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

where to be

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

It's fully summer here in Houston, and the city's business community is mixing in networking and conference events with family vacations and time off. Here's a rundown of what all to throw on your calendar for June when it comes to innovation-related events.

This article will be updated as more business and tech events are announced.

June 1 — Houston Veterans In Residence Showcase

Bunker Labs’ Veterans in Residence Showcase is a nationwide event spanning across 23 cities and 3 virtual cohorts, celebrating over 400 veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs launching their startups and businesses from our recent cohort. It gives you a chance to network with local participants. Become part of your local business community and learn how you can get involved by patronizing, investing in, or partnering up with our veterans and military spouse entrepreneurs.

The event is Wednesday, June 1, 6 to 8 pm, at WeWork Jones Hall. Click here to register.

June 1 — SportsTech Meetup + Happy Hour

Join us for a meetup and happy hour to socialize with fellow entrepreneurs and business owners in SportsTech. The event is hosted by Pokatok, a new sports tech startup focused on elevating sports innovation in Houston.

The event is Wednesday, June 1, 4 to 6 pm, at The Cannon Sports. Click here to register.

June 2 — Building a Talent Strong Texas, a Special UpSkill Works forum 

Dr. Harrison Keller, Commissioner of Higher Education, is fresh off the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's release of its Building a Talent Strong Texas plan, which elevates the critical importance of post-secondary education and continued skills development.

The event is Thursday, June 2, noon to 1 pm, online. Click here to register.

June 8 — Carbon to Value Initiative Year 2 Kickoff

Year 2 of the C2V Initiative builds on its successful first year in 2021 that led to partnerships, technology advancement, and industry growth. Join us, together with Fluor Corporation, a leading global engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) company, as we kick off year 2 of this exciting program, which will connect the selected startups with experts, resources, and programming to help them achieve their commercial and technical milestones!

The event is Wednesday, June 8, 6 to 8 pm, at Greentown Houston. Click here to register.

June 8 — Illuminate Houston: An Innovation Conversation

Illuminate Houston is an event series highlighting business leaders who challenge the way we think about the future. Illuminate Houston features dynamic formats where speakers and attendees discuss trends, technologies and issues that define how we do business. The Partnership welcomes Gaurab Chakrabarti, CEO and Co-founder of Solugen on Wednesday, June 8.

The event is Wednesday, June 8, noon to 1 pm, online. Click here to register.

June 8 — High Performance Institute Information Session

Join The Ion as we hear from High Performance Institute and how we are working to build a partnership for the community.

The event is Wednesday, June 8, 4 to 6 pm, at the Ion. Click here to register.

June 9 — Sip & Socialize, brought to you by partner of The Cannon, Dell for Startups

Enjoy some cocktails from partner of The Cannon, Dell for Startups, and learn more about the upcoming pitch competition on June 29th.

The event is Thursday, June 9, 4:30 to 6:30 pm, at The Powder Keg (1300 Brittmoore Rd). Click here to register.

June 16 — Transition On Tap: In Partnership with The Veterans Advanced Energy Project

Greentown Houston is hosting a special Transition On Tap in partnership with The Veterans Advanced Energy Project. Some of America's best talent joined the military to serve and deploy to combat in a time of national crisis. Now those same veterans are entering the energy transition for their next tour of duty. While the climate crisis is a call to serve, the energy transition is also a massive economic opportunity these young leaders are running towards. Learn from the panel of experienced professionals and meet other like-minded individuals passionate about the energy transition.

The event is Thursday, June 16, 5 to 8 pm, at Greentown Labs Houston (4200 San Jacinto St). Click here to register.

June 20-22 — 6th Annual Energy Drone & Robotics Summit

The Energy Drone & Robotics Summit is the largest event in the world for UAVs, Robotics & Data/AI/ML, exclusively focused on the business and technology of unmanned systems, automation and data/AI in energy & industrial operations. Over the last 5 years, it has grown to the most influential gathering of industrial, energy and engineering leaders from around the globe where the key challenges & solutions are addressed for operating drones, satellites, and robotics successfully and managing/making data actionable, from the stars to the sea floor.

