How Houston companies can best learn and navigate startup etiquette

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Startup success is linked to tactical habits and relationships we foster. Photo via Getty Images

We often rely on frameworks, skillsets, and mindsets – many of which we can acquire in the classroom – to prepare us for a successful career. Even at Lilie, we emphasize the importance of entrepreneurial thinking and design processes. Yet we hear repeatedly that this notion of "luck" propelled notable individuals through startup careers and exits.

But after talking with Merci Victoria Grace, Partner at Lightspeed Ventures, I'm confident success isn't mandated by the fortuitous sprinkling of this magical "luck" dust. Rather, success is linked to tactical habits and relationships we foster. Merci, with a degree in fictional writing (doesn't exactly scream Silicon Valley titan), co-founded a venture-backed company at the age of 22. From there, she held various PM roles (Couchsurfing, Gigwalk) and went on to be the first Head of Product at Slack. Most recently she has been on the other side of the table in venture capital.

It wasn't luck that drove her career, rather her grit and other actionable habits. She has been immersed in Silicon Valley for the entirety of her career, and she had some nuggets of wisdom for those who are flirting with the idea of working at an early stage tech company.

Do some soul searching. Corporate v. startup?

A career growing in larger, more established corporates will certainly look different than a career growing at various startups. In order to set yourself up for success, you must ensure your personality is one that would jive within a startup.

Your learning style:

  • Corporates: You like to be told what to do, and taught how to do it. You like to follow processes and standards that are already established and widely accepted. You like to work within the bounds of the current structure. You are not bothered by politics and bureaucracy that may hinder innovation.
  • Startups: You learn by doing. It is easier for you to figure "it" out as you go as opposed to being told what to do. In fact, you may not like being told what to do at all! You aren't intimidated by ambiguity, but rather you like to chart uncharted territory and set up the processes as you go.

Your appetite for growth:

  • Corporate: You want to know what is expected of you, and agree to offer the explicit skills you bring to the table. There are usually no surprises in your job functionalities. And while there are resources and budgets for professional development, growth can be hampered by clearly defined boundaries preventing you from acquiring responsibilities outside of those bounders.
  • Startups: You may not like predictability or routine. You seek out new projects and challenges because you know these stretch opportunities help you grow. You aren't intimidated by doing things that are seen as "outside of your job description." Rather, you are willing to do what it takes for the greater good of the team, and you appreciate the learning opportunity associated with the task.

Your career aspirations:

  • Corporate: You most certainly want to be successful, but are willing to take the more traditional route in climbing the corporate ladder. At larger companies, they tend to hire for the role they need to fill, and some tend to do less promoting from within. That makes exponential growth in a short period of time more difficult.
  • Startups: You want to gain leadership experience as soon as possible. You are willing to enter on the ground floor of a startup because you know that being an early employee will allow for rapid growth within the company (if the program is growing). And if that early-stage company is successful, your stint is viewed as a badge of honor which will open up future opportunities.

Startups are for me. Now go gain control of your destiny!

Merci shared insight into how early-stage companies function and how to land a gig at one. There are norms and etiquette we should respect, as well as a mindset we must adopt if we are to be successful within these early-stage companies.

How to get your foot in the door:

  • Use your network! Hiring is HARD, and hiring good talent is even harder. Founders (who are most likely the hiring managers) are juggling many moving parts, and I can guarantee the hiring process is their least favorite part. So, they are going to turn to the people they know because there is a base of trust. So, keep your contacts warm and follow up with them as they are launching new ventures.
  • Don't know many entrepreneurs? Keep tabs on TechCrunch, AngelList, and ProductHunt. Check out companies starting to get traction. Cold email them (…usually name@domain.com…) and ask to connect. Contact them via LinkedIn, Twitter, or other social networks. They are more receptive than you may think.
  • Be direct. Founders are busy, so tell them why you are interested in working with them. And let other folks in your network know as well. Have them keep feelers out.
  • In your conversations, try to identify their pain points. What is keeping them up at night? What are the biggest roadblocks they or the company is facing? And then figure out how your skill set will add value there. Feel it out, but it may require prepped work such as strategy you could present.
  • When connecting and making introductions, use these email tactics:
    • Double opt-in: ask permission to introduce Sally to Kim. Don't just assume Kim is okay with connecting to Sally because Kim is your friend, and so is Sally. Kim doesn't owe Sally anything. Usually, people say yes, but you should ask.
    • Forwardable email: while your job hunt is consuming your time, don't put the burden on others. If you are Sally and you want Joe to introduce you to Kim, send Joe a thorough email that explains who you are and why you want to talk to Kim. Then, Joe can easily forward that on to Kim. Easy peasy.

