These are 6 of the organizations best supporting Houston's innovation community

houston innovation awards

Get to know the Houston Innovation Awards Community Champion Organization finalists. Photo via Getty Images

It takes a village to launch, run, and grow an innovative startup.

And from helping founders gain access to capital to promoting diversity, offering mentorship and hosting pitch events, demo days and more, this year's six Community Champion Organization finalists are part of that village. Learn about each of the finalists and what drives them to support the Houston innovation ecosystem in the interviews below.

Click here to secure your tickets to the Houston Innovation Awards this Thursday, November 14, where we will announce the winner.

Energy Tech Nexus

Describe your company's work within the Houston innovation ecosystem.

Energy Tech Nexus is a new global energy and carbon tech hub focusing on hard tech solutions that started January 1, 2024, when Jason Ethier and Juliana Garaizar left Greentown Labs to create a Houston-headquartered climate hub serving as a global landing pad for energy and carbon tech stakeholders. Since then, 90 entrepreneurs have joined, of which 70 percent are underrepresented and 20 are international. Our ETN Grand Opening on September 10 showcased 50 of its companies as well as programs from Canada with TechNL, Australia with Austrade, and MassChallenge with 521 attendees total. Energy Tech Nexus provides mentor, accelerator and educational programs for entrepreneurs and underserved communities, partnering with entities like Houston Community College and Econwerx, plus national networks such as VentureWell, the LatinX Startup Alliance, and Browning the Green Space and global networks Impact Hub and U.S. Spain Executive Committee (USEC).

Why has your company decided to support the Houston innovation ecosystem?

Energy Tech Nexus was specifically created to support the evolving Houston innovation ecosystem in energy transition with a more Houston-centric and inclusive approach regarding the oil and gas industry. ETN's hands-on approach is very data-driven and results-oriented with a customized approach for every entrepreneur, depending on the stage of their startup/scaleup. ETN also extensively uses peer learning from key expert entrepreneurs or Fellow members who are in charge of creating events and animating the ecosystem.

Describe your company's impact on the Houston innovation ecosystem.

Since ETN's inception, its members have secured over $200 million in funding, given pilot demonstrations, and five grants. ETN has also become a landing pad for international companies from Latin America, Canada, Europe, Israel and Australia and will soon be expanding in Chile and Spain. Even before its soft-opening at the old EDPR offices at the Esperson Building downtown, ETN had already onboarded 30 members and organized a mission with 18 of them to Spain for the Energy Tech Summit, fully sponsored by the Basque Government, where they all met with the key Spanish players in the global energy transition. ETN was also granted an SBA Growth Accelerator Fund Competition Stage 1 award with ImpactHub Houston to develop the Houston Equitable Energy Transition Alliance that successfully launched on July 1 and had its Pilothon Pitch event during ETN's Grand Opening.

Who is the person/people leading your company's innovation team?

Jason Ethier has been leading ETN's innovation team with very novel approaches in data management and insights generation.

Greentown Labs Houston

Describe your company's work within the Houston innovation ecosystem.

Greentown Labs Houston opened on Earth Day 2021 as the city's first-ever climatetech startup incubator. With 30 members from the onset and anchoring supporters from the community, such as Greater Houston Partnership and 17 strategic corporations as founding partners—including Shell, Engie and Chevron—we've played a key convener for the energy transition and climatetech community ever since. Now, with three years of deep community engagement in the Houston area and many more partners and startups supported through local Greentown Houston programming, we've proudly supported more than 160 startups at Greentown Houston and have welcomed 22 new startups in 2024 alone. We recently played a key, anchor role in the city's first-ever Houston Energy and Climate Startup Week. We can't wait to see how the week-long event series will grow next year.

Why has your company decided to support the Houston innovation ecosystem?

