Houston Exponential names winners of inaugural innovation awards

And the winner is...

Here's who won big for Houston innovation. Photos courtesy

In a virtual awards program, Houston Exponential has revealed the winners of the inaugural Listies awards.

The Listies, brought to you by Houston Exponential in partnership with InnovationMap, named the winning companies and people across 12 awards on November 20 at 3 pm as a part of Impact Hub's annual The Houston Innovation Summit (THIS).

Nominations were open until Friday, November 6, and then a group of judges made up of members of the Houston innovation ecosystem reviewed the submissions to settle on the 38 finalists. Click here to see the finalists.

Here's who took home the big wins.

SDO Superstar: MassChallenge Texas

Photo courtesy of MassChallenge

A startup development organization can be an accelerator program, an incubator, or a coworking space — and organizations falling into all three of these sectors were nominated for this category. MassChallenge Texas, which has been running its non-equity, general accelerator program in Houston for two years, stood out to judges to take the win for the SDO Superstar category.

Individual Contributor: Slawek Omylski of SecurityGate

Photo via LinkedIn

The individual contributor award was meant to find and recognize a non-founder who was essential to the success of a Houston startup, and that's exactly how SecurityGate's team sees Slawek Omylski, director of engineering. Not only has he been essential from the start over three years ago when he joined as employee No. 4, but Omylski, when unexpectedly having to move back home to Italy, never missed a single meeting or tech deployment despite being an ocean away from the rest of his team. Known as "Suave" by his teammates, his nominators say Omylski is usually the first to arrive at the office and the last to leave.

Civic Innovation: Annapurna Solutions

Image viaannapurnasolutions.org

Everyone knows that the key to sustainability is reducing, reusing, and recycling, but the fact of the matter is no one has quite perfected recycling. Houston-based Annapurna Solutions is stepping in to help. The company provides innovative technology solutions to address waste and recycling challenges, helping to make cities smart and sustainable — like the company's ReciklApp.

Welcome to Houston: Greentown Labs

Photo via greentownlabs.com

Greentown Labs is a startup development organization, but it's are also a startup itself, but when it opens its doors in Houston in the spring, the organization isn't starting from scratch. After years of working with over 200 climatech companies in the Boston area, Greentown's expansion into Houston means incubating Houston energy tech companies and furthering the conversation and activation within the energy transition.

Investor of the Year: Integr8d Capital

Photo via TMC.edu

John "J.R." Reale has been a well respected mentor, entrepreneur, and investor in Houston for years. His firm Integr8d Capital has invested in several Houston companies, including Liongard from seed stage to series A and series B. Reale is also the entrepreneur in residence for the TMC Innovation Institute.

Corporate Innovator: Houston Methodist

Courtesy of Methodist Hospital/Facebook

Houston Methodist and its Center for Innovation led by Roberta Schwartz is leading health tech innovation in Houston. In January, the hospital opened its Technology Hub, 3,500-square-foot space renovated from a former 18-room patient wing to showcase and test new digital health technologies like virtual reality, ambient listening, wearables, and more. Additionally, the hub helped with the training of dozens of doctors with the rise of telemedicine during COVID-19.

Outstanding Leadership: Grace Rodriguez

Photo courtesy of Grace Rodriguez

Grace Rodriguez's career spans industry and time, but her leadership has been consistent throughout. She currently serves Impact Hub Houston as CEO and executive director. Her nominator calls her an inspiration and someone who "shows up," clearly loving everything she does and is responsible. During COVID-19, she's gone above and beyond to provide resources and information to everyone who needs it, including launching a fund to help pay for meals for health care workers and first responders. The LIFE Fund raised over $20,000.

COVID Phoenix: Luminare

Image via luminaremed.com

Originally founded by Dr. Sarma Velamuri to treat and fight sepsis, Luminare took its sepsis platform and pivoted it to created a COVID self-assessment and testing tool. Their digital platform directed 5.5 million people to COVID-19 testing sites in just 21 days, according to its nomination. The tool was used by Harris County and several other entities.

DEI Champion: Maria Maso

Photo courtesy of Nijalon Dunn

Maria Maso is looking out for minorities when it comes to investment. As the founder and CEO of the Business Angel Minority Association (baMa) — an Angel Association aimed at bridging minority-founded startups with accesses to capital — Maria has been a champion for diversity. She also has helped to educate and activate 40 diverse investors through baMa's Diversity Investor Academy, according to her nomination.

