projects.

The event is on Wednesday, November 3, at 6 pm. It's free and happening online. Click here to register.

November 4 — The Greentown Labs Climatetech Summit 2021: Empowering the Technology of Tomorrow

The Greentown Labs Climatetech Summit is a deep dive focused on empowering the technology of tomorrow. Climatetech entrepreneurs are developing the solutions that are the core of global decarbonization, yet they need support, cooperation, and collaboration from investors, policymakers, and the growing climatetech workforce in order to scale their critical technologies. The energy transition is here, and the climatetech ecosystem needs your involvement to keep the momentum going.

The event is all day Thursday, November 4. It's free and happening online, or $100 to attend in person at Greentown Houston. Click here to register.

November 8 — Climathon 2021 Awards

Drum roll... and the winning projects of the 2021 Houston Climathon Awards are... going to be revealed soon! Learn More About the Climathon: https://climathonhouston.org

The event is on Monday, November 8, at noon. It's free and happening online. Click here to register.

November 8 — The Cannon + Chevron Open House

Join The Cannon and Chevron for some snacks and learn how Chevron leverages relationships with the start up community to deliver higher returns and lower carbon. Members of Chevron Technology Ventures and the IT function will be available to provide some background on our presence at The Cannon and exchange ideas on partnering opportunities.

The event is on Monday, November 8, at noon. It's free and happening at The Cannon (1300 Brittmoore Rd). Click here to register.

November 9 — BEAMW Networking Launch Event

Business Ecosystem Alliance for Minorities & Women (BEAMW) is a newly launched alliance seeking to reduce barriers women and minority small business owners face. This Networking Launch Event will be the first of a series of networking events designed to bring small business owners, different business support organizations, investors, bankers, and collaborators together to gain valuable information and make key connections.

The event is on Tuesday, November 9, at 6 pm. It's free and happening at The Downtown Launchpad (1801 Main St). Click here to register.

November 10 — Go to Market Strategies with RHIS Group

The Cannon has partnered with the RHIS Group to expand available resources. Join the session on Go to Market Strategies to understand different pillars of strategy, organizational capability, challenges and common perceptions, and strategy development.

The event is on Wednesday, November 10, at 10:30 am. It's free and happening at The Cannon (1300 Brittmoore Rd). Click here to register.

November 10 — Investing in the Energy Transition: ESG and Regulatory Impacts

A key aspect of the energy transition is how industry accounts for long-term strategy and competitive positioning in a constantly evolving landscape. With a sharp focus on regulatory and ESG legal implications, this panel discussion examines how companies will address the marketplace changes – not only with its stakeholders, but within the foundation of their products and procedures as they define value creation toward constituents in the court of global opinion.

The event is on Tuesday, November 16, at 10 am. It's free and happening online. Click here to register.

November 11 — The Listies Gala

Come one, come all to a night celebrating Houston innovation at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Think "Met Gala meets Houston innovation" and an evening of multicultural Houston food, immersive experiences, and of course HouTech. The host of the evening is Houston's Poet Laureate, Outspoken Bean, who will bring more Houston energy to the Lisites for everyone to enjoy.

The event is on Thursday, November 11, at 7 pm at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Tickets are $75. Click here to register.

November 16 —  Investing in the Energy Transition: The World of External Investment Finance

As global industry continues to embark on an unparalleled pivot toward sustainable energy, crucial questions have risen regarding the financial risks and rewards of such an intrepid move. What is the role of venture capital? Private equity? Institutional investors? Infrastructure funds? Is moving away from traditional fossil fuels sustainable, and are there adequate channels of investments to fund? In what should be an insightful dialogue on our present position and what must be addressed along the way, this panel poses these queries – and more – toward financial experts to determine industry and societal cost of the energy transition. The goal? To explore the mismatch of opportunity and investment as well as the full range of buy-in – literally and figuratively – that the world must achieve to successfully adapt to the new landscape. Moderated by Ahmad Atwan, CEO of VC Fuel.

The event is on Tuesday, November 16, at 10 am. It's free and happening online. Click here to register.

November 16 — What happens when you talk to an investor?

Steve Jennis of Founder's Compass responds to questions submitted by members of The Cannon Community related to the fundraising process. This online session will be followed by an AMA session for any other questions, clarifications, or points provoked by his answers.

The event is on Tuesday, November 16, at 10 am. It's free and happening online. Click here to register.

