People's Choice: Pick your startup of the year for the 2024 Houston Innovation Awards

you decide

Calling all Houstonians — help InnovationMap decide on this year's People's Choice: Startup of the Year winner. Graphic via Gow Media

It's firmly voting season in Houston, and in addition to deciding the nation's next political leaders, the local innovation ecosystem is being called to weigh in on one category for the Houston Innovation Awards.

This year's People's Choice: Startup of the Year voting is officially open online. Read about each company below, then click here to cast your vote. You may vote once per day up until Nov. 8 when the portal closes. The winner will be named at the Nov. 14 event — click here to secure your ticketto see who wins in this and the other dozen categories.

Corrolytics

Founded by CEO Anwar Sadek, this minority-owned startup uses its patented electrochemical technology to detect and monitor corrosion. Unlike others in the market, Corrolytics allows for on-site, real-time, accurate detection of corrosion, helping to safeguard industrial assets and prolong their lifespans.

Last month, Corrolytics, which is also a finalist in the Minority-Founded Business category, was named among the most promising energy tech startups at the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship's Energy Tech Venture Forum and won the People's Choice Award. It was part of the Rice Alliance Clean Energy Accelerator earlier this year.

What significant milestone(s) has your company reached this year?

We launched our comprehensive in-lab services in Q4 of 2023, generating $100,000 in revenue. By 2024, we tripled our revenue, confirming our early product-market fit while serving four major customers in the energy sector. With the ruggedization and scalable design of our test kit now complete, we’re set to begin field trials in the next quarter. Additionally, Corrolytics has secured a Joint Development Agreement with a leading oil and gas service provider, extending our reach across the global energy market.

What advice do you wish you could tell yourself before you started your company?

Embrace the challenges early on, as they are invaluable learning opportunities. Focus on building a strong network, especially with mentors and industry leaders who can guide you through the unknowns. Lastly, be prepared for the unexpected, stay adaptable and never underestimate the importance of a clear mission that inspires both your team and your customers.

Why did you choose Houston for your company's headquarters and how has your experience been growing a company here?

Houston is the energy capital of the world, providing unparalleled access to major industry players, talent and resources. The city's strong focus on innovation and its thriving clean energy ecosystem has been a perfect fit for Corrolytics. Growing the company here has been an amazing experience—Houston’s vibrant startup community, world-class accelerators like the Rice Alliance, and its strategic location have accelerated our growth and opened doors to invaluable partnerships. Houston truly offers the ideal environment for scaling a cleantech startup like ours and advancing the future of sustainable energy.

FlowCare

FlowCare is focused on addressing menstrual inequity by providing flagship dispensers stocked with free, 100 percent organic pads and tampons for schools and businesses, while raising awareness about the issues that impacks millions.

The startup was founded in January and is led by Founder and CEO Tanu Jain.

What significant milestone(s) has your company reached this year?

Here’s a summary of the significant milestones FlowCare has reached this year:

  • Building a supportive community: We’ve established a vibrant community of FlowCare cheerleaders and advisors who are passionate about our mission.
  • Newsletter Success: Our newsletter, launched just two months ago, now reaches 2,000 people each month with an impressive 50 percent to 60 percent open rate. We’ve also been moved by the personal stories of period struggles shared by our readers.
  • Competition Achievements: We secured fourth place in the Houston Community College Business Plan Competition, winning $1,000 and raising awareness about period product accessibility. FlowCare also earned a top four finish out of 200 participants in the TiE Dallas Global Pitch Competition.
  • Successful Pilot at ION: We’ve commenced a paid pilot with ION, receiving heartfelt text messages from women expressing how FlowCare has positively impacted their day and alleviated embarrassment by providing period products in restrooms."

What advice do you wish you could tell yourself before you started your company?

Expect the journey to be challenging and more time-consuming than anticipated. You’ll face financial struggles and setbacks, but remember to stay patient and resilient. Embrace the journey and find joy in the small victories along the way. Build a network of supportive individuals who believe in your mission and can help you navigate the tough times. You’ll experience self-doubt and imposter syndrome, but remember, even high-profile leaders experience these feelings. Stay focused on your mission and trust in your ability to make a difference.

Why did you choose Houston for your company's headquarters and how has your experience been growing a company here?

