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

WHERE TO BE

Don't miss these February events — from talks with the hall-of-fame beauty business founders to AI summits. Photo courtesy of Rice University

From talks with the hall-of-fame beauty business founders to agtech and AI summits, Houston will host a number of events focused on innovation and innovators in February.

Here’s what not to miss and how to register.

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

Feb. 7 – SheSpace Offsite: Coffee & Connection

Get out of the office and head over to Midtown network with fellow SheSpace members and working women via coffee and conversation.

This event is Friday, Feb. 7, from 2-4 p.m. at Kefita Coffee. RSVP here.

Feb. 11 – Texas Business Hall of Fame x Ion: Creators Series with Founders Janet Gurwitch (Laura Mercier) and Tiffany Masterson (Drunk Elephant)

Take part in Texas Business Hall of Fame’s launch of its Creators 2025 speaker series. Janet Gurwitch, founder of Laura Mercier, and Tiffany Masterson, founder of Drunk Elephant, will discuss lessons learned while building their global retail brands and their successful exits.

This event is Tuesday, Feb. 11, from 8–10 a.m. at the Ion. Register here.

Feb. 11 – How to Start a Startup

Gain insight from Mercury Fund’s Heath Butler and stick around for a happy hour afterward. This session, originally scheduled for Jan. 21, is geared toward entrepreneurs, small business owners, investors and academic partners

This event is Tuesday, Feb. 11, from 5:30–7 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

Feb. 15 – Ion Family Tech Day: Youth Entrepreneurship with Lemonade Day University

Bring the whole family out to the Ion for a family-friendly entrepreneurial workshop with Lemonade Day. Kids can compete in a pitch competition to win free supplies, and trained instructors will coach kids on how to set goals, develop a business or marketing plan and budget, create a brand, save and invest money, and more.

This event is Saturday, Feb. 15, from 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

Feb. 18 — Female Founders and Friends

Connect with like-minded female founders, funders, and allies at this recurring event. Female Founders & Friends is open to all industries and coffee is provided.

This event is Tuesday, Feb. 18, at 9 a.m. at Sesh Coworking. Register here.

Feb. 20 — Diaspora Africa Conference

Come together to hear inspiring speakers, participate in interactive workshops and network with others who are passionate about African heritage and the contributions of the African diaspora. This event will showcase African innovation and allow attendees to connect with funding sources actively seeking high-growth opportunities in Africa.

This event is Thursday, Feb. 20, from 9 a.m.–6 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

Feb 20–21 — TMC AI Summit 2025

The TMC AI Summit aims to translate advanced AI innovations into practical solutions for real-world biomedical and health care challenges by bringing together researchers, clinicians, and industry leaders. The event features various workshops and tracks with keynote speakers from Rice University, UTHealth, Microsoft Health Futures and other organizations.

This event is Thursday, Feb. 20, from noon–7 p.m. and Friday, Feb. 21, from 8 a.m.–5 p.m. at TMC Helix Park in the TMC3 Collaborative Building. Register here.

Feb. 25 — Houston Methodist Leadership Speaker Series at Ion - Tesha Montgomery

Hear from Houston Methodist’s SVP of System Patient Access about how the health care system is approaching improvements to patient access and highlighting women in health care leadership. Audiences can participate in a 30-minute discussion following Montgomery’s remarks.

This event is Tuesday, Feb. 25, from 4:45–6 p.m. at the Houston Methodist Tech Hub at the Ion. Register here.

Feb. 26 — Inaugural HTX AgTech Rodeo Innovation Summit 2025

Network with farmers, founders, startups and investors at the first-ever HTX AgTech Rodeo Innovation Summit. The all-day event will feature panels, fireside chats, a Saddle Up Pitch Competition and reception with live music.

This event is Wednesday, Feb. 26, from 8:30 a.m.–8 p.m. Find more information and register here.

Feb. 27 — NASA Tech Talks

Every fourth Thursday of the month, NASA experts, including longtime engineer Montgomery Goforth, present on technology development challenges challenges NASA’s Johnson Space Center and the larger aerospace community are facing and how they can be leveraged by Houston’s innovation community. Stick around after for drinks and networking at Second Draught.