Greentown Labs opened its second location in Houston because we believe it is the best place to broaden our impact and help accelerate the energy transition through climatetech entrepreneurship in partnership with the nation’s fourth largest city and the world-leading energy organizations headquartered there. We want to be an on-the-ground catalyst for the energy transition in Houston—for the entrepreneurs and innovators, organizations and communities that have already begun the transition and to spark new change for those who have yet to engage. Greentown Labs believes we can not solve climate change from the coasts—it’s critical to engage the talent and energy of all other major ecosystems around the country, especially in the middle of the country. We need all hands on deck at this time. We aim for Greentown Houston to be a place for convening climatetech startups, investors, corporate partners, partners, students and other stakeholders working in climatetech and energy transition innovation in Houston.

Describe your company's impact on the Houston innovation ecosystem.

Most recently, Greentown Houston was proud to serve as an anchoring partner on the first-ever Houston Energy and Climate Startup Week alongside Halliburton Labs and Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship. But on an ongoing basis, Greentown Houston serves as a convener of the ecosystem—regularly hosting events. Our Transition on Tap networking event has become a regular event on many innovators' calendars. We run the Houston Ion District Investor Activation Program in partnership with the Ion to bring more early-stage investors in the Houston region into the climatetech ecosystem. We've successfully run two years of our ACCEL accelerator program, which supports underrepresented founders developing climatetech solutions—many of the participants are Houston-based startups. We regularly publish a Pilot Digest, which highlights our startup member companies that are actively seeking pilot partners in Houston and beyond. And we regularly host fundraising training sessions for our startups.

Who is the person/people leading your company's innovation team?

Timmeko Moore Love leads Greentown Houston as Greentown Labs’ first Houston general manager and senior vice president. She previously served as the first Black woman in the Fortune 500 to lead a venture capital program and ... brings deep industry and venture expertise.

Houston Angel Network

Describe your company's work within the Houston innovation ecosystem.

For over two decades, HAN has supported the innovation ecosystem of Houston with capital, connections, and counsel for startups and founders. Through our events and active involvement in early-stage incubators, accelerators, and mentoring programs, we educate Houstonians about the role that early-stage capital plays in fueling innovation. We also give accredited investors access to startup deals in which they can invest, both locally and nationally.

Why has your company decided to support the Houston innovation ecosystem?

Following in the footsteps of one of our founders, Paul Frison, HAN members love innovation and want to support it. Some HAN members are entrepreneurs with successful exits, whereas others are intrapreneurs who helped bring innovation to Fortune 500 companies. We have a shared passion for “the future,” and as investors believe we can use a portion of our capital to support meaningful change.

Describe your company's impact on the Houston innovation ecosystem.

HAN is one of the best sources for startup capital in Houston, with a diverse group of 100 members across many specialties. We hold monthly pitch meetings, quarterly educational socials, and other events where founders and funders can connect. HAN was the launch pad for some of the most talented investors in Houston. The learning and connections made at HAN (both by members and staff) led to the funding and/or founding of Mercury Fund, Artemis Fund, Texas HALO Fund, GOOSE Capital, and others. This year, HAN launched a strategic relationship with the University of Houston so that more UH alumni can become early-stage investors, mentors, and advisors. HAN also hosts educational events that are open to the public, including Aerospace Investing, Energy Investing, Women on Boards and multiple Angel 101 programs. HAN actively collaborates with other angel groups in Texas to help get more deals funded in Texas. In addition to investing, many HAN members have become advisors, board members, and CEOs of early-stage companies, both in Houston and beyond.

Who is the person/people leading your company's innovation team?

Our leadership team includes Eric Schneider, Eric Alfuth, Mitra Miller, and Rezwan Mirza as officers, and Samia Ahsan as managing director.

Impact Hub Houston

Describe your company's work within the Houston innovation ecosystem.

We provide a platform for collaboration, networking, and knowledge sharing. This community-centric approach fosters a supportive environment where ideas can flourish and partnerships can thrive. We are dedicated to supporting early-stage ventures at various stages of development. Our programs cater to entrepreneurs from ideation to scaling stages, equipping them with the resources, mentorship and networks needed to succeed. Impact Hub Houston designs and implements innovative programs that address pressing societal issues. From tackling healthcare disparities to promoting sustainable practices, our programs aim to create positive social change through entrepreneurship and innovation. These initiatives not only drive economic growth but also enhance the quality of life for Houstonians. Impact Hub Houston also serves as a catalyst for advocacy and thought leadership in the innovation space. We advocate for policies that support entrepreneurship and social impact, amplifying the voices of our community members on critical issues. Our thought leadership initiatives, including editorial content and public engagements, contribute to shaping the future of innovation in Houston and beyond.

