Rice University has launched Rice Global India in Bengaluru to foster collaborations in education, research, and technology with India’s leading institutions and industries. Photo cva Rice.edu

Rice University is launching Rice Global India, which is a strategic initiative to expand India’s rapidly growing education and technology sectors.

“India is a country of tremendous opportunity, one where we see the potential to make a meaningful impact through collaboration in research, innovation and education,” Rice President Reginald DesRoches says in a news release. “Our presence in India is a critical step in expanding our global reach, and we are excited to engage more with India’s academic leaders and industries to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time.”

The new hub will be in the country’s third-largest city and the center of the country’s high-tech industry, Bengaluru, India, and will include collaborations with top-tier research and academic institutions.

Rice continues its collaborations with institutions like the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru. The partnerships are expected to advance research initiatives, student and faculty exchanges and collaborations in artificial intelligence, biotechnology and sustainable energy.

India was a prime spot for the location due to the energy, climate change, artificial intelligence and biotechnology studies that align with Rice’s research that is outlined in its strategic plan Momentous: Personalized Scale for Global Impact.

“India’s position as one of the world’s fastest-growing education and technology markets makes it a crucial partner for Rice’s global vision,” vice president for global at Rice Caroline Levander adds. “The U.S.-India relationship, underscored by initiatives like the U.S.-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology, provides fertile ground for educational, technological and research exchanges.”

On November 18, the university hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Bengaluru, India to help launch the project.

“This expansion reflects our commitment to fostering a more interconnected world where education and research transcend borders,” DesRoches says.

What can be learned from Austin-based CrowdStrike's outage? Photo via Getty Images

Tech disruptions sparked by Texas co.'s update highlight the fragility of globally connected technology

Airlines, banks, hospitals and other risk-averse organizations around the world chose cybersecurity company CrowdStrike to protect their computer systems from hackers and data breaches.

But all it took was one faulty CrowdStrike software update to cause global disruptions Friday that grounded flights, knocked banks and media outlets offline, and disrupted hospitals, retailers and other services.

“This is a function of the very homogenous technology that goes into the backbone of all of our IT infrastructure,” said Gregory Falco, an assistant professor of engineering at Cornell University. “What really causes this mess is that we rely on very few companies, and everybody uses the same folks, so everyone goes down at the same time.”

The trouble with the update issued by CrowdStrike and affecting computers running Microsoft's Windows operating system was not a hacking incident or cyberattack, according to CrowdStrike, which apologized and said a fix was on the way.

But it wasn't an easy fix. It required “boots on the ground” to remediate, said Gartner analyst Eric Grenier.

“The fix is working, it’s just a very manual process and there’s no magic key to unlock it,” Grenier said. “I think that is probably what companies are struggling with the most here.”

While not everyone is a client of CrowdStrike and its platform known as Falcon, it is one of the leading cybersecurity providers, particularly in transportation, healthcare, banking and other sectors that have a lot at stake in keeping their computer systems working.

“They’re usually risk-averse organizations that don’t want something that’s crazy innovative, but that can work and also cover their butts when something goes wrong. That’s what CrowdStrike is,” Falco said. “And they’re looking around at their colleagues in other sectors and saying, ‘Oh, you know, this company also uses that, so I’m gonna need them, too.’”

Worrying about the fragility of a globally connected technology ecosystem is nothing new. It's what drove fears in the 1990s of a technical glitch that could cause chaos at the turn of the millennium.

“This is basically what we were all worried about with Y2K, except it’s actually happened this time,” wrote Australian cybersecurity consultant Troy Hunt on the social platform X.

Across the world Friday, affected computers were showing the “blue screen of death” — a sign that something went wrong with Microsoft's Windows operating system.

But what's different now is “that these companies are even more entrenched,” Falco said. "We like to think that we have a lot of players available. But at the end of the day, the biggest companies use all the same stuff.”

Founded in 2011 and publicly traded since 2019, CrowdStrike describes itself in its annual report to financial regulators as having “reinvented cybersecurity for the cloud era and transformed the way cybersecurity is delivered and experienced by customers.” It emphasizes its use of artificial intelligence in helping to keep pace with adversaries. It reported having 29,000 subscribing customers at the start of the year.

The Austin, Texas-based firm is one of the more visible cybersecurity companies in the world and spends heavily on marketing, including Super Bowl ads. At cybersecurity conferences, it's known for large booths displaying massive action-figure statues representing different state-sponsored hacking groups that CrowdStrike technology promises to defend against.

CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz is among the most highly compensated in the world, recording more than $230 million in total compensation in the last three years. Kurtz is also a driver for a CrowdStrike-sponsored car racing team.