Qualities to elude:

  • Working at a startup can be messy. Founders don't have time to micromanage you (or even manage you at all!). Demonstrate that you have the ability to pick up social cues and can execute on [the right] projects and priorities without having to be asked.
  • Have a propensity for action. Act as opposed to asking for permission. You have to be socially intelligent for this to work (see point above), but if you have an idea, try it out, get data, and then propose next steps.
  • Don't complain. Ever. ESPECIALLY not in an interview.
  • Be a team player. Everything is your job. Nothing should be beneath you.
  • Take responsibility for mistakes or missed goals. Startups are ever-evolving and pivoting and learning from failures, you should too.

Be encouraged that there is no magic to the equation. Success within startups and early-stage companies stems from hard work, strong networks, and ensuring there is a good "product-market fit" for you within this world.

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This article was written by Caitlin Bolanos, senior associate director of Lilie, and originally appeared on Liu Idea Lab for Innovation & Entrepreneurship's blog.

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The larger the deal, the higher the chances of failure, says this Houston expert. Photo via Getty Images

Houston expert looks into behavioral analytics in private equity, growth equity, and venture capital

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Study after study puts the failure rate of mergers and acquisitions somewhere between 70 percent and 90 percent (2011, HBR). One KPMG study narrowed the band of M&A failures to 75 percent to 83 percent (2015, KPMG). One constant in the research is that the larger the deal, the higher the chances of failure.

A FAILED MERGER, ACQUISITION, OR DIVESTITURE CAN BE UNDERSTOOD IN 2 WAYS:

  • Qualitative – what the companies had in mind that caused them to merge in the first place doesn't work out that way in the end.
  • Quantitative – shareholders suffer because operating results deteriorate instead of improve.

Deloitte's M&A Trends 2020 reports that 38 percent of PE firms cite revenue and growth improvement strategies as their primary strategy or focus area for driving value in their portfolio companies.

In the same report, EFFECTIVE INTEGRATION is key for the success of the deal. It accounts for 20 percent of a successful transaction, tied for top place with ACCURATELY VALUING A TARGET.

Post-M&A integration is defined as the implementation of changes in functional activities, organizational structures, and cultures of the two organizations to expedite their consolidation into a functional whole. Of course, this all involves people.

Moreover, Aon Hewitt research shows that:

  • There is a 23 percent increase in "actively disengaged employees" after a change event – even if no one's job is affected.
  • It takes about three years to return to pre-merger engagement levels.

With these figures, it is startling that there is not more focus on talent. Executives attribute 72 percent of their company's value to their employees, yet a mere 12 percent of companies align their talent strategy with their business strategy (Predictive Index, The 2020 State of Talent Optimization).

HOW ARE INVESTORS IN THE PRIVATE MARKET CHANGING THE TIDE?

According to Mike Zani, CEO of The Predictive Index, "When you look at the world of PE, growth equity, and to a lesser extent, VC, we are starting to see more talent officers, someone on staff to assist with strategic HR challenges with their portfolio." For example, Vista Equity has a consulting division that is solely focused on the talent and people analytics of its portfolio companies. They go beyond just finding the right executives, they have proprietary analytics tools to add value.

THERE ARE THREE USE CASES FOR ANALYTICS WITHIN THE PRIVATE MARKET:

1. Due Diligence

"One of the most powerful ways behavioral analytics are used for due diligence is understanding the strengths and blind spots of the future leadership team. It's about applying analytical rigor to the people side of the business to create a nuanced understanding of individual and team dynamics so you can be intentional about how to enable and de-risk the execution of future growth plans. We surface people challenges and opportunities early in the process so our clients can put strategies in place for effective change management and talent optimization." Heather Haas, President, ADVISA.

After signing a letter of intent, a consultant can assess the leadership team with behavioral, cognitive, and organizational assessments. In the process of evaluating leadership fit, consultants may identify gaps between the leadership abilities needed and those present in the executive team, and investors must focus attention on closing those gaps. It is much easier to suggest fixing them before the deal is closed, where investors can work with the company to create leadership development or hiring plans. If investors discover that the executive team lacks financial or operational excellence 6 months after close, it is going to be much harder to communicate that in a positive, forward-looking way.

Predictive Index isn't the only tool used for due diligence. Specialty consulting firms that provide due diligence support with people analytics include GH Smart, Green Peak Partners, Korn Ferry, and Deloitte. They use a host of tools ranging from Hogan assessments to proprietary software. "Out of the 150 PE clients with The Predictive Index," Zani says "about 1/3 are using it in due diligence regularly."

2. Post-Deal Value Creation

Effective M&A integration accounts for 20 percent of the success of a deal. As I mentioned in the last post, behavioral analytics can provide insights that allow each person to easily understand how their new team members are wired. This can drastically reduce the time it takes to build cohesion among the group and make for more effective collaboration as project teams are regularly assembled and reassembled. Put simply, instead of using our energy to try to figure each other out, we cut through the noise so we can run faster.