Mentor of the Year: Landi Spearman

Photo via LinkedIn

Landi Spearman's approach to mentorship, according to her nominee, is to mentor the full person — from professional to personal life — through Organized SHIFT, which focuses on helping highly productive leaders, individuals and organizations in their quest to sustain positive growth internally and externally. She also supports entrepreneurs though The Ion, Station Houston, General Assembly, the National Urban League, Power to Fly, Black Women in Science and Engineering, the Greater Houston Partnership, the Greater Houston Black Chamber, Pink Petro, and more.

People's Choice and Soonicorn: Liongard

Photos via LinkedIn

People's Choice was based off how many nominations the startups received, and Liongard was a clear winner. The company, which also won in the Soonicorn category, has experienced major growth and, as the nominations read, that's to both Joe Alapat and Vincent Tran, co-founders, credit. The company has raised $12 million to date — the most recent round, a $10 million Series A — closed this year.

Fill next week's calendar with these can't miss online events from The Houston Innovation Summit. Photo via Getty Images

Here's what events to attend each day during The Houston Innovation Summit

where to be online

Back for its fourth year, The Houston Innovation Summit has tons of online, interactive events lined up — starting today.

THIS, just like last year, runs on the same week of Global Entrepreneurship Week, which is focused on education, ecosystems, inclusion, and policy this year. Grace Rodriguez, CEO and executive director of Impact Hub Houston, which hosts THIS, says she focused on incorporating these themes into the programming.

"The focus on education and policy is really interesting to me — it's not just about tech and business anymore," Rodriguez says. "It's really about how we are supporting businesses in the face of the pandemic, climate change crises — floods, fires, hurricanes — the entire world is being affected by these crises. ... [We need to focus on] how we are making sure that people are aware of everything that's happening and how we can innovate solutions."

For a complete list of THIS events, head to the website. Here are the events you should make sure not to miss.

Friday, November 13 — Climathon

The second annual Climathon kicks off THIS beginning today, and continues with two more events on November 17 and November 20. The interactive idea-a-thon is seeking tech specialists, policy experts, and anyone interested in helping prevent the degradation of the planet. For full details on the event and to register, click here.

Monday, November 16, at noon — #THIS2020 Pre-Game AMA with InnovationMap Editor Natalie Harms

A bit of a self-serving listing, but a cool event nonetheless. Join me for an ask-me-anything style chat with Grace Rodriguez of Impact Hub Houston at noon on Monday. Click here to learn more and register.

Monday, November 16, at 3 pm — #THIS2020 Kick-Off: The State of Houston Startups and Small Businesses

Join Houston Exponential for the official kick-off event at 3 pm on Monday. Learn from founders, business mentors, and SBA leaders on how to take advantage of Houston's best available resources to take your company to the next level. For the full agenda and to register, click here.

Wednesday, November 18, at 11:30 am — On Both Sides: Post-Election Conversation on The State of Texas, Startups, and Our Union

Join Impact Hub Houston on Wednesday at 11:30 am for a post-election conversation with diverse startup and community leaders on The State of Texas, Startups, and Our Union. After the initial conversation among the panelists, audience members can ask questions for discussion on the 2020 election, outcomes, and the political landscape that lies ahead. Click here to learn more and register.

Wednesday, November 18, at 3 pm — Houston Originals

Blinds.com has been one of Houston's biggest success stories, but also have been some of their industries' biggest success stories. Behind one of the largest acquisitions in the history of the e-comm is founder, Jay Steinfeld.

Hear from this Houston Original on Wednesday at 3 pm as he shares his true, unfiltered experiences in launching and scaling some of the most prominent companies in business today.

To learn more and save your spot, click here.

Thursday, November 19, at 11 am — Refining Equity

Learn how black entrepreneurs are redefining "equity" and launching new ventures for financial resilience, investment, and wealth generation. Click here to learn more and register for this event on Thursday at 11 am.

Friday, November 20, at 11 am — HCC IDEAS Pitch Competition

The IDEAS Pitch competition (Virtual Competition) on next Friday at 11 am is designed for students to share their creative ideas and social innovations. Individuals or teams can compete in the competition by delivering a pitch to a team of judges. Students should pitch a product or service that explores innovative approaches to answering pressing sustainability and societal needs. Click here to learn more and register.

