10+ can't-miss Houston business and innovation events online in December ​

where to be

Register for some of these informative online events happening throughout the month of December. Getty Images

It's the last monthly events roundup for 2020 — and this month, understandably, is a bit slow due to the holidays, but we have a roundup of the must-attend events for December.

From workshops and panels to summits and pitch parties, here are over 10 Houston innovation events you can attend virtually via online meetings. Note: This post will be updated to add more events.

December 1 — National Resilience Town Hall: Year in Review, Year Ahead

The Insurance Information Institute and ResilientH2O Partners, in partnership with the Resilience Accelerator, will hold the final session for 2020 in an ongoing series of thought-leadership among insurance, non-insurance, public sector, and technology senior executives. December's National Townhall will bring five unique perspectives together to discuss lessons-learned from 2020 and predictions for 2021's resilience and risk mitigation "agenda" across residential, commercial, industrial, government operations, infrastructure, facilities, and communities.

The event is on Tuesday, December 1, at 10 am. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

December 1 — Angel Investing 101

Learn about how to make effective angel investment decisions and find out more about the newly launched Chicago Booth Angels Network of Texas. The event's keynote speaker is Ashok Rao, serial entrepreneur and board member of Houston-based GOOSE Capital.

The event is on Tuesday, December 1, from 5 to 6 pm. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

December 1 — The Ion's Industry Day

The goal of the inaugural Industry Day is to introduce and connect minority and women owned businesses (MWBE) with The Ion's Transwestern team. The hour long event is designed to facilitate networking and connect interested businesses with Transwestern, who will run operations for The Ion and catalyze local economic growth. Following the event, interested businesses can set up a walk through of The Ion in mid-December to finalize their bid.

The event is on Tuesday, December 1, from 6 to 7 pm. It's free and can be accessed through Zoom. Click here to register.

December 2 — NASA and Your Small Business: Understanding the NASA Procurement Process

Join The Ion to learn about NASA's commitment to providing access for all categories of small businesses to participate in the procurement process.

The event is on Wednesday, December 2, at noon. It's free and can be accessed through Zoom. Click here to register.

December 3 — Capital Factory's Venture Summit

Capital Factory is calling all investors, accelerator leaders, limited partners, and more to its annual venture summit, which is taking place virtually this year.

The event is on Thursday, December 3, from 9:45 to 2 pm. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

December 3 — Evening of Pediatric Device Innovation

JLABS @ TMC and Southwest National Pediatric Device Innovation Consortium are teaming up for the sixth Annual Evening of Pediatric Device Innovation. The evening of innovation will host top experts from Houston and across the country will discuss their views on the latest in pediatric medical device innovation and updates on bringing a pediatric medical device to market.

The event is on Thursday, December 3, from 3:40 to 5 pm. It's free and can be accessed through Zoom. Click here to register.

December 3 — An Evening With Women in Corporate Innovation

Join General Assembly Houston to hear from inspiring female leaders in corporate innovation who have blazed the path to stand up and stand out. From learnings to failings and their secrets of success, this event is an opportunity to learn from the best — serious wisdom, from seriously cool women, all designed to supercharge you and your organization's success.

The event is on Thursday, December 3, from 5 to 6:30 pm. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

December 7 — Pumps and Pipes 20/20 Vision

The annual Pumps & Pipes event is focused on convergence innovation in the fields of aerospace, energy and medicine: a truly uniquely Houston approach. The day-long summit features an expo and various panels and speakers.

The event is on Monday, December 7, from 8 am to 3 pm. It's free and can be accessed online. Click here to register.

December 8 — The Cannon Q4 Pitch Party: Presented by Dell Technologies

Join The Cannon and Dell Technologies in hearing from new companies working in Digital Transformation Tech.

The event is on Tuesday, December 8, at 5:30 pm. It's free and can be accessed via Zoom. Click here to register.

December 8 — How to Start a Startup with Heath Butler of Mercury Fund

The Ion is hosting a startup 101 workshop with Heath Butler from Mercury Fund. You have an idea...now what? Before you start looking for funding, it's important to make sure that your idea is both viable and valuable — if it doesn't have a sound model and a market willing to pay for it, investors won't be interested anyway.

    The event is on Tuesday, December 8, at 5:30 pm. It's free and can be accessed via Zoom. Click here to register.

    December 10 — Greentown Lab's Energy Bar: Wrapping Up an Unprecedented Year

    Join Greentown Labs virtually for the final edition of the EnergyBar networking event for 2020. Greentown Labs is ready to put a wrap on 2020, an unprecedent year for us all. Between the opening of the new community in Houston and a renewed national policy focus on climate action, the organization is looking ahead to 2021. Entrepreneurs, investors, students, and friends of climatetech are invited to attend, meet colleagues, and engage in a community that is focused on climate action at work.

