It's firmly voting season in Houston, and in addition to deciding the nation's next political leaders, the local innovation ecosystem is being called to weigh in on one category for the Houston Innovation Awards.
This year's People's Choice: Startup of the Year voting is officially open online. Read about each company below, then click here to cast your vote. You may vote once per day up until Nov. 8 when the portal closes. The winner will be named at the Nov. 14 event — click here to secure your ticket to see who wins in this and the other dozen categories.
Corrolytics
Founded by CEO Anwar Sadek, this minority-owned startup uses its patented electrochemical technology to detect and monitor corrosion. Unlike others in the market, Corrolytics allows for on-site, real-time, accurate detection of corrosion, helping to safeguard industrial assets and prolong their lifespans.
Last month, Corrolytics, which is also a finalist in the Minority-Founded Business category, was named among the most promising energy tech startups at the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship's Energy Tech Venture Forum and won the People's Choice Award. It was part of the Rice Alliance Clean Energy Accelerator earlier this year.
What significant milestone(s) has your company reached this year?
We launched our comprehensive in-lab services in Q4 of 2023, generating $100,000 in revenue. By 2024, we tripled our revenue, confirming our early product-market fit while serving four major customers in the energy sector. With the ruggedization and scalable design of our test kit now complete, we’re set to begin field trials in the next quarter. Additionally, Corrolytics has secured a Joint Development Agreement with a leading oil and gas service provider, extending our reach across the global energy market.
What advice do you wish you could tell yourself before you started your company?
Embrace the challenges early on, as they are invaluable learning opportunities. Focus on building a strong network, especially with mentors and industry leaders who can guide you through the unknowns. Lastly, be prepared for the unexpected, stay adaptable and never underestimate the importance of a clear mission that inspires both your team and your customers.
Why did you choose Houston for your company's headquarters and how has your experience been growing a company here?
Houston is the energy capital of the world, providing unparalleled access to major industry players, talent and resources. The city's strong focus on innovation and its thriving clean energy ecosystem has been a perfect fit for Corrolytics. Growing the company here has been an amazing experience—Houston’s vibrant startup community, world-class accelerators like the Rice Alliance, and its strategic location have accelerated our growth and opened doors to invaluable partnerships. Houston truly offers the ideal environment for scaling a cleantech startup like ours and advancing the future of sustainable energy.
FlowCare
FlowCare is focused on addressing menstrual inequity by providing flagship dispensers stocked with free, 100 percent organic pads and tampons for schools and businesses, while raising awareness about the issues that impacks millions.
The startup was founded in January and is led by Founder and CEO Tanu Jain.
What significant milestone(s) has your company reached this year?
Here’s a summary of the significant milestones FlowCare has reached this year:
- Building a supportive community: We’ve established a vibrant community of FlowCare cheerleaders and advisors who are passionate about our mission.
- Newsletter Success: Our newsletter, launched just two months ago, now reaches 2,000 people each month with an impressive 50 percent to 60 percent open rate. We’ve also been moved by the personal stories of period struggles shared by our readers.
- Competition Achievements: We secured fourth place in the Houston Community College Business Plan Competition, winning $1,000 and raising awareness about period product accessibility. FlowCare also earned a top four finish out of 200 participants in the TiE Dallas Global Pitch Competition.
- Successful Pilot at ION: We’ve commenced a paid pilot with ION, receiving heartfelt text messages from women expressing how FlowCare has positively impacted their day and alleviated embarrassment by providing period products in restrooms."
What advice do you wish you could tell yourself before you started your company?
Expect the journey to be challenging and more time-consuming than anticipated. You’ll face financial struggles and setbacks, but remember to stay patient and resilient. Embrace the journey and find joy in the small victories along the way. Build a network of supportive individuals who believe in your mission and can help you navigate the tough times. You’ll experience self-doubt and imposter syndrome, but remember, even high-profile leaders experience these feelings. Stay focused on your mission and trust in your ability to make a difference.
Why did you choose Houston for your company's headquarters and how has your experience been growing a company here?
I chose Houston for FlowCare’s headquarters because it’s home to me—having grown up here, it felt natural to build my company in a place I know and love. My experience growing the company here has been incredibly positive. Houston boasts a strong and supportive community with a robust network of individuals who are always willing to help. As an entrepreneur, having access to people who are willing to spend time with you, offer guidance, and introduce you to the right connections is invaluable. The local support has been a key factor in keeping us going towards the mission of period equity.
InnoVent Renewables
InnoVent Renewables is a circular economy business that has developed a proprietary net-zero process that converts waste tires, plastics, and biomass into fuels and chemicals. It estimates that it will reduce emissions by 80 million pounds when its production facility is operating.