Why has your company decided to support the Houston innovation ecosystem?

Impact Hub Houston's decision to support the Houston innovation ecosystem is deeply rooted in our mission to empower and connect change-makers, entrepreneurs and social innovators who are committed to solving the most pressing challenges facing our communities. Houston, as one of the most diverse and rapidly growing cities in the U.S., provides a fertile ground for innovation across multiple sectors, and we believe that an inclusive, collaborative ecosystem is key to unlocking its full potential. Our commitment stems from several core reasons, including but not limited to:

  1. Leveraging Houston’s diversity for innovation: We see this diversity as an asset to the innovation ecosystem, fostering creativity and inclusive problem-solving. Impact Hub Houston’s work centers around ensuring that innovators from all backgrounds, especially those from historically underrepresented communities, have the resources, support, and connections they need to thrive.
  2. Addressing Local and Global Challenges: Houston is a city of significant opportunity but also faces challenges in areas like health care, climate resilience, social justice, and education. We believe that the innovation ecosystem here has the potential to develop solutions that not only address local challenges but also have global implications.
  3. Closing the Gaps in Access and Opportunity: Despite its opportunities, Houston’s innovation ecosystem still reflects gaps in access to capital, mentorship, and resources, particularly for entrepreneurs of color, women, and other marginalized groups. Impact Hub Houston exists to level the playing field and provide equitable access to the innovation pipeline.

Describe your company's impact on the Houston innovation ecosystem.

We mobilize problem solvers to use their knowledge, skills and technology to address community challenges, demonstrating our commitment to local impact while also providing a global reach for Houston innovators. Our work extends to supporting underrepresented communities, and we work with public and private stakeholders to promote sustainable business practices that prioritize economic development, environmental stewardship and social equity.

Who is the person/people leading your company's innovation team?

Grace Rodriguez, CEO and executive director of Impact Hub Houston, leads a team that consists of Deputy Director and Co-founder of Impact Hub Houston Michelle Avalos and Community Catalyst Akeel Bernard.

Microsoft

Describe your company's work within the Houston innovation ecosystem.

Microsoft's day-to-day work is innovation, so it is only natural that we want to support the local innovation ecosystem in the cities where we operate. Our work in fostering innovation begins in middle school and continues to entrepreneurship and corporate innovation. We focus heavily on innovation in underserved communities and support for underrepresented founders. And we also have been working hard to bolster the climate tech and sustainability sectors in Houston.

Why has your company decided to support the Houston innovation ecosystem?

Our presence in Houston empowers us to better serve our customers, give employees the choice of staying close to personal networks and family, establish strong civic engagement programs that are aligned with Microsoft’s core values and more. Houston is a vibrant city where many of our consumer and business customers live and conduct business. Having a finger on the pulse of innovation where they are helping us support their needs. The Ion and the collaborative work environment we aim to foster will help us build deeper ties with Houston and the university systems, as well as others driving transformational initiatives locally. Furthermore, Houston has also been described as the most racially and ethnically diverse major metropolis in the U.S. All this makes Houston the perfect place to find and develop talent for Microsoft in a place where we can be close to our customers. The Ion itself is focused on tapping into this diversity, which is one of the reasons we chose to locate there.

Describe your company's impact on the Houston innovation ecosystem.

Microsoft is a Terrawatt sponsor of Greentown Labs and we have a separate sponsorship for the Accel program for BIPOC founders. We are a sponsor of the Ion and Rice Alliance. We also sponsor local innovation events like Climate Tech Startup Week, Tech Fest Live, and AfroTech. We seek to promote and empower founders. As an example, we invited 9 startups with underrepresented founders or CEOs to join us for CERAWeek and present in our Agora House. These founders made incredible connections throughout the week. We bring our employees into all of the programs we sponsor. Whether it is office hours for founders, one-on-one mentoring, or making industry connections, our people are helping. We take this all the way back to school, where we support organizations like SuperGirls Shine Foundation and Prairie View A&M. We also have Minority Student Day at the Ion, a summer program for students, and more. Microsoft also hosts or is involved in hundreds of local events. It's impossible to list them all, but our people are involved and doing their best to grow the ecosystem.