Friday, November 20, at 3 pm. — The Listies

Let's toast to the entrepreneurial spirit of Houston in a time when celebrating victories is more important than ever. Introducing the Listies, brought to you Houston Exponential and InnovationMap, commemorating the launch of HTX TechList, Houston's innovation discovery platform. Check out the finalists by clicking here. To learn more and to register for the event next Friday at 3 pm, click here.

Houston Exponential has announced the 38 finalists for the inaugural Listies Awards. Photo via Getty Images

Exclusive: HX names finalists for inaugural Houston innovation awards

the listies go to...

Ever wonder what Houston startups and innovators are the best of the best? Here's your chance to figure it out. The inaugural Listies awards program has named its finalists.

The Listies, brought to you by Houston Exponential in partnership with InnovationMap, will name the winning companies and people across 12 awards on November 20 at 3 pm at a virtual event as a part of Impact Hub's annual The Houston Innovation Summit (THIS). Click here to register for the free event.

Nominations were open until Friday, November 6, and then a group of judges made up of members of the Houston innovation ecosystem reviewed the submissions to settle on the finalists. Below, in alphabetical order, the 38 finalists are listed for each category.

DEI champion

Heath Butler
Maria Maso
Grace Rodriguez

Individual contributor

Michael Matthews
Slawek Omylski
Brad True

Mentor of the year

Keith Kreuer
Wade Pinder
Landi Spearman

Outstanding leadership

Stephanie Campbell
Grace Rodriguez
Roberta Schwartz

Corporate innovation

Chevron Technology Ventures
Houston Methodist
Shell Ventures

Investor of the year

CSL Capital Management
Golden Section VC (GSTVC)
Integr8d Capital

SDO superstar

MassChallenge Houston
Rice Alliance
TMCx

Welcome to Houston

Greentown Labs
TestCard
Win-Win

Civic engagement

Annapurna
Luminare
McMac Cx

COVID pivot/phoenix

Luminare
re:3D
sEATz

People choice

INK
Liongard
Luminare
re:3D
Topl

Soonicorn

GoExpedi
Liongard
Medical Informatics Corp.

Log on to one of these informative online events happening throughout the rest of the month. Getty Images

10+ can't-miss virtual business and innovation events in Houston for November

Where to be online

November is usually the last busy month for business events before the end of the year and ahead of the holidays, and this year — even though events have pivoted to virtual gatherings — is no different.

From panels and ask-me-anything meetings to summits and startup competitions, here are over 10 Houston innovation events you can attend virtually via online meetings. This month in particular there's the return of The Houston Innovation Summit and the brand new awards program called, The Listies (nominate now for those). Be sure to register in advance, as most will send an access link ahead of the events.

November 5 — Dell Technologies Ask Me Anything

Dell Technologies is hosting an "Ask Me Anything" session for the Ion community. During this time, attendees can ask experts anything in regards to IT pain points during these times. Entrepreneurs may also use this time to brainstorm the back end IT Infrastructure of their business.

The event will take place online on Thursday, November 5, at 10 am. Register here.

November 5-6 — Greentown Labs Climatetech Summit

Join Greentown Labs for its first Climatetech Summit for a deep dive into scaling climate action. Across the two days, attendees will engage with Greentown's pillars of climate action — technology, finance, policy, and justice — discover groundbreaking startups and their climatetech solutions, learn from industry experts, and forge meaningful connections with entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders, policymakers, startup support organizations, and other climate champions.

The event will take place online on Thursday, November 5, and Friday, November 6. Register here.

November 10 — Igniting Leadership: The State of COVID Vaccines

Join Ignite Healthcare Network for a special night of discussion hosted by IGNITE Steering Committee member Susan Feigin Harris about the status of COVID19 vaccine development with Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi, Co-director of Texas Children's Center for Vaccine Development.

The event will take place online on Tuesday, November 10, at 6 pm. Register here.

November 10-12 — Texas Life Sciences Forum

The Texas Life Science Forum is the premier life science event in Texas that brings together members from industry, emerging life science companies, academic, and investors. The 2020 event will be virtual and will still be the "must attend" event for anyone in the life science industry in Texas or affiliated with innovation at the life science academic institutions. This event represents an opportunity to meet investors, learn about promising life science companies, to learn about opportunities for entrepreneurs, investment professionals, big pharma, academics and business executives serving the life science industry.