I chose Houston for FlowCare’s headquarters because it’s home to me—having grown up here, it felt natural to build my company in a place I know and love. My experience growing the company here has been incredibly positive. Houston boasts a strong and supportive community with a robust network of individuals who are always willing to help. As an entrepreneur, having access to people who are willing to spend time with you, offer guidance, and introduce you to the right connections is invaluable. The local support has been a key factor in keeping us going towards the mission of period equity.

InnoVent Renewables

InnoVent Renewables is a circular economy business that has developed a proprietary net-zero process that converts waste tires, plastics, and biomass into fuels and chemicals. It estimates that it will reduce emissions by 80 million pounds when its production facility is operating.

InnoVent was founded by chemical-engineer-turned-CEO Vibhu Sharma in 2023. It has plans for aggressive growth across North America and Latin America.

What significant milestone(s) has your company reached this year?

We started our business in July 2023, raised a "friends and family" round, which was oversubscribed, and we carry no debt. We went from concept to the commissioning stage in 14 months and will start full commercial operations in Q4 2024.

What advice do you wish you could tell yourself before you started your company?

Always raise more cash than you think you will need. We raised a friends and family round and then had to tap that network again to get some additional funds to account for some add-ons and escalations.

Why did you choose Houston for your company's headquarters and how has your experience been growing a company here?

Houston is a remarkably affordable city with exceptional talent and expertise in engineering, design, renewables, and oil and gas processes. In addition, we were able to tap an excellent and experienced advisory board that has been guiding us. Houston is well connected with the rest of the world, as well as easy access to Monterrey, Mexico, where our tire facility is located.

MendIt

MendIt Inc. was founded in 2019 to help quickly and easily connect users with small businesses and non-profits that can mend and repair clothing sustainably.

It is led by CEO and founder Kaitlyn Allen and was a member of the gBETA Houston accelerator in 2023.

What significant milestone(s) has your company reached this year?

We are finally in the feasibility phase of our (stealth) B2B offering for brands and are excited that the initial results are positive and are pointing to scalability. We are currently in the process of contracting to provide our solution for two initial B2B customers.

What advice do you wish you could tell yourself before you started your company?

Seek product-market fit from the beginning (rather than product-problem fit), and don’t invest so much before that is demonstrated.

Why did you choose Houston for your company's headquarters and how has your experience been growing a company here?

We founded MendIt in Houston because it is our hometown and where we lived. It’s been interesting growing a non-energy-related company because so many of the resources are focused on that sector, and at the same time we get to stand out as the only “tech” startup focused on fashion and textile sustainability.

Passport Journeys

Passport Journeys is a teletherapy app that's specifically designed for mother-daughter pairs. The app launched on Mother's Day 2023 and provides users with personalized therapies, journal opportunities, interactive worksheets and intentional bonding activities.

The company is led by founder and CEO Lacey Tezino.

What significant milestone(s) has your company reached this year?

This year, we’ve achieved several significant milestones: We filed for a trademark to protect our brand, applied for our first NIH SBIR grant to secure funding for our innovative teletherapy app, and launched a nonprofit arm to provide free therapy to those in need, demonstrating our commitment to both innovation and community support.

What advice do you wish you could tell yourself before you started your company?

I would advise myself to secure funding and the sustainability plan for the first five years before leaving the big corporate job.

Why did you choose Houston for your company's headquarters and how has your experience been growing a company here?

We chose Houston for our company’s headquarters due to its vibrant and diverse community, robust health care and tech sectors, and supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem. Growing our company here has been a rewarding experience, marked by strong local partnerships, access to a large talent pool, and a dynamic business environment that fosters innovation and collaboration. The city’s emphasis on healthcare and technology aligns well with our mission, providing a solid foundation for our growth and impact.

TrueLeap

Ed-tech startup TrueLeap Inc. aims to address the global education gap by providing affordable, scalable digital tools to educators in emerging markets through its e-learning platform.

Founded in 2022, it raised $610,000 in a pre-seed round earlier this year, which was over its target of $500,000. It's led by co-founders Sandip Bordoloi, who serves as CEO, and Sunny Zhang, the company's Chief Evangelist. Dario Calogero, founder and CEO of Maya Investments Limited, which led the round, was recently named to the company's board of directors.

True Leap is being developed out of Born Global Ventures, a Houston venture studio focused on advancing immigrant-founded technology, of which Zhang is a founding partner. It serves educators in schools in the United States, India, the Democratic Republic of Congo and other countries.