November 17 — Illuminate Houston

The Greater Houston Partnership's Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs group, HYPE, invites you to Illuminate Houston - an event series highlighting businesses and thought leaders challenging the way we think about the future. Join for the final Illuminate Houston of 2021 featuring Juliana Garaizar, Head of Houston Incubator and VP, Innovation, Greentown Labs. Don't miss this dynamic conversation where this climatetech startup leader shares insights on Houston's growing innovation ecosystem and leading the way in the global energy transition.

The event is on Wednesday, November 17, at noon. It's $25 for non-members and happening online. Click here to register.

According to a report, Houston has grown its tech workforce more than other major metros over the past year. Joe Daniel Price/Getty Images

Houston ranks among fastest growing tech hubs amid the pandemic, report finds

growth in HOU

When Americans think of tech hubs, Silicon Valley or even Austin may initially come to mind. However, Houston appears to be making a play for tech-hub status.

Citing data from career platform LinkedIn, the Axios news website reports that Houston has seen a healthy influx of tech workers since the start of the pandemic. In fact, Houston ranks second among 14 major U.S. labor markets for the number of relocating software and IT workers between March 2020 and February 2021 compared with the same period a year earlier.

Miami grabs the No. 1 spot for the gain in software and IT workers (up 15.4 percent) between the two periods, with Houston in second place (10.4 percent) and Dallas-Fort Worth in third place (8.6 percent), according to the LinkedIn data.

"Young engineers and recent college graduates see Miami, Houston, and Philadelphia — not San Francisco, New York, or Seattle — as the hot new places to jumpstart a technology or creative economy career," Axios notes.

At the bottom of the barrel sits the San Francisco Bay Area, which suffered a loss of 34.8 percent when comparing the arrival and departure of software and IT workers. Interestingly, Austin experienced a loss of 8 percent in this category.

The shift from traditional tech hub to emerging tech hub is likely to continue as employers and employees alike further embrace remote work. A survey commissioned in April by the nonprofit One America Works found 47% of tech workers had moved during the pandemic. In addition, 3 in 10 tech workers anticipate living somewhere different than they did during the pandemic.

The CompTIA tech trade group says the Houston metro area is home to 243,908 tech workers. The Houston area's tech workforce grew 12.3 percent from 2010 to 2019, according to the group.

"Houston has been a center for world-changing innovations in energy, life sciences and aerospace for over a century. With science and engineering breakthroughs ingrained in the fabric of Houston's economy, the region has become a thriving hub of digital technology talent and companies thanks to our access to customers and expertise," says a report released in March by the Greater Houston Partnership.

One employer taking advantage of that talent is Bill.com. In 2019, the digital payments company opened a Houston outpost — the company's first office outside Silicon Valley.

"Though the city's technology industry is still developing, it offers a breath of fresh air compared to overcrowded late-stage tech markets like Austin and Denver. Ultimately, the breadth and depth of Houston's talent pool and the neighboring educational pipelines made it an ideal location for a second home," Vinay Pai, senior vice president of engineering at Palo Alto, California-based Bill.com and a Rice University graduate, wrote in April 2020 on LinkedIn.

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Texas tops ranking of best state for investors in new report

by the numbers

Texas ranks third on a new list of the best states for investors and startups.

Investment platform BrokerChooser weighed five factors to come up with its ranking:

  • 2024 Google search volume for terms related to investing
  • Number of investors
  • Number of businesses receiving investments in 2024
  • Total amount of capital invested in businesses in 2024
  • Percentage change in amount of investment from 2019 to 2024

Based on those figures, provided mostly by Crunchbase, Texas sits at No. 3 on the list, behind No. 1 California and No. 2 New York.

Especially noteworthy for Texas is its investment total for 2024: more than $164.5 billion. From 2019 to 2024, the state saw a 440 percent jump in business investments, according to BrokerChooser. The same percentages are 204 percent for California and 396 percent for New York.

“There is definitely development and diversification in the American investment landscape, with impressive growth in areas that used to fly under the radar,” says Adam Nasli, head analyst at BrokerChooser.

According to Crunchbase, funding for Texas startups is off to a strong start in 2025. In the first three months of this year, venture capital investors poured nearly $2.9 billion into Lone Star State companies, Crunchbase data shows. Crunchbase attributes that healthy dollar amount to “enthusiasm around cybersecurity, defense tech, robotics, and de-extincting mammoths.”

During the first quarter of this year, roughly two-thirds of VC funding in Texas went to just five companies, says Crunchbase. Those companies are Austin-based Apptronik, Austin-based Colossal Biosciences, Dallas-based Island, Austin-based NinjaOne, and Austin-based Saronic.

