This week's roundup of Houston innovators includes Michael Torres of CrossBridge Bio, Aileen Allen of Mercury, and Ryan Reisner of SeekerPitch. Photos courtesy

Editor's note: Every week, I introduce you to a handful of Houston innovators to know recently making headlines with news of innovative technology, investment activity, and more. This week's batch includes three innovators across therapeutics, venture capital, and HR software.

Michael Torres, CEO of CrossBridge Bio

CrossBridge Bio, formed during the TMC Innovation’s Accelerator for Cancer Therapeutics program, closed a $10 million seed round led by TMC Venture Fund and CE-Ventures. Photo via crossbridgebio.com

A Houston biotech company based off research out of UTHealth Houston has raised seed funding to continue developing its cancer-fighting therapeutic.

CrossBridge Bio, formed during the TMC Innovation’s Accelerator for Cancer Therapeutics program, closed a $10 million seed round led by TMC Venture Fund and Crescent Enterprises' VC arm, CE-Ventures. The round also included participation from Portal Innovations, Alexandria Venture Investments, Linden Lake Labs, and several pre-seed investors.

“We are thrilled to have the support of such experienced investors who share our vision of bringing transformative cancer therapies to patients in need,” Michael Torres, CEO of CrossBridge Bio, says in a news release. Torres served as an entrepreneur in residence of ACT. Continue reading.

Aileen Allen, venture partner at Mercury

Aileen Allen joined Mercury as venture partner and is on the board of the Houston Angel Network. Photo courtesy of Mercury

When Aileen Allen was contemplating a big career move — swapping sides of the table from tech company to venture investor — she was motivated by driving gender and experience diversity amongst decision makers.

"I've worked for VC-backed companies for most of my career and had the opportunity as an executive to be in the boardroom during that time," she says on the Houston Innovators Podcast. "One of my takeaways was that very few of my board members looked like me. I had one or two women on any of my boards at a time in totality, and very few of my board members had been operators."

"I'd really like to change that, and I'd like there to be better representation and diversification in the boardroom," she adds. Continue reading.

Ryan Reisner, president and founder of SeekerPitch

Ryan Reisner is the\u00a0president and founder of SeekerPitch and The Reisner Group. Photo via LinkedIn

Confident job seekers have mostly been of the mindset that if they can just get in front of an employer, they can sell themselves into an offer for the open position. The obstacle then, is getting through the screening process to get an actual interview.

Until recently, the price of admission for starting or progressing in a desired career was a resume and cover letter stellar enough to catch the eye of the human resources and recruiting team. Outside of being buried in the immense pile of resumes recruiters do not have the bandwidth to get to, standing out in the sea of candidates can be daunting.

Resumes do not tell the full story as it is and it’s almost impossible for applicants to put their potential, soft skills and work personality into a document to be reviewed. So, what’s the solution?

It is a multi-layered problem, which requires a multi-layered solution, but one of the options gaining steam in the recruitment space is provided by SeekerPitch, a Houston-based HR technology platform utilizing generative AI to make hiring and interviewing more efficient.

“I've noticed that there's a ton of people that slip through the cracks,” says Ryan Reisner, president and founder of SeekerPitch and The Reisner Group. “And we spend all our time interviewing people to see if they have the soft skills. Resumes are hard skills. And now with AI, anybody can build the same exact resume. Everybody can say they have communication skills, leadership skills, and a lot of people say they have those." Continue reading.

Resumes do not tell the full story as it is and it’s almost impossible for applicants to put their potential, soft skills and work personality into a document to be reviewed, but this Houston startup has a solution. Photo via Getty Images

Houston startup to transform hiring process with AI, video-optimized platform

cha-cha-changes

Confident job seekers have mostly been of the mindset that if they can just get in front of an employer, they can sell themselves into an offer for the open position. The obstacle then, is getting through the screening process to get an actual interview.