What significant milestone(s) has your company reached this year?

Advancing our mission to make education accessible to underserved communities worldwide, we have reached the following milestones:

1. New country entry into Ghana by partnering with International Business and Opportunity Network (IBON)
2. Expanded implementation in the DRC by partnering with the Catholic School Association
3. New product launch enabled global educators and institutions to create and distribute high-quality content to prepare global talents for success.

What advice do you wish you could tell yourself before you started your company?

Just do it.

Why did you choose Houston for your company's headquarters and how has your experience been growing a company here?

We chose Houston for its diversity and international connections, which align with our mission to expand access to education worldwide. The city's supportive startup scene, access to top talent, and thriving innovation ecosystem have made it an ideal place to grow TrueLeap.

Pick your 2024 Houston Startup of the Year.

From Your Site Articles
Houston House at SXSW 2024 featured conversations about startup scaling, tips from CEOs, and more. Photo via Allie Danziger/LinkedIn

Overheard: Innovators sound off on future of work, converging industries at Houston House at SXSW 2024

Eavesdropping in Austin

Houston innovators talked big topics at SXSW 2024 — from the startup scaling and converging industries to the future of work.

Houston House, which was put on by the Greater Houston Partnership on March 11, hosted four panels full of experts from Houston. If you missed the day-long activation, here are some highlights from the experts who each commented on the future of the Bayou City when it comes to startups, technology, innovation, and the next generation's workforce.

"When we think about Houston, we think about access to at-scale infrastructure, amenities, and workforce and talent pools."

— Remington Tonar, co-founder and chief growth officer at Cart.com, says about why the company chose to return its headquarters back to Houston last year. One of these amenities, Tonar explained, is Houston's global airports.

"If New York and Austin had a baby, it would be Houston, because you have friendly people with a big-city culture."

— Mitra Miller, vice president and board member of Houston Angel Network, says, adding that Houston has a cost efficiency to it, which should be at the forefront of founders' minds when considering where to locate.

"We are not only attracting global talents, we are also attracting global wealth and foreign investments because we are the rising city of the future. We are the global launch pad where you can scale internationally very quickly."

— Sunny Zhang, founder of TrueLeap, says adding how there's a redistribution of global workforce happening when you consider ongoing global affairs.

"We overwhelmingly as a company, and my co-founder would agree, knew we had to go the Houston path. And we started funneling a lot more resources here."

— Carolyn Rodz, co-founder and CEO of Hello Alice, says, explaining that the pandemic helped equalize the talent across the country, and this has been to the benefit of cities like Houston.

"Houston is here with arms open, welcoming people and actively recruiting."

— Sean Kelly, co-founder and CEO of Amperon, says, emphasizing how Texas has made moves to being business friendly. Amperon was founded in New York, before moving to Houston a couple years ago.

"There is a revolution starting to happen in Houston right now."

— Trevor Best, co-founder and CEO of Syzygy Plasmonics, says, first commenting on the momentum from Rice University, where his company's technology originates from. But, as he adds, when you compare the ecosystem when the startup was founded in 2019 to where it's at now, "there is so much more happening."

"Houston has a critical mass in terms of aerospace."

— Stephanie Munez Murphy of Aegus Aerospace says, saying specifically that NASA's Johnson Space Center holds some responsibility for that. "JSC is the home of opening up space commercialization."

"There's diversity in industries people are coming from, but also in terms of experience and expertise that (Houstonians) have."

— Robyn Cardwell of Omniscience says, adding that Houston's diversity goes further than just where people originate from. "Houston has all these pieces put together ... for growing and scaling organizations," she adds.

"I've worked with thousands of students in Houston who are actively looking to better themselves and grow their career post college or post high school and go into the workforce."

— Allie Danziger of Ascent Funding says, adding that Gen Z, which is already entering the workforce, is entrepreneurial and ready to change the world. "Seeing the energy of Houstonians is just thrilling," she adds.

"We're working together in the Houston community. ... There are so many opportunities to collaborate but we need conveners." 

— Stacy Putman of INEOS says, adding that within industry there has been a lack of discussion and collaboration because of competition. But, as she's observing, that's changing thanks to conveners at colleges or at the Greater Houston Partnership.

"The opportunity for Houston is that everybody has to step up to be in some way, shape, or form helping us with this."

