3 Houston innovators to know this week

Who's who

From fitness tech and interior design to super thin wearable technology, this week's innovators to know can't be stopped. Courtesy photos

Another week, another set of Houston innovators to keep your eye on. This week's cast of characters are from across industries — from fitness innovation to interior design for tech companies. Scroll through to meet the people behind Houston innovation.

Lizzie DeLacy, founder of DeLacy Wellness

Photo courtesy of DeLacy Wellness

After years of working in fitness, Lizzie DeLacy, founder of DeLacy Wellness, wanted to be able to help more people on their health and wellness journeys. She launched Bodypeace — an app that offers workout sessions, recipes, and tips for a healthier lifestyle — to help people make time for fitness and mindfulness.

"Rather than focusing on really long sessions, though we have a couple in there, we focus on short 5-minute sessions, so anyone can fit movement into their schedule and lifestyle," DeLacy tells InnovationMap. "Additionally, we break it down by body part focus, because oftentimes people don't know necessarily what exact movement or pose or stretch they might need."

Cunjiang Yu, a Bill D. Cook associate professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Houston

Photo courtesy of UH

Cunjiang Yu, a professor and researcher at the University of Houston, is the lead author on a paper that ran as the cover story in Science Advances. In the paper, Yu identifies a wearable technology that can detect health conditions while being so incredibly thin, the wearer might not even notice.

"Everything is very thin, just a few microns thick," says Yu, who also is a principal investigator at the Texas Center for Superconductivity at UH, in a release. "You will not be able to feel it."

Amy English, director of interiors for HOK

Photo courtesy of HOK

For most people, the design of an office might be non-consequential. But, for Amy English, director if interiors for HOK, designing the right space can do wonders for your company. English wrote a guest article for InnovationMap that outlines different trends in interior design for tech companies.

"While the next big technological advancement isn't set in stone, one thing is certain: Companies that wish to remain competitive and responsive in the future will need workplaces with the flexibility and personalization that allow their people to gather, connect, innovate, and simply be their best," she writes.

Read English's guest article here.

Lizzie DeLacy, founder of DeLacy Wellness, launched a new platform called Bodypeace offering wellness and exercise tips through the app. Courtesy of DeLacy Wellness

Houston fitness guru takes her expertise mobile with new app

Fit tech

As time spent on mobile devices stretches longer and attention spans get shorter, a Houstonian thinks she has a solution to combine personal technology and a healthy lifestyle.

Lizzie DeLacy, founder of DeLacy Wellness, has launched a new app called Bodypeace that offers workout sessions, recipes, and tips for a healthier lifestyle, but in a different way than consumers might be used to.

"Rather than focusing on really long sessions, though we have a couple in there, we focus on short 5 minute sessions, so anyone can fit movement into their schedule and lifestyle," DeLacy tells InnovationMap. "Additionally, we break it down by body part focus, because oftentimes people don't know necessarily what exact movement or pose or stretch they might need."

DeLacy worked as a private fitness instructor for years before deciding to create the Bodypeace app to make her coaching and practices accessible to more people. Her goal is to help as many people as possible feel better so they can grow to be the best version of themselves, referring to this concept as "Eventual Energy."

The Bodypeace app, which launched on iTunes and Google Play on July 17, allows users to filter by body part, choosing between an all body session, or focus on a specific spot such as hamstrings, hips, back, shoulders, and more.

"In my experience as a yoga instructor, I saw that these are pain points for a lot of people," says DeLacy.

The app tailors content for the user by asking a series of questions about workout habits, and lifestyle. There is a free trial period for users to explore the app, as well as paid options, $17.99 a month or $119.99 a year.

"The busier people get the less they want to spend time in their cars or pay the fees that are associated with gym memberships, and having the ability to do something from the comfort of your own home or on demand that fits your schedule," says DeLacy. "I think it's really appealing to a lot of people, myself included."

DeLacy shares that many fitness apps out there geared towards getting a six pack or losing weight can be intimidating to those that have never worked out before or have an injury that they're recovering from. She designed her app to be accessible for all fitness levels, ages, and genders.

