3 Houston innovators to know this week

who's who

This week's roundup of Houston innovators includes Youngro Lee of Brassica, Anu Puvvada of KPMG Studio, and Brock Murphy of Parent ProTech. Photos courtesy

Editor's note: In this week's roundup of Houston innovators to know, I'm introducing you to three local innovators across industries — from corporate innovation to fintech — recently making headlines in Houston innovation.

Youngro Lee, founder of Brassica

Youngro Lee joins the Houston Innovators Podcast to discuss his latest endeavor on his mission to democratize investing. Photo courtesy

Brassica Technologies, a fintech infrastructure company that's providing a platform for alternative assets, is just the next step in his career in using tech to democratize finance. The idea came from Lee's experience as a startup founder and fintech exec — first at NextSeed and then at Republic, which acquired NextSeed two years ago.

"The reason why I thought this was what I wanted to focus on next was exactly because it was an issue I struggled with as a founder of NextSeed," Lee says on the show. "The backend was always an issue. There's not one single vendor that we felt really understood our business, was doing it efficiently, or enabled us to deliver those services to our end clients."

Lee shares more about the future of Brassica, including the challenges he's facing within regulation and the state of fintech as a whole, on the podcast. He also weighs in on how he's seen the Houston innovation ecosystem grow and develop alongside his own entrepreneurial journey. Read more.

Anu Puvvada, KPMG Studio leader

Anu Puvvada, KPMG Studio leader, shares how her team is advancing software solutions while navigating hype cycles and solving billion-dollar-problems. Photo courtesy of KPMG

In 2021, KPMG, a New York-based global audit, accounting, and advisory service provider, formed a new entity to play in the innovation space. The Houston-based team finds innovative software that benefit KPMG's clients across industries.

In an interview with InnovationMap, Anu Puvvada, leader of KPMG Studio, shares more about the program, its first spin out, and why she's passionate about leading this initiative from Houston.

"When you think about innovation as a whole, it's mired with risk and uncertainty," she says. "You never know if something's going to work or not. And part of what we have to do with any idea that we're building in the studio or anything that our clients are doing around innovation, we have to do as much as we can to mitigate that risk and uncertainty. And that's kind of what KPMG's wheelhouse is." Read more.

Brock Murphy, Parent ProTech co-founder

Brock Murphy launched Parent ProTech last fall. Photo via parentprotech.com

Houston-based Parent ProTech is a one-stop shop for parental education on technology and applications that their kids use.

“Our goal is to make everyone the best digital parent possible,” Brock Murphy, Parent ProTech co-founder, tells InnovationMap. “We understand technology and the role it plays in influencing the next generation. So we help parents when it comes to understanding the platforms, how to use them and how to unlock the parental controls that can be hidden, deeper into these platforms.”

Murphy — with co-founder Drew Wooten and creative director Joshua Adams — launched the platform in September 2022. Since then, Parent ProTech has made its mark through partnerships with schools in Texas. Read more.

Parent ProTech allows for parents to learn about the platforms their kids are active on — and how to protect them from potential danger. Photo via Canva and ParentProTech.com

Houston startup develops tech to protect children from online threats

imapct-driven innovation

Worry is an unavoidable part of the job description for any parent with children that continuously explore social media and other online applications and networks.

It seems as if with each passing day, a litany of horror stories centered around online bullying and online predators come to light replete with children who were approached and violated online and parents that had virtually no idea what their kids were up against.

But imagine a world where parents are able to not only monitor a child’s online activity, but are able to finally understand it, control it, and restrict it.

It’s a lofty task, but the team behind Parent ProTech, the one-stop shop for parental education on technology and applications that their kids use, are not only equipped to tackle it, they are passionate about finally giving parents the guide to parenting in the digital age.

Growing the tech platform

“Currently we’re at over 20,000 users and last week I closed a big deal with a national charter school, so they’re looking to launch in their Texas schools starting in August, which will pull us to 56,000 users signed up,” says Murphy. “The easiest way to get this important research into as many hands as possible was going to the schools.

“In Texas they have the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, or TEKS, requirement, and so we’re filling some of the void when it comes to social and emotional learning when it comes to interacting with technology and others online, preventing violence and cyberbullying and different computer applications requirements that the state passes down to schools to teach to children.”