— Raj Salhotra of Momentum Education says about supporting the future workforce of Houston, including low-income household students.

This week's roundup of Houston innovators includes Lori-Lee Elliott of Dauntless XR, Sandip Bordoloi of TrueLeap, and Stephanie Nolan of Square Robot. Photos courtesy

3 Houston innovators to know this week

who's who

Editor's note: Every Monday, I'm introducing you to three Houston innovators to know — three individuals behind recent innovation and startup news stories in Houston as reported by InnovationMap. Learn more about them and their recent news below by clicking on each article.

Lori-Lee Elliott, CEO and co-founder of Dauntless XR

Lori-Lee Elliott of Dauntless XR joins the Houston Innovators Podcast to share about her tech company's evolution. Photo via LinkedIn

As Lori-Lee Elliott was building out her company — an augmented reality software company to enhance industrial workflow — she was approached by a representative in the Air Force interested in her technology. That conversation would end up leading to a major rebrand and pivot, as well as multiple federal contracts and grants for the Houston startup.

Dauntless XR — originally founded as Future Sight AR in 2018 — has two software platforms that bring customers flexible mixed reality solutions. The Air Force uses the Aura platform to create 3D replays of missions, while NASA plans to utilize the technology for analyzing space weather data.

"Something that we realized when we built out this platform is that it doesn't have to be for just one thing," Elliott says on the Houston Innovators Podcast. "We can make it ingest all kind of data sources. It does require us as the developers and the architects to go in and learn about each application. And that's great because I get bored easily and it's an endless source of fascination." Continue reading.

Sandip Bordoloi, CEO and co-founder of TrueLeap

TrueLeap Inc., global digital education startup addressing the digital divide in education, has raised $610,000. Photo via LinkedIn

An edtech startup has just secured funding to further its mission of increasing accessibility to education.

TrueLeap Inc., global digital education startup addressing the digital divide in education, has raised $610,000, which is over its target of $500,000. The round was led by United Kingdom-based Maya Investments Limited.

"This oversubscribed funding round, led by Maya Investments Limited, is a testament to the urgent need for innovative educational technologies in emerging markets. Our commitment to providing affordable and integrated solutions is stronger than ever," says Sandip Bordoloi, CEO and Co-Founder of TrueLeap, in a news release. Continue reading.

Stephanie Nolan, director of sales at Square Robot

It's a different world for startups on the other side of the pandemic — especially for business development. One Houston innovator shares her lessons learned. Photo courtesy of Square Robot

The post-pandemic world of business development has evolved, as Stephanie Nolan, director of sales at Square Robot, has observed. In a guest column for InnovationMap, she shares her experience and lessons learned.

"When I joined the Houston team at Square Robot, a startup that was trying to disrupt an industry, I had to learn how to navigate a post-pandemic sales world — where hybrid work, reliance on emails, and video based web calls are now the norm — coupled with the challenges of working for a relatively new company," she writes.

She shares how she prioritizes in-person meetings and taps into important networking organizations. Continue reading.

The edtech company offers a comprehensive approach to shrinking the digital divide with a suite of technology including software, hardware, and more. Photo courtesy of TrueLeap

Houston edtech startup closes oversubscribed pre-seed round to increase access to learning

fresh funding

An edtech startup has just secured funding to further its mission of increasing accessibility to education.

TrueLeap Inc., global digital education startup addressing the digital divide in education, has raised $610,000, which is over its target of $500,000. The round was led by United Kingdom-based Maya Investments Limited.

"This oversubscribed funding round, led by Maya Investments Limited, is a testament to the urgent need for innovative educational technologies in emerging markets. Our commitment to providing affordable and integrated solutions is stronger than ever," says Sandip Bordoloi, CEO and Co-Founder of TrueLeap, in a news release.

Of the nearly 2 billion K-12 students in the world, only 640 million people have access to internet, and an even smaller populace — 390 million — have access to digital learning tools. That's what TrueLeap aims to change.

The company offers a comprehensive approach for customers with a suite of technology including software — a Learning Management System and Content Management System — as well as hardware infrastructure, digital content, training and support, and data-driven intelligence.

