8+ can't-miss Houston business and innovation events online in January

where to be online

It's a whole new year, but Houston is cranking out the same great business and innovation-focused events.

Here's a roundup of virtual events not to miss this month — from workshops and webinars to summits and pitch parties. Note: This post will be updated to add more events.

January 6 — The New Relief Package - Explained by SBA

With the passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021, a $2.3 trillion spending bill, a new round of stimulus funding will soon be available. Join the Houston Asian Chamber of Commerce for a discussion with Tim Jeffcoat, Director of the U.S. Small Business Administration in Houston as we navigate what this means for small businesses and how you can apply for Paycheck Protection Programs and Economic Injury Disaster Loans as well as other SBA loans.

The event is on Wednesday, January 6, at 10 am. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

January 13 — How to Change Careers: Oil and Gas

The way we work is changing. Some might feel a stronger push to make a change. If you are looking for a career transition, I invite you to explore innovative career paths in energy and Oil & Gas. How can you pursue a career change during uncertainty? By leaning into the changes happening in the world. We are at a crossroads and many things will now evolve - let's contribute our skills, passion and drive to participate in this evolution.

The General Assembly event is on Wednesday, January 13, at noon. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

January 13 — Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures - Investment Directions in the new Energy Landscape

As 2021 begins, the world has seen dramatic volatility in the entire energy landscape, with demand for hydrocarbons seeing precipitous drops, while renewable energy investment has increased, as many countries across the world prioritize meeting the COP21 agreement and other ESG concerns. Jim Sledzik is the Managing Director of the North America team of Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures will discuss current and ongoing investment directions and themes for SAEV. He'll give insight to aspiring entrepreneurs on what are investable propositions for SAEV across the entire energy landscape.

The event is on Wednesday, January 13, at 4 pm. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

January 14 — Plaza Tec: How We Made it Big

Learn from Latinx founders about their experiences accessing funding, using technology to grow/pivot, and hurdles they have overcome. This event is designed by The Ion to give you a set of tools and pathways to help you navigate your business and take advantage of technology to help you grow. Every business has failures. No business succeeds without some change of plan. Join us for a founders focus event on "How We Made It Big" to learn how to use resources available in the tech and innovation ecosystem to help your business grow.

The event is on Thursday, January 14, at noon. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

January 14 — Intro to Fundraising & Ask Me Anything: Defense Edition with Craig Cummings

Join Capital Factory virtually to hear an overview from experienced entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and angel investors at Intro to Fundraising & Ask Me Anything: Defense Edition. Get a chance to introduce yourself and ask any questions on funding and other related topics.

The event is on Thursday, January 14, at 2 pm. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

January 16 — Enventure Basecamp - Business Building Workshop

Enventure's community-driven business building Basecamp series returns this October to support a local innovator with their healthcare venture. This event will be virtual. All experience levels are welcome, this is an excellent learning and networking opportunity.

The event is on Saturday, January 16, at 9 am. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

January 22 — The Village School's Innovation Day

The Village School's annual Innovation Day is a celebration of ideas and solutions created by students to tackle today's most pressing problems — such as designing solutions to live on Mars in zero gravity, composing and scoring music through computer software and high school entrepreneurs who are running their own businesses.

The event is on Friday, January 22, at 9 am. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

January 21 — Angel Investing 101 Series | Urban Capital Network

Join Urban Capital Network (UCN) and their special guest(s) who will talk about and share their experiences in early-stage investing. Target audience includes current and future investors interested in learning about early-stage angel investing and hearing first-hand experiences from talented and seasoned panelists, as well as entrepreneurs interested in learning more about the capital raising process and lifecycle.

The event is on Thursday, January 21, at 5:30 pm. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

January 27 — Houston Startup Showcase

The Houston Startup Showcase is a flagship event from The Ion, formerly known as Demo Day. This event will allow for developing companies to receive feedback from subject matter experts and showcase their successes thus far. The event is a year-long series of monthly pitch competitions, and results in a final winner to close the series in November. Companies are encouraged to apply online to pitch.

The event is on Wednesday, January 27, at 6 pm. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

January 28 — Building a More Inclusive Startup

Starting off with the first of a series of four DEI workshops, this interactive event, co-hosted by Greentown Labs and Aleria Research, will provide you actionable frameworks, tools, and resources to empower your team to build a more inclusive startup.

The event is on Thursday, January 28, at 11 am. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

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Houston space companies take off with new tech, deals and contracts

space update

Space City has had a busy month.

Houston-based aerospace institutions Venus Aerospace, Axiom Space, and Aegis Aerospace have each recently announced advancements in their respective fields that include expansions and new contracts from U.S. and international government agencies.

Here’s the latest:

Venus launches new test stand

Earlier this month, Venus Aerospace added infrastructure to support the ongoing progress of its Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine (RDRE) with the opening of its new propulsion test stand at the Houston Spaceport.

