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

where to be

From the fourth annual Tejano Tech Summit to the first-ever Ion Family Tech Festival, here's what not to miss this month. Image courtesy the Ion

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.

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From the return of Houston Energy and Climate Startup Week to a send-off for an impactful innovation leader and several health conferences, here's what not to miss this month. Photo courtesy of Rice

12+ can't-miss Houston business and innovation events for September

where to be

Editor's note: Houston's business and innovation events are back in session. From the return of Houston Energy and Climate Startup Week to a send-off for an impactful innovation leader and several health conferences, here's what not to miss and how to register. Please note: this article may be updated to include additional event listings.

Sept. 5-7 — Houston Hackathon

Impact Hub Houston is bringing back the Houston Hacakthon this month, where developers of all skill sets can work together to propose solutions to some of the Bayou City’s most pressing issues. The event is focused on ideating, designing, and developing both policy-based and tech solutions to improve Houston.

This event starts Saturday, Sept. 5, at noon at the Ion. Register here.

Sept. 8 — Community Celebration: A Send-Off for Paul Cherukuri

Come out to the Ion to celebrate Paul Cherukuri, Rice’s first chief innovation officer, whose visionary leadership has left a lasting impact on Houston’s innovation ecosystem. Cherukuri is leaving the university to accept a position at the University of Virginia. Hear remarks from Cherukuri and enjoy a networking reception following the talk.

This event is Monday, Sept. 8, from 2:30-5:00 p.m. at the Ion. Register here

Sept. 11 — Houston Methodist Leadership Speaker Series – Dr. Evan Collins

The Houston Methodist Tech Hub at the Ion will host its recurring leadership speaker series, this time featuring Dr. Evan Collins, chief of the Houston Methodist Hand & Upper Extremity Center at Houston Methodist and the Houston Methodist Center for Innovation's first innovator-in-residency. Collins will present on the creative process of innovation.

This event is Thursday, Sept. 11, from 4:45-6 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

Sept. 12 — Future of Space

The Greater Houston Partnership’s 2025 Future of Space event will feature a keynote address by Vanessa E. Wyche, acting associate administrator of NASA. In her new role, Wyche serves as NASA’s chief operating officer, leading more than 18,000 employees and overseeing an annual budget exceeding $25 billion. Discussions will highlight how Houston’s space ecosystem is driving economic growth, technological innovation and new opportunities across the region and the nation.

The event is Friday, Sept. 12, from noon-1:30 p.m. at the Royal Sonesta. Find more information here.

Sept. 15-19 — Houston Energy and Climate Startup Week

Houston Energy and Climate Startup Week returns for its second year, with panels, happy hours and pitch days focused on the energy transition. The week features major events, including the Energytech Nexus Pilotathon, the Rice Alliance Energy Tech Venture Forum, Halliburton Labs Finalists Pitch Day and many others. See a preview of the week on our sister site EnergyCapitalHTX.com and learn more in the event listings below.

This event starts Monday, Sept. 15. The Ion District will host many of the week's events. Find more information here.

Sept. 16 — Energytech Nexus Pilotathon

Grab breakfast and take in keynotes and panels by leaders from New Climate Ventures, V1 Climate, Halliburton, Energy Tech Nexus and many others during Houston Energy & Climate Week. Then hear pitches during the Pilotathon, which targets startups ready to implement pilot projects within six to 12 months.

This event is Tuesday, Sept. 16, from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at GreenStreet. Get tickets here.

Sept. 16 — Meet the Activate Houston Cohort 2025 Fellows

Meet Activate's latest cohort, which was named this summer, and also learn more about its 2024 group during Houston Energy & Climate Week.

This event is Tuesday, Sept. 16, at 5 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

Sept. 17 — Green ICU Conference: Sustainability in Health Care for a Healthier Future

Houston Methodist will host its inaugural Green ICU Conference during Houston Energy & Climate Week. The conference is designed to bring together healthcare professionals, industry leaders, policymakers and innovators to explore solutions for building a more sustainable healthcare system.

This event is Wednesday, Sept. 17. from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. at TMC Helix Park. Register here.