Until recently, the price of admission for starting or progressing in a desired career was a resume and cover letter stellar enough to catch the eye of the human resources and recruiting team. Outside of being buried in the immense pile of resumes recruiters do not have the bandwidth to get to, standing out in the sea of candidates can be daunting.

Resumes do not tell the full story as it is and it’s almost impossible for applicants to put their potential, soft skills and work personality into a document to be reviewed. So, what’s the solution?

It is a multi-layered problem, which requires a multi-layered solution, but one of the options gaining steam in the recruitment space is provided by SeekerPitch, a Houston-based HR technology platform utilizing generative AI to make hiring and interviewing more efficient.

“I've noticed that there's a ton of people that slip through the cracks,” says Ryan Reisner, president and founder of SeekerPitch and The Reisner Group. “And we spend all our time interviewing people to see if they have the soft skills. Resumes are hard skills. And now with AI, anybody can build the same exact resume. Everybody can say they have communication skills, leadership skills, and a lot of people say they have those.

“But when it's all said and done, you interview those people to find out if they truly have them, and many of them don't have them. So, the resume is just a door opener. The door closer is the soft skills. So, with me being an underdog and growing up in underserved communities and just hoping to be found and applying to a bunch of places, I asked, what do I need to do to stand out from the crowd?”

Creating a solution

In addition to adding value during the actual interview, SeekerPitch solves the problem of feedback for applicants. Photo via SeekerPitch

That thought sparked the idea for the SeekerPitch platform and its signature feature that enables candidates to create video cover letters and skill-specific videos, allowing them to showcase their soft skills and personality.

In short, static candidate profiles come to life via SeekerPitch’s Pitch Sessions feature, which is purpose-built for job seekers to flesh out their full self and for employers to host multiple rounds of interviews with actionable insights from the platform’s generative AI to facilitate well-informed hiring decisions.

“Our product gives the employer a 30-second elevator pitch of an individual so they can interview people that are better fits for the jobs they are trying to fill,” says Reisner. “Unlike our competitors, we are normalizing ‘speed interviewing’ to maintain a more personal, holistic approach to the virtual interview.

“While the employer is interviewing the candidate in real time, the platform is transcribing the interview so the built-in AI model can give feedback such as culture fit, other mechanisms such as specific skills for a sales position and a total summary on that candidate’s ability to succeed in the role, which is enabling employers to make better hiring decisions and is vastly increasing the quality of the talent pool.”

In addition to adding value during the actual interview, SeekerPitch solves the problem of feedback for applicants.

“After the interview is completed, the employer has three choices: interested, still deciding and not interested,” adds Reisner. “And then if the employer is still deciding, it gives them a 72-hour countdown to make a decision and once that 72-hour window is over, that candidate is automatically rejected.

“What we have found is that job seekers, whether they're in the running or not, they just want to know, if they are moving forward or not. With our platform, they’re not stranded in feedback limbo for two plus weeks, so they love that part. They also like the holistic part where they're being judged off of who they are, their authenticity, and also their personality traits.”

Benefiting both sides of the equation

Ryan Reisner is the president and founder of SeekerPitch and The Reisner Group. Photo via LinkedIn

Another prime feature for employers is the video job description, which is expanding its reach with its intended audience: job seekers.

With everyone, including those in the candidate pool, now watching short-form videos on TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube as a lifestyle, employers can reach the next generation of the workforce using video job postings via the platform.

“Statistics show that 90 percent of job seekers don't even read job descriptions,” says Reisner. ”So, employers are automatically getting a poor candidate pool because it's easy to apply for job seekers and they just apply because it’s a numbers game. But what we have found is that the video job descriptions are an engaging medium that has vastly increased the quality candidate pool, as opposed to quantity.”

Another facet of SeekerPitch’s goal to streamline hiring is the automated scheduling process, whereby the platform uses chatbots to chat in real time with job seekers to get the best availability for interview time slots.

