7+ can't-miss innovation events at CERAWeek featuring Houston speakers

where to be

Are you interested in finding the best Houston tech and innovation conversations at CERAWeek this year? Look no further than this guide. Photo by Natalie Harms/InnovationMap

If you're headed out to CERAWeek by S&P Global next week in downtown Houston, you'll want to make the most of it. Scout out Houston tech innovators at this annual energy-focused conference with this list of must-attend panels, presentations, and networking opportunities.

CERAWeek, taking place in the George R. Brown Convention Center and the Hilton Americas Hotel, is focused is on the entire energy industry, and has several themes this year — including shifting geopolitics, supply chain and infrastructure constraints, tech and innovation, future of work, and more.

Most of the innovation-themed events are organized under the Agora track. While CERAWeek is a global affair, you're sure to spot Houston-based executives, companies, and startups. Here are all the events you can't miss if learning more about Houston energy innovation is your goal.

Monday: Scaling Startups: New and efficient financial models

New startups in the energy ecosystem are providing solutions to the grand climate and climate sustainability challenges. But exciting startups need to move beyond the drawing board to eventual commercial success through necessary funding. What financial models are most successful in bringing these startups to scale?

The panel is from 12:30 to 1:10 pm on Monday, March 6. More info.

Tuesday: Chevron | Global Innovation Hubs: Where to grow your startup

The world needs a robust energy innovation ecosystem to realize decarbonization commitments. Learn about how the ecosystem’s parts are interdependent and must work together for the system to thrive and for the world to advance an energy system that’s affordable, reliable and ever cleaner.

The talk is from 2 to 2:30 pm on Tuesday, March 7. More info.

Tuesday: Gulf Coast Hydrogen Hub

With an existing ecosystem of infrastructure, producers, and consumers, the Gulf Coast has ambitions to become a global hydrogen hub. What technologies will be used? How will companies trade low-carbon hydrogen across their shared infrastructure? Join this panel to discuss how the “Energy Capital of the World” plans to lead the low carbon future.

The panel is from 5:30 to 6 pm on Tuesday, March 7. More info.

Wednesday: The Role of Private Capital in Funding the Energy Transition

While public market funds run by institutional investors have been shifting allocations toward cleantech companies, they are often hamstrung by a limited universe of pure-play cleantech equities and index-tracking methodologies that limit their ability to take longer-duration bets. The real action for energy transition investors to date has been in private equity, where funds can take duration risk and have overcome liquidity limitations by successfully raising historically large funds. The pace of private equity dealmaking, which slowed in early 2022, has accelerated sharply again for cleantech since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in the United States. How much of the pent-up private equity capital remains to be run through, and how will the even larger universe of public market investors gain access to these growing markets?

The event is from 7:15 to 8:20 am on Wednesday, March 8. More info.

Wednesday: Adaptation and Climate Resilience

We are witnessing a global rise in extreme weather events such as flooding, drought and heat waves. Climate change is having a variety of effects in different regions. Growing attention and investment is being directed to adaptation. What are different countries and regions doing to adapt to climate change? How will technology, policy and smart design combine to make the world more climate resilient?

The event is from 10 to 10:30 am on Wednesday, March 8. More info.

Wednesday: HETI Energy Ventures Pitch Competition

Over 15 startups and entrepreneurs will present to an audience of 1000+ investors, accelerators, and innovators for a chance to win one of many awards sponsored by Houston's energy transition community.

The event is from 10 am to 3 pm on Wednesday, March 8. More info.

Wednesday: Cities Leading the Energy Transition - World Energy Cities Partnership Mayors

Cities are at the forefront for tackling the climate and energy challenges impacting us all. Hear from the cities of Houston, Esbjerg, Perth and Calgary as they describe their visions toward a more sustainable energy plan for their communities.

The panel is from 12:30 to 1:10 pm on Wednesday, March 8. More info.

Thursday: Energy Transition Hubs: How cities are leading the charge

Increasingly, governments are transforming their communities by accelerating energy transition policies and infrastructure. Listen to how these cities are creating the blueprints for a more sustainable habitat for their citizens.

The panel is from 8:30 to 9:10 am on Thursday, March 9. More info.

BONUS: Network at these company houses

CERAWeek's Agora Partner houses exist showcase what companies are most excited about. Find your way to these three houses in between sessions to learn more about each business's tech and innovation.