This event is Thursday, Feb. 27, from 6-7 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

Feb. 27–28 – QVIDTVM x The Ion: Inaugural Hack Day Competition

Investment firm QVIDTVM and the Ion are calling all data scientists, analysts, developers and innovators to a new hack day. Participants will aim to find the total value of real estate platformed by Airbnb globally and can participate in a Fireside Chat on AI with Nick King, founder and CEO of Data Kinetic. Teams can include up to four people and prizes for first through third place will be awarded.

This event is Thursday, Feb. 27, at 9:30 a.m. until Friday, Feb. 28, at 5 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

Trending this week on InnovationMap is news about a new electric vehicle initiative from the mayor's office, three Houston innovators to know, and more. Photo by PeopleImages

5 most popular innovation stories in Houston this week

What's trending

Editor's note: If you zoned out of Houston innovation news this week — perhaps distracted by baseball post-season games — we've got you covered. Some of the highlights include a new electric vehicle initiative from the mayor's office, updates from The Ion, and the Houstonians with the deepest pockets.

3 Houston innovators to know this week

Samantha Lewis, Tilman Fertitta, and Tiffany Masterson are this week's innovators to know in Houston. Courtesy images

Houston entrepreneurs never cease to impress, leaving a mark on the city for their business minds, creativity, and overall gumption. This week's three innovators to know are no exception.

From a startup venture capitalist and Houston's most recognizable billionaire to a local mom that created — and now sold — a skincare line with a cult following, these are this week's innovative Houstonians to keep an eye on. Continue reading.

Station Houston CEO to lead operations at The Ion

The Rice Management Company has created a new operations organization for The Ion and has selected Gabriella Rowe to lead it. Courtesy of Rice University

A Houston innovation leader is switching sides of the table to support on a highly anticipated entrepreneurial hub.

Rice Management Company has created an operating organization for The Ion and has named Gabriella Rowe as the executive director. Rowe has served as CEO of Station Houston since August 2018. The Ion, which broke ground on the site of the Midtown Sears building in July, is expected to deliver early 2021. Continue reading.

Houston billionaires named to Forbes' list of richest Americans for 2019

Pipeline mogul and Memorial Park benefactor Richard Kinder (pictured with his wife, Nancy) leads the Houston billionaires. Photo by Michelle Watson/Catchlight Group

Who's the richest person in Texas? That title once again goes to Walmart heiress Alice Walton, of Fort Worth, according to the newly released Forbes 400 ranking. But seven very wealthy Houstonians also appear on the list of the 400 richest people in the country right now.

The top Houstonian on the list is Houston pipeline mogul Richard Kinder, who is tied with another Walmart heiress, Ann Walton Kroenke, for sixth place in Texas and No. 67 nationally. Forbes estimates they're each worth $7.5 billion. Continue reading.

Mayor announces major effort to reduce emissions on Houston's roadways

Through increasing awareness, affordability, and accessibility, the city of Houston hopes to grow the number of electric vehicles on Houston roads by 2030. Courtesy of EVolve Houston

The city of Houston has taken a major step toward reducing carbon emissions caused by its estimated 1.3 million vehicles that drive the city's streets daily.

Mayor Sylvester Turner announced a new partnership between the government, local businesses, and academic leaders that has created EVolve Houston. The coalition is aimed at boosting electric vehicle sales to 30 percent of new car sales in Houston by 2030. Continue reading.

A Houston entrepreneur is thinking out of the box with smart lockers for food and personal items

Dommonic Nelson wants to make sure everyone's lunches are safe. Photo via cleverboxcompany.com

Someone kept taking Dommonic Nelson's lunch. A Texas Southern University student living at home and commuting from Greenspoint, Nelson only had a few minutes to scarf down his lunches between studying Maritime Transportation. But regularly, he'd reach into the community refrigerator on campus, only to find, well, nothing.

One night, Nelson was in the shower, wondering why his lunch had been taken again, and the long journey to Clever Box Co. began. He barged into his grandfather's room — it was 2:40 in the morning — and told him he had an idea for a series of high-tech boxes designed for storing various things. The boxes could keep personal items (the Stash Box) and packages (the Happy Box) in large companies and coworking spaces, and for people to quickly pick up their food from restaurants without having to wait in line (the Yummy Box). If Nelson couldn't get his lunches back, he was going to make an entire business on making sure no one got stolen from again. Continue reading.