3. Scale

The use of behavioral analytics for hiring is nothing new. With an infusion of cash, one of the first thing a company does in response to growth goals is to hire. People data can help companies scale quickly and with confidence. Max Yoder, CEO and Founder of Lessonly shares about Predictive Index, "Now, every time we hire, we use the assessments as another tool in our toolkit. The results will never decide whether a person gets hired or not, but they do provide guidance as to whom should be in sales, whom should be in client experience, whom should sit in a quiet space, and whom thrives on commotion."

Even with such impressive results, still there are two schools of thought when it comes to how much control private market firms want to have over the operations of their portfolio companies. General Catalyst, the PE firm that invested in Predictive Index, in particular, says they don't want to be the management team. Kirk Arnold, Executive In Residence, General Catalyst says "We're very founder supportive. We invest in entrepreneurs and innovators and work to support them. We share feedback and insights with those teams – and encourage them to The Predictive Index toolset to help them scale effectively. But we don't force any of our teams to invest in any particular tool or strategy. We believe great businesses are built by great teams, and we believe that PI can help companies excel in team building – but we look to the leadership team to make those investment decisions based on their needs and culture.

Prior to becoming a Predictive Index Consultant, I spent five years integrating acquisitions. I only had access to PI for the very last year. It was so powerful in building dream teams that I wished I had known about it sooner. Areas I used PI heavily was in post-deal value creation as well as scaling. In my current practice, I spend about 20 percent of my time performing due diligence for start-ups as well as working with them to round out their team from a data-driven perspective.

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This article was written by Wendy Fong, founder and principal of Chief Gigs, and originally appeared on Liu Idea Lab for Innovation & Entrepreneurship's blog.
Talent optimization goes beyond human resources practices, management consulting, and productivity tooling to describe a model that empirically aligns strategy and people practices. Photo via Getty Images

Houston expert: Finding your tech talent through analytics

Houston Voices

You know the work that needs to get done, and you know the environment that you want to build. How do you find the people who will build it with you? Historically, we relied on relationships, intuition, and track record when we evaluate potential team members. This is the same approach we use to find our mates, and well, the divorce rate speaks for itself.

Perhaps you know your potential partner from a previous job when you both worked for a public company, and they were a high performer. Even when we have worked with someone before and they had a great track record, things can go awry. Humans are messy beings. When factors that affect motivation (such as equity percentages, the potential for exit, working 80-plus hours a week) change, performance can be affected. The people who do really well as a cog in the wheel do not necessarily have the same drive to BUILD the wheel. So how do we pick the team members who will best suit the work and environment?

Did you know that 95 percent of people think they're self-aware, yet only 10 to 15 percent actually are (Tasha Eurich)? If people don't know themselves, how can you possibly know your potential partner's fit?

Behavioral assessments aren't new. If you've ever worked for a large company, you've likely taken one. What is different now is that The Predictive Index is harnessing the power of behavioral analytics to predict success and help us visualize teams in a whole new way. We can now look at people's work style in under 6 minutes and quickly give you data on how people will perform in their role and with your team to drive alignment in your organization.

As a founding board member and active investor in Valhalla Investment Group, we recently implemented the practice of using behavioral analytics in our due diligence. We then look at individual and team results to identify any gaps between strategy and the team's ability to execute the strategy. We specifically look at a team's appetite for risk, approach to change, and response to pressure.

The results for one startup we were evaluating came back with a potential red flag. Five of the six in the executive team were exploring leaders in the "Innovation and Agility" quadrant. These leaders are independent and comfortable with risk. We had one who was a very strong stabilizing leader in the "Process and Precision" quadrant. This person is very precise and cautious with risk. We immediately reached out to the CEO to schedule a Zoom to ask how the team works with what could be seen as an "outlier" and how they deal with the friction. The CEO understood the strengths and cautions of his team and explained that while this person is different, they are very much needed. They provide balance and contribute to areas that are blind spots for the rest of the team. The way the CEO handled the question showed us that he was self-aware enough to manage such differences and gave us the confidence to invest in this startup.

HOW IS THIS RELEVANT FOR YOUR STARTUP?

Founders

Wouldn't it be great to know potential partners' appetite for risk, how they deal with deadlines, their proactivity or reactivity to issues before you meet them? Or how they respond to pressure? Founding partners can be evaluated to ensure their behavioral drives align with the startup strategy.

For example, if the strategy is to fail fast to obtain product-market fit and grow market share quickly, founders would need to be innovative, risk-tolerant, comfortable with ambiguity, and they'd need to thrive under pressure. Conversely, if your startup serves a highly regulated environment, your founding team needs to be well-organized, careful with rules, and cautious with risk.