TrueLeap targets schools in emerging markets and currently has operations in the United States, India, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

TrueLeap's co-founder Sunny Zhang recently joined the Houston Innovators Podcast to discuss the company's mission. As a professor at University of St. Thomas, she's experienced first hand how challenging managing digital learning can be — on all sides, from student and teacher to even administrative. She's working to design a comprehensive platform of hardtech and software for educators globally.

The idea and technology is being developed out of Born Global Ventures, a Houston venture studio focused on advancing immigrant-founded technology. As founding partner of the organization, Zhang explains some of the unique challenges immigrant founders face on the show — and why Houston is a prime location to foster this kind of community.

"We were motivated to bridge the gap between academia and business to facilitate commercialization process, but especially with the global market in mind," Zhang says. "Houston is the number one diverse city in the United States and the number one city in the US for foreign business."

This week's roundup of Houston innovators includes Sunny Zhang of TrueLeap, Jim Dillon of BiVACOR, and Livia Schiavinato Eberlin of Baylor College of Medicine. Photos courtesy

3 Houston innovators to know this week

who's who

Editor's note: Each week, I'm introducing you to three Houston innovators to know — three individuals behind recent innovation and startup news stories in Houston as reported by InnovationMap. Learn more about them and their recent news below by clicking on each article.

Sunny Zhang, founder of TrueLeap

Sunny Zhang joins the Houston Innovators Podcast. Photo via LinkedIn

It's safe to say Sunny Zhang has a handle on the machine and cycle that innovation as a tenured business professor, startup founder, and venture capital investor. An academic at her core, she looks at innovation from the outside in — and inside out — in her various roles.

But there is a throughline for Zhang, and it's observing the innovation cycle. In her 20 years, she's worked closely with startups on the topic.

"My research has always focused on the innovation diffusion process — essentially the psychological and behavioral science of innovation diffusion when a product is introduced in a marketplace. How is that adoption going in a network as a result in many factors — internally and externally in a digital world and in the international and global market," Zhang says on the Houston Innovators Podcast.

"I've been seeing how innovation works, how products are getting adopted, and the behavioral process in it. We talk about 'go-to market,' but I want to promote 'come-from market.' Identify the problem itself," Zhang says, explaining that as both an academic and life-long learner, this is important to her.

Jim Dillon, CEO of BiVACOR

Jim Dillon has been named CEO of BiVACOR. Photo courtesy of BiVACOR

Houston-based medical device company BiVACOR has brought aboard a new CEO.

Jim Dillon, a longtime executive in the medical device sector, has been hired to lead BiVACOR and join its board of directors. Dillon succeeds former heart surgeon Dr. Thomas Vassiliades, whose appointment as CEO was announced in January 2022.

“Jim’s leadership style, combined with his experience in building high-performance teams as well as expertise in the heart failure field, makes him the ideal person to lead BiVACOR,” Raymond Cohen, chairman of BiVACOR, says in a news release. Continue reading.

Livia Schiavinato Eberlin, associate professor of surgery at Baylor College of Medicine

Livia Schiavinato Eberlin was named the 2024 recipient of the Norman Hackerman Award in Chemical Research. Photo via bcm.edu

An associate professor of surgery at Baylor College of Medicine has won a prestigious award for young chemical scientists in the state and secured $3 million in funding to further develop her technology.

Livia Schiavinato Eberlin was named the 2024 recipient of the Norman Hackerman Award in Chemical Research in December. The award was established by the Houston-based Welch Foundation and recognizes the accomplishments of chemical scientists in Texas who are early in their careers. Eberlin will be granted $100,000 for this honor.

Eberlin runs the Eberlin Lab for Medical Mass Spectrometry at BCM and is known for her groundbreaking work in the application of mass spectrometry technologies, which are changing how physicians treat cancer and analyze tissues.

In the same week, Baylor College of Medicine announced that the Eberlin Lab received $3 million in funding from The Marcus Foundation to further develop the MasSpec Pen technology in breast cancer surgeries. Eberlin developed the tool in 2016 while she was serving as an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin. The MasSpec Pen is a device for detecting cancer directly on tissues. Continue reading.

Sunny Zhang joins the Houston Innovators Podcast. Photo via LinkedIn

Houston is primed to lead the rise of emerging ecosystems this year, says innovator

HOUSTON INNOVATORS PODCAST EPISODE 219

It's safe to say Sunny Zhang has a handle on the machine and cycle that innovation as a tenured business professor, startup founder, and venture capital investor. An academic at her core, she looks at innovation from the outside in — and inside out — in her various roles.