  • Chevron: Back in its largest space yet, the Chevron house will highlight Chevron Technology Ventures portfolio companies, Chevron New Energies partnerships and tech experts, along with VR experiences and tech exhibits.
  • Oxy: Oxy, an international energy company based in Houston, is featuring its application of new tech, including Direct Air Capture with geologic sequestration and other CO2 utilization technologies.
  • ExxonMobil: ExxonMobil, which recently relocated its HQ to Houston, is talking about a lower-emission energy future — something that requires multiple solutions that can be implemented at scale to address some of the highest-emitting sectors of the economy.

Twelve startups pitched at this annual Houston energy conference — and one went home with a golden ticket into Chevron Technology Ventures' catalyst program. Photo by Natalie Harms/InnovationMap

Houston showcases 12 energy transition startups at annual CERAWeek conference

winner, winner

CERAWeek by S&P Global wrapped up last week after five days of energy transition panels, leadership talks, emerging tech showcases, endless networking and so much more.

While dozens of Houston energy innovators and investors bopped around the Agora innovation section of the conference in George R. Brown Convention Center, the highest concentration of startups had to be at the Energy Transition Ventures Day pitch competition hosted by the Greater Houston Partnership's Houston Energy Transition Initiative and in collaboration with Halliburton Labs, Greentown Houston, The Ion, and more.

Twelve startups across four categories — carbon capture, use and storage, hydrogen solutions, energy storage, and circular economy — pitched to a panel of investors who then selected one winner per category. Additionally, Chevron Technology Ventures selected one lucky startup from the pitches to be a part of its catalyst program.

Of the 12 companies, most call Houston their headquarters — and the ones that aren't based in town have some connection to the city via accelerator, incubator, or venture program.

"This is Houston," says Jane Stricker, executive director of thee Houston Energy Transition Initiative and senior vice president of energy transition at the GHP, at the end of the pitches. "This is the reality of what's happening in this city right now — traditional oil and gas and traditional energy incumbent coming together with exciting new technology innovations to develop solutions for the future."

While its the first event the GHP has put on at CERAWeek highlighting energy transition startups, it won't be the last, Stricker notes.

"The energy industry is not some near-term problem to address on our path towards an energy transition future — whatever that looks like," Scott Gale, executive director of Halliburton Labs and host for the event, says. "We're here to drive that forward. To think otherwise is to assume that JFK said that we're going to the moon, but we're going to leave the aerospace industry behind — it's silly and it's not going to happen. We're so thrilled to have these companies here presenting."

The Energy Transition Ventures Day programming, which took place on Wednesday, March 9, concluded with a dinner celebration where the five winning startups were announced. Here are the 12 startups who pitched, with a note on those that were recognized by the judges:

  • Carbon capture, use and storage category:
    • OCO Chem — Washington-based startup with a technology that converts CO2 into useful products and stores renewable energy. (category winner)
    • Dsider — Houston-based tech platform that uses data to track carbon emissions.
    • Ionada — Houston-based company that develops, manufactures, and markets exhaust gas cleaning systems that reduce emissions from the marine and power generation industries.
  • Hydrogen solutions category:
    • Mote — Los Angeles-based business that converts wood waste into hydrogen and carbon.
    • Fysikes Bio — Houston-based startup with ongoing pilots on the Gulf Coast that creates BioHydrogen and Biochar from natural resources. (category winner)
  • Circular economy category:
    • Applied Bioplastics — Austin-headquartered plant-based plastics alternative. (category winner)
    • Katz Water Technologies — Houston-based innovative water purification company.
    • Pressure Corp. — Houston-based business providing industrial facilities/operators the ability to monetize their waste.
  • Energy storage category:
    • Parasanti — Austin-based edge computing hardware and software startup that's streamlining in-field data and analytics. (Chevron's catalyst program winner)
    • Revterra — Houston-based innovative flywheel energy storage system solution. (category winner)
    • Veloce Energy — Los Angeles-based innovative electric vehicle charging solution.
    • Renewell — Houston-based energy storage network that's re-purposing oil and gas infrastructure
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World's largest student startup competition names teams for 2025 Houston event

ready, set, pitch

The Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship has announced the 42 student-led teams worldwide that will compete in the 25th annual Rice Business Plan Competition this spring.

The highly competitive event, known as one of the world’s largest and richest intercollegiate student startup challenges, will take place April 10–12 at Houston's The Ion. Teams in this year's competition represent 34 universities from four countries, including one team from Rice.

Graduate student-led teams from colleges or universities around the world will present their plans before more than 300 angel, venture capital, and corporate investors to compete for more than $1 million in prizes. Last year, top teams were awarded $1.5 million in investment and cash prizes.