Brock Murphy launched Parent ProTech last fall. Photo via parentprotech.com

Murphy realized that there was a dearth in online protection when it comes to children when he first started looking at the data coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Based on the data, it was evident that children from ages 11 to 14 years old spent over nine hours in front of a screen per day and, according to FBI reports, have the potential to encounter some 500,000 online predators during that time.

“We’re highlighting the good, the bad and the ugly,” says Murphy. “And then we’re monitoring the different platforms, so when Snapchat added a new feature, for example, and inappropriate content was popping up on my entire teams’ Snapchat, we definitely wanted to flag the families.

“We alerted them about the new feature and the inappropriate content popping up and informed them about what to look out for and how they can do to combat it. These platforms are constantly changing, and parents are busy, so we’re taking this off their plate. We’ll monitor it and let them know when there’s something major that happens that could put their child at risk.”

For convenience, Parent ProTech is web-based and mobile compatible, but with an update planned in the next few months, it will be more personalized based on the age of the child and the parent’s philosophy on social media and screen time.

Mission-driven origin with constant updates

Murphy founded the company without an application development background. Before creating Parent ProTech, Murphy took a very interesting path that brought him to the Houston area. First, he interned at the White House, then worked for SpaceX in Brownsville, Texas. After that, he was lured away to a company headquartered in Paris, France. That company, eventually sent him to Houston to open up a local branch office.

Murphy says he's routinely been asked by parents, teachers, administrators, and families about technology and how to keep their family safe online. That curiosity was the seed planted in early 2021 that sprouted into Parent ProTech and laid the foundation for the team’s mission to help parents understand technology and the role it plays in influencing the next generation.

So for those parents that have no idea what Discord or YikYak is or are still shaking their heads at the popularity of TikTok, with all of its sometimes disturbing viral challenges, Parent ProTech has it covered.

“Essentially what we’ve built is a database for families and schools to dive into the different platforms and understand them,” says Murphy. “We’re diving deep into these platforms so parents can quickly get what they need to put parental controls in place. This way, they can rest a little easier knowing that their children will see the content they want them to see and not be exposed to inappropriate content.”

Additionally, Parent ProTech wants to be able to equip parents with the tools to keep their children from talking to strangers online.

Parents, of course, love the idea for Parent ProTech, but it wasn’t as attractive to the kids on the business end of the restrictions and monitoring.

“It’s not an easy conversation because parents are scared of pushing their children away,” says the Texas A&M alum. “Kids don’t want their mom to know when they’re posting on TikTok. And that push/pull can sometimes put parents in a position where they are overwhelmed and can cause a paralysis state where they don’t do anything at all.

“I met with some sophomores in high school, and they weren’t keen on what we do, but then I told them the story about the family in San Diego where the oldest of three sons was approached by a pill pusher on Snapchat because the Snapchat map was turned on and there was Xanax delivered to the mailbox and it was laced with fentanyl and the son passed away," he continues. "Those are the kinds of stories that get the kids to listen to what we’re saying and the importance of monitoring the activity on these platforms.”

Involving the experts

The Parent ProTech team doesn’t just rely on real news fodder, though, it also regularly consults with therapists and developmental professionals for the best results.

“We talk to child psychologists and therapists on how we would recommend parents talk about the restrictions and the changes they make when they deep dive into these platforms,” says Murphy. “And what we’ve found is the education of the parents on what the platforms actually are is really important. That helps with conversation starters and plans like if a parent wants to limit their child’s screentime to 15 minutes a day.”

Parent ProTech isn’t just providing technology knowledge and parental controls, it’s also helping families monitor their digital footprint.

“What you post today could come back and haunt you when you apply to medical school or that dream job,” says Murphy. “So we focus on that and how we can promote safety and well-being of our interactions with each other online.”

Moving forward, one of Parent ProTech’s biggest goals, outside of being that one stop shop for families/parents when it comes to safely navigating technology, is also being pro technology and promoting the tools and excitement that all of this advancement has on kids and the positive activity that can come out of it.