Sept. 18 — Rice Alliance Energy Tech Venture Forum

Hear from clean energy startups from nine countries and 19 states at the 22nd annual Energy Tech Venture Forum during Houston Energy & Climate Week. The 12 companies that were named to Class 5 of the Rice Alliance Clean Energy Accelerator will present during Demo Day to wrap up their 10-week program. Apart from pitches, this event will also host keynotes from Arjun Murti, partner of energy macro and policy at Veriten, and Susan Schofer, partner at HAX and chief science officer at SOSV. Panels will focus on corporate innovation and institutional venture capital.

This event is Thursday, Sept. 18, from 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. at Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business. Register here.

Sept. 18 — ACCEL Year 3 Showcase

Celebrate Advancing Climatetech and Clean Energy Leaders Program, or ACCEL, an accelerator program for startups led by BIPOC and other underrepresented founders from Greentown Labs and Browning the Green Space. Two Houston companies and one from Austin are among the eight startups to be named to the 2025 group. Hear startup pitches from the cohort, and from Greentown's Head of Houston, Lawson Gow, CEO Georgina Campbell Flatter and others. This event is part of Houston Energy & Climate Week.

This event is Thursday, Sept. 18, from 5-8 p.m. at Greentown Labs. Get tickets here.

Sept. 19 — Halliburton Labs Finalists Pitch Day

Hear from Halliburton Labs' latest cohort of entrepreneurs during Houston Energy & Climate Week. The incubator aims to advance the companies’ commercialization with support from Halliburton's network, facilities and financing opportunities. Its latest cohort includes one company from Texas.

This event is Friday, Sept. 19, from 8 a.m.-noon at The Ion. Register here.

Sept. 21-25 — AI in Health Conference

The Ken Kennedy Institute at Rice University will present the fourth annual AI in Health Conference, which aims to bridge the gap between artificial intelligence and real-world health outcomes. The event will explore the current landscape of artificial intelligence in health and present a research-driven outlook for the future of computational health innovation.

This conference is from Tuesday, Sept. 23, to Wednesday, Sept. 24. Additional workshops will be offered on Monday, Sept. 22, and Thursday, Sept. 25. The events will be held at the BioScience Research Collaborative at Rice University. Find more information here.

Sept. 25 — Industrial AI Nexus Connect

InnovateEnergy and Industrial AI Nexus will host a talk by Matthew Alberts, manager of innovation and emerging technologies at Southern Company and author of "The Gen AI Manufacturing Revolution: Smarter Factories, Enhanced Products, and Reduced Costs." Alberts will present “The Gen AI Revolution," followed by happy hour and a complimentary book signing.

This event is Thursday, Sept. 25, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

Phillip Yates joins the Houston Innovators Podcast to share why 2025 is the year of launch for Equiliberty. Photo courtesy of Equiliberty

Houston innovator's new platform empowers wealth building for underserved communities

houston innovators podcast episode 269

For Phillip Yates, this year will be the year of launch. The attorney-turned-entrepreneur has been working on his fintech platform, Equiliberty, for years now, but come the first half of 2025, it's go time.

"We're going to release our technology in Q2 of this year, and we're looking to commercialize it by the end of this year," Yates says on the Houston Innovators Podcast.



The platform connects users with resources to build wealth. Yates, along with his co-founders, Rachel Howard and Cody Bailey, created the company with the mindset that people with lower financial means can take control of their own financial success — in a way that doesn't take away from anyone else.

"Really, (this year is) about how can we move into other markets that have seen what we can do if you celebrate culture, celebrate community, celebrate our differences — and more importantly give opportunities to be wealth builders. You can do this without taking from anyone else."

For years, Equiliberty has worked on convening the community in Houston. Yates, who's also the chairman of social impact innovation organization Impact Hub Houston, spearheaded Black Entrepreneurs Week and Latin Entrepreneurs Week — with more in the works.

"We are a fintech platform, and by convening the ecosystem, we are able to use data to tell the story to those financial institutions that want to get in front of their customers," he says. "All of these are bridges for those who may be unseen and overlooked to have a way into the economy ... and to have access to capital and resources they need to build wealth."