The 2025 invitees include:

  • 3rd-i, University of Miami
  • AG3 Labs, Michigan State University
  • Arcticedge Technologies, University of Waterloo
  • Ark Health, University of Chicago
  • Automatic AI, University of Mississippi and University of New Orleans
  • Bobica Bars, Rowan University
  • Carbon Salary, Washington University in St. Louis
  • Carmine Minerals, California State University, San Bernardino
  • Celal-Mex, Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education
  • CELLECT Laboratories, University of Waterloo
  • ECHO Solutions, University of Houston
  • EDUrain, University of Missouri-St. Louis
  • Eutrobac, University of California, Santa Cruz
  • FarmSmart.ai, Louisiana State University
  • Fetal Therapy Technologies, Johns Hopkins University
  • GreenLIB Materials, University of Ottawa
  • Humimic Biosystems, University of Arkansas
  • HydroHaul, Harvard University
  • Intero Biosystems, University of Michigan
  • Interplay, University of Missouri-Kansas City
  • MabLab, Harvard University
  • Microvitality, Tufts University
  • Mito Robotics, Carnegie Mellon University
  • Motmot, Michigan State University
  • Mud Rat, University of Connecticut
  • Nanoborne, University of Texas at Austin
  • NerView Surgical, McMaster University
  • NeuroFore, Washington University in St. Louis
  • Novus, Stanford University
  • OAQ, University of Toronto
  • Parthian Baattery Solutions, Columbia University
  • Pattern Materials, Rice University
  • Photon Queue, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
  • re.solution, RWTH Aachen University
  • Rise Media, Yale University
  • Rivulet, University of Cambridge and Dartmouth College
  • Sabana, Carnegie Mellon University
  • SearchOwl, Case Western Reserve University
  • Six Carbons, Indiana University
  • Songscription, Stanford University
  • Watermarked.ai, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
  • Xatoms, University of Toronto

This year's group joins more than 868 RBPC alums that have raised more than $6.1 billion in capital with 59 successful exits, according to the Rice Alliance.

Last year, Harvard's MesaQuantum, which was developing accurate and precise chip-scale clocks, took home the biggest sum of $335,000. While not named as a finalist, the team secured the most funding across a few prizes.

Protein Pints, a high-protein, low-sugar ice cream product from Michigan State University, won first place and the $150,000 GOOSE Capital Investment Grand Prize, as well as other prizes, bringing its total to $251,000.

Tesla recalling more than 375,000 vehicles due to power steering issue

Tesla Talk

Tesla is recalling more than 375,000 vehicles due to a power steering issue.

The recall is for certain 2023 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles operating software prior to 2023.38.4, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The printed circuit board for the electronic power steering assist may become overstressed, causing a loss of power steering assist when the vehicle reaches a stop and then accelerates again, the agency said.

The loss of power could required more effort to control the car by drivers, particularly at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.

Tesla isn't aware of any crashes, injuries, or deaths related to the condition.

The electric vehicle maker headed by Elon Musk has released a free software update to address the issue.

Letters are expected to be sent to vehicle owners on March 25. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752 or the NHTSA at 1-888-327-4236.

Houston space tech companies land $25 million from Texas commission

Out Of This World

Two Houston aerospace companies have collectively received $25 million in grants from the Texas Space Commission.

Starlab Space picked up a $15 million grant, and Intuitive Machines gained a $10 million grant, according to a Space Commission news release.

Starlab Space says the money will help it develop the Systems Integration Lab in Webster, which will feature two components — the main lab and a software verification facility. The integration lab will aid creation of Starlab’s commercial space station.

“To ensure the success of our future space missions, we are starting with state-of-the-art testing facilities that will include the closest approximation to the flight environment as possible and allow us to verify requirements and validate the design of the Starlab space station,” Starlab CEO Tim Kopra said in a news release.

Starlab’s grant comes on top of a $217.5 million award from NASA to help eventually transition activity from the soon-to-be-retired International Space Station to new commercial destinations.

Intuitive Machines is a space exploration, infrastructure and services company. Among its projects are a lunar lander designed to land on the moon and a lunar rover designed for astronauts to travel on the moon’s surface.

The grants come from the Space Commission’s Space Exploration and Aeronautics Research Fund, which recently awarded $47.7 million to Texas companies.

Other recipients were:

  • Cedar Park-based Firefly Aerospace, which received $8.2 million
  • Brownsville-based Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), which received $7.5 million
  • Van Horn-based Blue Origin, which received $7 million

Gwen Griffin, chair of the commission, says the grants “will support Texas companies as we grow commercial, military, and civil aerospace activity across the state.”

State lawmakers established the commission in 2023, along with the Texas Aerospace Research & Space Economy Consortium, to bolster the state’s space industry.

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