Who is the person/people leading your company's innovation team?

Rob Schapiro leads the office and he and his team work closely with our local Employee Resource Groups, our venture teams, and Microsoft for Startups. Amy Mueller Reynolds is our business manager who leads a lot of this work. Success has come from having a clear mission and focusing on a few programs where we could make an impact.

University of Houston Technology Bridge

Describe your company's work within the Houston innovation ecosystem.

The University of Houston has made significant strides in supporting and nurturing the startup ecosystem, both within the university and across the broader Houston region. Its efforts are designed to foster entrepreneurship, innovation and commercialization of new technologies, with a particular focus on leveraging its research capabilities and diverse student body. The Tech Bridge is a major hub for startup support and innovation. This 70-acre research park, located near the university campus, is designed to be a collaborative space for researchers, entrepreneurs and industry leaders. The Tech Bridge offers incubation and acceleration programs, commercialization support and industry collaboration.

Why has your company decided to support the Houston innovation ecosystem?

UH has made a strategic decision to support innovation and entrepreneurship for several key reasons that align with its mission to serve its students, the Houston community, and society at large. The primary motivations include but are not limited to:

  1. Economic Impact and Regional Growth: By supporting innovation and entrepreneurship, UH contributes to the city’s economic diversification and growth. Promoting startups and new ventures helps drive job creation, attracts investment, and strengthens Houston’s position as a center for innovation.
  2. Aligning with Houston’s Transition to a Knowledge Economy: As the global economy shifts towards knowledge-based industries, cities like Houston are diversifying beyond traditional sectors like oil and gas. UH recognizes that fostering innovation and entrepreneurship is critical to Houston's economic transition. UH plays a crucial role in helping the city remain competitive in emerging industries.
  3. Leveraging Research and Commercialization: UH is a research-intensive institution, with significant investments in areas like energy, healthcare, advanced materials, and data science. Supporting innovation and entrepreneurship enables the university to translate its cutting-edge research into real-world applications.

Describe your company's impact on the Houston innovation ecosystem.

The UH Technology Bridge has had a profound impact on Houston's innovation ecosystem by providing a dynamic environment where startups, researchers, and industry can collaborate, grow, and bring new technologies to market. The UH Technology Bridge hosts incubator and accelerator programs designed to help early-stage startups and research-based companies commercialize their innovations. These programs provide access to office and lab spaces, investment opportunities, networking and pilot and testing opportunities, commercialization support, collaborations and partnerships. Energy startups can collaborate with the university's energy research institutes, test prototypes, and pilot new technologies in UH’s specialized labs. The Technology Bridge’s proximity to the Texas Medical Center provides biotech and health tech startups with opportunities to develop, prototype, and pilot medical devices, diagnostics, and healthcare software.

Who is the person/people leading your company's innovation team?

Ramanan Krishnamoorti has successfully advanced UH innovation by providing a strategic vision, expanding key programs like the UH Technology Bridge, and fostering strong industry partnerships. Tanu Chatterji has been successful in leading the UH Technology Bridge through her strategic vision and leadership in fostering innovation and collaboration.

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Six members of the UH community participated in the inaugural Innov8 Hub's Innovators to Founders Cohort. Photo via UH.edu

University of Houston wraps up first cohort of program to turn innovators into entrepreneurs

fresh founders

A new accelerator at the University of Houston recently wrapped its first program for a cohort of five early-stage startups.

Known as the Innov8 Hub's Innovators to Founders Cohort, the accelerator is a founder-driven program in partnership with the UH Technology Bridge, the Innovation Center, and the Texas Gulf Coast Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Innov8 is designed to aid six to eight aspiring entrepreneurs bring their concepts to market and assist them in applying for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants.

Founders recently showcased their work before potential partners and investors at the hub's first-ever Startup Pitch Day following the conclusion of the 12-week program.

