3 Houston innovators to know this week

who's who

This week's Houston innovators to know include Nicolaus Radford of Houston Mechatronics Inc. and Sharita M. Humphry and Enrique Castro of BH Ventures. Photos courtesy

Editor's note: This week's roundup of innovators to know in Houston include three self-starting founders — a robotics expert who's job sounds more futuristic that realistic and a duo looking to bridge the gap between Black and Hispanic entrepreneurs while cultivating their business growth.

Nicolaus Radford, CEO, CTO, and co-founder of Houston Mechatronics Inc.

Nicolaus Radford joins the Houston Innovators Podcast to discuss his plans to take his cloud robotics company global. Photo courtesy of HMI

Discussing Nicolaus Radford's career and his current work with his company, Houston Mechatronics Inc., feels like something out of a science fiction movie. But it's real life. HMI is building a fleet of underwater robots, and, before he founded his company in 2014, he worked on humanoid robots for NASA.

Now, there's a growing market need for the type of robots HMI is working on, and he share on the Houston Innovators Podcast that there's a huge international opportunity for him.

"We're absolutely going to be a global company," Radford says, explaining that new clients in these areas are what's calling for the new offices. "The next 12 months of this company are going to be extremely vibrant and dynamic." Read more.

Enrique Castro and Sharita M. Humphry of BH Ventures

Enrique Castro and Sharita M. Humphrey met at an alumni event at UH and decided to work together on an inclusive accelerator program. Courtesy photos

Black and Hispanics tend to fall low on the lists of personal finance and business success, and usually the two communities don't do business together. That's what BH Ventures, a business accelerator program founded by Sharita M. Humphrey and Enrique Castro, is looking to change.

"Enrique and I know that there can sometimes be a barrier between Black and Hispanics doing business together," says Humphrey. "This is why I wanted, as an African American woman, and him, being a Hispanic male, to be able to show that we should be doing business together — especially in the city of Houston."

Humphrey and Castro met at an alumni event for the University of Houston's SURE program, which creates educational programming for entrepreneurs from under-resourced communities. The duo thought that they could create a program that built upon UH's. In February, after building out the curriculum, BH Ventures ran a successful pilot program in collaboration with UH. Read more.

BH Ventures is seeking Black and Hispanic entrepreneurs for its inaugural cohort. Photo via Getty Images

New startup accelerator emerges in Houston to promote collaboration between Black and Hispanic communities

teamwork

Two local business leaders have teamed up to create a Houston-based accelerator focused on Black and Hispanic entrepreneurs.

BH Ventures has applications open for its inaugural cohort until August 21, and co-founders Sharita M. Humphrey and Enrique Castro are looking for founders who have hit the revenue-generating phase with their business but are looking for mentors and support as they grow.

"Enrique and I know that there can sometimes be a barrier between Black and Hispanics doing business together," says Humphrey. "This is why I wanted, as an African American woman, and him, being a Hispanic male, to be able to show that we should be doing business together — especially in the city of Houston."

Humphrey and Castro met at an alumni event for the University of Houston's SURE program, which creates educational programming for entrepreneurs from under-resourced communities. The duo thought that they could create a program that built upon UH's. In February, after building out the curriculum, BH Ventures ran a successful pilot program in collaboration with UH.

Enrique Castro and Sharita M. Humphrey met at an alumni event at UH and decided to work together on an inclusive accelerator program. Courtesy photos

The seven-month program will launch virtually at the beginning of September and will work with 15 entrepreneurs across the country. Additionally, The Cannon is a partner and a resource for the program.

As of now, the program has over 20 mentors and speakers lined up, and sessions will occur virtually every other Saturday and will be a mix of presentations and Q&As with an emphasis on fostering networking connections.

"Sometimes for a Black or Hispanic entrepreneur, just being able to have that conversation or be able to ask (a mentor) certain questions and get feedback about their particular business — it's better than money," Humphrey says. "The right relationships can open up doors that money can't."

After the programming, Humphrey says BH Ventures will continue to follow each company from the cohort for 90 days in a sort of incubation period to make sure they have support after the accelerator.

"It's a lot to get the information — but how do you execute it? We're going to still follow their path," Humphrey says.

While Houston has been renown for being the most diverse city in the country, Humphrey says she's seen a shift in leadership diversity across the greater Houston area. This has motivated her to do everything she can to promote inclusion and business growth across demographics.

"(Blacks and Hispanics are) not doing as much business together as we could," Humphrey says. "And that makes no sense when we are normally at the bottom of things when it comes to finances — personal, savings, credit, wealth, business. I think that this is something that's going to be amazing for the city."