Samantha Lewis, Tilman Fertitta, and Tiffany Masterson are this week's innovators to know in Houston. Courtesy images

3 Houston innovators to know this week

Who's who

Houston entrepreneurs never cease to impress, leaving a mark on the city for their business minds, creativity, and overall gumption. This week's three innovators to know are no exception.

Samantha Lewis, director at The GOOSE Society of Texas

Courtesy of Samantha Lewis

Houston has a big fan in Samantha Lewis. The New Mexico native found her way to Texas by way of Texas A&M University before joining the Houston innovation ecosystem and getting her MBA at Rice University.

On the second episode of the Houston Innovators Podcast, Lewis, who's the director at The GOOSE Society of Texas, shares her story of wanting to work in venture capital, but being afraid Houston's venture activity would be too slim. She stuck it out and now the ecosystem is in good place for growth.

"We have to think about getting more capital available for companies that add strategic value to Houston," Lewis says on the podcast. Click here to read more and to listen.

Tilman Fertitta, owner of Fertitta Entertainment

Photo by J. Thomas Ford

Likely, Tilman Fertitta is already a name known and in need of no reminder, but the Houston billionaire is again in the headlines. Fertitta, who just recently acquired Del Frisco's steakhouse chain, has released a new business book, Shut Up and Listen! The book contains the entrepreneur's business advice and "Tilmanisms."

"I thought that I would always write a life story book, but Harper Collins approached me and said they wanted a business management book," Fertitta tells CultureMap. I can't tell you how many times we sat around with my close group and edited this book at the end and went through it five times and read it. If we found a paragraph that was boring, we got rid of it or rewrote it."

CultureMap sat down with Fertitta during a rare break to talk books, business, and his beloved Bayou City. Click here to read the interview.

Tiffany Masterson, chief creative officer and founder of Drunk Elephant

Photo via Business Wire

It was a good week for Houstonian Tiffany Masterson. She sold her skincare line, Drunk Elephant, for a reported $845 million to international makeup giant, Shiseido Company Ltd.

"I started this business as an industry outsider, and from the beginning I did things a little differently," Masterson says in a news release. "To join with a powerhouse beauty company such as Shiseido that leads the industry in innovation and global excellence is a dream come true for me and for Drunk Elephant. We share similar values, most importantly an unwavering commitment to the consumer. I chose a partner who will let the brand continue to be itself, with the same formulations and the same team."

Masterson will stay on with the company as the acquisition allows her products to reach a wider, worldwide audience. Click here to read more.

International beauty giant Shiseido Company Ltd. has acquired Houston-founded Drunk Elephant. Photo via Business Wire

Houstonian's skincare line acquired for $845 million

A beautiful acquisition

A skincare line with ties to Houston is joining the ranks of other popular beauty brands this week. International beauty giant Shiseido Company Ltd. has announced that it is acquiring Drunk Elephant in a reported $845 million deal.

Houstonian Tiffany Masterson, chief creative officer, founded the company in Houston in 2012. The quality of products and playful branding attracted a broad range of demographics as the company experienced exponential growth.

According to the release, the acquisition will allow Drunk Elephant's products to expand more throughout America, and enter new markets in Asian and Europe. The new subsidiary will also have support from Shiseido's Global Innovation Center and Digital Center of Excellence.

"This transaction is squarely aligned with Shiseido's VISION 2020 goal of accelerating growth and creating value through strategic partnerships," says Masahiko Uotani, president and CEO of Shiseido, in a news release. "I am very pleased to welcome Tiffany and the Drunk Elephant team to the Shiseido Family and together, pursue our long-term mission of 'Beauty innovations for a better world.'"

Masterson will maintain her role as chief creative officer and add the title of president for the company. She will report to Marc Rey, CEO of Shiseido Americas and chief growth officer of Shiseido.

"Drunk Elephant is built on a strong brand foundation and a unique philosophy that fits perfectly with Shiseido's values and skincare heritage," Rey says in the release. "Our innovative and people-first cultures are well aligned, and we share an unwavering commitment to our consumers. I also believe the brand will contribute to the business performance of Shiseido Americas."