“The goal of the programs is for the founders to launch new ventures and develop business plans they can use to raise money and attract C-suite level employees to join their team,” Tanu Chatterji, associate director of startup development at Tech Bridge and co-founder of Innov8 Hub, said in a statement. “These programs aren’t classroom-teacher driven so the founders have to commit to engage and spend the time necessary to reap the benefits.”

The Innovators to Founders Cohort runs for three months each semester. Cohort members will devote three hours each week to the program. Photo via UH.edu

The inaugural cohort included:

Shoujun Xu, UForce Biotechnology: Xu is a chemistry professor at UH and has developed a new technique of super-resolution force spectroscopy, or SURFS, and plans to launch his company, UForce Biotechnology, in the future. He aims to use the SURFS technique to advance drug screening. His pitch at the Startup Pitch Day was named the best of the night, and Xu went home with $7,500 in legal services and one year of coworking space free of charge.

Easy Anyama, ODX Health: Anyama is a fourth-year student in the UH College of Optometry. His company, ODX Health, aims to improve "data harmonization, interoperability and integration in eyecare to reduce inefficiencies and enhance health outcomes," according to UH.

Jeremy Tee and Easy Anyama, Ringit: Anyama joined fellow fourth-year student in the UH College of Optometry Jeremy Tee in a second pitch, Ringit. The startup aims to provide a low-cost medication management solution for the visually impaired. It is developing an adaptive labeling system that helps the visually impaired identify their medication and dosages independently via intuitive, "touch-based features," according to UH.

Jan Beetge, AltiSora: Beetge has developed "Botox for wood." The product is made from high- sustainability raw materials that are non-hazardous and non-toxic. Potential applications include waterproofing of electronic equipment or electrical cables or connections in cables, such as cables used in marine applications, according to the company's website.

Jason Shi, Smart Planter Project: Shi is developing a "high-tech planter, a device that autonomously takes care of your plants and keeps them healthy while you’re gone," according to UH. He aims to soon test the product with customers.

The Innovators to Founders Cohort runs for three months each semester. Cohort members will devote three hours each week to the program.

The Innov8 Hub also offers an SBIR/STTR Support Cohort and a WKI Program for Student Entrepreneurial Support Cohort.

Last year, UH also named eight graduate students to its first-ever UH-Chevron Energy Graduate Fellows cohort.
FibroBiologics will IPO this week. Photo via Getty Images

Houston regenerative medicine company to IPO, move toward more human trials

ready to list

Want a piece of one of Houston’s most promising biotech companies? On January 31, FibroBiologics will begin the trading of its common stock on the Nasdaq stock exchange.

While most labs in the realm of regenerative medicine are focused on stem cells, FibroBiologics has bet on fibroblasts as the secret to treating myriad ailments. Fibroblasts, the most common type of cell in the body, are the primary cells that compose connective tissue.

Interested investors can find a prospectus to peruse before taking the leap. FibroBiologics filed with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) on November 7, 2023. In September, FibroBiologics CEO Pete O’Heeron told InnovationMap, “I think what we're going to see is that fibroblasts are going to end up winning... They're just a better overall cell than the stem cells.”

O’Heeron was first exposed to the possibilities of fibroblasts as a means of regrowing discs in the spine. Since starting the company in 2008 as SpinalCyte, O’Heeron and FibroBiologics have organically written and filed more than 320 patents. Potential treatments go far beyond spinal surgery to include wound care, cancer, and multiple sclerosis.

According to O’Heeron, the goal in going public is to raise capital for human trials.

“We’ve had really fantastic results with animals and now we’re ready for humans,” he explained in September. “We've done small human trials, but we haven't done the large ones that are going to get the commercialization approval from the FDA.”

FibroBiologics is growing with impressive speed. O’Heeron told us that he is hiring as quickly as he is able to find qualified scientists with the expertise to do the one-of-a-kind work required. The company opened a new lab last fall at the UH Technology Bridge, Newlin-Linscomb Lab for Cell Therapies. With its new status as a publicly traded company, FibroBiologics is primed to break even more ground.