“We’ve also implemented an AI feature that helps the interviewer prepare for the interview based on the candidate’s profile, application and resume,” says Reisner. “It will provide questions to the interviewer that they might not have otherwise thought to ask to dive deeper into the candidate’s overall fit for the role. And based on the candidate's answers, more questions will populate tailored to that candidate.

“Then, after that interview is completed, and the employer is interested in moving the candidate forward in the interview process, it queues up the next interviewer in line to schedule that second or next round interview and so on. This automatically synchs with the employer’s applicant tracking system to get the employer all the way through the hiring process.”

Leveling the playing field

SeekerPitch won the third annual CodeLaunch Houston. Photo by Natalie Harms/InnovationMap

SeekerPitch’s goal is to also raise awareness about unconscious bias in the hiring process and point it out so that an employer can review any biases their team may have and improve upon them for their process moving forward.

Thanks to the platform’s unprecedented growth and innovation, SeekerPitch won over the crowd at the third annual CodeLaunch Houston event in March. The company has now moved on to CodeLaunch “World Championship” event in Dallas latter this month. The competition brings together the 8 best and the fastest-growing startups to compete for $50,000 in deployed investments and showcase their potential to venture capitalists and angel investors from across the country.

Whether or not SeekerPitch wins the competition, they’ll continue to make strides in the hiring vertical.

“Video is powerful,” says Reisner. “It can tell a story, so our platform makes it a better experience for the job seeker, giving them a competitive edge and helps them stand out from the crowd. We’ve only been in business for six months, but we will continue to disrupt the industry with this platform, especially with the proliferation of AI.”

SeekerPitch won the third annual CodeLaunch Houston. Photo by Natalie Harms/InnovationMap

2 Houston workforce solutions startups win at annual software pitch competition

winner, winner

The third annual CodeLaunch Houston event resulted in two winners — one chosen by the audience, the other by judges — both tackling separate issues in the future of work.

SeekerPitch, a next-generation hiring platform that provides artificial intelligence-enhanced and video technology tools to both job hunters and hiring teams, took the grant prize, which was voted on by the audience of the February 28 event. The team was supported by Honeycomb Software, which won last year's competition too with its startup partner, E360.

"In Gen Z right now, landing an interview is like winning the lottery," Ryan Reisner, president and founder of SeekerPitch, says in his pitch at the event. "And employers have their own set of problems — they're having a hard time connecting with the next generation."

iShiftX, supported by Houston-based Blue People, secured the judges' award with a tie-breaking vote. The company, founded by Landi Spearman, uses digital twin technology to provide 24/7 leadership coaching at a scalable level.

"Leaders have the biggest impact on our teams, our children, on the future, and on the next generation," Spearman says in her final appeal to judges and the audience. She called out the burnout and stress of leadership and coaching, and she pitched her tech enabled solution.

In addition to SeekerPitch and iShiftX, four other startups with their development support partners pitched, including:

The competition consisted of three rounds where two startups went head-to-head, and attendees were asked to vote for their favorite pitch. SeekerPitch, iShiftX, and Allonge Financial made it to the final round before the two winners were announced based on a final round of voting.
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Houston team develops innovative soft skeleton for kids with cerebral palsy

health tech

A team from the NSF University of Houston Building Reliable Advances and Innovation in Neurotechnology (UH BRAIN) Center and TIRR Memorial Hermann has introduced the MyoStep soft exoskeleton for children with cerebral palsy, according to a news release from UH.

The soft skeleton aims to address motor impairments caused by cerebral palsy that impact children’s ability to participate in physical activities, self-care and academics.

“The MyoStep project represents a significant advancement in the field of pediatric mobility aids, particularly for children with cerebral palsy,” Jose Luis Contreras-Vidal, director of UH BRAIN and the Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, said in a news release.

The next-generation lightweight, soft exoskeleton was funded by the IEEE Electron Devices Society (EDS) Award.