Yates shares on the show how he's evolved his legal career as a corporate and bankruptcy lawyer to entrepreneurship. Last fall, Yates won the award for Ecosystem Builder at the Houston Innovation Awards, an achievement he says validates his career to date.

"You can be a good doer in the world and have a heart that wants to solve a problem, but if you don't have the true experience or the resources to be able to invest in someone, I'm not saying you will be a disservice, but it might be counterintuitive," he says. "Through my experience as a lawyer, it's allowed me to be a greater service."

This year's award recipients span industries and technologies. Photos courtesy

2024 Houston Innovation Awards winners named at annual event

drum roll, please...

Houston innovators — the moment you've been waiting for. The winners of the 2024 Houston Innovation Awards were named at the annual event.

The Houston Innovation Awards honored over 40 finalists across categories, naming the 12 winners and honoring the two Trailblazer Legacy Awards at the event.

The 2024 judges — who represent various industries and verticals in Houston — scored over 200 submissions. The event, hosted at TMC Helix Park on November 14 and emceed by Joey Sanchez, 2023 Ecosystem Builder award recipient and founder of Cup of Joey, revealed the winners.

The event's sponsors included Texas Medical Center, Milam & Greene, EIGHT Beer, Houston Community College, Microsoft, Halliburton Labs, Mercury, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, Rice Innovation & Ion District, Growth Pods, Hunton Andrews Kurth and more.

Without further adieu, here the winners from the 2024 Houston Innovation Awards.

Corrolytics is a technology startup founded to solve microbiologically influenced corrosion problems for industrial assets. Co-founder and CEO Anwar Sadek says he's collected over $1 million in dilutive and non-dilutive funding from grants and other opportunities thanks to help from mentors.

"As a founder, I am always eager to assist and support fellow entrepreneurs, especially those navigating the unique challenges that come with being a BIPOC founder," he says. "With the guidance of mentors, I learned to master the complexities of the application process for grants and other funding opportunities. In turn, I actively share my experiences with other founders, helping them navigate similar paths."

Koda Health is a provider of a tech-enabled care coordination service for improving serious illness care planning. Founder and CEO Tatiana Fofanova says that her company's last fundraise has been one of her biggest career challenges to date.

"In a venture downturn that only cared about artificial intelligence, I closed my second round six days before I gave birth to my son," she says. "Fundraising in enterprise health tech is a tough task on a good year. Fundraising in an AI-obsessed downturn while seven months pregnant was the greatest physical and professional challenge of my life. I was only able to do such a Herculean feat through the support of my husband, my amazing professional network, and the Koda team."

March Biosciences, a clinical-stage cell therapy company with a mission to transform patient care in the most challenging hematological malignancies, was co-founded by CEO Sarah Hein.

"Our therapy has resulted in multiple long-term remissions in patients with advanced T cell lymphoma, which is unheard," Hein says on what sets March apart. "Our drug is simpler, cheaper, and more efficient to produce than any of our competition's approaches. And our company operates with a lean, fit-for-purpose structure that allows us to move faster and more efficiently than industry norms."

Founded by CEO Cindy Taff, Sage Geosystems is an energy company focused on developing and deploying advanced geothermal technologies to provide reliable power and sustainable energy storage solutions regardless of geography.

"Sage Geosystems sets itself apart from competitors with its Geopressured Geothermal Systems, which can be deployed almost anywhere, unlike traditional geothermal technologies that require specific geographic conditions," Taff says. "This flexibility enables Sage to provide a reliable and virtually limitless power supply, making it ideal for energy-intensive applications like data centers."

Venus Aerospace, a deep tech company founded by husband and wife team Sassie and Andrew Duggleby, is developing reusable hypersonic technology for aviation, defense, and beyond. The team says its company culture is what drives its success.

"Traditionally, the aerospace industry tends to burn out its employees with no room for work- life balance. One of our core visions is being 'home for dinner,'" the company reported. "We want to fly you to one side of the world and still have you home for dinner. And if you work for Venus, we expect you to not only get your job done, but prioritize your family and make it home in time for dinner."