    The event is on Thursday, December 10, from 3:30 to 6:30 pm. It's free and can be access through Remo. Click here to register.

    December 15 — The State of Space

    The Greater Houston Partnership is hosting its first State of Space event featuring NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine as the keynote speaker. Since his appointment as Administrator in April of 2018, Bridenstine has led NASA in advancing American aeronautic, science, and space exploration objectives.

    The event is on Tuesday, December 15, at noon. It's $35 for GHP members and $60 for nonmembers. Click here to register.

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

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

    Where to be online

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

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

    November 5 — Dell Technologies Ask Me Anything

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

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

    November 5-6 — Greentown Labs Climatetech Summit

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

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

    November 10 — Igniting Leadership: The State of COVID Vaccines

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

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

    November 10-12 — Texas Life Sciences Forum

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

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

    November 12 — Plaza Tec: Funding Fundamentals

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

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

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

    November 12 — Women in Tech and Biz

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

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

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

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

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

    November 16-20 — The Houston Innovation Summit

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

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

    November 17 — Struggles and Bubbles: Pivoting during a Pandemic

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

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

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

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

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

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

    November 20 — The Listies

    Let's toast to the entrepreneurial spirit of Houston in a time when celebrating victories is more important than ever. Introducing the Listies, brought to you Houston Exponential and InnovationMap, commemorating the launch of HTX TechList, Houston's innovation discovery platform.

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

    SpaceCom is taking place online this year for free. Here's what you need to sign up for. Photo courtesy of SpaceCom

    10 can't-miss events from Houston-based SpaceCom's virtual conference

    where to be online

    Today marks the first day in SpaceCom's two-week online conference featuring space entrepreneurs, NASA executives, government experts, and more.

    Usually a must-attend event hosted at George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston, SpaceCom is free and virtual this year. Register to attend and check out this curated list of 10 can't-miss discussions.

    Click here for the full schedule. (All times have been updated to reflect CDT times)

    Tuesday, October 20 — General Session: Whole of Government

    Greg Autry, director at SoCal Commercial Spaceflight Initiative, will moderate a discussion with Kevin O'Connell, director at the Office of Space Commerce Department of Commerce, and Scott Pace, executive secretary at the National Space Council. The panel will discuss how they will work together on policies and actions they need to take to enable the trillion-dollar space economy.

    This virtual panel takes place online on Tuesday, October 20, from 10 to 10:45 am. Learn more.

    Tuesday, October 20 — Carbon Footprint and Emissions Monitoring

    Satellite data can give governments and industry the ability to monitor and reduce the carbon footprint. In this panel, experts will discuss the companies that operate and use satellite data to monitor, manage and profit from satellites that monitor the planet's carbon footprint.

    • Lou Zacharilla, director of Innovation Space & Satellite Professionals International (moderator)
    • Sebastien Biraud, staff scientist and Climate Sciences Department Head at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
    • Steve Hamburg, chief scientist at the Environmental Defense Fund
    • Yotam Ariel, CEO of Bluefield Technologies
    This virtual panel takes place online on Tuesday, October 20, from 12 to 12:45 pm. Learn more.

    Thursday, October 22 — Keynote: Industry Applications

    This general session features how Amazon Web Services helps terrestrial industries take advantage of space enabled services already in place at competitive pricing. Speaker Clint Crosier from Amazon Web Services and moderator Douglas Terrier, chief technology officer at NASA.

    This virtual panel takes place online on Thursday, October 22, from 10 to 10:45 am. Learn more.

    Monday, October 26 — Keynote: International Space Station

    The new head of NASA's International Space Station program, Joel Montalbano, who is based in Houston's Johnson Space Center, provides a status of and exciting new industry applications for the ISS as well as insight into the future of ISS.

    This virtual panel takes place online on Monday, October 26, from 10 to 10:45 am. Learn more.

    Monday, October 26 — NASA Session: Transferring NASA Technology

    NASA's treasure trove of technology is available to American industry and entrepreneurs to apply in profitable ways. In this session, NASA technology transfer leaders — Daniel Lockney, Kimberly Minafra, and Krista Jensen — will discuss the many ways the private sector can tap into the accumulated knowledge NASA has to share.

    This virtual panel takes place online on Monday, October 26, from 11 to 11:45 am. Learn more.

