11 can't-miss Houston business and innovation events for August

where to be

From insightful talks to a young professionals summit, here's what not to miss and how to register. Photo via Getty Images

Editor's note: The tech event scene is heating up in August. From insightful talks to a young professionals summit, here's what not to miss and how to register. Please note: this article may be updated to include additional event listings.

Aug. 5 – Tech and Tequila Talk

Hear from guest speaker David Cohen, founder & CEO of Dallas-based Superposition, at the latest installment of Tech and Tequila Talk. The event will focus on breaking down ambiguity in data and AI projects through collaborative workshops.

This event takes place Tuesday, Aug. 5, from 5-7 p.m. at the Ion. Click here to register.

Aug. 11-16 – Black is Tech Week

Black is Tech Week will bring events for tech professionals, entrepreneurs and students to Houston through summits, career fairs, networking events and more. The event will feature speakers from Amazon, Microsoft, Google and many other companies.

This event begins Monday, Aug. 1. Find more information here.

Aug. 12 – NASA Stories at the Ion

Head to the Ion for the new morning series spotlighting the human side of space exploration. Each session will feature personal and powerful stories from astronauts and key NASA personnel. Anthony Vareha, NASA Flight Director and Flight Operations Directorate, whose primary duty is the safe operation of the International Space Station will speak this month.

This event begins Tuesday, Aug. 12, from 8:30-10 a.m. Find more information here.

Aug. 14 – Pickle Lab’s One-Year Anniversary Celebration

Enjoy an afternoon of open-play pickleball, beats by a live DJ, raffle giveaways and free swag at the first anniversary celebration of Pickle Lab in the Ion District. WonderPops will provide complimentary pops while supplies last, and Second Draught will serve each guest a free beverage.

This event takes place Thursday, Aug. 14, from 4-7 p.m. RSVP here.

Aug 19 – Navigating the Economy: Insights from Darren King

Darren King, chief investment officer of Moody Bank, will share his expert insights on the state of the economy and its impact on Houston’s future. Gain a deeper understanding of market trends, economic shifts and what they mean for businesses and individuals in the city.

This event takes place Tuesday, Aug. 19, from 11:30-1 p.m. RSVP here.

Aug. 21 – Transition on Tap

Greentown Labs’ signature networking event returns in August to foster conversations and connections within Houston's climate and energy transition ecosystem. Entrepreneurs, investors, students, philanthropists and more are invited to attend, meet colleagues, discuss solutions and engage with the growing community.

This event takes place Thursday, Aug. 21, at 5:30 p.m. at Greentown Labs. Click here to register.

Aug. 22 – Determined to Lead Women Lunch: Investing Through Market Cycles with Ellen Wilkirson

EnergyTech Nexus hosts a monthly Determined to Lead Women’s Lunch as part of its ongoing efforts to create safe spaces for women leaders in the energy transition to connect, learn and lead. The August session features Ellen Wilkirson, principal at Rev Innovations. With deep experience across traditional and transition energy sectors, Wilkirson will share how she’s approached investing through multiple market and commodity cycles and what it means to be a clean energy investor in today’s evolving landscape.

This event takes place Friday, Aug. 22, at 1 p.m. Click here to register.

Aug. 26 – Software Day at the Ion: Positioning your Startup to Capitalize on Market Trends

Software Day is a monthly series driving the support, inspiration and connections needed to help startups on their path to rapid, sustainable growth. Each month, Software Day will include office hours (by application), a keynote session and networking. This month’s panel discussion will feature Remington Tonar, co-founder of Cart.com, and Josh Teekell, founder of SmartAC.com.

This event takes place Tuesday, Aug. 26, from 3:30-7 p.m. Click here to register.

Aug. 27 – Future of Flight: Inside Venus Aerospace with Founder Sassie Duggleby

Join EO Houston for an exclusive, behind-the-scenes conversation with Sassie Duggleby, co-founder and CEO of Venus Aerospace, a Houston-based company pioneering breakthrough propulsion systems for hypersonic and space applications.

This event takes place Wednesday, Aug. 27, at 10 a.m. at Venus Aerospace. It is open to EO members and partners only. Click here to register.

Aug. 27 – The Future of American Science: A Conversation With US Rep. Brian Babin

U.S. Rep. Dr. Brian Babin and Paul Cherukuri, vice president of innovation at Rice University, will discuss how the United States remains at the forefront of space exploration, emerging technologies and scientific advancement, as well as what's next and what's at stake for the future of science policy.