Cognitive Space, an automated satellite operations provider that enables constellations to scale, was founded by CEO Guy de Carufel, who worked at NASA for eight years before starting this company.

Cognitive Space, working in defense sector, provides "AI for automating the space infrastructure, from effective ordering across multiple data providers, to optimized scheduling of satellite operations from sensor and link management," de Carufel says. "Addressing complexities in managing heterogeneous space systems at scale."

Cart.com is a unified commerce and logistics solutions provider for B2C and B2B companies is a fast-growing ecommerce platform founded by CEO Omair Tariq.

"In the last 12 months, Cart.com has dramatically grown its fulfillment network’s scale and technological capabilities," writes CEO Omail Tariq in his Houston Innovation Awards application. "We have been laser-focused on improving quality, performance and efficiency at scale while continuing to aggressively grow our customer base, expand our capabilities to customers in new industries and grow our physical presence to new locations. Prioritizing our strategic growth initiatives has been critical in the current macroeconomic environment as profitable growth remains paramount for our team."

Corrolytics, a technology startup founded to solve microbiologically influenced corrosion problems for industrial assets, secured the most votes from the Houston innovation community.

"If I could give myself advice before starting the company, I would say to embrace the challenges early on, as they are invaluable learning opportunities," Co-founder and CEO Anwar Sadek says. "Focus on building a strong network, especially with mentors and industry leaders who can guide you through the unknowns. Lastly, be prepared for the unexpected, stay adaptable, and never underestimate the importance of a clear mission that inspires both your team and your customers."

Impact Hub Houston is a nonprofit that serves as a pivotal hub within the city's innovation ecosystem, fostering a dynamic environment where changemakers, entrepreneurs, and community leaders converge to drive social impact and innovation forward.

"We mobilize problem solvers to use their knowledge, skills and technology to address community challenges, demonstrating our commitment to local impact while also providing a global reach for Houston innovators," says Grace Rodriguez, founder and CEO of the organization. "Our work extends to supporting underrepresented communities, and we work with public and private stakeholders to promote sustainable business practices that prioritize economic development, environmental stewardship and social equity."

Mitra Miller is the vice president of Houston Angel Network, but also founded and chairs Eagle Investors, a nonprofit group teaching students about the investment and innovation community. She serves as an active mentor for many organizations across Houston.

"Houston has the most friendly, open, collaborative, and inclusive innovation environment anywhere," Miller says. "When I ask individuals and organizations to partner on events and initiatives, they readily agree and give freely of their time and resources. There is a generosity of spirit that is very special to Houston."

Juliana Garaizar, founding partner of Energy Tech Nexus, invests with groups — such as Portfolia, Houston Angel Network, Business Angel Minority Association, and more — locally and beyond.

"I'm a hands on investor," she says. "I offer mentorship and industry and other investor connections. I take advisory roles and board observer seats."

Phillip Yates is the founder and CEO of Equiliberty Inc., but wears a few other hats too. In 2011, he helped establish a pre-venture business incubator at the Houston Area Urban League Entrepreneurship Center. He served as general counsel for the Business Angel Minority Association and Direct Digital Holdings Inc., and currently serves as chairman of Impact Hub Houston.

"My favorite part of Houston's innovative ecosystem is the growing network of resources for founders," he says. "Given our racial, ethnic and culturally diverse population, we have a wider range of experiences and perspectives — and ideas that lead to better problem solving, creative solutions and understanding of the needs our community."

This year, the Houston innovation community suffered the loss of two business leaders who left a significant impact on the ecosystem. Both individuals' careers were recognized with Trailblazer Legacy Awards.

Paul Frison, founder of the Houston Technology Center, and Scott Gale, executive director of Halliburton Labs, received the award posthumously. Frison died on September 5, and Gale died on September 24. The award was decided on by the 2024 judges and InnovationMap.

“I am immensely proud to honor these two remarkable individuals with the Trailblazer Award this year. It is fitting, as they represent two generations of building Houston’s ecosystem," 2023 Trailblazer Award recipient Brad Burke, managing director of the Rice Alliance and the associate vice president for industry and new ventures within Rice University's Office of Innovation, tells InnovationMap.