The event is Monday-Wednesday, June 20-22, at the Woodlands Marriott. Click here to register.

June 22 — Houston Startup Showcase

The Houston Startup Showcase is a year-long series of monthly pitch competitions. Founders will pitch LIVE AT THE ION and compete for the grand prize package. Watch the startups pitch their company and see who the judges will name the champion of Houston Startup Showcase 2022.

The event is Wednesday, June 22, 2:45 to 5:30 pm, at the Ion. Click here to register.

June 28 — Future of Global Energy: Innovation District Reception and Tour

Day one of the Future of Global Energy Conference Presented by Chevron begins offers a special tour and reception in the heart of Houston's innovation district highlighting some of the key venues that are propelling energy transition forward here in Houston. Attendees will tour Greentown Labs and The Ion.

The event is Thursday, June 2, 2:45 to 5:30 pm, at the Houston Innovation District. Click here to register.

June 28-30 — The Future of Global Energy: Houston’s Role in Leading the Energy Transition Presented by Chevron

To highlight Houston's role in the global energy transition, the Greater Houston Partnership and Center for Houston's Future will host a dynamic three-day conference providing global and national context on the changing energy landscape and highlight Houston's leadership in the global energy transition.

The event is Tuesday-Thursday, June 28-30, and is a hybrid event. Click here to register.

June 29 — Alumni Napier Rice Launch Challenge 2022

Join Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and support Rice University alumni startups at the H. Albert Napier Rice Launch Challenge (NRLC) virtual Championships on Wednesday, June 29. Six alumni finalists will pitch their ventures for the chance to win equity-free funding.

The event is Wednesday, June 29, 6 to 8 pm, online. Click here to register.

June 29 — Panel & Pitch Competition, Sponsored by Dell for Startups

As part of the tour, the Dell for Startups team will be stopping by Houston in partnership with The Cannon to host a Houston Founder Pitch Competition. Eight startups from all across the city will compete for $25,000 worth of prizes is taking place at The Cannon.

The event is Wednesday, June 29, 4 to 7:30 pm, at the Cannon West Houston. Click here to register.

Memorial Park getting ready to deliver a few projects from its 10-year master plan was one of this week's top stories. Courtesy of Memorial Park Conservancy

5 most popular innovation stories in Houston this week

What's Trending

This week was flooded with more than just the tropical disturbance that hit Houston. The city hosted a slew of events — from Plug and Play's Houston Innovation Week and Capital Factory's Texas Startups Roadshow to TMCx's Demo Day and the Low Carbon Energy Summit hosted by KPMG and the Center for Houston's Future.

Spoiler: More events are coming. Stay tuned to our June innovation events guide for the latest.

This week on InnovationMap, we launched our first series of profiles for Pride Month and featured a Texas startup force, Marissa Limsiaco from Tenavox, and we broke the news that Plug and Play will launch its accelerator by end of the year.

Scroll through the stories below to read snippets of the top trending stories in Houston innovation.

Need more than just trending news on Fridays? Subscribe to our daily newsletter that sends fresh stories straight to your inboxes every morning.

Memorial Park Conservancy plans to deliver its first project of its master plan redevelopment next year

Memorial Park Conservancy is gearing up to unveil one if its first projects within its 10-year master plan redevelopment. Photo courtesy of MPC

Memorial Park Conservancy has until 2028 to deliver on its master plan redevelopment project, but if MPC president and CEO Shellye Arnold has anything to say about it, the plan will be completed way ahead of that.

The project is a collaborative effort between MPC, Uptown Houston TIRZ, and Houston Parks and Recreation Department to redevelop the 1,500-acre park. In 2011, a major drought decimated the park and areas saw losses of 50 to even 90 percent of the canopy of trees. Continue reading the story.

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

Check out these conferences, pitch competitions, networking, and more. Getty Images

Summer's here and living isn't necessarily easy — especially when it comes to scheduling. Houston's busting at the seams with networking, panel, and pitch events this month. Continue reading the story.