After his initial statement about the problem was criticized for lack of contrition, Kurtz apologized in a later social media post Friday and on NBC's “Today Show.”

“We understand the gravity of the situation and are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disruption,” he said on X.

Richard Stiennon, a cybersecurity industry analyst, said this was a historic mistake by CrowdStrike.

“This is easily the worst faux pas, technical faux pas or glitch of any security software provider ever,” said Stiennon, who has tracked the cybersecurity industry for 24 years.

While the problem is an easy technical fix, he said, it’s impact could be long-lasting for some organizations because of the hands-on work needed to fix each affected computer. “It’s really, really difficult to touch millions of machines. And people are on vacation right now, so, you know, the CEO will be coming back from his trip to the Bahamas in a couple of weeks and he won’t be able to use his computers.”

Stiennon said he did not think the outage revealed a bigger problem with the cybersecurity industry or CrowdStrike as a company.

“The markets are going to forgive them, the customers are going to forgive them, and this will blow over,” he said.

Forrester analyst Allie Mellen credited CrowdStrike for clearly telling customers what they need to do to fix the problem. But to restore trust, she said there will need to be a deeper look at what occurred and what changes can be made to prevent it from happening again.

“A lot of this is likely to come down to the testing and software development process and the work that they’ve put into testing these kinds of updates before deployment,” Mellen said. “But until we see the complete retrospective, we won’t know for sure what the failure was.”

Houston-based WellWorth was selected as the winner of this year’s Houston Startup Showcase. Photo courtesy of the Ion

Houston energy startup wins Ion's annual showcase, pitch competition

1st place

The Ion hosted its annual startup pitch competition, and one company walked away with a win.

WellWorth, a financial modeling and analysis software-as-a-service company for the upstream energy sector, won the Houston Startup Showcase + Expo and secured a $5,000 prize. The startup's technology introduces a more streamlined approach to NAV modeling or corporate financial modeling for its users.

“Having worked in investment banking, I have seen firsthand how the limitations of Excel models and a lack of bespoke tools have led to inefficient workflows in upstream Oil & Gas finance," says Samra Nawaz, CEO and Co-founder of WellWorth, in a statement. "We decided to solve this problem by building a cloud-based platform that helps energy finance leaders improve decision-making around raising, managing, and deploying capital.”

Nawaz explains how impactful the opportunity to pitch has been on WellWorth, which aims to raise funding early next year accelerate customer acquisition and product development.

“By getting involved in the Ion’s innovation ecosystem, we’ve been able to not only network with many entrepreneurs and innovators in the Houston community, but also find opportunities to scale our growth,” continues Nawaz. “We’re thrilled to have brought a few more customers onboard recently, and are working closely with them to optimize our product pipeline."

The company pitched alongside the other five finalists, which included Tierra Climate, MRG Health, BeOne Sports, Trez, and Mallard Bay. Mallard Bay, a booking platform for hunting and fishing trips, secured the people's choice award, which was decided by the crowd.

“Our flagship event, Houston Startup Showcase, not only connects startups and entrepreneurs with top business leaders but also provides them an opportunity to pitch their innovations to the technology ecosystem,” says Jan Odegard, executive director of the Ion, in a news release. “We extend our congratulations to WellWorth and the company’s innovative SaaS platform for energy industry finance teams, as well as Mallard Bay, the People’s Choice winner. These companies are exemplifying the exciting new technologies being developed in Houston today.”

In addition to the pitches, several companies showcased at the event, including Nanotech, manufacturer of thermal management materials for the built environment; last year's winner Unytag, a universal toll tag that provides drivers the ability to pass through tolls anywhere in the nation; and Softeq, provides early-stage innovation, technology business consulting, and full-stack development solutions to enterprise companies and innovative startups.

------

This article originally ran on EnergyCapital.

Activate's soft opening runs until November 15, with a grand opening planned for November 16-17. Photo courtesy of Activate

New immersive, live-action gaming venue powers up Houston debut

hi, tech

Houston is leveling up its gaming scene with the debut of a new high-tech immersive experience. Called Activate, the indoor venue combines technology and physical activity in 75-minute gaming sessions, which can be played in teams up to five people.

Simply put, the whole place is like stepping inside a live-action arcade.

Activate's first Houston-area location opened softly November 2 at 20225 Katy Frwy., Katy. Official grand opening is set for November 16-17. It is the high-tech brand's sixth location across the country, and second in Texas (behind one in Plano, which opened in spring 2023).