The beauty industry is having a bit of a moment right now as consumers — who have shelves and shelves of products to choose from — are drawn to specific products.

"While reasons for acquisitions in the beauty space vary, we are seeing that some of the big players are seeking to balance their portfolios by creating products and services that consumers find relevant," says Laura Gurski, Accenture's global lead for consumer goods and services, in a statement.

"It is crucial that brands completely reinvent the beauty experience, making it much more than a transactional event," she continues. "This is what startups and disruptors do best. They create a collaboration with each consumer, allowing them to participate and experience products, services and brands in new ways."

According to Accenture Strategy's research on M&A in consumer goods, companies acquiring new capabilities represents 47 percent of activity and new technologies represents 35 percent of activity. These figures are on par with more traditional reasons for M&A, like new industries (43 percent) and new geographic markets (37 percent).

"For the first time, beauty companies have the opportunity to achieve real differentiation by taking their relationships with consumers to a completely new level," Gurski says.

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State-of-the-art innovation hub opens in Houston Energy Corridor

flagship facility

French multinational company Schneider Electric has opened a new 10,500-square-foot, state-of-the-art Energy Innovation Center in Houston.

The new facility is located in Houston’s Energy Corridor and is designed to “foster increased collaboration and technological advancements across the entire value chain,” according to a news release from the company. The new Houston location joins Schneider's existing innovation hubs in Paris, Singapore and Bangalore.

The venue will serve as a training center for process control engineers, production superintendents, manufacturing managers, technical leads and plant operations personnel. It can simulate various real-world scenarios in refineries, combined-cycle power plants, ethylene plants, recovery boilers and chemical reactors.

It includes an interactive control room and artificial Intelligence applications that “highlight the future of industrial automation,” according to the release.

"Digitalization is significantly enhancing the global competitiveness of the U.S. through continuous innovation and increased investment into next-generation technology," Aamir Paul, Schneider Electric's President of North America Operations, said in the release.

Texas has over 4,100 Schneider Electric employees, the most among U.S. states, and has facilities in El Paso, the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and other areas.

"This flagship facility in the Energy Capital of the World underscores our commitment to driving the future of software-defined automation for our customers in Houston and beyond,” Paul added in the release. “With this announcement, we are excited to continue supporting the nation's ambitions around competitive, efficient and cost-effective manufacturing."

Schneider Electric says the new Houston facility is part of its expansion plans in the U.S. The company plans to invest over $700 million in its U.S. operations through 2027, which also includes an expansion at its El Paso campus.

The company also announced plans to invest in solar and battery storage systems developed, built, and operated by Houston-based ENGIE North America last year. Read more here.

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This story first appeared on our sister site, EnergyCapitalHTX.com.

9 can't-miss Houston business and innovation events for April

where to be

Two new conferences will launch while another longtime business competition celebrates its 25th anniversary this month in Houston. Plus, there are networking opportunities, family tech events and more.

Here are the Houston business and innovation events you can't miss in April and how to register. Please note: this article might be updated to add more events.

Ion Block Party: Art Crawl

Network and socialize with other tech enthusiasts and business-minded individuals while taking in the new gallery at Community Artists’ Collective and experiencing the immersive dome at Omnispace360. See work by Joel Zika, who will showcase his digital sculptures through augmented reality screens, and other public art around the Ion while also enjoying food and drink.

This event is Thursday, April 3, from 4-7 p.m. at the Ion. Click here to register.

CLA Presents: Raising Capital over Happy Hour

Gain a better understanding of the capital-raising process and various funding opportunities at this educational happy hour. Keith Davidson, the market leader for CLA in Dallas and former CFO of ICS, will present.

This event is Thursday, April 10, from 4-6 p.m. at The Cannon. Click here to register.

Rice Business Plan Competition

The Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship will host the 25th annual Rice Business Plan Competition this month. Forty-two student-led teams from around the world, including one team from Rice, will present their plans before more than 300 angel, venture capital, and corporate investors to compete for more than $1 million in prizes.

This event is April 10-12. Stream the Elevator Pitch Competition and Final Round here.