"Paul Frison was a pioneering leader who helped establish the Houston Technology Center and fostered the city’s tech ecosystem during the initial technology boom around the year 2000. Scott Gale, through his work at Halliburton Labs over the past five years, has been instrumental in launching Houston’s energy transition ecosystem," he continues. "Both have played pivotal roles in championing technology innovators.” Continue reading.

Here's who's calling the shots for the 2024 Houston Innovation Awards. Photos courtesy

2024 Houston Innovation Awards names esteemed judges for annual program

meet the decision makers

Ten Houstonians are in the hot seat for deciding the best companies and individuals in Houston's innovation ecosystem.

InnovationMap has announced its 2024 Houston Innovation Awards judging panel, which includes startup founders, nonprofit leaders, investors, corporate innovators, and more. In addition to the 10 judges, InnovationMap Editor Natalie Harms will serve as the editorial representative on the judging panel.

The selected judges will evaluate applications from the nearly 300 nominations that were submitted this year. The judges will be using their expertise to evaluate the nominees' applications, which are due to InnovationMap this week.

Read about this year's judges below, and don't forget to secure your tickets to the November 14 event to see who the panel selects as the winners for the annual celebration of Houston innovation.



Angela Wilkins, chief data officer at Starling Medical

Houston data scientist joins medical device startup amid AI evolution in the sectorAngela Wilkins joins the Houston Innovators Podcast to discuss the intersection of data and health care. Photo courtesy

Angela Wilkins has had a decade-long career in data science in business and academia and now oversees data science for Houston health tech company Starling Medical. She founded Mercury Data Science, which became OmniScience, and previously ran Rice University's Ken Kennedy Institute as executive director.

Brad Burke, associate vice president for industry and new ventures at Rice University's Office of Innovation and executive director of the Rice Alliance

The 2023 recipient of the Trailblazer Award, Brad Burke returns to the Houston Innovation Awards as a judge. For over 20 years, he's led the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship, and recently took on a new leadership role within the university's growing Office of Innovation.

Calicia Johnson, senior product manager at Xbox and co-lead for Black at Xbox at Microsoft

Calicia Johnson is a leader within Microsoft's Houston office, especially when it comes to representing and encouraging diversity. She was named the winner of the 2023 DEI Champion award at the Houston Innovation Awards. Prior to Xbox, she worked for nearly 10 years in oil and gas with the bulk of that time at Chevron.

Emily Cisek, CEO and founder of The Postage

Last year, Emily Cisek's company, The Postage, a secure life planning and small business succession platform, was a finalist in three Houston Innovation Awards categories, winning the award for Female-Founded Business. She returns as a judge as her company continues to grow.

Grace Rodriguez, CEO and executive director of Impact Hub Houston

Grace Rodriguez was a judge for the inaugural Houston Innovation Awards in 2021, and she returns to judge the awards in accordance to her mission of helping "do gooders do greater." In addition to leading Impact Hub Houston, she is a board member of the City of Houston Office of Business Opportunity and is on the Board of Directors for Downtown Houston.

Joey Sanchez, founder of Cup of Joey

As the 2024 Ecosystem Builder award recipient, Joey Sanchez has worked for years leading Houston innovation, including as senior director of ecosystems at the Ion Houston and director of corporate engagement at Houston Exponential. He's now growing his startup, Cup of Joey, a weekly coffee meetup organization, across Houston.

Jon Nordby, managing partner at investment firm Anthropy Partners and founder of EconWerx

For years, Jon Nordby has been a champion of Houston innovation in his previous leadership roles at Houston Exponential, MassChallenge, and the Greater Houston Partnership. A former Houston Innovation Awards judge from 2021, he now works hands on with startups and organizations looking to grow an innovation ecosystem.

Margarita Kelrikh, counsel at Pillsbury

As counsel in Pillsbury's Houston office, Margarita Kelrikh has supported the firm's growing startup clients since her appointment earlier this year. Prior to joining the firm, she held in-house counsel positions at a few companies, including WeWork. She received her bachelor's degree at the University of Chicago and her law degree at Columbia School of Law.

