10+ can't-miss Houston business and innovation events for October
where to be
Houston's busy business event season is in full swing, and there are ton of local innovation and entrepreneurship-focused programming across the city. Here's a rundown of what all to throw on your calendar for October when it comes to innovation-related events.
This article will be updated as more business and tech events are announced.
October 4 — Softeq Venture Studio Happy Hour
The Softeq Venture Studio is excited for you to meet the newest startups accepted into its 2H 2022 Cohort. Meet the teams and learn more about how they secured $125K in funding.
You'll have the chance to meet the startup founders, learn about the problems being solved, and learn more about how the Softeq Venture Studio de-risks growing startups.
The event is Tuesday, October 4, at 5 pm, at Yardhouse (City Centre). Click here to register.
October 5 — State of the Airports
Houston Airports is one of North America's largest and busiest multi-airport systems in the world and plays an important role in the greater Houston region's position as a great global city.
State of the Airports features Houston Airports Director, Mario Diaz, who will share the latest information and growth plans for Houston's three airports. Diaz will also address the important role the Houston Airports plays in bolstering Houston's position as an international air gateway.
The event is Wednesday, October 5, 10:30 am to 1:30 pm, at the Marriott Marquis. Click here to register.
October 11 — State of Space
Earlier this month, Space City celebrated the 60th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s proclamation delivered at Rice Stadium, "We choose to go to the moon." Many decades ago, these words showed the world that Houston holds a place as the epicenter for the world's biggest space endeavors and while space exploration has changed tremendously since those famous words, Houston's reputation in aviation and aerospace only grows stronger.
Join the Greater Houston Partnership for State of Space on Tuesday, October 11, to hear from some of the sharpest minds in aerospace and aviation technology who continue to chart a vibrant future for Houston centered around NASA's Johnson Space Center and one of the world’s only truly urban commercial spaceports.
Speakers include:
- Featured speaker and panelist: Vanessa Wyche, Director, NASA’s Johnson Space Center
- Stephen Altemus, President & CEO, Intuitive Machines
- Peggy Guirges, General Manager of Space Systems, Collins Aerospace
- Panel Moderator: Arturo Machuca, Director, Houston Spaceport and Ellington Airport
The event is Tuesday, October 11, 10:30 am to 1:30 pm, at Omni Riverway. Click here to register.
October 12 — Making an Impact in the Houston Tech Ecosystem
You may have heard that Jay Steinfeld was the founder and CEO of Global Custom Commerce, which operates the world’s top online window coverings retailer Blinds.com. Boot-strapped in 1996 for just $3,000 from his Bellaire garage, Global Custom Commerce was acquired by The Home Depot in 2014. Jay remained its CEO and later joined The Home Depot Online Leadership Team. After stepping away from these roles in early 2020, he has increased his involvement on numerous private company boards and serves as a director of the public company Masonite (NYSE: DOOR). He also teaches entrepreneurship at Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business and supports numerous charities. Jay is an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and has earned a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Houston Technology Center. Active as an industry speaker on corporate culture, core values, how to scale a start-up, and disruption, he has more than 100 published articles.
But did you know that many of Jay’s former employees have started businesses of their own, formed angel investment funds, developed and led some of Houston’s best technology teams, and grown into pillars of the HouTech community?
Come hear what’s sure to be an intriguing panel discussion with Jay and several ex-Blinds.com’ers as they discuss company culture, core values, lessons learned, and thoughts on the HouTech ecosystem and take questions from the audience.
The event is Wednesday, October 12, at 6 pm, at the Ion. Click here to register.
October 13 — October Transitions on Tap
Transition On Tap is Greentown Labs' monthly networking event devoted to fostering conversations and connections among the climate and energy transition ecosystem in Houston and beyond. Entrepreneurs, investors, students, and friends of climatetech are invited to attend, meet colleagues, discuss solutions, and engage with our growing community. If you’re looking for a job in climatetech or energy, trying to expand your network, or perhaps thinking about starting your own energy-related company, this is the event for you.
The event is Thursday, October 13, 5 to 7 pm, at Greentown Houston. Click here to register.
October 14 — Tech, Tools and Tips: Digital Training Day at Impact Hub Houston
Struggling with a process in your business? There's probably a tech tool for that. Impact Hub Houston invites YOU to attend an extended edition of its Tech, Tools, and Tips Series hosted in partnership with Frost Bank.
The goal for this session is to provide small business owners with an overview of various digital tools that can help your day to day operations. By attending this event, you will learn about various digital tools and also have an opportunity to network with other small business owners.
The event is Friday, October 14, 8:30 am to 12:30 pm, at the Omni Riverway. Click here to register.
October 14-15 — Tejano Tech Summit 2022
The inaugural Tejano Tech Summit 2022 will bring together Latino tech founders, investors, tech and non-technical Latino employees working in tech for two days of keynotes, conversations, workshops, and networking with the goal of providing the tools and resources to help support more Latinos in tech. Presented by LSA Global & Latino Startup Alliance who’s mission is to create the foundation to foster and support the Latinx tech ecosystem in the Houston area and the State of Texas with global reach.