Houston nonprofit that's upcycling textiles and clothing opens new store

Magpies & Peacocks has prevented over 220,000 pounds of textiles in landfills by upcycling fabrics for new fashion items. The nonprofit now has a new store to keep up with demand. Magpies & Peacocks/Instagram

Magpies & Peacocks, the nation's only nonprofit design house that collects and reuses post consumer textiles, clothing, and accessories, opens their first permanent retail space in Houston on Saturday, June 1. The Co:Lab Marketplace will be located inside the organization's current warehouse space in Houston's East End.

The 6,000-square-foot space holds luxury upcycled sustainable clothing, jewelry, accessories, and home decor, along with partner sustainable and ethical brands. There will also be a bar offering cocktails and coffee, a lounge area, and a capsule gallery featuring the work of local artists. Continue reading the story.

3 TMCx companies have raised funds while completing the Houston accelerator

Three companies in TMCx's current cohort are leaving the program with new funds. Courtesy of TMCx

According to the CDCThe Texas Medical Center's accelerator program is wrapping up its Digital Health cohort this week with the culmination of its TMCx Demo Day, and, while all of the companies have something to celebrate, three have announced that they are leaving the program with fresh funds.

Meru, Roundtrip, and Sani Nudge have raised over $10 million between the three companies. All three will be presenting at the TMCx Digital Health Demo Day on June 6 with the 16 other companies in the cohort. Continue reading the story.

5 things you need to know about Houston's Microsoft- and Intel-backed accelerator program

The inaugural Smart Cities accelerator in Houston will have its cohort create solutions for a set of problems the city faces. Sky Noir Photography by Bill Dickinson/Getty Images

At a Microsoft IoT in Action event in April, Mayor Sylvester Turner announced that the city would launch the Ion Smart Cities Accelerator — a program that would task a set of startups and entrepreneurs with creating digital and technical solutions to key problems within Houston.

"As a result of incorporating smart technologies, Houston will have the ability to create a more resilient and mobile-friendly city, and in turn accelerate our city's economic growth and prepare for the needs of 21st Century citizens," Mayor Turner says in a release. Continue reading the story.

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Houston-area NASA contractor plans Nasdaq IPO

going public

Webster-based NASA contractor Rothe Development Inc. has filed paperwork with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to go public.

Rothe, a minority- and woman-owned business, hasn’t yet identified how many shares it will sell and how much money its IPO might raise. Rothe plans to offer Class B common stock on the Nasdaq exchange.

CEO Karen Wheeler-Hall owns all of the Class A shares and would retain majority control after the IPO, according to the SEC filing. The company plans to use $2.4 million of the IPO proceeds so Wheeler-Hall can pay off a loan from the seller for her 2021 acquisition of Rothe.

From last December to this May, the company raised about $2.1 million in a pre-IPO private placement at $1 per share, the SEC filing shows.

Rothe runs NASA training lab in Houston

Founded in 1967, Rothe supplies engineering, technology, operations and technical services to NASA, the U.S. Department of Defense, other federal agencies, commercial space operators, and regulated industries.

Rothe is likely best known for operating NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory in Houston. The lab trains astronauts for spacewalks and simulates space missions. It supports NASA’s International Space Station and Artemis programs.

Company sees room for growth

In the SEC filing, Rothe said it operates in several expanding markets driven by rising investments, including space exploration, national security, cybersecurity and digital infrastructure.

“We believe these market trends create significant opportunities for continued growth across both government and commercial sectors,” the company said.

Rothe generated nearly $126.4 million in revenue last year, up from $117.3 million the previous year. However, the company swung to a $700,000 operating loss in 2025 versus $1.8 million in operating income in 2024.

At the end of 2025, Rothe’s workforce comprised 385 employees and 25 subcontractors. The company also works in the cybersecurity, computer engineering, software development, multimedia and communication, and commercial calibration sectors, according to its website.

Houston university ranks No. 10 best in the U.S. in new 2027 report

Rice Ranking

Education ranking and review website Niche has released its 2027 rankings of the best colleges in the U.S., and Rice University leads as the No. 1 best university in Texas, and No. 10 best nationwide.