Pedro Silva, co-founder of Milkify

Pedro Silva co-founded Milkify, a freeze-drying breastmilk service, with his wife, Berkley Luck, and the company has appeared on Shark Tank and won last year's BIPOC-Founded Business Award.

Wade Pinder, founder of Product Houston

As the 2023 Mentor of the Year winner, Wade Pinder has mentored countless Houston startups and has decades of experience in product development — most recently through his own company, Product Houston.

Editorial judge: Natalie Harms, editor of InnovationMap

For the fourth year, Natalie Harms will represent InnovationMap on the annual awards judging panel as the founding editor of InnovationMap the host of the Houston Innovators Podcast.

She reports on innovation and technology for InnovationMap and on energy transition for EnergyCapitalHTX — and their impact on the city of Houston. A Houston native, she's worked as a business journalist for almost a decade and has a degree in journalism from the University of Houston and a certificate in publishing from New York University.

Calling all sports tech startups founded by Black or Hispanic innovators. Photo via Getty Images

Diversity-focused sports tech accelerator opens applications to Houston innovators for the first time

apply now

A global organization has announced it's opening applications to its equity-focused sports tech accelerator to Houston founders for the first time.

Thanks to a collaboration with Impact Hub and Black Ambition, the adidas Community Lab has expanded its footprint and is now accepting applicants from new markets, including Houston, Toronto, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and New York, for its 2024-2025 cohort.

The initiative, which has been running for three years, has a goal of supporting Black and Latino/a/e founders with mentorship, pitch training, event programming, and networking. The eight-month program also has $75,000 in grant funding to dole out to participants as well.

“As Community Lab enters its third year, we are thrilled to cultivate a larger cohort of social entrepreneurs who share our vision of removing barriers to accessing sport for the communities we collectively serve,” Ayesha Martin, senior director of adidas Purpose, says in a news release.

Both the global organization of Impact Hub and the local group, Impact Hub Houston, are involved in the collaboration.

“Impact Hub is thrilled to partner and support this third iteration of adidas Community Lab, empowering visionary leaders who are advancing SDG3 —Good Health and Wellbeing — and SDG10 — Reduced Inequalities," Michelle Avalos, co-founder of Impact Hub Houston, adds. Together, we’re helping entrepreneurs create equitable access to sports and foster healthier, more inclusive communities for all."

Applications are open online now until September 23.

Founded by Pharrell Williams, Black Ambition will also collaborate with the program this year on key programing sessions. The organization invests funding and resources into Black and Hispanic entrepreneur-founded startups.

"Black Ambition was founded to create the space, bespoke opportunities and relationships needed for underrepresented founders to excel, uninterrupted. We are excited to partner with adidas Purpose to extend elements of our renowned, global founder support model to social impact entrepreneurs positively transforming their communities through sports and wellness," says Jermeen Sherman, managing director at Black Ambition.

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2 UH projects named finalists for $50M fund to shape future of Gulf Coast

Looking to the Future

Two University of Houston science projects have been selected as finalists for the Gulf Futures Challenge, which will award a total of $50 million to develop ideas that help benefit the Gulf Coast.

Sponsored by the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine’s Gulf Coast Research Program and Lever for Change, the competition is designed to spark innovation around problems in the Gulf Coast, such as rising sea levels, pollution, energy security, and community resiliency. The two UH projects beat out 162 entries from organizations based in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas.

“Being named a finalist for this highly competitive grant underscores the University of Houston’s role as a leading research institution committed to addressing the most pressing challenges facing our region,” said Claudia Neuhauser, vice president for research at UH.

“This opportunity affirms the strength of our faculty and researchers and highlights UH’s capacity to deliver innovative solutions that will ensure the long-term stability and resilience of the Gulf Coast.”

One project, spearheaded by the UH Repurposing Offshore Infrastructure for Continued Energy (ROICE) program, is studying ways to use decommissioned oil rig platforms in the Gulf of Mexico as both clean energy hydrogen power generators as well a marine habitats. There are currently thousands of such platforms in the Gulf.

