Calling all movers and shakers in Houston innovation — nominations are now open for The Listies. Photo via Getty Images

The nominations have closed. The original story below has been edited to reflect the extension.

Calling all Houston startups — you're going to want to hear this. Houston Exponential and InnovationMap have teamed up to create an event to honor the best of Houston innovation.

The awards program — dubbed The Listies, a nod to the HTX TechList that launched earlier this year — will take place on Friday, November 20, online as a part of Impact Hub's annual The Houston Innovation Summit (THIS). Click here to register for the event.

The Listies will feature 11 awards — some honoring startups and others focusing on mentors, corporations, and investors. To nominate an MVP in Houston innovation, click the appropriate category and submit a nomination. Note: All nominees will need to have a page on the HTX TechList to be considered for the award. If they do not, they will be contacted to create one. Join the HTX TechList here.

The Listies Categories

Startup awards:

  • Soonicorn: Which company do you think will be Houston's next unicorn ($1 billion and up valuation)?
  • COVID pivot / COVID Phoenix: Which company had the best rebound after the negative effects of the COVID pandemic?
  • Civil Innovation: Which company led the charge in positive transformation for the city of Houston and the greater Houston area?
  • Welcome to Houston: What is the most promising startup that relocated their headquarters to Houston this year?
  • People's Choice Award: Who is your all-around favorite Houston startup company? (Voting will begin after nominations close.)
Individual awards:

Corporate and investing awards:

The winners will be selected by a group of judges representing the Houston innovation ecosystem. The deadline to submit a nomination is November 6.
Ad Placement 300x100
Ad Placement 300x600

CultureMap Emails are Awesome

Houston femtech co. debuts new lactation and wellness pods

mom pod

Houston-based femtech company Work&, previously known as Work&Mother, has introduced new products in recent months aimed at supporting working mothers and the overall health of all employees.

The company's new Lactation Pod and Hybrid Pod serve as dual-use lactation and wellness spaces to meet employer demand, the company shared in a news release. The compact pods offer flexible design options that can serve permanent offices and nearly all commercial spaces.

They feature a fully compliant lactation station while also offering wellness functionalities that can support meditation, mental health, telehealth and prayer. In line with Work&'s other spaces, the pods utilize the Work& scheduling platform, which prioritizes lactation bookings to help employers comply with the PUMP Act.

“This isn’t about perks,” Jules Lairson, Work& co-founder and COO, said in the release. “It’s about meeting people where they are—with dignity and intentional design. That includes the mother returning to work, the employee managing anxiety, and everyone in between.”

According to the company, several Fortune 500 companies are already using the pods, and Work& has plans to grow the products' reach.

Earlier this year, Work& introduced its first employee wellness space at MetroNational’s Memorial City Plazas, representing Work&'s shift to offer an array of holistic health and wellness solutions for landlords and tenants.

The company, founded in 2017 by Lairson and CEO Abbey Donnell, was initially focused on outfitting commercial buildings with lactation accommodations for working parents. While Work& still offers these services through its Work&Mother branch, the addition of its Work&Wellbeing arm allowed the company to also address the broader wellness needs of all employees.

The company rebranded as Work& earlier this year.

Rice biotech studio secures investment from Modi Ventures, adds founder to board

fresh funding

RBL LLC, which supports commercialization for ventures formed at the Rice University Biotech Launch Pad, has secured an investment from Houston-based Modi Ventures.

Additionally, RBL announced that it has named Sahir Ali, founder and general partner of Modi Ventures, to its board of directors.

Modi Ventures invests in biotech companies that are working to advance diagnostics, engineered therapeutics and AI-driven drug discovery. The firm has $134 million under management after closing an oversubscribed round this summer.

RBL launched in 2024 and is based out of Houston’s Texas Medical Center Helix Park. William McKeon, president and CEO of the TMC, previously called the launch of RBL a “critical step forward” for Houston’s life sciences ecosystem.

“RBL is dedicated to building companies focused on pioneering and intelligent bioelectronic therapeutics,” Ali said in a LinkedIn post. “This partnership strengthens the Houston biotech ecosystem and accelerates the transition of groundbreaking lab discoveries into impactful therapies.”

Ali will join board members like managing partner Paul Wotton, Rice bioengineering professor Omid Veiseh, scientist and partner at KdT Ventures Rima Chakrabarti, Rice alum John Jaggers, CEO of Arbor Biotechnologies Devyn Smith, and veteran executive in the life sciences sector James Watson.

Ali has led transformative work and built companies across AI, cloud computing and precision medicine. Ali also serves on the board of directors of the Drug Information Association, which helps to collaborate in drug, device and diagnostics developments.

“This investment by Modi Ventures will be instrumental to RBL’s growth as it reinforces confidence in our venture creation model and accelerates our ability to develop successful biotech startups,” Wotton said in the announcement. "Sahir’s addition to the board will also amplify this collaboration with Modi. His strategic counsel and deep understanding of field-defining technologies will be invaluable as we continue to grow and deliver on our mission.”