The Texas Space Commission's Space Exploration and Aeronautics Research Fund is funding the test stand, which is part of a larger effort from the state to increase investments in the aerospace economy. The ribbon-cutting event on Sept. 10 welcomed officials from Venus Aerospace, the Texas Space Commission, the Houston Spaceport, Houston business and local community leaders.

With the new stand, Venus will be able to test at higher thrust and for longer durations, which will allow the company to better replicate real-life conditions.

"Building and testing propulsion systems at this pace requires the right infrastructure around the technology," Sassie Duggleby, CEO and co-founder of Venus Aerospace, said in a news release. "We're grateful to the Texas Space Commission and the State of Texas for investing alongside companies like Venus. Public investment like this helps companies move faster and keeps critical aerospace capability growing here in Texas."

Venus closed a $91 million Series B in July and expanded its leadership team.

Axiom partners in Europe

Axiom Space has signed a memorandum of understanding with the European Space Agency for “sustained European access to low-Earth orbit (LEO)” following the retirement of the International Space Station, according to a news release from the company.

Under the agreement, Axiom and the ESA agreed to explore future astronaut missions on the ISS and Axiom Station, research, transportation and spacesuit partnerships. The organizations will explore using the ESA’s European Cargo Return service and potentially a future European crew vehicle to support operations at Axiom Station, the company's forthcoming commercial space station. The partnership could also involve Axiom's AxEMU spacesuit for orbital and lunar applications, according to the release.

“With the upcoming de-orbitation of the ISS, it is our duty to anticipate and prepare future solutions to ensure our access to low-Earth orbit,” Daniel Neuenschwander, director of human and robotic exploration at ESA, said in the release. “The two documents signed today underline both our commitment to safeguard our ability to pursue in-orbit science and to keep offering flight opportunities to our European astronaut corps, as well as the growing interest of international partners for our ongoing project to develop an autonomous European cargo vehicle.”

The announcement comes as Axiom has made several international moves this year. The company shared plans to establish Axiom Space Switzerland this summer and launched Axiom Space Japan in July.

"The path to a sustainable human presence in space runs through international collaboration — reliable supply chains, shared innovation, and partners who bring real capability," Jonathan Cirtain, CEO and President of Axiom Space, said in the release. "Europe's contributions to microgravity science and deep space technology make ESA exactly that kind of partner. This MoU strengthens our work together, and we look forward to ESA and its member states joining us as customers for future astronaut missions."

Aegis expands DoW deal

Webster, Texas-based Aegis Aerospace announced that it has won a new task order to continue supporting the U.S. Space Force’s Space Test Program.

The contract starts in October and covers designing, building, testing and operating Department of War payloads or equipment on NASA, government, and commercial launch vehicles and platforms. The contract was issued by the USSF Space Systems Command, Space Test Program under NASA Johnson Space Center’s Research, Engineering, and Mission Integration Services 2 (REMIS 2).

Currently, the company is working on three payload facilities on the ISS and has plans for two more in development.

“Aegis Aerospace is grateful to continue our exceptional payload integration support to the USSF and the STP to meet their critical mission objectives,” President Matt Ondler added in the release. “This work is more important than ever to maintain U.S. superiority in space. This new contract will take us beyond the current life of the ISS and see us integrate and test payloads on commercial space stations, free-flyers, and cislunar missions.”

10 Houston billionaires land on Forbes' 2026 list of richest Americans

America's Richest

The richest billionaires in America have a collective worth of $8 trillion in 2026, a staggering $1.4 trillion increase since last year, says Forbes. American billionaires are so wealthy that it now takes an unprecedented $4.4 billion net worth to be considered one of the richest people in the country. And one local billionaire has regained the title as Houston's wealthiest resident.

Oil tycoon Jeffery Hildebrand, 67, now reigns as the No. 1 richest Houstonian, the 9th richest Texan, and the 88th richest person in America for 2026.

The annual Forbes 400 list is a definitive ranking of the wealthiest Americans, using interviews, financial data, and documentation provided by billionaires and their companies. In all, 43 billionaires across Texas made it on the 2026 list, and 10 are based in Houston.

Hildebrand's net worth has surged $4.7 billion since last year, bringing his current net worth to $14.7 billion. He cofounded Hilcorp, one of the largest privately owned oil and natural gas producers in the U.S., in 1990 and served as its CEO until 2018. He still serves as the chairman of the company.

Hildebrand skyrocketed past several other Houston billionaires to claim the top spot citywide: Kinder Morgan chairman Richard Kinder, Toyota mega-dealer Dan Friedkin, and hospitality honcho Tilman Fertitta.

Kinder, 81, was dubbed Houston's richest billionaire in the 2025 Forbes 400 list, whose net worth has increased from $11.1 billion to $12.9 billion in just one year. He is the 11th richest Texan and the 100th richest person in America.

Friedkin, 61, is the third-richest Houstonian and the 102nd richest American with an estimated net worth of $12.9 billion, up from $9.7 billion last year. He most notably owns Gulf States Toyota, which sold $14.5 billion worth of Toyotas in 2025, per Forbes.