The MyoStep is made to be lightweight and discreetly fit under clothes. It includes a wireless sensor network embedded inside the smart and flexible fabrics that is the backbone of the suit and collects and sends real-time data about the user’s movements It also includes safety features with temperature monitoring and emergency shut-off mechanisms.

“By integrating cutting-edge technologies such as artificial muscles, smart fabrics, and a comprehensive sensor network, MyoStep offers a promising solution to the challenges faced by existing exoskeletons,” Contreras-Vidal said in a news release.

Cerebral palsy is a neurological disorder that impacts motor skills. It occurs in one to four out of every 1,000 births worldwide.

“What makes the MyoStep project so compelling is that it’s not just about the technology: it’s about restoring confidence, function, and hope,” Dr. Gerard Francisco, a clinical partner on the technology, The Wulfe Family Chair of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at UTHealth Houston and medical officer at TIRR Memorial Hermann, said in a news release. “This kind of innovation has the potential to dramatically improve quality of life, helping children move through the world with greater ease and dignity.”

Houston universities launch summer 2025 accelerators for student ventures

summer session

OwlSpark, a startup and small business accelerator for Rice University-affiliated ventures, has named the latest 11 companies to its program that focus on challenges across technology, health care, consumer products and other sectors. The program is hosted in tandem with the University of Houston’s RED Labs and will take place at the Ion.

The early-stage accelerator runs for 12 weeks and culminates at The Bayou Startup Showcase on July 31.

According to a news release from Rice, “the accelerator cultivates a vibrant environment where founders are empowered to build, test, and scale their ideas in a setting built for entrepreneurship.”

The program is divided into two tracks: one for high-growth tech startups and another for small businesses.

The latest OwlSpark class includes:

  • Web and mobile platform EasilyBEE, which boosts family and community engagement in K-12 schools
  • Diagnos, a wearable-integrated wellness platform that monitors health and prevents injuries in college athletes
  • Johnnie, an AI-powered records management software for rural and midsize first responder agencies
  • JustKindHumility, which offers faith-based travel journals
  • Klix, whichautomates early-stage clinical trial management from document screening to AI-driven patient outreach and eligibility checks
  • Lizzy’s Gourmet Gains, which offers high-protein, flavor-forward dips and dressings
  • NextStep, an AI-powered multilingual assistant helping underserved communities navigate resources for health care
  • A catheter-integrated sensor device PeriShield, which detects early infection in peritoneal dialysis patients
  • Right Design, which connects creatives with vetted employers, mentors and projects via job matching and commissions
  • UCoreAlly, which provides business support for biotech startups in marketing, business development, customer support, human resources and accounting
  • Ultrasound-based ablation system VentriTech that treats ventricular arrhythmias

The Owl Spark accelerator has supported 229 founders and launched 104 ventures with participants raising more than $116 million in funding since 2013, according to Rice.

UH also shared the 9 teams that will participate in RED Labs' latest cohort.

The latest RED Labs class includes:

  • BLEED, an art agency that helps artists commercialize their work by connecting art collectors to original artwork and artists
  • Brain Haven, which is developing nasal inhalers designed to stimulate the emotional and memory processing centers to preserve neuroplasticity and delay cognitive decline
  • Candi Wands Automated Cotton Candy, which has developed a continuously operating cotton candy machine to help entertainment venues boost passive revenue
  • ChériCollectible, a series of in-person events where Gen Z and collectors can buy, sell, and trade modern collectibles
  • JobRadar, a job board that uses AI to analyze and categorize positions in real-time and then apply candidates instantly
  • Stage Select LLC, a supplementary talent booking service that partners with multi-stage venues to help fill gaps in programming and increase profitability by finding and booking local talent for their "second stage."
  • P-LEGS, a pediatric lower-limb exoskeleton that reduces physical strain on therapists while delivering customizable gait training.
  • Roll ‘N’ Reel Photo Booth, an interactive event-based equipment rental business
  • Stayzy, which automates guest communication and handles maintenance issues with an AI-powered software for short-term rental companies that manage 20-plus rentals