Niche's annual rankings compared over 4,000 colleges and universities based on their academics, value, student life, career preparation, and more. Schools receive letter grades across 14 metrics, which were expanded this year to include Student Wellness and Future Readiness.

Also new to this year's rankings, Niche implemented an "Institutional Success Score" that "places every college into one of 10 mission-based categories" and compared each school against "outcomes aligned with that mission," which included research institutions, social mobility-focused colleges, and religious institutions, among others.

Rice University ranked 10th in three national lists: Best Colleges in America, Top Private Universities, and Colleges with the Best Professors.

Rice also received the following top-100 rankings:

  • No. 11 – Most Diverse Colleges
  • No. 14 – Best College Campuses
  • No. 15 – Colleges With the Best Academics
  • No. 20 – Colleges With the Best Student Life
  • No. 23 – Hardest Colleges To Get Into
  • No. 27 – Best Colleges for Student Athletes
  • No. 69 – Best College Dorms
  • No. 70 – Best Value Colleges
  • No. 74 – Best College Locations
  • No. 89 – Best College Food
On the local front, University of Houston and two of its branch campuses also ranked among the top 20 best universities in Texas. UH ranked a respectable No. 7 in the statewide list, and it ranked as the 123rd best university in the U.S. It fared better in the nationwide list of the Best Big Colleges, appearing at No. 53, and ranked 54th in Niche's Top Public Universities list.


The University of Houston-Clear Lake branch ranked as the 11th best Texas university and came in at No. 192 overall. It's the 33rd Best Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), the 69th Best Value College, and it ranked 89th in the Top Public Universities list.

University of Houston Downtown is the 13th Best Online College in America, the 15th best university in Texas, and it's the 49th Best HSI in America. In the overall list of the best universities, UHD ranked 231st.Top education institutions across Texas

Three other Texas universities outside Houston excelled on Niche's list of the 100 Best Colleges in America.

The University of Texas at Austin ranked second statewide and 30th nationwide, and topped the list of Colleges With the Best Student Life. UT Austin also racked up top-10 acclaim in the separate lists of the Best College Locations (No. 4), Top Public Universities (No. 5), Best Big Colleges (No. 6), Best College Campuses (No. 10), and Best Colleges For Student Athletes (No. 10).

Texas A&M University in College Station and Trinity University in San Antonio round out the remaining Texas institutions that ranked among the top 100 overall. The Aggies ranked 52nd nationwide, and the Trinity Tigers ranked 65th overall.

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This article originally appeared on CultureMap.com.

10 can't-miss events at Houston Energy and Climate Week 2026

HECW lineup

Editor's note: Houston Energy and Climate Week returns for its third year, Sept. 12–18, with panels, happy hours, pitch days and tours focused on the energy transition.

The Ion District will host many of the week's events. Here are details on some can't-miss, signature events and how to register. Find the full schedule here. Please note: this article may be updated to add more events.

Sept. 13 — The & Awards

Kick off the week by celebrating Houston honorees leading the future of energy at the & Awards. The & Awards will honor Zay Zeidman, chairman of Houston First and managing partner of Altitude Ventures; The University of Houston's Renu Khator and Ramanan Krishnamoorti; Maryanne Maldonado, CEO of the World Affairs Council; and Fervo Energy co-founders Tim Latimer (CEO) and Jack Norbeck (CTO). The inaugural posthumous Lifetime Ambassador Award will honor former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, and this year’s Allies in Energy grant recipients will also be recognized. The evening will include a fireside chat, an immersive gallery, live music, passed hors d'oeuvres, Champagne and plenty of networking opportunities.

This event is Sunday, Sept. 13, from 6-9 p.m. at ARTECHOUSE Houston. Register here.

Sept. 14 — Brews on the Bayou

Head to Saint Arnold Brewery for a more laid-back kickoff event. Grab a beer and take in a live conversation with Paul Hobby, managing director of Genesis Park, and Katie Mehnert, CEO of The Bee Suite and co-founder of HECW. Rice University's Aaron Pomerantz will moderate the discussion. Then hear a live performance from AY Young.