The event is Friday, October 14, to Saturday, October 15, at the Ion. Click here to register.
October 14-16 — Incubate Galveston + the Ion Hackathon 2022
A hackathon is a social design sprint that brings together the community to work in teams creating innovative solutions. Basically, it’s a party, and a 48-hour race between teams competing to develop solutions to problem-sets for cash prizes. Participants will work in small teams that have a collection of experts, entrepreneurs, students, and community members to tackle the below identified challenges:
- Increase food access in urban core neighborhoods
- Create opportunities for green initiatives, including environmental education, coastal resilience, and conservation
- Propose home refurbishment programs and housing
- Develop capacity for education and workforce skills development
- Solve the plastic pollution issue in Galveston: Plastic trash in the water supply, on the beaches, and in the waterways of Galveston and surround areas affects the community in many ways (e.g., beaches look dirty, the plastic has chemicals harmful to health, and microplastics get into the environment and remain there for long periods of time. How can we solve this problem, removing and reducing waste and its downstream impacts, and make our community safer and cleaner? The plastic pollution problem can be address in the way of innovative preventive steps, innovation treatments, and public education, etc.
- Offer creative solutions to other challenges
The event is Friday, October 14, to Sunday, October 16, at the Marmo Plaza. Click here to register.
October 19 — How to Build an App without Code, Part 1: Info Session (In-Person & Online)
Join Heather Wilson, a UX Researcher, Service Designer and Google Design Sprint Facilitator, as she teaches you how to build an app without code!
Benefits of building an app without code:
- building a custom app could take months to a year to develop
- coding could present problems when your mobile strategy is pivoting
- allows for customization and the ability to make changes as needed
- high costs can be associated with building am app
October 20 — 2022-2023 UH Energy Symposium Series
Rising electricity prices, increasing concerns about grid reliability, and achieving carbon-free electricity in the U.S. by 2035 have refocused attention on the role of nuclear in the energy transition. This comes after a decade of low investments, accumulating nuclear waste, an aging fleet of reactors, public opposition, and regulatory mandates that stalled nuclear’s growth and led to declines in production. Meanwhile, the nuclear industry has maintained its safety record, made remarkable progress in fusion and advanced nuclear reactors, and improved operating safety and efficiency.
The first topic of the 2022-2023 Energy Symposium Series, The Future of Nuclear in the Energy Transition, will address if and how headways in advanced nuclear reactors, fusion, and waste management can overcome the challenges of economic feasibility, efficient and safe waste disposal, and build public and regulatory support for the increased deployment of nuclear energy in the U.S. We are excited to bring our panel discussion of Critical Issues in Energy back on campus this year.
The event is Thursday, October 20, at 6 pm, at Hilton University of Houston - Conrad N. Hilton Ballroom . Click here to register.
October 26 — GRIT Awards and Best Energy Workplaces
Join ALLY Energy on October 26, 2022, to honor this year's winners of the 6th annual GRIT Awards and Best Energy Workplaces. New this year: lifetime achievement award winners. Click here to learn more about them.
The event is Wednesday, October 26, from 9 am to 1 pm, at The Bell Tower on 34th Street . Click here to register.
October 26-27 — Fuze
Fuze is bringing together the builders and innovators in energy tech. Shutting down 5 blocks in downtown Houston for two days and covering three content tracks, the event is focused on discovering breakthroughs in energy technology.
The event is Wednesday, October 26, to Thursday, October 27, at 8th Wonder Brewery. Click here to register.
October 27 — Aerospace Investment & Engagement
Join the Houston Angel Network as they discuss the current and future state of aerospace innovation and investment, followed by pitches.
The event is Thursday, October 27, at 8 am to 1 pm at the Ion. Click here to register.
October 27 — Space-Related Technology Development and the Houston Innovation Community
In these presentations, Mr. Montgomery Goforth and other aerospace subject matter experts will discuss the technology development challenges faced by NASA’s Johnson Space Center and the surrounding Aerospace community in our ongoing efforts as the hub of human spaceflight. Presentations will focus on the ways in which these challenges, and the associated opportunities, can be leveraged by Houston’s innovation community.
The event is Thursday, October 27, at 4 pm at the Ion. Click here to register.
October 29 — TEDxHOUSTON COUNTDOWN
In the spirit of TED Countdown — a movement to champion and accelerate solutions to the climate crisis — TEDxHouston is hosting its first in-person Countdown event to spotlight innovators, advocates, and artists at the forefront of energy, sustainability, built environment, and environmental justice. Over 300 attendees and participants will enjoy cultural exhibits throughout POST with works aimed to evoke responses to our changing climate from designers and artists including Mel Chin, Luis Berrios Negron, and architect Juan Jose Castellon. The day will conclude with a celebration in POST’s “X” Atrium that is free and open to the public.
The event is Saturday, October 29, at 10:40 am at the Post Houston. Click here to register.
Photo courtesy of UT Austin 
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