This event takes place Wednesday, Aug. 27, from 3-4 p.m. at James A. Baker III Hall on Rice University's campus. Click here to register.

Aug. 28 – HYPE Summit

The third annual Houston Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs (HYPE) Summit is a day-long conference featuring panel discussions with business and thought leaders, workshop-style breakout sessions and networking opportunities. This year's event—under the theme Step Into the Spotlight—will feature speakers from First Bight Ventures, Bot Auto, Regions Bank, Lopez Negrete Communications and Umbrage.

This event takes place Thursday, Aug. 28, from 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. Click here to register.

From Your Site Articles
Houston innovators — put these August events on your radar. Photo via Getty Images

10+ can't-miss Houston business and innovation events for August

WHERE TO BE

From networking meet-ups to expert startup showcases, August is filled with opportunities for Houston innovators.
Here's a roundup of events you won't want to miss out on so mark your calendars and register accordingly.

Note: This post may be updated to add more events.

August 1 — 7th Annual Summer Science Symposium

The 7th Annual MAPTA Summer Science Symposium will showcase work from research trainees, postdoctoral fellows, and medical residents. The symposium will feature all fields of translational, basic science and clinical research. This two-day in-person event will include both poster and oral presentations.

Keynote Speakers:

Brijesh S. “Billy” Gill, MD, FACS
Corina Rosales, PhD

This event is Thursday, August 1, from 9 am to 4 pm at Houston Methodist Research Institute. Click here to register.

August 1 — Bayou Startup Showcase

The Bayou Startup Showcase is a dynamic celebration of entrepreneurship, spotlighting the newest startups and small businesses from Rice University’s OwlSpark and the University of Houston’s RED Labs accelerators. Attendees can listen to pitches, discover ways to support and grow these businesses, and engage with founders during the showcase.

This event is Thursday, August 1, from 4 to 8 pm at The Ion. Click here to register.

August 8 — Out In Tech Mixer

Out in Tech Houston provides an inclusive networking space for LGBTQ+ people and allies working in tech. Check out this relaxed, social-mixer event, hosted on the second Thursday of every month.

This event is Thursday, August 8, from 7 to 8:30 pm at Second Draught. Click here to register.

August 13 — Software Day at The Ion: An Intro to Central Texas Seed Stage VCs

Software Day is a monthly series driving the support, inspiration, and connections needed to help startups on their path to rapid, sustainable growth. Each month, Software Day will include office hours (by application), a keynote session, and networking.

Speakers include:

  • Eric Engineer, S3 Ventures
  • Rajiv Bala, Clutch Ventures
  • Cat Dizon, Active Capital
  • Mike Marcantonio, LiveOak
  • Moderator: Aziz Gilani, Mercury
This event is Tuesday, August 13, from 3:30 to 7 pm at The Ion. Click here to register.

August 15 — TMC Lunch ‘n’ Launch: Phiogen

This monthly event series hosted by TMC Innovation highlights TMC community companies and provides them with a platform to share their journey, current progress, and future goals. This month the lunch features Phiogen, a specialized phage therapy corporation founded by by Baylor College of Medicine.

This event is Thursday, August 15, from 12 to 1 pm at at TMC Innovation Factory. Click here to register.

August 15 — SPRINT Workforce Forum

This two-day event brings together industry, universities, and government entities to discuss the workforce challenges that arise from the rapidly advancing AI and robotics technologies in the energy sector. It has a special emphasis on inspiring students to become advocates of AI and robotics, enabling them to help the energy industry’s digital transformation.

This event is Thursday, August 15, starting at 12 am at Student Center South and UH Hilton. Click here to register.

August 22 — Transition 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, and discuss solutions.

This event is Thursday, August 22 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at Greentown Houston. Click here to register.

August 23 — 2024 Cardiometabolic Syndrome Conference: A Population Health Crisis

The Cardiometabolic Syndrome Conference is designed to provide attendees with the most contemporary knowledge about the syndrome, including the epidemiology, treatment strategies, and knowledge gaps. There will be a specific focus on high-level discussions that dissect the current shortcomings in the overall management of CMS at the individual and community level and begin to consider new and innovative treatment strategies.

This event is Friday, August 23 from 7 am to 5 pm at The Texas Heart Institute. Click here to register.

August 28 — TMCi Cappuccino Connections

Network with the diverse TMC Innovation Community while enjoying a cup of joe.

This event is Wednesday, August 28, from 8:30 am to 10:30 am at TMC Innovation Factory Lobby. Click here to register.