But there is a throughline for Zhang, and it's observing the innovation cycle. In her 20 years, she's worked closely with startups on the topic.

"My research has always focused on the innovation diffusion process — essentially the psychological and behavioral science of innovation diffusion when a product is introduced in a marketplace. How is that adoption going in a network as a result in many factors — internally and externally in a digital world and in the international and global market," Zhang says on the Houston Innovators Podcast.

"I've been seeing how innovation works, how products are getting adopted, and the behavioral process in it. We talk about 'go-to market,' but I want to promote 'come-from market.' Identify the problem itself," Zhang says, explaining that as both an academic and life-long learner, this is important to her.

Her startup, TrueLeap, was born out of this mentality. As a professor at University of St. Thomas, she's experienced first hand how challenging managing digital learning can be — on all sides, from student and teacher to even administrative. She's working to design a comprehensive platform of hardtech and software for educators globally.

The idea and technology is being developed out of Born Global Ventures, a Houston venture studio focused on advancing immigrant-founded technology. As founding partner of the organization, Zhang explains some of the unique challenges immigrant founders face on the show — and why Houston is a prime location to foster this kind of community.

"We were motivated to bridge the gap between academia and business to facilitate commercialization process, but especially with the global market in mind," Zhang says. "Houston is the number one diverse city in the United States and the number one city in the US for foreign business."

Zhang, who's also leading the steering committee of Houston Women in VC, a networking group for female investors that meets the second Tuesday of each month, says Houston has momentum going into 2024, a year she says is particularly promising for innovation ecosystems.

"I believe in Houston – I believe in emerging ecosystems in general," she says. "I think this year is going to be the rise of emerging ecosystems.

"It's up to us to tell our story so that we can attract more global wealth and global talent," Zhang continues. "I definitely think Houston is the ideal destination."

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3 Houston innovators who made headlines in May 2025

Innovators to Know

Editor's note: Houston innovators are making waves this month with revolutionary VC funding, big steps towards humanoid robotics, and software that is impacting the agriculture sector. Here are three Houston innovators to know right now.

Zach Ellis, founder and partner of South Loop Ventures

Zach Ellis. Photo via LinkedIn

Zach Ellis Jr., founder and general partner of South Loop Ventures, says the firm wants to address the "billion-dollar blind spot" of inequitable distribution of venture capital to underrepresented founders of color. The Houston-based firm recently closed its debut fund for more than $21 million. Learn more.

Ty Audronis, CEO and founder of Tempest Droneworx

Ty Audronis, CEO and founder of Tempest Droneworx

Ty Audronis, center. Photo via LinkedIn.

Ty Audronis and his company, Tempest Droneworx, made a splash at SXSW Interactive 2025, winning the Best Speed Pitch award at the annual festival. The company is known for it flagship product, Harbinger, a software solution that agnostically gathers data at virtually any scale and presents that data in easy-to-understand visualizations using a video game engine. Audronis says his company won based on its merits and the impact it’s making and will make on the world, beginning with agriculture. Learn more.

Nicolaus Radford, CEO of Persona AI

Nicolaus Radford, founder and CEO of Nauticus RoboticsNicolaus Radford. Image via LinkedIn

Houston-based Persona AI and CEO Nicolaus Radford continue to make steps toward deploying a rugged humanoid robot, and with that comes the expansion of its operations at Houston's Ion. Radford and company will establish a state-of-the-art development center in the prominent corner suite on the first floor of the building, with the expansion slated to begin in June. “We chose the Ion because it’s more than just a building — it’s a thriving innovation ecosystem,” Radford says. Learn more.

Pharmaceutical giant plans $5.9B Houston facility and more news to know

Trending News

Editor's note: It's time to look back at the top Houston innovation news from the second half of May 2025. From exciting VC raises to major manufacturing facilities in the works, here are the most-read InnovationMap stories from May 16-30.

1. Pharmaceutical giant looks to bring $5.9 billion facility to Houston

Eli Lilly is looking to build an active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing facility at Generation Park. Rendering courtesy of McCord

Pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Company is looking to build a $5.9 billion active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing facility in Houston, according to a recent filing with the state of Texas.

The proposal states that the project plans to employ 604 full-time direct employees at the site upon ramp-up completion. Construction is projected to begin in 2026, with a completion target of 2030 and commercial operations beginning in 2031. Continue reading.