A new program launched by two UH-based organizations will help early-stage startups commercialize, apply for grants, and more. Photo via UH.edu

University of Houston launches new collaborative program for startups in Houston, Gulf Coast Region

ready to grow

Two University of Houston organizations have partnered up to further support early-stage startups in the Gulf Coast Region.

The university announced this month that its UH Technology Bridge and the UH Texas Gulf Coast Small Business Development Center are now accepting applications for a new, collaborative program that will help innovators and entrepreneurs develop a pitch or commercialization plan. The program will also guide participants in applying for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants and other investments.

Applications are open to those with the university and across the region.

"We are excited to partner with the University of Houston Technology Bridge to provide this valuable support to early-tech startups in the Texas Gulf Coast region," Steven Lawrence, director of the UH Texas Gulf Coast SBDC Network, says in a statement. "Our program is designed to help innovators take their ideas to the next level and prepare for success in the marketplace."

"Our goal is to help innovators turn their ideas into successful businesses, and this partnership will help us achieve that goal," Tanu Chatterji, Associate Director of Startup Development at UH, echoes in the news release.

The UH Texas Gulf Coast SBDC Network is one of 14 SBDCs in the Texas Gulf Coast Region that's part of UH's C.T. Bauer College of Business and funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The centers provide no-cost and affordable business training and advising.

The UH Tech Bridge focuses on providing research and development space to UH-affiliated startups and entrepreneurs. The 15-building complex and its 31,000 square feet of incubator space houses more than 20 small companies and startups that provide internship and learning opportunities for UH students, along with several federally funded research centers and institutes.

Earlier this year, the Tech Bridge received a $2.875 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The grant is slated to benefit the UH Industry & International Innovation Hub and will establish The Deck Innovation & Coworking Center.

Ramanan Krishnamoorti, the vice president of energy and innovation at the University of Houston who oversees the UH Technology Bridge, spoke with the Houston Innovators Podcast earlier this summer about UH's plans to build a central campus hub for innovation and the need to encourage more innovation and entrepreneurship.
Ramanan Krishnamoorti, vice president of energy and innovation at the University of Houston, joins the Houston Innovators Podcast to talk about the university's dedication to helping the city become an innovative force. Photo via UH.edu

University leader calls for shift in culture to advance Houston innovation

HOUSTON INNOVATORS PODCAST EPISODE 187

Ramanan Krishnamoorti has had a varied career in academia, from an engineering professor to nanotech research. While he never made the transition from researcher to entrepreneur, he managed to snag a CEO title at the university about a decade ago: Chief energy officer.

Since then his role has expanded to include advancing UH's innovation of all kinds — from health tech to the arts — as vice president of energy and innovation at UH. In his role, he oversees the UH Technology Bridge, a lab and coworking space for tenants just a short drive away from UH's main campus, as well as future plans, like a new central campus hub for innovation that's in its early stages of development.

"What we really need at the university today is to bring innovation — which tech transfer is a piece of — and connect that to real-world challenges to deliver what the world needs, which is talented folks delivering new innovative, entrepreneurial, or intrapreneurial programs," Krishnamoorti says on this week's episode of the Houston Innovators Podcast.

For Krishnamoorti, so much of what is happening on campus is directly in line with what's happening city wide in Houston. There's a need to encourage more innovation and entrepreneurship, he says, and Houston already has what it takes to do it.

"As a city, we're known to solve problems," he says on the show. "We don't talk about things here, we get stuff done. That's been the calling card for the city."

A priority for Krishnamoorti is making sure that UH has a culture — for students, faculty, and the entire community — that embraces creativity.

"We've got some incredibly innovative staff and faculty, and one of the things we do very well in academia, in spite of everything we talking about, is that we know how to stifle that creativity, especially when it comes to staff and faculty," Krishnamoorti says. "How do we change that culture?"

"Culture is the dominate thing," he continues. "We've got to be systematic about it. If we don't deliver that cultural shift about how we unleash creativity and innovation amongst our student, staff, faculty, and alumni, we're going to fail."

Krishnamoorti shares more about his vision for UH's future as a hotspot for innovation, as well as the challenges the organization faces, on the podcast. Listen to the interview below — or wherever you stream your podcasts — and subscribe for weekly episodes.