August 28 — Bayou City Bio Pulse: Pearland

Hear from some of the region’s largest commercial life science manufacturers. This panel discussion will examine the obstacles and potential avenues for the growth of commercial life science firms. Tours of Lonza’s and Millar’s manufacturing facilities will follow the program.

This event is Wednesday, August 28, from 11 am to 2 pm at West Pearland Library. Click here to register.

August 29 — SaaStock Local: Scalability in the Age of AI, Building for Growth in SaaS

Attendees will explore innovative strategies and cutting-edge technologies designed to enhance scalability, ensuring that cloud computing environments remain robust, flexible, and capable of supporting dynamic and complex AI workloads. The session will cover best practices for optimizing resource allocation, managing data efficiently, and maintaining high performance as demand increases.

This event is Thursday, August 29, from 5:30 to 8 pm at The Ion. Click here to register.

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3 Houston-area companies appear on Fortune’s inaugural AI ranking

eyes on ai

Three companies based in the Houston area appear on Fortune’s inaugural list of the top adopters of AI among Fortune 500 companies.

The three companies are:

  • No. 7 energy company ExxonMobil, based in Spring
  • No. 7 tech company Hewlett Packard Enterprise, based in Spring
  • No. 47 energy company Chevron, based in Houston

All three companies have taken a big dive into the AI pool.

In 2024, ExxonMobil’s executive chairman and CEO, Darren Woods, explained that AI would play a key role in achieving a $15 billion reduction in operating costs by 2027.

“There is a concerted effort to make sure that we're really working hard to apply that new technology to the opportunity set within the company to drive effectiveness and efficiency,” Woods told Wall Street analysts.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise is also employing AI to decrease costs. In March, the company announced a restructuring plan — including the elimination of 3,000 jobs — aimed at cutting about $350 million in annual expenses. The restructuring is scheduled to wrap up by the end of October.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s Catalyst cost-cutting program includes a push to use AI across the company to improve efficiency, Marie Myers, the company’s executive vice president and chief financial officer, told Wall Street analysts in June.

“Our ambition is clear: A leaner, faster, and more competitive organization. Nothing is off limits. We are focused on rethinking the business — not just reducing our costs, but transforming the way we operate,” Myers said.

At Chevron, AI tools are being used to quickly analyze data and extract insights from it, according to tech news website VentureBeat. Also, Chevron employs advanced AI systems known as large language models (LLMs) to create engineering standards, specifications and safety alerts. AI is even being put to work in Chevron’s exploration initiatives.

Bill Braun, Chevron’s chief information officer, said at a VentureBeat-sponsored event in 2024 that AI-savvy data scientists, or “digital scholars,” are always embedded within workplace teams “to act as a catalyst for working differently.”

The Fortune AIQ 50 ranking is based on ServiceNow’s Enterprise AI Maturity Index, an annual measurement of how prepared organizations are to adopt and scale AI. To evaluate how Fortune 500 companies are rolling out AI and how much they value AI investments, Fortune teamed up with Enterprise Technology Research. The results went into computing an AIQ score for each company.

At the top of the ranking is Alphabet (owner of Google and YouTube), followed by Visa, JPMorgan Chase, Nvidia and Mastercard.

Aside from ExxonMobil, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and Chevron, two other Texas companies made the list: Arlington-based homebuilder D.R. Horton (No. 29) and Austin-based software company Oracle (No. 37).

“The Fortune AIQ 50 demonstrates how companies across industry sectors are beginning to find real value from the deployment of AI technology,” Jeremy Kahn, Fortune’s AI editor, said in a news release. “Clearly, some sectors, such as tech and finance, are pulling ahead of others, but even in so-called 'old economy' industries like mining and transport, there are a few companies that are pulling away from their peers in the successful use of AI.”

2 UH projects named finalists for $50M fund to shape future of Gulf Coast

Looking to the Future

Two University of Houston science projects have been selected as finalists for the Gulf Futures Challenge, which will award a total of $50 million to develop ideas that help benefit the Gulf Coast.

Sponsored by the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine’s Gulf Coast Research Program and Lever for Change, the competition is designed to spark innovation around problems in the Gulf Coast, such as rising sea levels, pollution, energy security, and community resiliency. The two UH projects beat out 162 entries from organizations based in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas.

“Being named a finalist for this highly competitive grant underscores the University of Houston’s role as a leading research institution committed to addressing the most pressing challenges facing our region,” said Claudia Neuhauser, vice president for research at UH.