Team dynamics and inclusivity 

Without insight into team dynamics, results are left to chance. Behavioral analytics can provide insights that allow each person to easily understand how their new team members are wired. This can drastically reduce the time it takes to build cohesion among the group and make for more efficient and effective collaboration as project teams are regularly assembled and reassembled. Put simply, instead of using our energy to try to figure each other out, we cut through that noise so we can run faster.

Lastly, by creating a job profile and looking for candidates who fit the profile, we can cut out the biases that relationship-based recruiting can introduce to an organization.

"The alignment of business strategies and talent strategies is known as talent optimization."

Talent optimization goes beyond human resources practices, management consulting, and productivity tooling to describe a model that empirically aligns strategy and people practices. It weaves talent improvement practices into the everyday workings of a company to nurture and employ a workforce that is specifically calibrated to the company's strategic objectives. The sooner we utilize people data to look at our organization, the sooner we can spot potential blind spots. Leaders can then address the issues and focus on what's most important for their startup.

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This article was written by Wendy Fong, founder and principal of Chief Gigs, and originally appeared on Liu Idea Lab for Innovation & Entrepreneurship's blog.
The annual H. Albert Napier Rice Launch Challenge awarded equity-free cash prizes to three impressive student startups. Photo courtesy of Rice University

Rice University student startups win $65,000 in competition

winners revealed

A Rice University startup competition concluded with a big win for a company started by students trying to use tech to help prevent veteran suicide.

The startup, rutd: resources united. technology driven., a secure platform that can deliver more than 14,000 mental health resources to veterans, won first prize at the virtually held H. Albert Napier Rice Launch Challenge last week. The prize included a $27,500 check.

Seven other Rice-affiliated startups pitched for judges at the event for a shot at equity-free seed funding. The program is a part of Rice's Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, or Lilie.

"With the biggest and most diverse field of competitors in the history of the competition, it shows that at Rice and Lilie, you don't have to choose between being a student and working on your startup. We empower you to do both," says Kyle Judah, executive director of Lilie, in a press release. "These founders took advantage of all our resources and opportunities — which is why they had million-dollar partnerships and tens of thousands of users at competition time."

Second place went to Green Room, a startup that aims to provide tools — like payments and tax compliance — for Houstonians in the live music industry. The Green Room team won $20,000.

In third place was A440, a company focused on "bringing the creator economy to classical music, helping a centuries-old art form find new life in the modern era," according to the release. A440 won the $15,000 third place prize, as well as the $2,500 Norman Dresden Leebron Audience Choice Award.

The competition, which was sponsored by was sponsored by Mercury Fund and T-Minus Solutions and supported by the Napier family and the Liu Family Foundation, also provided mentoring and pitch coaching opportunities from experts and the Rice community.

The judges included Rice alumni Claire Shorall, CEO and co-founder of Topknot; Sunit Patel, CFO of Ibotta; Monica Pal, founding partner of How Women Invest; Chris Staffel, managing director of GOOSE Capital; and Brad Husick, CEO and founder of IdeaSense.
Register for some of these informative online events happening throughout the month of April. Photo by Luis Alvarez/Getty

10+ can't-miss Houston business and innovation events online in April ​

where to be online

This month, Houstonians have yet another good batch of online innovation events — from Zoom panels to virtual conferences — and you and your tech network need to know about them.

Here's a roundup of virtual events not to miss this month — from workshops and webinars to summits and pitch parties.

Note: This post might be updated to add more events.

April 1 — Tax and Accounting for Startups

In Ioogo's free webinar, you will learn:

  • Business entities (sole prop, LLC, and corporation) and the benefits of each
  • Bookkeeping requirements to manage your business and file taxes DIY or hire an accountant - we'll give you tips on the best option for the stage of your business
  • Reports - we'll explain the important ones to pay attention to as a business owner
  • Taxes - we'll discuss filing requirements and important deadlines
The event is on Thursday, April 1, at 10 am. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

April 6 — Accelerating the Energy Transition

Plug and Play is pleased to co-host a signature Deep Dive with DCP Midstream. In this event, DCP Midstream and other industry leaders will review some decarbonization initiatives they have been leading along with industry opportunities in carbon capture, sequestration, and methane leak management. Leading startups with solutions in these areas will present.

The event is on Tuesday, April 6, at 9 am. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

April 6-9 — Rice Business Plan Competition

The competition, entering its 21st year, gives collegiate entrepreneurs real-world experience to pitch their startups, enhance their business strategy and learn what it takes to launch a successful company. Hosted and organized by the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship—which is Rice University's internationally-recognized initiative devoted to the support of entrepreneurship—and Rice Business. Over 20 years it has grown from nine teams competing for $10,000 in prize money in 2001, to 42 teams from around the world competing for more than $1.5 million in cash and prizes. For the first time in competition history, the 2021 event will showcase 54 student-led startups.