The Friedkin family is also in talks to launch a new NHL team in Texas, with Houston and Austin being eyed as potential home bases, CultureMap reports. Bringing a professional hockey team to Houston would be a major boon for the city, which has been without one since the Houston Aeros folded in 2013.

Fertitta, 69, has a net worth of $12.3 billion and is the fourth richest Houstonian and the 110th richest American. Fertitta owns hospitality corporation Fertitta Entertainment and the NBA team Houston Rockets. He most recently purchased the WNBA's Connecticut Sun and plans to relocate them to Houston under the Houston Comets name in 2027. He also keeps himself busy as President Trump's ambassador to Italy.

There's also one new Houston-based billionaire making his debut on the Forbes 400: Houston Texans owner and CEO Cal McNair.

McNair, 64, took over as the principal owner of the NFL team after his late mother, Janice McNair, transferred her principal stake to him in 2024. Janice, who cofounded the Texans with her late husband Bob McNair, passed away in July 2026. She previously had an estimated net worth of $7.3 billion.

Cal McNair ranks as the 218th richest person in America with an estimated net worth of $7.7 billion.

Here's how the rest of Houston's billionaires fared on this year's list:

Houston pipeline heir Randa Duncan Williams ranks 124th with an estimated net worth of $11.7 billion. Fellow pipeline heirs Dannine Avara and Milane Frantz tie for 128th nationally. Each has an estimated net worth of $11.6 billion. Scott Duncan ties for No. 137 with an $11.3 billion estimated net worth.
Energy exploration chief exec George Bishop of The Woodlands ranks No. 380 with an estimated net worth of $4.5 billion. Last year: $4.7 billion.

Texas' richest billionaires
Walmart heiress Alice Walton, 76, who currently leads as the richest woman globally, is also the richest woman in America, the third-wealthiest person in Texas, and the richest Fort Worth resident for 2026.

Walton's net worth has grown by $12 billion since last year, bringing her current net worth to $118 billion. She is the only daughter of late Walmart cofounder Sam Walton, though she focuses her attention on other endeavors like the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine in Bentonville, Arkansas. Forbes still lists her residence as Fort Worth. Walton is one of only 62 women billionaires on the Forbes 400 list, making up just 16 percent of the total list.

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This article first appeared on CultureMap.com.

3 Houston children's hospitals ranked best in the nation by U.S. News

Hospital Honor Roll

Houston has many renowned hospitals providing exceptional care, and now three local medical centers have earned national acclaim for their top-notch healthcare for children and adolescents.

Texas Children's Hospital, Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital, and Children's Cancer Hospital-MD Anderson Cancer Center are the three local pediatric care centers named in U.S. News and World Report's 2026-2027 Best Children's Hospitals.

Each year, U.S. News surveys over 100 children's hospitals and thousands of pediatric specialists to determine it's Best Children's Hospitals rankings. The winning hospitals excel at various factors such as "clinical outcomes, compliance with established best practices, and level and quality of hospital resources directly related to patient care."

Out of the 90 total children's hospitals selected across 34 states and Washington, D.C., only six were based in Texas.

"For two decades, U.S. News has helped guide families to top-tier pediatric care," said Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News, in a release. “Finding the right medical team for a rare diagnosis or complex surgery can be overwhelming, and U.S. News’ annual evaluation of the Best Children’s Hospitals provides a clear starting point for parents and referring pediatricians alike."

Texas Children's Hospital reigns as the No. 1 pediatric hospital in the Lone Star State and in the Southwest, and it was the only Texas hospital to be named in U.S. News' national Best Children's Hospitals Honor Roll list for 2026-2027.

Texas Children's also leads as the No. 1 best hospital in the U.S. in two pediatric specialties — Cardiology and Heart Surgery; Diabetes and Endocrinology. It earned top-five acclaim in seven more nationally ranked specialties: Nephrology (No. 2); Pulmonology and Lung Surgery (No. 2); Urology (No. 2); Neurology and Neurosurgery (No. 3); Gastroenterology and GI Surgery (No. 5); Neonatology (No. 5); and Orthopedics (No. 5).

The hospital also ranked as the country's 12th best pediatric cancer hospital, and it's one of the top 50 Best Children's Hospitals for Behavioral Health in the U.S.

Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital is the No. 3 best pediatric hospital in Texas for 2026-2027, and it earned top-50 ranks in seven specialties:

No. 12 – Cardiology and Heart Surgery
No. 26 – Neonatology
No. 28 – Gastroenterology & GI Surgery
No. 34 – Neurology and Neurosurgery
No. 40 – Orthopedics
No. 50 – Nephrology
"Top 50" Best Children's Hospitals for Behavioral Health

MD Anderson's Children's Cancer Hospital was unranked in the statewide list of the best pediatric care centers. It ranked as the No. 33 best pediatric cancer hospital in the U.S.

Other high-performing Texas pediatric hospital include Children's Health Dallas, Dell Children's Medical Center in Austin, and Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth.

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