“This opportunity affirms the strength of our faculty and researchers and highlights UH’s capacity to deliver innovative solutions that will ensure the long-term stability and resilience of the Gulf Coast.”

One project, spearheaded by the UH Repurposing Offshore Infrastructure for Continued Energy (ROICE) program, is studying ways to use decommissioned oil rig platforms in the Gulf of Mexico as both clean energy hydrogen power generators as well a marine habitats. There are currently thousands of such platforms in the Gulf.

The other project involves the innovative recycling of wind turbines into seawall and coastal habitats. Broken and abandoned wind turbine blades have traditionally been thought to be non-recyclable and end up taking up incredible space in landfills. Headed by a partnership between UH, Tulane University, the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, the city of Galveston and other organizations, this initiative could vastly reduce the waste associated with wind farm technology.

wind turbine recycled for Gulf Coast seawall. Wind turbines would be repurposed into seawalls and more. Courtesy rendering

"Coastal communities face escalating threats from climate change — land erosion, structural corrosion, property damage and negative health impacts,” said Gangbing Song, Moores Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at UH and the lead investigator for both projects.

“Leveraging the durability and anti-corrosive properties of these of decommissioned wind turbine blades, we will build coastal structures, improve green spaces and advance the resilience and health of Gulf Coast communities through integrated research, education and outreach.”

The two projects have received a development grant of $300,000 as a prize for making it to the finals. When the winner are announced in early 2026, two of the projects will net $20 million each to bring their vision to life, with the rest earning a consolation prize of $875,000, in additional project support.

In the event that UH doesn't grab the grand prize, the school's scientific innovation will earn a guaranteed $1.75 million for the betterment of the Gulf Coast.

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This article originally appeared on CultureMap.com.

Kids, kicks and connectivity: Xfinity makes soccer a shared experience

The Beautiful Game

For soccer mom Lana Chase, weekends were a whirlwind of cleats, carpooling, and cheering from the sidelines. Now that her daughter Miah graduated high school in May, the Chase Family’s love for the game hasn't stopped. It's shifted to their living room, where Comcast’s new Xfinity streaming platform brings the global game home.

“We’re a soccer family through and through,” says Chase. “Miah played soccer from about age 8 until 16, and we love the World Cup! Xfinity makes it easy for all of us to watch what we love together.”

One platform, every goal

Xfinity's new World Soccer Ticket package eliminates the chaos of juggling apps, subscriptions, or subpar streams. Families can now enjoy more than 1,500 matches from across the globe.

With parental controls, age-appropriate content, and smart recommendations, Xfinity turns soccer into family-friendly entertainment. Whether it’s a weekend watch party or a quiet school night, the platform adapts to every household’s rhythm.

“Figuring out where to watch your favorite team or match is often a painful game of chance. Now, with World Soccer Ticket, there’s no better way to watch the beautiful game than with Xfinity,” says Jon Gieselman, chief growth officer for Comcast's connectivity & platforms. “It’s easy, we did the work for our customers and pulled together the most coveted leagues and tournaments – from Premier League, LALIGA and Champions League to the World Cup – and put them in one place. We added some magic to the experience, with innovations like Multiview, 4K, and Sports Zone all easily accessible with one simple click or voice command.”

World Cup in Houston

With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, the timing couldn't have been better. The world tournament will be the largest Spanish-language coverage ever offered by Telemundo, powered by Comcast NBCUniversal's technology, storytelling, and scale.

Telemundo and Peacock hold the exclusive Spanish language rights to "el Mundial," including all 104 matches streaming live on Peacock, with 92 matches airing on Telemundo and 12 on Universo. Live crews will cover every event in all 16 host cities, including Houston.

Xfinity customers will have access to pregame, halftime, and postgame coverage with unprecedented immersive experiences. The 2026 World Cup will be the most exciting event of the summer.

"We know other soccer families who watch matches with their little brothers and sisters. It’s not just a game, it’s family time. It's an even bigger deal with the tournament being just down the road in Houston next year,” Chase adds.

Comcast’s AI-powered platform personalizes the viewing experience, recommending matches and highlights based on each family member’s preferences.

World Soccer Ticket is available for an all-in monthly price of $85. It includes nearly 60 broadcast, cable news, and English- and Spanish-language sports channels, and a subscription to Peacock Premium so customers can enjoy a huge collection of movies, shows, news, and other live sports alongside all their favorite soccer programming.

Subscribe to World Soccer Ticket here.

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