Register for some of these informative online events happening throughout the month of January. Photo via Getty Images

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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7+ can't-miss Houston business and innovation events for November

where to be

Editor's note: From life sciences to space and energy, Houston's most notable sectors will host signature conferences and opportunities to connect this month. Here’s what not to miss in November and how to register. Please note: this article may be updated to add more events.

Nov. 4 — Startup Heat Simulation

Build a team and simulate fundraising, team building, resource allocation and go-to-market decisions that real founders face in their startup journey. This in-person simulation event helps prepare participants for when the stakes are real.

This event is Wednesday, Nov. 4, from 9 a.m.-noon at the Ion. Register here.

Nov. 9 — HAN Life Science Kick-off

Houston Angel Network will host this engaging event focused on AI in the clinical space. Expect panel discussions, networking and pitches from HAN portfolio companies. Dr. Peter Pisters, former president of M.D. Anderson, will deliver a keynote address.

This event is Monday, Nov. 9, from 4-8 p.m. at the Texas A&M School of Engineering and Medicine. Register here.

Nov. 10 — Texas Life Science Forum

Rice Alliance and BioHouston will host the 15th annual Texas Life Science Forum this month, bringing together industry, emerging life science companies, academics and investors. Nearly 50 companies will present their novel concepts during the event. Michael Tores, founder and former CEO of CrossBridge Bio, will be featured in a fireside chat. Dr. Arthur Sands, president and CEO of Nurix, will present the keynote address.

This event is Tuesday, Nov. 10, from 4-5:15 p.m. at Rice University's McNair Hall. Register here.

Nov. 11 — Envision 2026: Clinical Research, Reimagined

TMCi's annual Envision conference returns this month. This year, the event will take a look at what sets Houston apart as a hub for clinical research and how TMC is exploring strategies to address the roadblocks Houston and Texas face in clinical trial efficiency.

This event is Wednesday, Nov. 11, from 3:30-6 p.m. at TMC Innovation Factory. Register here.

Nov. 11 — First Principles: Inside the Texas A&M Space Institute

Dr. Rob Ambrose, associate director of the Texas A&M Space Institute, will present on the Texas A&M Space Institute's planned 400,000-square-foot facility at NASA’s Exploration Park at the latest installment of this series. A moderated Q&A will follow.

This event is Wednesday, Nov. 11, from 3:30-6 p.m. at TMC Innovation Factory. Register here.

Nov. 12 — Technology Transfer Thursdays

Join for the third installment of Tech Transfer Thursdays, hosted by Rice University's Office of Technology Transfer. The event series focuses on how emerging university research can become commercial ventures. This month's event will focus on artificial intelligence and quantum computing. Stick around after for a community happy hour.

This event is Thursday, Nov. 12, from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

Nov. 12 — Transition on Tap

Greentown Labs’ signature networking event returns in November to foster conversations and connections within Houston's climate and energy transition ecosystem. Entrepreneurs, investors, students, philanthropists and more are invited to attend, meet colleagues, discuss solutions and engage with the growing community.

This event is Thursday, Nov. 12, from 5:30-7 p.m. at Greentown Labs. Register here.

Nov. 18-19 — American Data Centers & AI Conference and Exhibition 2026

Set to redefine the intersection of energy and digital infrastructure, the American Data Centers & AI Conference and Exhibition convenes in Houston for its second annual event. The event will address the increasing demand for high-performance computing and the sustainable development of AI infrastructure, which requires significant power. Participants can expect to learn about practical solutions in energy integration, modern data center design, and scalable approaches. The agenda includes presentations from leading experts, demonstrations of new technologies for thermal management and grid optimization, and detailed discussions on AI's environmental impact and how to reuse generated heat.

This event begins Nov. 18 at the DoubleTree Hotel at Greenway Plaza. Register here.

7 finalists compete to be crowned Houston's 2026 Startup of the Year

Cast Your Vote

Each year, the Houston Innovation Awards program recognizes the best and brightest in the local innovation community. And while most of the award winners are selected by our esteemed panel of judges, one winner is determined by you.

Voting is now open for our people's choice award: 2026 Startup of the Year. Seven exceptional finalists are in the running for the title, and your votes will determine who wins.

From innovative platforms benefiting the education, commerce, health, investment and IT sectors to next-gen memory technology and improvements for robotic supply chains, these startups are making an impact in Houston and beyond.

Read about our Startup of the Year finalists and their missions and achievements below, then cast your vote. You can vote once per day through Nov. 13, so make your voice heard.

The winner, along with the winners in all other categories, will be revealed in mid-November right here on InnovationMap.com. Stay tuned.

FluxWorks

FluxWorks

Fluxworks is aiming to shape the future of the robotic supply chain with its flagship Celestial Gear. The magnetic gearbox offers a contactless design that leads to less wear, debris and maintenance. In 2026, Fluxworks closed a $5 million seed round to scale the product.

IronLattice

IronLattice

IronLattice is developing next-generation, ferroelectric memory technology for AI and high-performance computing workloads. In June 2026, the company closed a $3 million angel round. It began wafer production this fall, with its first working device targeted for completion in spring 2027.

Lumino

Lumino

Lumino is a unified commerce ecosystem and payments platform designed to provide businesses with the technology, payments infrastructure, intelligence and tools they need to grow while creating impact in their communities. Lumino publicly launched its platform in 2026 in Houston and is rolling out its next stage of global expansion.

Progress Report

Progress Report is a K-12 learning-intelligence platform designed to go beyond identifying that a student is struggling. It traces performance to learning gaps and prerequisite skills, helping educators understand where a student is struggling and what may be causing it. Progress Report recently released a fully built production platform and launched pilots with 35 educators and 200 students across Texas and Arizona.

Rosarium Health

Rosarium Health is a platform that coordinates the full process for home accessibility upgrades and modifications for seniors and people living with disabilities. In 2026, the startup announced $6 million in seed funding and scaled to a national network of 800-plus clinicians and 3,000-plus contractors.

Thread

Thread

Thread is building an AI-powered service desk platform for Managed Service Providers (MSPs). Its technology combines agentic AI, assistive AI, automation, and real-time communication to help MSPs resolve IT support requests faster and with less manual work.

TokenRoster

TokenRoster is an AI-powered assessment platform for early-stage startups, providing founders with an investor-grade evaluation of their company before the pitch and giving investors a curated roster of vetted companies. Since launch, TokenRoster has grown to 65 companies and 43 founder accounts, with 10 assessment frameworks available.