The competition takes place April 6 to 9. Two events are open to the public — the elevator pitches on Tuesday, April 6, at 4 pm and the final round on on Friday, April 9, at 9 am. It's free and can be accessed live on YouTube. Click here to learnmore.

April 7 — Product Management Ask Me Anything

The product life cycle is complex. From gathering consumer data, to crafting a vision, and the many steps around execution, launch, and satisfaction, a career in product management requires leaders and teams to wear many hats. So, what does it take to be a great product manager? And what should you expect in a product role? Learn the ins and outs of this career with our panel of PMs, who will share their perspectives from a variety of backgrounds and industries at this event hosted by Liu Idea Lab For Innovation And Entrepreneurship (Lilie).

The event is on Wednesday, April 7, from noon to 1 pm. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

April 8 — Inclusion: The Key to Building Strong Startups

Join Greentown Lab's webinar to understand how prioritizing diversity and inclusion can build a stronger, happier, and more successful startup team. Co-hosted by Aleria Research, this online event is geared toward helping companies, regardless of size and maturity, build stronger, more diverse, and ultimately more successful teams.

The event is on Thursday, April 8, from 11 am to noon. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

April 13 — Black in Tech Summit presented by Deloitte

Capital Factory welcomes you to our 3rd Annual Black In Tech Summit. Attendees can look forward to a keynote chat from a serial entrepreneur or investor, insightful discussion sessions, a startup showcase pitch competition, Epic Office Hours, and panels on relevant topics facing the tech ecosystem.

The event is on Tuesday, April 13, from noon to 2:30 pm. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.


April 21 — Aerospace Innovation Accelerator Cohort 1 Launch Event

Celebrate The Ion's Aerospace Innovation Accelerator's Cohort 1, hear from thought leaders on the importance of the Accelerator and the Hub and how both contribute to economic resilience and workforce development, and meet the startups and MBEs selected to participate in the first cohort of the Aerospace Innovation Accelerator.

The event is on Wednesday, April 21, at 1:30 pm. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

April 22 — Greentown Houston Grand Opening Livestream

Welcome Greentown Labs to Houston — attendees will be able to meet startups that are a part of the program, hear from energy and civic leaders, catch the latest Greentown partners, and watch the building's ribbon cutting.

The event is on Thursday, April 22, at 2 pm. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

April 22 — 2021 H. Albert Napier Rice Launch Challenge - Startup Competition

Support student startups in our annual pitch challenge with a chance to win cash prizes. Join Liu Idea Lab For Innovation And Entrepreneurship virtually for the H. Albert Napier Rice Launch Challenge Startup Competition. Rice-affiliated teams – undergrads, grads, and MBAs - are competing for $65k in equity-free seed funding. Watch pitches, network with the Rice entrepreneurship community, and vote for your favorite idea. Attendance is open to Rice students, Rice alumni, and friends of Rice.

The event is on Thursday, April 22, at 6 pm. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

April 29 — EnergyNEXT: Methane Strategies Forum

Today's energy companies are finding methane emissions/leaks big and small with an astounding range of technologies, Satellites, Fixed-wing Planes, Helicopters, Fixed Wing Drones, Quadcopters, Vehicles, and Handheld Devices/Sensors all drive emissions reductions, boost public relations, investor support and corporate ESG goals.

Which technologies and projects will add the most value and usher your energy operations into the next generation?

The event is on Thursday, April 29, at 10 am. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

April 30 — Digital Transformation and Innovation in Renewable Energy: The Texas Edition

Join General Assembly to explore sustainability and how business and tech impact the health of our planet. Hear from experts in clean energy, environmental entrepreneurship, corporate sustainability, and B Corporations who will share their insights into how the industry can impact the environment. In addition, walk away with actionable steps you can take to live and work more sustainably, network with other local professionals interested in ethical business practices, and gain insight into what actions different industries are really doing to be more sustainable.

The event is on Friday, April 30, at 11 am. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.
Register for some of these informative online events happening throughout the month of March. Photo via Getty Images

10+ can't-miss Houston business and innovation events online in March ​

where to be online

March marks a full year of attending online events — from Zoom panels to virtual conferences. But, the shows must go on with another month full of online innovation and startup events that Houston innovators need to know about.

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

March 1-5 — CERAWeek by IHSMarkit

In lieu of the week-long, in-person mega-conference that is the annual CERAWeek by IHSMarkit, the 2021 iteration will be completely virtual. Need some ideas of what panels and talks not to miss? Click here for five recommendations of what to attend.