This event is Monday, Sept. 14, from 6-9 p.m. at Saint Arnold Brewery. Register here.

Sept. 14–18 — Sip For Sustainability

Enjoy a signature cocktail at five H Town Restaurant Group spots each night of Houston Energy and Climate Week. A portion of every purchase will go toward Allies in Energy, which supports education, collaboration, and community programs that drive a more sustainable future. Participating eateries include Hugo's, Xochi, Uber, Zaranda and Caracol.

These events begin Monday, Sept. 14, from 3-5 p.m. Find more information on each day's happy hour here.

Sept. 15 — HTX Tech Tours

HECW will present two Tech Tours this year, offering attendees a closer look at the region's climatech scene. The Metro Innovation Tour & Market will visit Sugar Land Town Square, Shell Technology Center Houston, SLB West Houston Campus, University of Houston at Sugar Land, Ambrosia Space, NanoTech Materials and Syzygy Plasmonics. The Bay City South Innovation Tour will visit Sugar Land Town Square and Erthos Project Bravo in Matagorda County. Both tours will head to Astros Night at Daikin Park to wrap up the day.

These events are Tuesday, Sept. 15. Find more information here.

Sept. 15 — Meet the Activate Houston Cohort 2026 Fellows

Meet Activate's latest cohort, which was named this summer, and learn more about their hardtech and climate-focused solutions. Also meet founders from the organization’s 2025 cohort during Houston Energy and Climate Startup Week.

This event is Tuesday, Sept. 15, from 5-7 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

Sept. 15 – Cypher Pilotathon and Startup Showcase

Grab coffee and take in keynotes and panels featuring leaders from Amperon, Aramco Ventures, New Climate Ventures, Syzygy Plasmonics and many others during this signature event, this year under the theme “The NEW Energy Industrial Revolution.” After lunch, hear pitches from 31 ventures during the Pilotathon. This year's event will also feature a startup showcase with interactive booths where attendees can meet founders and see demonstrations, plus an industry hub where corporates and investors can engage with emerging technologies and identify the pilots they want to move forward with.

This event is Tuesday, Sept. 15, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at POST Houston. Get tickets here.

Sept. 15 — Houston Astros Energy Night

Catch a game and chat with fellow clean energy enthusiasts during Houston Astros Energy Night. The 'Stros take on the Kansas City Royals. A bonus? Dollar Hot Dog Night at Daikin Park.

This event is Tuesday, Sept. 15, starting at 7:10 p.m. at Daikin Park. Get tickets here.

Sept. 16 — Greentown Labs Climatech Summit

Entrepreneurs, investors, corporate leaders, policymakers and philanthropists will head to Houston this month for the annual Greentown Climatetech Summit. Hear from Greentown CEO Georgina Campbell Flatter and keynote speaker Tim Latimer, CEO and co-founder of Houston geothermal unicorn Fervo Energy, plus numerous other engaging panels at the Ion. Then head to Greentown Labs for an open house and startup showcase, where attendees can meet some of the climatech incubators' members, before taking in the startup pitch competition followed by happy hour over at the Continental Club.

This event is Wednesday, Sept. 16, from 8 a.m.–9 p.m. at multiple locations. Register here.

Sept. 17 — Rice Alliance Energy Tech Venture Forum

Hear from clean energy startups from around the world at the 23rd annual Energy Tech Venture Forum. In addition to the pitches, this event will also host keynotes from Sean Maher, chief economist at Phillips 66, and Ira Ehrenpreis, founder and managing partner of DBL Partner. Panels will focus on technologies, infrastructure and commercialization strategies needed to deploy breakthrough innovations at scale. Following the event, the Rice Alliance will also name its annual “Most Promising” startup.

This event is Thursday, Sept. 17, from 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. at Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business. Register here.

Sept. 18 — Halliburton Labs Finalists Pitch Day

Hear from Halliburton Labs' latest cohort of entrepreneurs. 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. 18, from 8 a.m.-noon at The Ion. Register here.

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This article originally appeared on our sister site, EnergyCapitalHTX.com.

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