"The content on Bodypeace is really for the athletes and the 'never-evers' alike," DeLacy tells InnovationMap. "There is a whole group of people that are either new to working out or have never considered it before."

DeLacy founded DeLacy Wellness in 2016, a year after she moved to Houston. DeLacy is a certified yoga instructor and holds a health coaching certification. The company, which is privately funded, has two full-time staff, DeLacy and her partner and COO Jack Martin, two advisory board members, two instructors, and one community contributor.

DeLacy tells InnovationMap that on the community portion of the Bodypeace app, there is a lot of free information available for users to test the content. DeLacy and her team hope to connect wellness content creators and contributors with people who are looking for information to feel and live better.

"We're hoping to create a platform where you're doing movement and you're also going to learn about movement, nutrition, mental health, and other topics dealing with wellness," says DeLacy.

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Rice University opens biotech venture studio in TMC

rapidly scaling

In its mission to amplify and advance biotech innovation, Rice University has announced its latest initiative — a new lab focused on bringing life-saving medical technologies to commercialization.

Established to rapidly build companies based on Rice University's portfolio of over 100 patents, RBL LLC is a new biotech venture creation studio based in Texas Medical Center Helix Park. RBL comes on the heels of establishing the Rice Biotech Launch Pad, a biotech innovation accelerator that opened last year.

Paul Wotton, executive director of the Rice Biotech Launch Pad, co-founded RBL with his colleagues Omid Veiseh, Rice professor of bioengineering and faculty director of the Rice Biotech Launch Pad; Jacob Robinson, Rice professor of electrical and computer engineering; and Dr. Rima Chakrabarti, a physician scientist and venture capital investor with KdT Ventures.

“This is a pivotal moment for Houston and beyond,” Wotton, who serves as RBL’s managing partner, says in a news release from Rice. “Houston has rapidly emerged as a global life sciences powerhouse, blending cutting-edge research with early clinical applications at Rice and the city’s world-renowned hospital systems.

"Investors from across the nation are recognizing Houston’s potential, and with RBL, we’re building on that momentum," he continues. "We’ll not only amplify the work of the Rice Biotech Launch Pad but expand our reach across Texas, creating opportunities for biotech ventures statewide and driving growth for the biotech industry as a whole.”

Strategically located in TMC, RBL will collaborate with medical leaders, investors, corporations, and other players both in the same building and on the greater TMC campus.

“Leveraging Rice University’s Biotech Launch Pad breakthroughs and pairing it with the world-class translational infrastructure of TMC Helix Park well positions RBL to drive unprecedented advances in patient care,” William McKeon, president and CEO of the TMC, says in the release. “This partnership between academia, industry and health care is exactly what’s needed to transform medical discoveries into real-world solutions that improve lives globally.”

RBL is Rice's latest effort to bridge the gap between academia and biotech innovation, an effort led by Paul Cherukuri, Rice’s chief innovation officer, who reportedly spearheaded development of the new initiative.

“RBL is a game-changer for Rice, Houston and the global biotech community,” Cherukuri adds. “This venture not only accelerates the commercialization of our innovations but also sets a blueprint for other universities looking to maximize the real-world impact of their discoveries. By combining scientific expertise with entrepreneurial support from Day Zero together with strategic clinical partnerships in the TMC, we’re creating a model for driving large-scale biotech innovation that universities everywhere should aspire to replicate.”

Since the Rice Biotech Launch Pad was established, Motif Neurotech closed its series A round with an oversubscribed $18.75 million, the hub secured a $34.9 million grant, and a “living pharmacy” founded at the Launch Pad received industry validation.

“RBL provides a powerful platform to translate high-impact scientific discoveries into therapies that will dramatically improve patient outcomes,” Veiseh says. “Our goal is to rapidly bring Rice’s pioneering research into the clinic, delivering life-saving solutions to patients around the world.”

Houston hospital named among smartest in the nation

hi, tech

Houston hospitals are chock-full of smart people. But they’re also equipped with lots of “smart” technology. In fact, five local hospitals appear on Newsweek’s new list of the world’s best “smart” hospitals.