The conference takes place Monday, March 1, to Friday, March 5. Click here to register.

March 2 — Houston Innovates: Digital transformation and Innovation in Oil & Gas

Digital forces are changing the skills an executive needs to manage organizations. In a world that's become increasingly digital, energy companies can sometimes find it hard to adapt. Join General Assembly Houston for a panel discussion with:

  • Sameer Khan, digital leader (MarTech and Transformation) at ExxonMobil
  • Sarah Vega, vice president of IT & Change at SmartestEnergy
  • Ricky Burns, business transformation team lead at BP
  • Jose Beceiro, senior director of Global Energy 2.0 at the Greater Houston Partnership

The event is on Tuesday, March 2, at 9:30 am. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

March 2 — Ladies Who LaUNCH #13: The Female Superpower

In 2020, 40 percent of US businesses were owned by women and generated $1.8 trillion. With these numbers in mind, it comes as no surprise that the presence of women in entrepreneurship and investing is growing.

Why do women-led companies financially outperform their male counterparts? And what are the "female superpowers" behind our ability to excel in these fields? Join featured speaker, Megan Bent, as she explores the research, data, and her own experience in the importance of female leadership in entrepreneurship and investing, and how to leverage your differences to your advantage.

The event is on Tuesday, March 2, at noon. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

March 3 — What's Next in Crypto?

Baker Botts and TeamBlockchain are hosting a webinar discussing trends in cryptocurrency. Key speakers from the sector include:

  • Ali Dhanani, partner at Baker Botts
  • Sarah Beaumont, associate at Baker Botts
  • Jonny Fry, co-founder & CEO at TeamBlockchain Ltd
  • Spencer Randall, principal & co-founder at CryptoEQ
  • Ankush Jain, chief investment officer at Aaro Capital

The event is on Wednesday, March 3, at 11 am. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

March 9 — Investing in Medical Devices

Join the Texas HALO Fund for a conversation with three of the fund's portfolio companies: Adient Medical, Allotrope Medical, and PathEx.

The event is on Tuesday, March 9, at noon. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

March 10 — Open Project Night: Achieving Gender Equality in Houston and Beyond

Impact Hub Houston is bringing you a monthly opportunity to come together to work on solutions for some of Houston's most pressing issues. Our city is full of changemakers across all ages, cultures, skillsets, and industries. This is your chance to conned and collaborate for the greater good.

The event is on Wednesday, March 10, at 5 pm. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

March 10 — Conversations with Latinx Entrepreneurs in Houston

Latinx entrepreneurs are starting small businesses faster than the rest of the startup population and becoming a bigger part of the total U.S. market every day. Join General Assembly for a panel of Houston Latinx leaders as they share stories about their heritage, failures and success.

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

March 11 — How to Sell Without Being "Salesy"

In celebration of Women's History Month, Catherine Brown and Leela Madan, both serial entrepreneurs and founders of Houston-based Founder's Compass offer their advice on selling your business.

The event is on Thursday, March 11, at 10 am. It's $30 and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

March 11 — Inspire Seminar with Leslie Wise

Join Enventure for a talk and Q&A with the president and principal consultant of Evidence Matters, Leslie Wise. Inspire is one part of Lilie's three-program career exploration series. The goal of Inspire is to share an individual's career journey so that trainees can see one of the many paths that can be taken, learn about the reality of working in these fields, and gain valuable advice from key leaders to better prepare themselves for their own career journey.

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

March 16-20 — SXSW

Another conference is pivoting to virtual attendance this year. SXSW has flipped the switch to being online only for 2021. SXSW's seven conference themes are A New Urgency; Challenging Tech's Path Forward; Cultural Resilience in the Arts; The Rebirth of Business; Transforming the Entertainment Landscape; Connection in Disconnection; and An Uncharted Future. Stay tuned to InnovationMap for a Houston innovator's guide to the conference.

The conference takes place Tuesday, March 16, to Saturday, March 20. Click here to register.

March 17 — Top Legal Considerations for Startups

Join Rice University's Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship for a session with corporate and securities lawyer Aaron Barker, who specializes in advising companies from formation to exit, will give you the inside knowledge to help you launch your venture, and possibly save you from making a rookie mistake.

The event is on Wednesday, March 17, at 4 pm. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

March 23 — Igniting Leadership: Elevating Professionalism

Join Ignite's conversation between Board Member Kelli Newman and Baylor College of Medicine's Dr. Ellen Friedman focus on insights the Director of BCM's Center for Professionalism has to share. In addition to the importance of emotional intelligence, practical methods for addressing problems before they escalate and professionalism for "women in a man's field," Dr. Friedman will answer your questions with practical advice for elevating your own professionalism.