According to a release, the Katy facility spans 9,600 square feet, with 11 different activity rooms offering more than 500 unique games across all difficulty levels. Games include Megagrid, Hoops, Press, Hide, Laser, Strike, Portals, Control, Grid, and more. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) wristbands track participants’ scores and progress.

"Our mission is to fuse technology, movement, and strategy to create a unique interactive gaming experience," says Activate partner Bryce Anderson in the release. "We want guests to bring their closest friends, family, or co-workers and leave with a feeling of achievement, ready to come back for more."

While gaming activities are mostly adult-focused, children aged 13 and younger can participate with adult supervision.

During Activate's soft opening phase through November 15, 10 percent of sales will be donated to Best Buddies International, a nonprofit that provides mentorships for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. (Check the website for limited hours during soft opening.)

After the grand opening November 16-17, Activate will be open daily, 10 am-10 pm. Gaming sessions (75 minutes) are $24.99 Monday-Thursday, and $29.99 Friday-Sunday. Reservations are encouraged.

Activate has been creating live-action gaming experiences for adults since 2019, and has plans for further expansion, they say.

"As we continue expanding Activate across the United States, we are confident our concept will fill a void for interactive entertainment," says Anderson in the release. "We believe the Houston community will embrace this experience and find it both thrilling and challenging."

More information and reservations can be found on the website.

------

This article originally ran on CultureMap.

DOSS is a real estate platform founded in Houston that helps democratize access to homeownership. Photo via Getty Images

How this Houston innovator is tapping into tech to make homeownership more accessible

ask DOSS

Real estate and homeownership has been historically exclusionary. Bobby Bryant — the first Black man to create and franchise a real estate brokerage brand — wanted to do something about that.

Considering the history of the real estate industry — women weren't able to buy homes without being married and African Americans were refused outright thanks to the country's history of redlining — Bryant tells InnovationMap he saw an opportunity for a business.

“I look at diversity as our superpower, and I look at the opportunity to kick that door down," he says.

Bryant is the CEO and founder of DOSS, a digital brokerage that uses tech to make homeownership more affordable. DOSS is in the process of developing what Bryant describes as a “real estate super app.” The company, which was born in 2016, has developed a technology where customers are able to ask for real-estate advice and tips, search for home listings, get neighborhood information, and recent sales data.

The effort received funding via the Google for Startups Black Founders program, which totalled $100,000. DOSS touts its platform as a dynamic and effective effort to methodically dissect the entire real estate process and rebuild a modern-day digital real estate brokerage with a “flex-model” that's more modern.

Bryant is looking to grow DOSS using a franchise method. Franchisees get a program that lowers their expenses, increases their bottom line, and provides cutting edge technology that includes use of artificial intelligence. While the real estate space is competitive, and for some could be daunting, Bryant looks to modernize the industry, while making it simpler to navigate. And that's where the tech comes in.

“The fluidness of the process, not making it as restrictive to certain groups, it really opens things up, and that is what we’ve seen with our technology,” Bryant says. “How do we turn around and make data more humanistic and centralize it?

"We want people to feel comfortable asking questions and getting accurate answers," he continues. "Millenials and Gen Z are the most-educated generations we’ve seen in history. They are also the most diverse in history. We understand that."

Bryant explains how important equity and honesty is to these new generations, and he's built DOSS with them in mind. As a former educator with two master's degrees in education, Bryant transitioned to the world of real estate in 1999. He says he sees a connection in his journey from helping students to now helping people find a home — especially to these younger generations of first-time buyers who are dealing with an ever-changing market.

“Education is a part of all of our lives,” Bryant says. “I've been able to educate people on the process, and create a technology that makes it all more fluid, and insightful and transparent with the real estate industry. ... What I’ve done is incorporate an educational process, which I guess you can say is an advantage I have.”

Bobby Bryant founded Doss to make it easier to learn about homeownership. Photo via askdoss.com

With three weeks left until game time, South by Southwest announced another long list of featured and keynote speakers. Photo via SXSW

SXSW announces even more featured speakers joining the 2023 program

headed to texas

Whether the return of South by Southwest (SXSW) in three weeks is putting butterflies in your tummy or sweat on your brow, we're in the home stretch. The newest announcement — another wave of featured speakers — does not say it's the final round, but time is running out to make adjustments before the start of the festival on March 10.

Previous announcements included keynote addresses from Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert and team members who worked on the James Webb Space Telescope. There have also been two rounds of music showcase announcements, culminating in a list of nearly 500 performances.

The announcement on February 14 is heavy with big names including three entertainers presenting keynotes: actor, producer, and New York Times bestselling author Priyanka Chopra Jonas; Grammy Award-nominated singer-songwriter, producer, and author Margo Price; and Academy Award winner Tilda Swinton.