2. Houston VC firm closes $21M fund for underrepresented founders

Zach Ellis, founder and general partner of South Loop Ventures, which recently closed its debut fund. Photo via LinkedIn

Houston-based South Loop Ventures recently closed its debut fund for more than $21 million, led by investments from Rice Management Company and Chevron Technology Ventures.

The funds will go toward teams with at least one underrepresented founder of color working in the energy, health, space, sports and fintech sectors. Additional investments came from The Great Commission Foundation of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, Texas CapitalBank and others organizations. Continue reading.

3. Houston-founded startup raises $1.2M and moves headquarters to Detroit

ChurchSpace, founded in Houston by Day Edwards and Emmanuel Brown, is moving to Detroit. Photo courtesy ChurchSpace.

Houston-founded ChurchSpace, known as the Airbnb for churches, has formed an official partnership with the City of Detroit and will relocate its headquarters.

The announcements come as the company successfully closed a $1.2 million oversubscribed funding round. The round was led by California-based Black Ops Ventures, with participation from Michigan Rise and Dug Song of Minor Capital, who is also the founder of the Song Foundation, another Michigan-based organization. Continue reading.

4. Houston aerospace co. soars with first U.S. test flight of hypersonic engine

Venus Aerospace successfully completed the flight test of its hypersonic engine, the first of an American-developed engine of its kind. Photo courtesy Venus Aerospace

Houston-based Venus Aerospace successfully completed the first U.S. flight test of its proprietary engine at a demonstration at Spaceport America in New Mexico.

Venus’ next-generation rotating detonation rocket engine (RDRE) is supported by a $155,908 federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from NASA and aims to enable vehicles to travel four to six times the speed of sound from a conventional runway. The recent flight test was the first of an American-developed engine of its kind. Continue reading.

5. Houston regenerative medicine company expands lab for future trials

FibroBiologics has opened a new 10,000-square-foot Houston lab to scale up research efforts and pave the way for in-house manufacturing. Photo via Fibrobiologics.com

A Houston regenerative medicine company has unveiled new laboratory space with the goal of expanding its pioneering science.

FibroBiologics uses fibroblasts, the body’s most common type of cell, rather than stem cells, to help grow new cells. With its new space, the publicly traded company, which has more than 240 patents issued or pending, will be even better equipped to power forward with its research. Continue reading.

Houston university to launch artificial intelligence major, one of first in nation

BS in AI

Rice University announced this month that it plans to introduce a Bachelor of Science in AI in the fall 2025 semester.

The new degree program will be part of the university's department of computer science in the George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing and is one of only a few like it in the country. It aims to focus on "responsible and interdisciplinary approaches to AI," according to a news release from the university.

“We are in a moment of rapid transformation driven by AI, and Rice is committed to preparing students not just to participate in that future but to shape it responsibly,” Amy Dittmar, the Howard R. Hughes Provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, said in the release. “This new major builds on our strengths in computing and education and is a vital part of our broader vision to lead in ethical AI and deliver real-world solutions across health, sustainability and resilient communities.”

John Greiner, an assistant teaching professor of computer science in Rice's online Master of Computer Science program, will serve as the new program's director. Vicente Ordóñez-Román, an associate professor of computer science, was also instrumental in developing and approving the new major.

Until now, Rice students could study AI through elective courses and an advanced degree. The new bachelor's degree program opens up deeper learning opportunities to undergrads by blending traditional engineering and math requirements with other courses on ethics and philosophy as they relate to AI.

“With the major, we’re really setting out a curriculum that makes sense as a whole,” Greiner said in the release. “We are not simply taking a collection of courses that have been created already and putting a new wrapper around them. We’re actually creating a brand new curriculum. Most of the required courses are brand new courses designed for this major.”

Students in the program will also benefit from resources through Rice’s growing AI ecosystem, like the Ken Kennedy Institute, which focuses on AI solutions and ethical AI. The university also opened its new AI-focused "innovation factory," Rice Nexus, earlier this year.

“We have been building expertise in artificial intelligence,” Ordóñez-Román added in the release. “There are people working here on natural language processing, information retrieval systems for machine learning, more theoretical machine learning, quantum machine learning. We have a lot of expertise in these areas, and I think we’re trying to leverage that strength we’re building.”

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