The event is on Tuesday, March 23, at 6 pm. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

March 24 — 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, March 24, at 6 pm. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.
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3 businesses join Houston initiative for carbon capture and storage

seeing green

Three big businesses — Air Liquide, BASF, and Shell — have added their firepower to the effort to promote large-scale carbon capture and storage for the Houston area’s industrial ecosystem.

These companies join 11 others that in 2021 threw their support behind the initiative. Participants are evaluating how to use safe carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology at Houston-area facilities that provide energy, power generation, and advanced manufacturing for plastics, motor fuels, and packaging.

Other companies backing the CCS project are Calpine, Chevron, Dow, ExxonMobil, INEOS, Linde, LyondellBasell, Marathon Petroleum, NRG Energy, Phillips 66, and Valero.

Business and government leaders in the Houston area hope the region can become a hub for CCS activity.

“Large-scale carbon capture and storage in the Houston region will be a cornerstone for the world’s energy transition, and these companies’ efforts are crucial toward advancing CCS development to achieve broad scale commercial impact,” Charles McConnell, director of University of Houston’s Center for Carbon Management in Energy, says in a news release.

McConnell and others say CCS could help Houston and the rest of the U.S. net-zero goals while generating new jobs and protecting current jobs.

CCS involves capturing carbon dioxide from industrial activities that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere and then injecting it into deep underground geologic formations for secure and permanent storage. Carbon dioxide from industrial users in the Houston area could be stored in nearby onshore and offshore storage sites.

An analysis of U.S Department of Energy estimates shows the storage capacity along the Gulf Coast is large enough to store about 500 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide, which is equivalent to more than 130 years’ worth of industrial and power generation emissions in the United States, based on 2018 data.

“Carbon capture and storage is not a single technology, but rather a series of technologies and scientific breakthroughs that work in concert to achieve a profound outcome, one that will play a significant role in the future of energy and our planet,” says Gretchen Watkins, U.S. president of Shell. “In that spirit, it’s fitting this consortium combines CCS blueprints and ambitions to crystalize Houston’s reputation as the energy capital of the world while contributing to local and U.S. plans to help achieve net-zero emissions.”

Texas doctor dives into Shark Tank with invention that stops hiccups

shark bait

Humans are weird. Take, as a perfect example, the phenomenon of hiccups — the sudden and involuntary spasm of the diaphragm muscle between regular breaths. All humans experience them, and so do other mammals and even amphibians. But we’re guessing other animals don’t approach treating hiccups in the wacky ways humans do.

For instance, some less-than-successful hiccup remedies of lore include sipping water upside down (and subsequently trying to not drown), holding one’s breath for a long time (and often hiccupping throughout the hold anyway), sucking on a peppermint, gagging oneself or pulling on the tongue, and even gobbling up a spoonful of peanut butter to help change the breathing and swallowing pattern.

The truth is those ideas are mostly a waste of breath. Luckily, one San Antonio doctor has invented a device that supposedly instantly relieves hiccups — and his invention is getting so much attention that he’s even hooked a chance to pitch the product on a new episode of ABC’s entrepreneurial-focused reality show, Shark Tank.

Dr. Ali Seifi, a neurointensivist at UT Health San Antonio and the inventor of the aptly named HiccAway, will appear on an episode of Shark Tank that airs tonight, January 21 at 7 pm.

HiccAway, a straw-like device that a hiccup sufferer uses to sip water through, is likely to wow the sharks — maybe even take their breath away? — as it is the world’s first scientifically proven medical product that safely relieves hiccups.

In fact, HiccAway was recently the subject of an article in JAMA Network Open, a publication of the Journal of the American Medical Association Network. The article addresses a four-month cross-sectional study of 249 participants from multiple countries that found that HiccAway stopped hiccups in almost 92 percent of cases and was rated a heck of a lot more favorably than home remedies.

“I believe that the science behind our product is what makes our product trustworthy and reliable. There are many hiccup remedies that are all hit and miss with no exact science to them,” Seifi says. “Some healthcare products claim they can cure a medical condition, but they don’t have scientific backup to support the product. I can confidently state that HiccAway is one of the few products on Shark Tank so far with a strong published research study as a backup.”

While hiccups are simply an annoyance for most of us, they can also be chronic for patients with cancer, meningitis, multiple sclerosis, stroke, traumatic brain or thoracic injury, and even for patients who have had surgery that requires anesthesia.

“After I witnessed my own neurology patients suffering from hiccups without an effective treatment, I was inspired to develop a safe and effective device that would be simple to use and easily available to all people,” Seifi says. “When you forcefully sip water through the device, it keeps the phrenic and vagus nerves occupied, so they don’t have enough time to cause unwanted spasms in the diaphragm. This interruption stops the hiccups.”