The event will take place online on Tuesday, November 10, to Thursday, November 12. Register here.

November 12 — Plaza Tec: Funding Fundamentals

Though Latinx-owned businesses and startups make up at least 38 percent of businesses in the Houston area, there is still a lack of access to capital blocking growth and progress for Latinx founders.

In this discussion presented by The Ion, representatives from baMa and NextSeed will join together to discuss angel investing and crowdfunding options for Latinx founders and what challenges one might face when seeking capital.

The event will take place online on Thursday, November 12, at 5:30 pm. Register here.

November 12 — Women in Tech and Biz

If you're interested in hearing from some badass women in tech and business, come to the virtual Women in Tech + Biz event created by the Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The event will be split into two sections — one focused on entrepreneurship and the other focusing more on software and engineering — followed by networking.

The event will take place online on Thursday, November 12, at 6 pm. Register here.

November 13 — Climathon 2020: Hacking Solutions to Houston’s Climate Challenges

On Earth Day this year, the City of Houston published its first Climate Action Plan. The plan is the culmination of thousands of volunteer time from industry professionals, policy stakeholders, and community advocates. Together the working groups have laid out a concise plan to address the climate challenges that Houston faces along with maintaining a leadership role in the energy transition. This year's Climathon will look to realize some of the goals of the plan through design sprints led by local subject matter experts in the areas of transportation, energy innovation, building optimization, and materials management.

The event will take place online on Friday, November 13, at 1 pm. Register here.

November 16-20 — The Houston Innovation Summit

The Houston Innovation Summit — THIS — celebrates Houston's innovation ecosystem during Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW). THIS responds to 2020 with a special focus on the intersection of Impact and Innovation, spotlighting Houstonians at the forefront of education, ecosystems, inclusion, and policy. Join Impact Hub Houston and Houston's startup and small business community for a week of exciting programs and connect with the thinkers, doers, makers and innovators driving Houston forward.

The event will take place online on Monday, November 16, to Friday, November 20. Register here.

November 17 — Struggles and Bubbles: Pivoting during a Pandemic

Join General Assembly Houston to listen to a panel of startup founders who will share their journey and entrepreneurial struggles, and what it really takes to launch a startup during global pandemic, and scale a startup.

The event will take place online on Tuesday, November 17 at 5 pm. Register here.

November 17-19 — Capital Factory's Texas Startup Roadshow

For the first time, Capital Factory is taking its roadshow online. For three days, the organization will be introducing investors to the various innovative cities across the Lone Star State.

Houston will be the city of focus on Wednesday, November 18.

The event will take place online on Tuesday, November 17, to Thursday, November 19. Register here.

November 20 — The Listies

The event will take place online on Friday, November 20, at 3 pm. Register here.

Houston Exponential's Harvin Moore and Serafina Lalany join this week's Houston Innovators Podcast to discuss The Listies. Photos courtesy

New awards to 'pay homage' to Houston's tech scene

HOUSTON INNOVATORS PODCAST EPISODE 55

The deadline for nominations has been extended to November 6. The original story below has been edited to reflect the extension.

With so much of 2020 going wrong, a new awards program is hoping to shine a spotlight on Houston tech startups and other major innovation players who are doing things right.

The Listies nominations are open online until this Friday, November 6, and are being hosted by Houston Exponential in partnership with InnovationMap.

"The idea for The Listies has been in the back of our minds for a long time," says Serafina Lalany, chief of staff at HX, on this week's episode of the Houston Innovators Podcast. "There has always been a need in the ecosystem to celebrate the wins and vibrant culture we have here. This is an opportunity to pay homage to that."

The 12 awards will recognize growing startups, individuals, mentors, corporations, investors, and more. Award eligibility requires nominees to have an account on HX's new platform, the HTX TechList, which is free to use and is intended to be a virtual meeting place and resource for Houston innovation.

The honorees will be awarded at a virtual event ceremony at 3 pm on Friday, November 30. The event is hoping to duplicate the engagement the organization saw at its HTX TechList launch in August, which had over 1,000 registrants and a message from Mayor Sylvester Turner.