InnoVent was founded by chemical-engineer-turned-CEO Vibhu Sharma in 2023. It has plans for aggressive growth across North America and Latin America.
What significant milestone(s) has your company reached this year?
We started our business in July 2023, raised a "friends and family" round, which was oversubscribed, and we carry no debt. We went from concept to the commissioning stage in 14 months and will start full commercial operations in Q4 2024.
What advice do you wish you could tell yourself before you started your company?
Always raise more cash than you think you will need. We raised a friends and family round and then had to tap that network again to get some additional funds to account for some add-ons and escalations.
Why did you choose Houston for your company's headquarters and how has your experience been growing a company here?
Houston is a remarkably affordable city with exceptional talent and expertise in engineering, design, renewables, and oil and gas processes. In addition, we were able to tap an excellent and experienced advisory board that has been guiding us. Houston is well connected with the rest of the world, as well as easy access to Monterrey, Mexico, where our tire facility is located.
MendIt
MendIt Inc. was founded in 2019 to help quickly and easily connect users with small businesses and non-profits that can mend and repair clothing sustainably.
It is led by CEO and founder Kaitlyn Allen and was a member of the gBETA Houston accelerator in 2023.
What significant milestone(s) has your company reached this year?
We are finally in the feasibility phase of our (stealth) B2B offering for brands and are excited that the initial results are positive and are pointing to scalability. We are currently in the process of contracting to provide our solution for two initial B2B customers.
What advice do you wish you could tell yourself before you started your company?
Seek product-market fit from the beginning (rather than product-problem fit), and don’t invest so much before that is demonstrated.
Why did you choose Houston for your company's headquarters and how has your experience been growing a company here?
We founded MendIt in Houston because it is our hometown and where we lived. It’s been interesting growing a non-energy-related company because so many of the resources are focused on that sector, and at the same time we get to stand out as the only “tech” startup focused on fashion and textile sustainability.
Passport Journeys
Passport Journeys is a teletherapy app that's specifically designed for mother-daughter pairs. The app launched on Mother's Day 2023 and provides users with personalized therapies, journal opportunities, interactive worksheets and intentional bonding activities.
The company is led by founder and CEO Lacey Tezino.
What significant milestone(s) has your company reached this year?
This year, we’ve achieved several significant milestones: We filed for a trademark to protect our brand, applied for our first NIH SBIR grant to secure funding for our innovative teletherapy app, and launched a nonprofit arm to provide free therapy to those in need, demonstrating our commitment to both innovation and community support.
What advice do you wish you could tell yourself before you started your company?
I would advise myself to secure funding and the sustainability plan for the first five years before leaving the big corporate job.
Why did you choose Houston for your company's headquarters and how has your experience been growing a company here?
We chose Houston for our company’s headquarters due to its vibrant and diverse community, robust health care and tech sectors, and supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem. Growing our company here has been a rewarding experience, marked by strong local partnerships, access to a large talent pool, and a dynamic business environment that fosters innovation and collaboration. The city’s emphasis on healthcare and technology aligns well with our mission, providing a solid foundation for our growth and impact.
TrueLeap
Ed-tech startup TrueLeap Inc. aims to address the global education gap by providing affordable, scalable digital tools to educators in emerging markets through its e-learning platform.
Founded in 2022, it raised $610,000 in a pre-seed round earlier this year, which was over its target of $500,000. It's led by co-founders Sandip Bordoloi, who serves as CEO, and Sunny Zhang, the company's Chief Evangelist. Dario Calogero, founder and CEO of Maya Investments Limited, which led the round, was recently named to the company's board of directors.
True Leap is being developed out of Born Global Ventures, a Houston venture studio focused on advancing immigrant-founded technology, of which Zhang is a founding partner. It serves educators in schools in the United States, India, the Democratic Republic of Congo and other countries.
What significant milestone(s) has your company reached this year?
Advancing our mission to make education accessible to underserved communities worldwide, we have reached the following milestones:
1. New country entry into Ghana by partnering with International Business and Opportunity Network (IBON)
2. Expanded implementation in the DRC by partnering with the Catholic School Association
3. New product launch enabled global educators and institutions to create and distribute high-quality content to prepare global talents for success.
What advice do you wish you could tell yourself before you started your company?
Just do it.
Why did you choose Houston for your company's headquarters and how has your experience been growing a company here?
We chose Houston for its diversity and international connections, which align with our mission to expand access to education worldwide. The city's supportive startup scene, access to top talent, and thriving innovation ecosystem have made it an ideal place to grow TrueLeap.
The Exploration Company opened its Rapid Innovation Lab earlier this month. Photo via LinkedIn