A national research institute recently opened a new lab and outpost adjacent to the University of Houston's campus. Photo via UH.edu

New research lab opens in University of Houston's tech transfer facility

seeing green

A national organization has opened a new Houston outpost at a local university campus.

The Electrochemical Safety Research Institute, or ESRI, of UL Research Institutes opened the doors to a new laboratory in Houston in November. The new space was established to further research renewable energy technologies.

“As the world transitions from fossil fuels to sustainable energy, we are working with research teams across several organizations to lay the scientific groundwork for safe and reliable energy storage alternatives,” says Judy Jeevarajan, ESRI’s executive director, in a news release. “Since several of our research partners are based in Houston, the natural progression was to open our own laboratory in the area.”

The lab is housed in the University of Houston Technology Bridge, a startup park next to the university’s main campus. A team of ESRI’s research scientists will have access to explore the safety and performance of renewable energy technologies. Per the release, ESRI already has ongoing projects with UH within hydrogen research, solid-state batteries, and the synthesis of magnesium-ion separators.

“We are significantly expanding both our capacity and scope to better meet today’s increasingly urgent safety challenges,” says Christopher J. Cramer, ULRI’s chief research officer. “Our new Houston facility is one element of that expansion. The lab will strengthen the synergies between ESRI and our research partners in the area and accelerate scientific discoveries to help create a safer, more sustainable world.”

The facility will also act as a homebase for all Houston-area collaborations. Per the release, the new lab "will also facilitate ESRI’s research partnership with Rice University on lithium-ion cell recycling and the research institute’s work with NASA’s Johnson Space Center on thermal runaway mitigation and micro-USB lithium-ion battery safety." The organization also collaborates with Houston-based Stress Engineering Services Inc.

“We’re delighted to welcome the Electrochemical Safety Research Institute to its new home in Houston,” says Chris Taylor, executive director of the Office of Technology Transfer and Innovation at the University of Houston, in the release. “Together, we can build upon our research culture of collaboration as we pursue innovations for the greater good.”

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UH study uncovers sustainable farming methods for hemp production

growth plan

A new University of Houston study of hemp microbes can potentially assist scientists in creating special mixtures of microbes to make hemp plants produce more CBD or have better-quality fibers.

The study, led by Abdul Latif Khan, an assistant professor of biotechnology at the Cullen College of Engineering Technology Division, was published in the journal Scientific Reports from the Nature Publishing Group. The team also included Venkatesh Balan, UH associate professor of biotechnology at the Cullen College of Engineering Technology Division; Aruna Weerasooriya, professor of medicinal plants at Prairie View A&M University; and Ram Ray, professor of agronomy at Prairie View A&M University.

The study examined microbiomes living in and around the roots (rhizosphere) and on the leaves (phyllosphere) of four types of hemp plants. The team at UH compared how these microorganisms differ between hemp grown for fiber and hemp grown for CBD production.

“In hemp, the microbiome is important in terms of optimizing the production of CBD and enhancing the quality of fiber,” Khan said in a news release. “This work explains how different genotypes of hemp harbor microbial communities to live inside and contribute to such processes. We showed how different types of hemp plants have their own special groups of tiny living microbes that help the plants grow and stay healthy.”

The study indicates that hemp cultivation can be improved by better understanding these distinct microbial communities, which impact growth, nutrient absorption, stress resilience, synthesis and more. This could help decrease the need for chemical inputs and allow growers to use more sustainable agricultural practices.

“Understanding these microorganisms can also lead to more sustainable farming methods, using nature to boost plant growth instead of relying heavily on chemicals,” Ahmad, the paper’s first author and doctoral student of Khan’s, said the news release.

Other findings in the study included higher fungal diversity in leaves and stems, higher bacterial diversity in roots and soil, and differing microbiome diversity. According to UH, CBD-rich varieties are currently in high demand for pharmaceutical products, and fiber-rich varieties are used in industrial applications like textiles.