Two more newly announced keynote sessions come with longer descriptions: Chef José Andrés presents The Stories We Tell Can Change the World, and Bernard Sumner, Stephen Morris, and Gillian Gilbert of New Order appear in conversation with The Times rock & pop critic Will Hodgkinson.The former keynote tackles the responsibility of storytellers to address crises around the world, using Andrés' humanitarian group World Central Kitchen as a lens. The latter discusses the discography and history of the history-making band.

“Today's speaker announcement is a fantastic milestone for the 2023 event and spotlights five additional Keynotes and numerous Featured Speakers, including influential icons and up and coming innovators,” said Chief Programming Officer and Co-President Hugh Forrest. “We are extremely proud to have assembled a diverse, comprehensive conference program for SXSW, and we can’t wait to share it with our community in March.”

Organized into 25 programming tracks presented in a variety of session formats, SXSW celebrates the convergence of technology, film, television, and music. Tracks include civic engagement, climate change, design, film and TV, psychedelics, sports, travel, and more.

Just some featured speakers and sessions joining the 2023 lineup include:

  • Chair and CEO of General Motors Mary Barra with CEO, CTO, President, and co-founder of Cruise and co-founder of Twitch Kyle Vogt
  • Actress, philanthropist, entrepreneur, New York Times bestselling author, and co-founder of Hello Bello Kristen Bell, CEO of Hello Bello Erica Buxton, and actor, comedian, filmmaker, host of the podcast Armchair Expert, and co-founder of Hello Bello Dax Shepard
  • Chief Diversity Officer of TBWA\North America Aliah Berman with activist, advocate, author, and founder of the #MeToo Movement Tarana Burke
  • Founder and CEO of Joby Aviation Joe
  • Ben Bevirt with Chief Sustainability Officer at Delta Air Lines Pam Fletcher
  • Chief Digital and Commercial Officer at Unilever Conny Braams, President, Worldwide Advertising at Netflix Jeremi Gorman, founder and CEO of Media
  • Link Michael Kassan, and Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Delta Air Lines Tim Mapes
  • Co-founder and President of OpenAI Greg Brockman with founder and CEO of Dot Dot Dot Media Laurie Segall
  • United States Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm
  • General Partner at Benchmark Bill Gurley with investor, New York Times bestselling author and host of the podcast The Tim Ferriss Show Tim Ferriss
  • The Art of Creating Influence 101 on navigating entertainment careers
  • The Blog Era: Hip-Hop's Wild Wild West on the influence of music bloggers
  • Daddy Issues in Film on fathers in film
  • Dateline 24/7: How the True Crime Powerhouse Became a Podcast Empire on a genre leader
  • Driving Personal Health Forward: The Role of Apple Watch and iPhone on digitally monitoring health at home
  • Evil Dead Rise: Flesh-Possessing Demons Come Home on the new Evil Dead film
  • An Inside Look at “Blindspotting” Season 2 with Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs on the continuation of the series
  • Onyx Collective Presents “UnPrisoned” on a new Hulu series
  • The Kids Are (Not) Alright: Gun Violence Terrorizing Youth of America on activism and justice
  • Leguizamo Does America: Next Stop – Austin on the contributions of U.S. Latinos

For a full lineup and more information on featured sessions, visit SXSW.com.

------

This article originally ran on CultureMap.

Ad Placement 300x100
Ad Placement 300x600

CultureMap Emails are Awesome

Autonomous cab company launches Houston pilot program for wheelchair-accessible rides

new to hou

A California company with autonomous cabs has announced a new pilot program in partnership with a provider of wheelchairs and mobility solutions.

Cruise has teamed up with Numotion for a six-month wheelchair-accessible vehicle (WAV) pilot program in Houston, offering free transportation for qualifying Numotion customers, according to the companies. The program will operate in over 90 Houston-area ZIP codes.

“Numotion is excited to partner with Cruise to offer a seamless and convenient solution for wheelchair users in the Houston area. By providing transportation to and from repair appointments, we're alleviating a significant stressor and providing a way for our customers to receive their service and repair faster,” says Mike Swinford, CEO of Numotion, in a news release. “We're constantly striving to innovate and improve the lives of our customers, and this collaboration demonstrates our ongoing commitment to providing beneficial customer experiences."

Cruise entered the Texas market last year, with Houston services launching in October 2023 before the company put all operations on pause following a California crash. This is the first Texas announcement for Cruise since the pause.

"Accessibility is core to our mission at Cruise. This pilot program with Numotion is doing more than providing accessible rides – it’s about empowering people in the community with greater mobility and independence, while also building learnings to better our service in the future," says Craig Glidden, president and chief administrative officer at Cruise about the new pilot.