RSVF Annual Conference

The Rice Student Venture Fund will host its first-ever Annual Conference to celebrate the university's entrepreneurial spirit and the rising generation of student-led innovation. The conference will include live startup demos, an RSVF fund update, a keynote fireside chat, a builder-investor panel and networking. RSVF welcomes students, alumni, investors, faculty and staff, and innovators and community members of the broader tech scene.

This event is Monday, April 14, from 4-8 p.m. at the Ion. Click here to register.

TEX-E Conference

TEX-E will host its inaugural conference this month under the theme "Energy & Entrepreneurship: Navigating the Future of Climate Tech." The half-day conference will feature a keynote from Artemis Energy Partners CEO Bobby Tudor as well as panels with other energy and tech leaders from NRG, Microsoft, GE Vernova and TEB Tech.

This event is Tuesday, April 15, from 1-4:30 p.m. at the Ion. Click here to register.

Houston Methodist Leadership Speaker Series

Hear from Dr. Jonathan Rogg, Chief Quality Officer and Vice President of Operations at Houston Methodist Hospital and a a practicing emergency medicine physician, at the latest Houston Methodist Leadership Speaker Series. Rogg will present "Leadership from the Bedside to the Boardroom."

This event is on Wednesday, April 23, from 4:45-6 p.m. at the Ion. Click here to register.

Ion Family STEAM Day– Let's Build a Tripwire Alarm

STEAM on Demand will host a hands-on, family-friendly engineering lesson for young ones on the Ion Forum Stairs. Kids will learn to create and test their own working alarm system. The event is geared toward those ages 7 to 14.

This event is Sunday, April 26, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Ion. Click here to register.

Greentown Houston Fourth Anniversary Transition On Tap

Climatetech incubator Greentown Labs will celebrate its fourth anniversary with a special edition of its signature networking event, Transition On Tap. Entrepreneurs, investors, students, and friends of climatetech are invited to attend.

This event is Tuesday, April 29, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Greentown Labs. Click here to register.

Integrate Space Technology Into Your Small Biz

The SBA Houston District Office and the UH Technology Bridge will host a collaborative event designed to help small businesses leverage space technology for prototype development. Attendees will also hear from industry experts on resources and gain access free technical engineering assistance to help accelerate their businesses.

This event is Wednesday, April 30, from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at UH Technology Bridge Innovation Center. Click here to reserve your spot.

Texas university's innovative 'WaterHub' will dramatically reduce usage by 40%

Sustainable Move

A major advancement in sustainability is coming to one Texas university. A new UT WaterHub at the University of Texas at Austin will be the largest facility of its kind in the U.S. and will transform how the university manages its water resources.

It's designed to work with natural processes instead of against them for water savings of an estimated 40 percent. It's slated for completion in late 2027.

The university has had an active water recovery program since the 1980s. Still, water is becoming an increasing concern in Austin. According to Texas Living Waters, a coalition of conservation groups, Texas loses enough water annually to fill Lady Bird Lake roughly 89 times over.

As Austin continues to expand and face water shortages, the region's water supply faces increased pressure. The UT WaterHub plans to address this challenge by recycling water for campus energy operations, helping preserve water resources for both the university and local communities.

The 9,600-square-foot water treatment facility will use an innovative filtration approach. To reduce reliance on expensive machinery and chemicals, the system uses plants to naturally filter water and gravity to pull it in the direction it needs to go. Used water will be gathered from a new collection point near the Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium and transported to the WaterHub, located in the heart of the engineering district. The facility's design includes a greenhouse viewable to the public, serving as an interactive learning space.

Beyond water conservation, the facility is designed to protect the university against extreme weather events like winter storms. This new initiative will create a reliable backup water supply while decreasing university water usage, and will even reduce wastewater sent to the city by up to 70 percent.

H2O Innovation, UT’s collaborator in this project, specializes in water solutions, helping organizations manage their water efficiently.

"By combining cutting-edge technology with our innovative financing approach, we’re making it easier for organizations to adopt sustainable water practices that benefit both their bottom line and the environment, paving a step forward in water positivity,” said H2O Innovation president and CEO Frédéric Dugré in a press release.

The university expects significant cost savings with this project, since it won't have to spend as much on buying water from the city or paying fees to dispose of used water. Over the next several years, this could add up to millions of dollars.

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A version of this story originally appeared on our sister site, CultureMap Austin.

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