Tom Hanks touches down at Space Center Houston for lunar film premiere

To The Moon

The Artemis Exhibit at Space Center Houston shimmered with star power as nearly 500 insiders gathered for an out-of-this-world affair celebrating the premiere of The Moonwalkers: A Journey with Tom Hanks. The immersive cinematic experience, narrated and co-written by Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks, offers guests a front-row seat to the triumphs of past lunar missions and a look ahead to NASA’s Artemis era.

The VIP reception brought a celestial twist to the traditional cocktail hour. Guests were served shrimp and oysters, along with potato croquettes paired with peach gastrique, a playful nod to the first vegetable grown in space and the first fruit consumed on the Moon. Espresso martinis featuring Hanks’ coffee brand, Hanx, were shaken and served.

Inside the newly renovated Space Center Theater, a 270-degree projection mapping spectacle brought The Moonwalkers to life. The film weaves rare astronaut interviews with behind-the-scenes glimpses into the upcoming Artemis missions.

Following the screening, a panel discussion brought the experience back to Earth. William T. Harris, Space Center Houston president and CEO, moderated a conversation with Tom Hanks, Apollo 16 moonwalker Charlie Duke, and Artemis II astronauts Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Reid Wiseman. Together, they explored the film’s themes and what lies ahead as humanity returns to the Moon.

The Moonwalkers: A Journey with Tom Hanks is now on view at Space Center Houston. The immersive show is included in the general admission price. It runs 50 minutes and showings begin on the half hour, starting at 10:30 am.

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

Houston space org to launch experiments aboard first mission into polar orbit

all aboard

Houston's Translational Research Institute for Space Health, or TRISH, will send its latest experiments into space aboard the Fram2 mission, the first all-civilian human spaceflight mission to launch over the Earth’s polar regions.

Fram2, operated by SpaceX, is targeting to launch Monday, March 31, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew of four is expected to spend several days in polar orbit aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft in low Earth orbit. TRISH’s research projects are among 22 experiments that the crew will conduct onboard.

The crew's findings will add to TRISH's Enhancing eXploration Platforms and ANalog Definition, or EXPAND, program and will be used to help enhance human health and performance during spaceflight missions, including missions to the moon and Mars, according to a release from TRISH.

“The valuable space health data that will be captured during Fram2 will advance our understanding of how humans respond and adapt to the stressors of space,” Jimmy Wu, TRISH deputy director and chief engineer and assistant professor in Baylor’s Center for Space Medicine, said in the release. “Thanks to the continued interest in furthering space health by commercial space crews, each human health research project sent into orbit brings us closer to improving crew member well-being aboard future spaceflight missions.”

The six TRISH projects on Fram2 include:

  • Cognitive and Physiologic Responses in Commercial Space Crew on Short-Duration Missions, led by Dr. Mathias Basner at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. The crew will wear a Garmin smartwatch and a BioIntelliSense BioButton® medical grade device to track cognitive performance, including memory, spatial orientation, and attention before, during, and after the mission.
  • Otolith and Posture Evaluation II, led by Mark Shelhamer at Johns Hopkins University. The experiment will look at how astronauts’ eyes sense and respond to motion before and after spaceflight to better understand motion sickness in space.
  • REM and CAD Radiation Monitoring for Private Astronaut Spaceflight, led by Stuart George at NASA Johnson Space Center. This experiment will test space radiation exposure over the Earth’s north and south poles and how this impacts crew members.
  • Space Omics + BioBank, led by Richard Gibbs and Harsha Doddapaneni at Baylor College of Medicine. The experiment will use Baylor’s Human Genome Sequencing Center's Genomic Evaluation of Space Travel and Research program to gain insights from pre-flight and post-flight samples from astronauts.
  • Standardized research questionnaires, led by TRISH. The test asks a set of standardized research questionnaires for the crew to collect data on their sleep, personality, health history, team dynamics and immune-related symptoms.
  • Sensorimotor adaptation, led by TRISH. The project collects data before and after flight to understand sensorimotor abilities, change and recovery time to inform future missions to the moon.

TRISH, which is part of BCM’s Center for Space Medicine with partners Caltech and MIT, has launched experiments on numerous space missions to date, including Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket last November and Axiom Space's Ax-3 mission to the International Space Station last January.

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