Black Girl Ventures has launched in Houston. Photo courtesy of Black Girl Ventures

Organization launches Houston chapter to drive investment and social capital for women of color

a seat at the table

Everyone knows the statistics. Female-founded startups receive around 2 percent of the venture capital funding, according to some reports, and when you break that down into women of color receiving funding, it's even less.

A Washington D.C.-based organization is looking to give these women seats at the table with the launch of Black Girl Ventures in Houston. BGV is based in The Cannon locally, and is looking to partner with other Houston organizations to grow its presence.

"Black Girl Ventures is here — not just in Houston but across the country and the globe — to be able to help create social and financial capital for black and brown women," says Sharita M. Humphrey, a Houston financial adviser and team lead for BGV in town.

The organization launched its local chapters — including Houston, Miami, Durham, Philadelphia, and Birmingham —right around the same time this spring to create a huge splash across the country. The organization, which is made up of 31 employees and leaders across the country, focuses on events and programing for female founders of color to prepare them for financial growth — including the networks and know how needed for that process.

"Being an African-American women founder I did see that there was a need for more social and financial capital," Humphrey says. "We have access — especially living here in Texas — to financial capital, but we don't understand how important that social capital is to be able to obtain that financial capital."

The cornerstone event for Houston's BGV is set to be in August. It's a pitch event with a live crowdfunding campaign. The event, which uses SheRaise online to fundraise, has been done for a few years coinciding with SXSW — this year's was done digitally. Now, with the launch of the five markets, each of the new chapters will get to fo their on versions locally.

The event requires the eight companies that will pitch to: be revenue earning, have a black or brown female founder, and be based in the Houston area. The first, second, and third place startups will win prizes, and each of the startups will be able to raise money online through SheRaise. Companies can apply online for the event.

Humphrey says she has big plans for her BGV chapter, including raising $1 million for her Houston members — something she is determined to make happen with the right amount of social capital help and financial coaching.

"When they get to the table with venture capitalists, they'll be ready," she says.

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Houston space co. adds local colleges to university alliance

space schools

Houston’s Axiom Space has added 26 new members to its University Alliance—including two from Houston—to support the next generation of space exploration.

Engineers, researchers and students from the partnering universities will be dedicated to advancing microgravity research, technology development and commercial innovation in low-Earth orbit.

Rice University and the University of Houston are among the new colleges to join the alliance, which launched with 15 members last year. The University of Texas at Austin and the University of Texas at El Paso have also joined, in addition to international institutions in Europe, Asia and Australia, and others from around the U.S. See full list here.

“Through the University Alliance, Axiom Space is uniting the international research community driven to enable human progress,” Lucie Low, Axiom Space chief science officer, said in a news release. “Together, alliance members are taking the initiative to ensure microgravity research benefits everyone on Earth and our shared goals fulfill a scientific purpose to advance civilization.”

Axiom is building the world’s first commercial space station, known as Axiom Station. The University Alliance “will support and advance space science during the transition from government-led to commercially owned and operated space stations,” the company said in a release. Partnering universities will contribute to the research community by participating in international collaborative scientific initiatives, identifying future research, and bolstering strategic positions in the commercial orbit research field.

Recently, the Rice Space Institute was also selected to lead the U.S. Space Force Strategic Institute 4 in addition to other space-centric partnerships.

“We’re excited to bring our expertise to this global alliance and to benefit from the deep expertise of our partners,” David Alexander, professor of physics and astronomy and director of the Rice Space Institute, said in a news release. “Space is truly a collaborative and global endeavor. Alliances like these are key to progress.”

UH and NASA’s Johnson Space Center expanded their collaboration in 2022. In 2024, UH launched its NASA MIRO Inflatable Deployable Environments and Adaptive Space Systems Center (IDEAS2) via a five-year, $5 million grant.

“As a major public research university located in Space City, the University of Houston has a unique opportunity and responsibility to help lead the future of space innovation, and our participation in Axiom Space’s University Alliance represents a major step forward in that mission,” Karolos Grigoriadis, the Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Endowed Professor and chair of mechanical and aerospace engineering at UH, added in a separate release.

Meanwhile, Axiom recently tacked on an additional $175 million to a previously announced capital raise, bringing the oversubscribed round to a total of more than $525 million. It also has announced plans to launch Swiss and Japanese subsidiaries.

This Houston suburb named one of 10 newest boomtowns in U.S.