“We also want parents and kids to realize the potential there is with all of this advancement and continue pushing that message,” says Murphy. “We’d also like to develop some AI tools to help with bullying and inappropriate content to help prevent scammers from taking advantage of kids and elderly.”

Murphy also wants to put his time on Capitol Hill to good use by helping to advocate for various policy changes in Washington D.C. and state capitals that will help protect children online.

“We have to build this army of parents that want more priority of safety when it comes to children online and part of that is parents being more engaged in what their kids are doing and we’re here to help foster that.”

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Intuitive Machines forms partnership with Italian companies for lunar exploration services

to the moon

Houston-based space technology, infrastructure and services company Intuitive Machines has forged a partnership with two Italian companies to offer infrastructure, communication and navigation services for exploration of the moon.

Intuitive Machines’ agreement with the two companies, Leonardo and Telespazio, paves the way for collaboration on satellite services for NASA, a customer of Intuitive Machines, and the European Space Agency, a customer of Leonardo and Telespazio. Leonardo, an aerospace, defense and security company, is the majority owner of Telespazio, a provider of satellite technology and services.

“Resilient, secure, and scalable space infrastructure and space data networks are vital to customers who want to push farther on the lunar surface and beyond to Mars,” Steve Altemus, co-founder and CEO of Intuitive Machine, said in a news release.

Massimo Claudio Comparini, managing director of Leonardo’s space division, added that the partnership with Intuitive Machines is a big step toward enabling human and robotic missions from the U.S., Europe and other places “to access a robust communications network and high-precision navigation services while operating in the lunar environment.”

Intuitive Machines recently expanded its Houston Spaceport facilities to ramp up in-house production of satellites. The company’s first satellite will launch with its upcoming IM‑3 lunar mission.

Intuitive Machines says it ultimately wants to establish a “center of space excellence” at Houston Spaceport to support missions to the moon, Mars and the region between Earth and the moon.

Houston hospitals win $50M grant for ibogaine addiction treatment research

ibogaine funding

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission has awarded $50 million to UTHealth Houston in collaboration with The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB Health) to co-lead a multicenter research trial to evaluate the effect of ibogaine, a powerful psychoactive compound, on patients suffering from addiction, traumatic brain injury and other behavioral health conditions.

The funding will establish a two-year initiative—known as Ibogaine Medicine for PTSD, Addiction, and Cognitive Trauma (IMPACT)—and a consortium of Texas health institutions focused on clinical trials and working toward potential FDA-approved treatments.

The consoritum will also include Texas Tech University, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, The University of Texas at Austin, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, The University of Texas at Tyler, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Texas A&M University, The University of North Texas Health Science Center, Baylor College of Medicine and JPS Health Network in Dallas.

Ibogaine is a plant-based, psychoactive substance derived from the iboga shrub. Research suggests that the substance could be used for potential treatment for patients with traumatic brain injuries, which is a leading cause of post-traumatic stress disorders. Ibogaine has also shown potential as a treatment for addiction and other neurological conditions.

UTHealth and partners will focus on ways that ibogaine can treat addiction and associated conditions. Meanwhile, UT Austin and Baylor College of Medicine will concentrate on using it to treat traumatic brain injury, especially in veterans, according to a news release from the institutions.

The consortium will also support drug developers and teaching hospitals to conduct FDA-approved clinical trials. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission will oversee the grant program.

“This landmark clinical trial reflects our unwavering commitment to advancing research that improves lives and delivers the highest standards of care,” Dr. Melina Kibbe, UTHealth Houston president and the Alkek-Williams Distinguished Chair, said in the news release. “By joining forces with outstanding partners across our state, we are building on Texas’ tradition of innovation to ensure patients struggling with addiction and behavioral health conditions have access to the best possible outcomes. Together, we are shaping discoveries that will serve Texans and set a model for the nation.”

The consortium was authorized by the passage of Senate Bill 2308. The bill provides $50 million in state-matching funds for an ibogaine clinical trial managed by a public university in partnership with a drug company and a hospital.

“This is the first major step towards the legislature’s goal of obtaining FDA approval through clinical trials of ibogaine — a potential breakthrough medication that has brought thousands of America’s war-fighters back from the darkest parts of depression, anxiety, PTSD, and chronic addiction,” Texas Rep. Cody Harris added in the release. “I am excited to walk alongside UTHealth Houston and UTMB as these stellar institutions lead the nation in a first-of-its-kind clinical trial in the U.S.”