The other project involves the innovative recycling of wind turbines into seawall and coastal habitats. Broken and abandoned wind turbine blades have traditionally been thought to be non-recyclable and end up taking up incredible space in landfills. Headed by a partnership between UH, Tulane University, the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, the city of Galveston and other organizations, this initiative could vastly reduce the waste associated with wind farm technology.

wind turbine recycled for Gulf Coast seawall. Wind turbines would be repurposed into seawalls and more. Courtesy rendering

"Coastal communities face escalating threats from climate change — land erosion, structural corrosion, property damage and negative health impacts,” said Gangbing Song, Moores Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at UH and the lead investigator for both projects.

“Leveraging the durability and anti-corrosive properties of these of decommissioned wind turbine blades, we will build coastal structures, improve green spaces and advance the resilience and health of Gulf Coast communities through integrated research, education and outreach.”

The two projects have received a development grant of $300,000 as a prize for making it to the finals. When the winner are announced in early 2026, two of the projects will net $20 million each to bring their vision to life, with the rest earning a consolation prize of $875,000, in additional project support.

In the event that UH doesn't grab the grand prize, the school's scientific innovation will earn a guaranteed $1.75 million for the betterment of the Gulf Coast.

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This article originally appeared on CultureMap.com.

Kids, kicks and connectivity: Xfinity makes soccer a shared experience

The Beautiful Game

For soccer mom Lana Chase, weekends were a whirlwind of cleats, carpooling, and cheering from the sidelines. Now that her daughter Miah graduated high school in May, the Chase Family’s love for the game hasn't stopped. It's shifted to their living room, where Comcast’s new Xfinity streaming platform brings the global game home.

“We’re a soccer family through and through,” says Chase. “Miah played soccer from about age 8 until 16, and we love the World Cup! Xfinity makes it easy for all of us to watch what we love together.”

One platform, every goal

Xfinity's new World Soccer Ticket package eliminates the chaos of juggling apps, subscriptions, or subpar streams. Families can now enjoy more than 1,500 matches from across the globe.

With parental controls, age-appropriate content, and smart recommendations, Xfinity turns soccer into family-friendly entertainment. Whether it’s a weekend watch party or a quiet school night, the platform adapts to every household’s rhythm.

“Figuring out where to watch your favorite team or match is often a painful game of chance. Now, with World Soccer Ticket, there’s no better way to watch the beautiful game than with Xfinity,” says Jon Gieselman, chief growth officer for Comcast's connectivity & platforms. “It’s easy, we did the work for our customers and pulled together the most coveted leagues and tournaments – from Premier League, LALIGA and Champions League to the World Cup – and put them in one place. We added some magic to the experience, with innovations like Multiview, 4K, and Sports Zone all easily accessible with one simple click or voice command.”

World Cup in Houston

With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, the timing couldn't have been better. The world tournament will be the largest Spanish-language coverage ever offered by Telemundo, powered by Comcast NBCUniversal's technology, storytelling, and scale.

Telemundo and Peacock hold the exclusive Spanish language rights to "el Mundial," including all 104 matches streaming live on Peacock, with 92 matches airing on Telemundo and 12 on Universo. Live crews will cover every event in all 16 host cities, including Houston.

Xfinity customers will have access to pregame, halftime, and postgame coverage with unprecedented immersive experiences. The 2026 World Cup will be the most exciting event of the summer.

"We know other soccer families who watch matches with their little brothers and sisters. It’s not just a game, it’s family time. It's an even bigger deal with the tournament being just down the road in Houston next year,” Chase adds.

Comcast’s AI-powered platform personalizes the viewing experience, recommending matches and highlights based on each family member’s preferences.

World Soccer Ticket is available for an all-in monthly price of $85. It includes nearly 60 broadcast, cable news, and English- and Spanish-language sports channels, and a subscription to Peacock Premium so customers can enjoy a huge collection of movies, shows, news, and other live sports alongside all their favorite soccer programming.

Subscribe to World Soccer Ticket here.

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.

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