While the HiccAway device is already available to purchase through hiccaway.com and on Amazon, as well as at walmart.com and even in H-E-B stores throughout South Texas and at heb.com, Shark Tank (which boasts a viewing audience of about 7 million) could propel HiccAway and Seifi into a new realm of entrepreneurial success.

“For me, the experience was surreal,” says Victor Fehlberg, president and CEO of Higher Innovations Inc., which manufactures and distributes HiccAway from the Denver area. “It took so long to prepare, so much time was spent waiting, that when the pitch and appearance were finally recorded, it went too fast. It was like I was dreaming because it had been so long in the making.”

The Shark Tank appearance is likely a dream come true for Seifi and the HiccAway team — and a total breath of fresh air for the hiccup-suffering public.

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This article originally ran on CultureMap.

5 most popular innovation stories in Houston this week

what's trending

Editor's note: Another week has come and gone, and it's time to round up the top headlines from the past few days. Trending Houston tech and startup news on InnovationMap included news out of the Houston Spaceport, innovators to know, innovators within energy transition, and more.

3 Houston innovators to know this week

This week's roundup of Houston innovators includes Thomas Vassiliades of BiVACOR, Katie Mehnert of ALLY Energy, and Don Whaley of OhmConnect Texas. Courtesy photos

In this week's roundup of Houston innovators to know — the first of this new year — I'm introducing you to three local innovators across industries — from health care innovation to energy — recently making headlines in Houston innovation. Click here to continue

Space City News: Houston Spaceport receives grant, unicorn hires architecture firm

Catch up on two big pieces of news landing at the Houston Spaceport. Image via fly2houston.com

The Space City is starting 2022 off strong with news launching out of the Houston Spaceport — a 400-acre development in Southeast Houston.

The two big headlines include a unicorn company releasing the latest details of its earthbound project and fresh funds from the state to support the space ecosystem in Texas. Click here to continue reading.

Greentown Labs appoints Houston founder among 4 new board members

Four climatetech-focused individuals have been named to Greentown Lab's board. Photo via greentownlabs.com

Greentown Labs, a Massachusetts-based climatetech startup incubator with its secondary location in Houston, has appointed four new board members.

Of the new appointees, two community board members have been named in order to act as liaisons between startups and Greentown Labs. Greentown Houston's appointed representation is Nisha Desai, founder and CEO of Intention, and community member. The other new board members are Gilda A. Barabino, president of Olin College of Engineering and professor of biomedical and chemical engineering; Nidhi Thakar, senior director of resource and regulatory strategy and external engagement for Portland General Electric; and Leah Ellis, co-founder and CEO of Sublime Systems, who is the Sommerville location's community board member).

"It is important for a startup incubator to have leadership and insight from stakeholders including the public and private sector, academic and university communities," says Greentown Labs CEO Dr. Emily Reichert in a news release. "These leaders bring a wealth of knowledge relevant to not only climatetech but to our continued growth as an organization. Their voices will be important to have at the table as Greentown charts its course for the next decade of climate action." Click here to continue reading.

Texas named No. 2 state for women-led startups thanks to increased VC investment

Contributing to Texas’ better showing on this year's ranking is an increase in female-focused VC investments. Photo via Getty Images

A more than 120 percent surge in female-focused venture capital investments helped push up Texas’ ranking in an annual study of the best states for women-led startups.

In Merchant Maverick’s 2021 report on the best states for women-led startups, Texas lands at No. 2, up from No. 6 the previous year. Colorado retains its No. 1 ranking from last year. Merchant Maverick judged each state based on several gender-specific metrics, such as VC funding. Click here to continue reading.

Energy transition innovator shares how Houston could be a biomanufacturing hub​

Moji Karimi joins InnovationMap to discuss how Cemvita Factory has deployed its recent investment funding and what's next for the company and Houston as a whole when it comes to biomanufacturing. Photo courtesy of Cemvita

Moji Karimi and his sister Tara had the idea for a company that could transform carbon emissions and mitigate new damage to the environment. Only, it seems, they were a bit ahead of their time.

Houston-based Cemvita Factory, founded in 2017, uses synthetic biology and take carbon emissions and transform them into industrial chemicals. However, it's only been since recently that the conversation on climate change mitigation has focused on carbon utilization.

"I think people are realizing more about the importance of really focusing on carbon capture and utilization because fossil fuels are gonna be here, whether we like it or not, for a long time, so the best thing we could do is to find ways to decarbonize them," Moji Karimi, co-founder and CEO, tells InnovationMap. "There's been this focus around carbon capture and storage, and I think the next awakening is going to be utilization." Click here to continue reading.

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