Recently, the University of Houston also received a $2.6 million gift from the estate of Dr. William A. Gibson to support and expand its opioid addiction research, which includes the development of a fentanyl vaccine that could block the drug's ability to enter the brain. Read more here.

Tesla no longer world's biggest EV maker as sales fall for second year

Tesla Talk

Tesla lost its crown as the world’s bestselling electric vehicle maker as a customer revolt over Elon Musk’s right-wing politics, expiring U.S. tax breaks for buyers and stiff overseas competition pushed sales down for a second year in a row.

Tesla said that it delivered 1.64 million vehicles in 2025, down 9% from a year earlier.

Chinese rival BYD, which sold 2.26 million vehicles last year, is now the biggest EV maker.

It's a stunning reversal for a car company whose rise once seemed unstoppable as it overtook traditional automakers with far more resources and helped make Musk the world's richest man. The sales drop came despite President Donald Trump's marketing effort early last year when he called a press conference to praise Musk as a “patriot” in front of Teslas lined up on the White House driveway, then announced he would be buying one, bucking presidential precedent to not endorse private company products.

For the fourth quarter, Tesla sales totaled 418,227, falling short of even the much reduced 440,000 target that analysts recently polled by FactSet had expected. Sales were hit hard by the expiration of a $7,500 tax credit for electric vehicle purchases that was phased out by the Trump administration at the end of September.

Tesla stock fell 2.6% to $438.07 on Friday.

Even with multiple issues buffeting the company, investors are betting that Tesla CEO Musk can deliver on his ambitions to make Tesla a leader in robotaxi services and get consumers to embrace humanoid robots that can perform basic tasks in homes and offices. Reflecting that optimism, the stock finished 2025 with a gain of approximately 11%.

The latest quarter was the first with sales of stripped-down versions of the Model Y and Model 3 that Musk unveiled in early October as part of an effort to revive sales. The new Model Y costs just under $40,000 while customers can buy the cheaper Model 3 for under $37,000. Those versions are expected to help Tesla compete with Chinese models in Europe and Asia.

For fourth-quarter earnings coming out in late January, analysts are expecting the company to post a 3% drop in sales and a nearly 40% drop in earnings per share, according to FactSet. Analysts expect the downward trend in sales and profits to eventually reverse itself as 2026 rolls along.

Musk said earlier last year that a “major rebound” in sales was underway, but investors were unruffled when that didn't pan out, choosing instead to focus on Musk's pivot to different parts of business. He has has been saying the future of the company lies with its driverless robotaxis service, its energy storage business and building robots for the home and factory — and much less with car sales.

Tesla started rolling out its robotaxi service in Austin in June, first with safety monitors in the cars to take over in case of trouble, then testing without them. The company hopes to roll out the service in several cities this year.

To do that successfully, it needs to take on rival Waymo, which has been operating autonomous taxis for years and has far more customers. It also will also have to contend with regulatory challenges. The company is under several federal safety investigations and other probes. In California, Tesla is at risk of temporarily losing its license to sell cars in the state after a judge there ruled it had misled customers about their safety.

“Regulatory is going to be a big issue,” said Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives, a well-known bull on the stock. “We're dealing with people's lives.”

Still, Ives said he expects Tesla's autonomous offerings will soon overcome any setbacks.

Musk has said he hopes software updates to his cars will enable hundreds of thousands of Tesla vehicles to operate autonomously with zero human intervention by the end of this year. The company is also planning to begin production of its AI-powered Cybercab with no steering wheel or pedals in 2026.

To keep Musk focused on the company, Tesla’s directors awarded Musk a potentially enormous new pay package that shareholders backed at the annual meeting in November.

Musk scored another huge windfall two weeks ago when the Delaware Supreme Court reversed a decision that deprived him of a $55 billion pay package that Tesla doled out in 2018.

Musk could become the world's first trillionaire later this year when he sells shares of his rocket company SpaceX to the public for the first time in what analysts expect would be a blockbuster initial public offering.

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