Booming 'Burb

What do you get when you combine a city's surge in population, housing growth, and economy? For the Houston suburb of Conroe, it adds up to being America's No. 9 newest boomtown, according to a new survey from SmartAsset.

The personal finance website's just-released report analyzed more than 400 U.S. cities with populations of 65,000 or more to identify places experiencing rapid growth based on five-year changes in economic output, housing units, and labor force size.

Texas is home to the second-highest concentration of new boomtowns in America with 18 out of 75 located in the Lone Star State. Only Florida ranks higher than Texas by just one.

However, Texas nearly locked out the top five most bustling boomtowns in America. Austin suburb Georgetown topped the list, and its Central Texas neighbors New Braunfels (No. 2) and Leander (No. 4) ranked close behind. Dallas-Fort Worth mid-city Lewisville claimed the No. 5 spot. Lehi, Utah ranked in third place.

Conroe has soared in popularity as one of America's most sought-after suburbs over the last several years, boosted by its renter-friendliness and its livability among the millennial generation.

Conroe has seen a 37 percent increase in housing units from 2019 to 2024, with its labor force growing by 33 percent during that time. SmartAsset also determined that Montgomery County's economic output grew at compound annual rates of 4.9 percent.

The report says population booms and "expanding business activity" can create "visible momentum" for an up-and-coming city, but these fast changes can alter a city in ways residents may not expect.

"In recent years, some American cities stand out for attracting people, investment and development at a pace that sets them apart," the report said. "Boomtown status does not mean growth benefits everyone equally, but it does reflect a city’s expanding economic capacity and the new opportunities that come with it."

America's top 10 new boomtowns are:

  • No. 1 – Georgetown
  • No. 2 – New Braunfels
  • No. 3 – Lehi, Utah
  • No. 4 – Leander
  • No. 5 – Lewisville
  • No. 6 – Palm Coast, Florida
  • No. 7 – Nampa, Idaho
  • No. 8 – McKinney
  • No. 9 – Conroe
  • No. 10 – Frisco
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This article originally appeared on CultureMap.com.

5 must-read Houston innovation headlines: AI for seniors, major Meta news

Trending News

Editor's note: The first half of June brought big innovation headlines for Houston, from AI exploration to major Meta investments and the 2026 Fortune 500 list. Below are the five most-read InnovationMap stories published June 1-14, 2026:

1. Houston lab explores how AI bots can help the elderly

The University of Houston’s Empathetic Lifespan AI & Robotics for Aging (ELARA) Lab is currently conducting research into how AI bots may be able to help the elderly live more social and independent lives through several ongoing initiatives. The lab officially launched last month as part of the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture & Design under the leadership of Assistant Professor Chorong Park. Part of the lab’s mission is tackling ongoing problems with aging, such as dealing with disabilities and social isolation. Researchers’ current work is focused on designing a new AI companion bot specifically tailored to the needs of older people. Continue reading.

2. New UH survey reveals concerns over AI data center growth in Houston

A new report out of the University of Houston shows that area residents remain wary of the long-term effects of operating data centers. The recent survey from the University of Houston’s latest SPACE City Panel, conducted by the Center for Public Policy at the Hobby School of Public Affairs, shows that while 85 percent of Houston-area residents use AI, nearly 63 percent oppose the construction of AI data centers within 1 mile of their homes. Continue reading.

3. Meta to bring $115 million AI data center training initiative to Houston

Meta and Associated Builders and Contractors have entered into a partnership to invest $115 million in training programs for the construction of AI data centers, with a portion of the project launching in Houston. The companies announced June 8 that they would open America’s Workforce Academies at ABC chapter training centers in Houston; Indianapolis; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Columbus, Ohio. Continue reading.

4. 27 Houston companies make Fortune 500 for 2026, led by energy giants

Houston is a giant among U.S. hubs for corporate headquarters. The 2026 Fortune 500 lists 27 companies based in the Houston area, with many energy companies claiming top spots. Houston ties with Chicago for the second-most Fortune 500 headquarters, preceded only by New York City (53). Dallas-Fort Worth is home to 23 Fortune 500 headquarters. Texas leads the nation for Fortune 500 headquarters (57), with California in the No. 2 spot and New York at No. 3. Continue reading.

5. 7 Houston neighbors named to U.S. News' best places to live in 2026

Several Houston suburbs have been crowned the best places to live in the U.S. for 2026, according to U.S. News & World Report. Sugar Land is the highest-ranked city in the Houston metro, and it ranks as the 10th best place to live in the country. Continue reading.

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