"This ecosystem really eats up events — even if they are virtual," says Harvin Moore, president of HX, on the podcast. "This will be another opportunity for the organizations and all the people in the ecosystem to get together. ... It's also an opportunity to continue to develop what's happening in Houston."

The event is gathering tech and innovation influencers to promote and play a role in the event — from judges to award presenters. The program is also seeking sponsors to be included in the event as well.

"HX's true strength is bringing people together around a common mission, and this is very true to that," Lalany says.

Listen to the full interview below — or wherever you stream your podcasts — and subscribe for weekly episodes.

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

Nominations closed: Houston Exponential and InnovationMap launch nominations for awards event

Introducing: The Listies

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:

DEI Champion: Who has gone above and beyond in fighting for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the ecosystem?
Individual contributor (MVP within a startup): Which non-founder has made the biggest contribution to their company?
Mentor of the year: Which mentor has made the biggest impact on startups and the startup community this year?
Outstanding leadership: Who best demonstrated excellence in leadership for their organization or the larger community?

Corporate and investing awards:

Corporate Innovation: Which corporation made the biggest strides in innovation?
Investor of the Year: What fund has gone above and beyond for your company?

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

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8+ can't-miss Houston business and innovation events for November

where to be

Editor's note: Houston’s innovation calendar is packed this November, with opportunities to connect across climatetech, health care and entrepreneurship. From Greentown Labs’ flagship summit and veteran-led showcases to discussions on medical innovation and startup growth, here's what not to miss and how to register. Please note: this article may be updated to include additional event listings.

Nov. 4 – Greentown Climatetech Summit

Greentown Labs' Climatetech Summit Houston will bring together philanthropists, executives and innovators in the energy transition space. Expect to hear from John Arnold, co-founder and co-chair of Arnold Ventures, and Greentown CEO Georgina Campbell Flatter, who will participate in the day-long event’s keynote fireside chat, along with remarks from Houston Mayor John Whitmire, a course led by TEX-E Executive Director Sandy Guitar and more. Ten Greentown Labs startups will present pitches, and attendees will also be able to meet founders and Greentown members during the afternoon startup showcase.

This event is Tuesday, Nov. 4, from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at Greentown Labs. A networking reception follows from 5-7:30 p.m. at Axelrad Houston. Learn more here.

Nov. 11 – Veterans & Visionaries

Houston Veteran Network will celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit of veterans at its Veterans & Visionaries event. Veteran business owners will have the opportunity to showcase their businesses, connect with investors and participate in speed networking.

This event is Tuesday, Nov. 11, from 2-7 p.m. at the Ion. Find more information here.

Nov. 12 – Energy Drone and Robotics Forum

The Energy Drone + Robotics Coalition will offer a chance for industry leaders, operators and engineers to connect. Attendees will explore real-world uses, hear lessons from successful deployments, and gain practical insights and tools for scaling through various workshops, keynote addresses, Q&As and more.

This event is Wednesday, Nov. 12, from 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at the Ion. A Bots & Brews / Industrial AI Connect Reception will be held at Second Daught from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Find more information here.

Nov. 12 – TMC Envision 2025: Showcasing Healthcare Innovation

Celebrate 10 years of TMC Innovation at Envision, which shines a light on how TMC’s health tech companies are shaping the future. The event will feature talks from TMC’s Devin Dunn, Jason Sakamoto and Tom Luby that will focus on hospital innovation, health care policies, Texas-specific funding and regulatory dynamics and more.

This event is Wednesday, Nov. 12, from 3:30-6:30 p.m. at TMC Innovation Factory. Find more information here.

Nov. 13 — 2025 Houston Innovation Awards

Join InnovationMap at Greentown Labs on Nov. 13 for the fifth annual Houston Innovation Awards. Our annual celebration of all things Houston innovation offers an exclusive opportunity to network with leaders in the innovation ecosystem and culminates in the awards ceremony, where this year's winners across 10 prestigious categories will be unveiled. Individual tickets and corporate 10-packs with reserved seating are still available.

This event is Thursday, Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. at Greentown Labs. Get your tickets here.

Nov. 13 – Houston Methodist Leadership Speaker series

Head to the Houston Methodist Tech Hub at Ion to hear the latest installment of the Houston Methodist Leadership Speaker Series. The month’s event will feature Dr. Shlomit Schaal, executive vice president and chief physician executive at Houston Methodist. She is also the president and CEO of the Houston Methodist Physician Organization. Schaal will focus on physician group innovation.