Autonomous truck company rolls out driverless Houston-Dallas route

up and running

Houston is helping drive the evolution of self-driving freight trucks.

In October, Aurora opened a more than 90,000-square-foot terminal at a Fallbrook Drive logistics hub in northwest Houston to support the launch of its first “lane” for driverless trucks—a Houston-to-Dallas route on the Interstate 45 corridor. Aurora opened its Dallas-area terminal in April and the company began regular driverless customer deliveries between the two Texas cities on April 27.

Close to half of all truck freight in Texas moves along I-45 between Houston and Dallas.

“Now, we are the first company to successfully and safely operate a commercial driverless trucking service on public roads. Riding in the back seat for our inaugural trip was an honor of a lifetime – the Aurora Driver performed perfectly and it’s a moment I’ll never forget,” Chris Urmson, CEO and co-founder of Pittsburgh-based Aurora, said in a news release.

Aurora produces software that controls autonomous vehicles and is known for its flagship product, the Aurora Driver. The software is installed in Volvo and Paccar trucks, the latter of which includes brands like Kenworth and Peterbilt.

Aurora previously hauled more than 75 loads per week under the supervision of vehicle operators from Houston to Dallas and Fort Worth to El Paso for customers in its pilot project, including FedEx, Uber Freight and Werner. To date, it has completed over 1,200 miles without a driver.

The company launched its new Houston to Dallas route with customers Uber Freight and Hirschbach Motor Lines, which ran supervised commercial pilots with Aurora.

“Transforming an old school industry like trucking is never easy, but we can’t ignore the safety and efficiency benefits this technology can deliver. Autonomous trucks aren’t just going to help grow our business – they’re also going to give our drivers better lives by handling the lengthier and less desirable routes,” Richard Stocking, CEO of Hirschbach Motor Lines, added in the statement.

The company plans to expand its service to El Paso and Phoenix by the end of 2025.

“These new, autonomous semis on the I-45 corridor will efficiently move products, create jobs, and help make our roadways safer,” Gov. Greg Abbott added in the release. “Texas offers businesses the freedom to succeed, and the Aurora Driver will further spur economic growth and job creation in Texas. Together through innovation, we will build a stronger, more prosperous Texas for generations.”

In July, Aurora said it raised $820 million in capital to fuel its growth—growth that’s being accompanied by scrutiny.

In light of recent controversies surrounding self-driving vehicles, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, whose union members include over-the-road truckers, recently sent a letter to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick calling for a ban on autonomous vehicles in Texas.

“The Teamsters believe that a human operator is needed in every vehicle—and that goes beyond partisan politics,” the letter states. “State legislators have a solemn duty in this matter to keep dangerous autonomous vehicles off our streets and keep Texans safe. Autonomous vehicles are not ready for prime time, and we urge you to act before someone in our community gets killed.”

Houston cell therapy company launches second-phase clinical trial

fighting cancer

A Houston cell therapy company has dosed its first patient in a Phase 2 clinical trial. March Biosciences is testing the efficacy of MB-105, a CD5-targeted CAR-T cell therapy for patients with relapsed or refractory CD5-positive T-cell lymphoma.

Last year, InnovationMap reported that March Biosciences had closed its series A with a $28.4 million raise. Now, the company, co-founded by Sarah Hein, Max Mamonkin and Malcolm Brenner, is ready to enroll a total of 46 patients in its study of people with difficult-to-treat cancer.

The trial will be conducted at cancer centers around the United States, but the first dose took place locally, at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Swaminathan P. Iyer, a professor in the department of lymphoma/myeloma at MD Anderson, is leading the trial.

“This represents a significant milestone in advancing MB-105 as a potential treatment option for patients with T-cell lymphoma who currently face extremely limited therapeutic choices,” Hein, who serves as CEO, says. “CAR-T therapies have revolutionized the treatment of B-cell lymphomas and leukemias but have not successfully addressed the rarer T-cell lymphomas and leukemias. We are optimistic that this larger trial will further validate MB-105's potential to address the critical unmet needs of these patients and look forward to reporting our first clinical readouts.”

The Phase 1 trial showed promise for MB-105 in terms of both safety and efficacy. That means that potentially concerning side effects, including neurological events and cytokine release above grade 3, were not observed. Those results were published last year, noting lasting remissions.

In January 2025, MB-105 won an orphan drug designation from the FDA. That results in seven years of market exclusivity if the drug is approved, as well as development incentives along the way.

The trial is enrolling its single-arm, two-stage study on ClinicalTrials.gov. For patients with stubborn blood cancers, the drug is providing new hope.

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