Looking back: Top 5 most-read Houston sports tech stories of 2024

year in review

Editor's note: As the year comes to a close, InnovationMap is looking back at the year's top stories in Houston innovation. Houston is a city primed for sports tech innovation — with its collection of major sports teams, vibrant population, and tech workforce. Here are five sports tech news stories that stood out to readers this year — be sure to click through to read the full story.

10 sports tech startups named to Houston-based hybrid accelerator

Introducing the 10 startups participating in the Spring 2024 cohort of the DivInc Sports Tech Accelerator, a hybrid program based in the Ion. Photo via DivInc.com

DivInc has named its latest sports tech-focused cohort of its hybrid accelerator that is housed out of the Ion.

The Sports Tech Accelerator has selected the 10 companies — with technology across human performance, fan experience, and more — for its 13th cohort to participate in the 12-week hybrid program this month and through July.

The program receives support from underdog venture team, Women In Sports Tech, The Collectiv, and HTX Sports Tech, with partners Bank of America, J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., Gunderson Dettmer, Brown Advisory, Ion, and Mercury. Continue reading.

High-tech virtual racing experience to rev up in Houston

Houston is getting 16 racing simulators, each equipped with full motion systems and immersive, 180-degree panoramic displays. Photo by Dylan McEwan

Come next year, some high-speed and high-tech race simulators will be added to one of Houston's growing districts.

Velocity - Sim Racing Lounge, described in press materials as Houston’s first premium simulation racing experience, is slated to open in early 2025 at 2110 Edwards St.Velocity will bring sim racing to Houston through 16 racing simulators, each equipped with full motion systems and immersive, 180-degree panoramic displays. The goal is provide customers with a truly authentic, virtual driving experience.

Customers will have the ability to virtually drive sports cars from iconic brands like Porsche and Lamborghini and race on world famous tracks, including the Circuit of the Americas, Laguna Seca, and the Silverstone Circuit. Classic roads, such as California’s Pacific Coast Highway, provide a more leisurely alternative to driving flat out. Continue reading.

Rice University announces partnership with Houston sports tech startup to enhance student athletics

Rice University's athletic programs will be supported by Houston startup BeOne Sports' technology. Photo courtesy of Rice University

Rice University — in an effort to enhance athletics and research-driven innovation — has formed a partnership with a startup founded by its alumni.

BeOne Sports, a sports performance technology company developed a platform for mobile motion-capture AI and advanced data analytics, will integrate its technology within Rice's sports medicine and rehabilitation programs.

“This partnership aligns perfectly with Rice University’s mission to harness innovation for the betterment of our community,” Rice President Reginald DesRoches says in a news release. “By integrating cutting-edge technology from BeOne Sports with our already world-class athletic and academic programs, we are providing our student athletes with the tools they need to excel both on the field and in life. This collaboration is a testament to Rice’s commitment to leading through innovation and offering unparalleled opportunities for our students.” Continue reading.

Diversity-focused sports tech accelerator opens applications to Houston innovators for the first time

Calling all sports tech startups founded by Black or Hispanic innovators. Photo via Getty Images

A global organization has announced it's opening applications to its equity-focused sports tech accelerator to Houston founders for the first time.

Thanks to a collaboration with Impact Hub and Black Ambition, the adidas Community Lab has expanded its footprint and is now accepting applicants from new markets, including Houston, Toronto, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and New York, for its 2024-2025 cohort.

The initiative, which has been running for three years, has a goal of supporting Black and Latino/a/e founders with mentorship, pitch training, event programming, and networking. The eight-month program also has $75,000 in grant funding to dole out to participants as well. Continue reading.

Houston sports tech startup aims to optimize unsold resale ticket market with new platform

Looking to score the best deal on your next game ticket? A new Houston-founded app promises to revolutionize the resale market. Photo via Getty Images

Online platforms have long simplified the process of buying, selling, and trading event tickets. But what happens when your tickets don’t sell or when you’re stuck with costly season tickets you can’t use? You might end up giving them away or leaving them unused, leading to a financial loss either way.

This is the challenge that Houstonian Jerin Varkey is willing to address with Offer Approved, a new platform that empowers sellers and buyers, guaranteeing that no seat goes unused.

The idea took root around two years ago when Varkey, a passionate sports fan and season ticket holder, faced a new challenge. After becoming a parent, he found himself unable to attend every game. Frustrated with traditional resale platforms, he quickly realized that high fees and limited time made it difficult to sell all his tickets, causing him to lose money each time. Continue reading.