To compile the list, Newsweek teamed up with data provider Statista to rank the world’s top 330 hospitals for the use of smart technology. The ranking factors were electronic functionality, telemedicine, digital imaging, artificial intelligence (AI), and robotics.

The highest-ranked Houston hospital is the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, appearing at No. 6. The hospital was recognized for advancements in electronic functionality, AI and robotics.

“MD Anderson has a significant opportunity and a responsibility to our many stakeholders to create a digital ecosystem that promotes collaboration and advances scientific discovery to enhance patient outcomes,” David Jaffray, the cancer center’s chief technology and digital officer, said in a 2021 news release.

“Through our ongoing focus on enabling the use of new technologies to place quantitative data in context for our researchers,” Jaffray added, “we foster cutting-edge oncology data science to inform our cancer discovery research and to accelerate translation of our research findings into benefits for cancer patients.”

Ahead of MD Anderson on the list are:

Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland.
Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.
Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.

Other Houston hospitals on the list are:

Houston Methodist Hospital, No. 11.
Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, No. 105.
Texas Children’s Hospital, No. 197.
Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center, No. 266.

Expert: How to best repurpose Houston’s infrastructure for a clean energy future

guest column

Houston, often dubbed the “Energy Capital of the World,” is at a pivotal moment in its history. Known for its vast oil and gas reserves, the city is now embracing a new role as a leader in the clean energy transition. This shift is not just about adopting new technologies but also about creatively repurposing existing infrastructure to support sustainable energy solutions.

Houston’s offshore oil wells, many of which are old or abandoned, present a significant opportunity for carbon capture. By repurposing these wells, we can sequester carbon dioxide, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating climate change. This approach not only utilizes existing infrastructure but also provides a cost-effective solution for carbon management. According to the Greater Houston Partnership, initiatives like these are crucial as Houston aims to lower its climate-changing greenhouse gas emissions. Exxon estimates that just their proposed CCS hub could capture and store 50 million metric tons of CO2 annually by 2030 and 100 million metric tons by 2040.

The proximity of abandoned offshore platforms to the coast makes them ideal candidates for renewable energy substations. These platforms can be transformed into hubs for wind, solar or tidal energy, facilitating the integration of renewable energy into the grid. This repurposing not only maximizes the use of existing structures but also minimizes environmental disruption.

Decommissioned pipelines, which are already in place, offer a ready-made solution for routing renewable energy cables. By using these existing rights of way, Houston can avoid disturbing additional seafloor and reduce the environmental impact of new cable installations. This strategy ensures a smoother transition to renewable energy infrastructure. The U.S. Energy Information Administration notes that Texas, including Houston, leads the nation in wind-generated electricity, highlighting the potential for further renewable energy development.

Onshore oil and gas facilities in Houston also hold potential for clean energy repurposing. Wells that were drilled but never used for oil or gas can be adapted for geological thermal energy storage. This process involves storing excess renewable energy in the form of heat, which can be retrieved when needed, providing a reliable and sustainable energy source. This innovative use of existing wells aligns with Houston’s broader energy transition strategy, which aims to leverage the city’s industrial expertise for a low-carbon future.

Once the land has been remediated, old and abandoned oil fields can be converted into solar farms. This transformation not only provides a new use for previously contaminated land but also contributes to the generation of clean, renewable energy. Solar farms on these sites can help meet Houston’s energy needs while supporting environmental restoration. The Environmental Protection Agency in recent years recognized Houston as the top city in the U.S. for green energy usage, with annual green power usage topping 1 billion kilowatt-hours in 2021.

Houston’s journey towards a clean energy future is a testament to the power of innovation and adaptability. By repurposing existing infrastructure, we can create a sustainable energy landscape that honors the city’s industrial past while paving the way for a greener tomorrow. These strategies highlight the potential for Houston to lead in the clean energy transition, setting an example for cities worldwide.

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Tershara Mathews is the national offshore wind lead at WSP.

This article originally ran on EnergyCapital.

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