This event is Thursday, Nov. 13, from 4:45-6 p.m. at the Ion. Find more information here.

Nov. 18 – Rice Customer-based Strategy Symposium

Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business will present this recurring forum for exchanging innovative ideas on customer-centered strategy planning and execution. The symposium features peer-reviewed research from leading academics with industry trends and insights from executives. Hear from Jones School Dean Peter Rodriguez, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, Laura Lopez, SVP of marketing, communications and public relations at Houston Methodist; Farid Virani, CEO of Prime Communications; and several Rice MBA graduates and executives.

This event is Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, from 7:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. at the Ion. Learn more here.

Nov. 20 – Houston Startup Speedrun

Wade Pinder, founder of Product Houston, will host the Houston Startup Speedrun. This intensive and fast-paced program is designed to provide early-stage founders and aspiring entrepreneurs with a comprehensive understanding of the “Startup Founder's Journey” and the Houston startup ecosystem. The event is broken up into 10 consecutive 50-minute sessions, including topics such as “Creating a Compelling Business Plan,” “Operations and Scaling” and others.

This event is Thursday, Nov. 20, from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. at the Ion. Find more information here.

Nov. 20 – State of the Texas Medical Center

The Greater Houston Partnership will present the State of the Texas Medical Center. Hear from William F. McKeon, president and CEO of TMC, and GHP president and CEO Steve Kean as they discuss “the tremendous progress happening in health care delivery and life sciences in the world’s largest medical center.”

This event is Thursday, Nov. 20, from 4-6:30 p.m. at Helix Park. Find more information here.

Houston's most promising health tech startups lead innovation news to know

6 finalists compete to be crowned Houston's 2025 Startup of the Year

Cast Your Vote

We're just two weeks away from the 2025 Houston Innovation Awards, and while our expert panel of judges will determine the winners in most categories, one award is up to you.

Voting is now open for our people's choice award: 2025 Startup of the Year. Six exceptional finalists are in the running for the title, and your votes will determine the winner.

From rugged humanoid robots to next-generation sustainable materials, each of these startups is making an impact on the innovation ecosystem in Houston — and beyond.

Read about our Startup of the Year finalists and their missions below, then cast your vote. You can vote once per day through November 12, so make your voice heard.

The winner, along with winners in all other categories, will be revealed live at our event on November 13 at Greentown Labs. Tickets to the 2025 Houston Innovation Awards are available now — get yours today.

Eclipse Energy

Eclipse Energy, previously known as Gold H2, is a climatetech startup converting end-of-life oil fields into low-cost, sustainable hydrogen sources. The company completed its first field trial this summer, which demonstrated subsurface bio-stimulated hydrogen production. Eclipse Energy says Its technology could yield up to 250 billion kilograms of low-carbon hydrogen.

FlowCare

FlowCare is developing a period health platform that integrates smart dispensers, education, and healthcare into one system to make free, high-quality, organic period products more accessible. FlowCare is live at prominent Houston venues, including Discovery Green, Texas Medical Center, The Ion, and, most recently, Space Center Houston, helping make Houston a “period positivity” city.

MyoStep

MyoStep is a next-generation, lightweight, soft exoskeleton developed at University of Houston for children with cerebral palsy. The soft skeleton aims to address motor impairments that impact their ability to participate in physical activities, self-care, and academics, via an affordable, child-friendly solution that empowers mobility and independence.

Persona AI

Persona AI is a humanoid robotics startup that is creating rugged, autonomous robots for skilled, heavy industry work for various "4D" (dull, dirty, dangerous, and declining) jobs. In May, the company announced a memorandum of understanding with HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, HD Hyundai Robotic, and Vazil Company to create and deploy humanoid robots for complex welding tasks in shipyards. The project will deliver prototype humanoids by the end of 2026.

Rheom Materials

Rheom Materials is a next-generation startup developing biobased materials for a more sustainable future. Its two flagship offerings are Shorai, a sustainable leather alternative that is usable for apparel, accessories, car interiors, and more, and Benree, an alternative to plastic without the carbon footprint.

Solidec

Solidec is a chemical manufacturing company developing autonomous generators that extract molecules from water and air and convert them into pure chemicals and fuels that are free of carbon emissions. The technology eliminates the need for transport, storage, and permitting.

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