    Tuesday, October 27 — Space Tourism: The Excitement and Expectations

    A panel of industry experts will discuss the space tourism industry, taking a deep dive into what the future holds, constraints for the industry's ability to address the market for many years to come and how some of these projects will be executed from a business, technology and execution perspective.

    • Amir Blachman, chief business officer of Houston-based Axiom Space
    • Jane Poynter, founder and co-CEO of Space Perspective
    • Sudhir Pai, CEO of Autonomous Energy Ventures
    • Richard Garriott, private astronaut (moderator)

    This virtual panel takes place online on Tuesday, October 27, from 11 to 11:45 am. Learn more.

    Tuesday, October 27 — Spaceports as the Innovation Hub for Regions

    Spaceports around the world can, and in many cases are, serving as regional innovation centers for high tech activities and creating positive economic development opportunities. Speakers Cherie Matthew, project manager at Corgan, and Pam Underwood, director at the FAA Office of Spaceports, review what the future looks like for spaceports and what funding will be necessary with moderator George Nield, president of Commercial Space Technologies LLC.

    This virtual panel takes place online on Tuesday, October 27, from 12 to 12:45 pm. Learn more.

    Wednesday, October 28 — NASA Session: Industries of the Future

    NASA technology is creating the underpinning for new industries of the future. NASA's work has already changed the world with advances in telecom and microprocessors. More is yet to come. This panel led by Douglas Terrier, NASA chief technologist will explore the industries on the horizon that will stem from NASA innovation.

    This virtual panel takes place online on Wednesday, October 28, from 11 to 11:45 am. Learn more.

    Thursday, October 29 — Keynote: Women of Space

    NASA's head of human exploration, Kathy Lueders, based in Houston's Johnson Space Center, discusses the crucial role that women have, are, and will continue to provide in getting America back to the Moon, as well as in creating the trillion-dollar commercial space economy with moderator Vanessa Wyche, deputy director at JSC.

    This virtual panel takes place online on Thursday, October 29, from 10 to 10:45 am. Learn more.

    Thursday, October 29 — Zoom to the Moon

    An international panel discussion with Orion Program Managers about progress toward launching NASA's first human-rated spacecraft to travel around the Moon since 1972.

    • Catherine Koerner, NASA Orion Program Manager NASA at JSC
    • Didier Radola, head of ORION ESM Programme Airbus
    • Nico Dettman, Lunar Exploration Group Leader for Lunar Exploration Development Projects European Space Agency
    • Tony Antonelli, Artemis II mission director Lockheed Martin

    This virtual panel takes place online on Thursday, October 29, from 12 to 12:45 pm. Learn more.

    The beloved festival, like so many others, is going virtual this year. Photo courtesy of Bayou City Arts Festival

    Nonprofit arts event in Houston pivots to virtual experience

    the show must go on

    As summer rolls on and Houston adapts to the new normal of the COVID-19 pandemic, myriad arts organizations are pivoting, morphing their in-person events into virtual experiences.

    One such event is the 49-year-old, annual Bayou City Arts Festival, which has just announced that it has reimagined its outdoor event originally scheduled for October 10-11 this year. Due to the cancelation of the event because of coronavirus concerns, all 2020 festival tickets will be honored at Bayou City Art Festival events in 2021, according to organizers.

    In place of an in-person festival in 2020, a Bayou City Art Virtual Experience will take place the week of October 5-11. The event will feature an art auction, virtual performances, art projects for kids with Bayou City Art Festival nonprofit partners, creative activities with Bayou City Art Festival sponsors and more, according to a press release.

    "The decision to convert our Bayou City Art Festival Downtown to a virtual experience was difficult, but the health and safety of our community and our festival family is our top priority," says Kelly Batterson, executive director of the Art Colony Association.

    Organizers have also announced that a fundraising campaign dubbed Save Our Art - One Passion. One Purpose. One Community, in partnership with the City of Houston to support the arts and the festival's local nonprofit partners.

    Interested parties can donate by sending a text SaveOurArt to 243725, donating via our website and Facebook page, or by participating in the many upcoming fundraising events.

    Festival fans can stay up to date via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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    This article originally appeared on CultureMap.

    Help out your fellow Houstonian on this Day of Action on Friday, June 26. Getty Images

    Houstonians can help their community amid COVID-19 on a virtual 'day of action'

    online only

    The renewed spread of COVID-19 and its adverse effects on individuals and communities has sparked a desire in many to give back. But just how to do so has been confounding in this era of social distancing.

    To the rescue comes the United Way of Greater Houston, which is hosting a virtual "Day of Action" volunteer event to support those in need. Those who participate in the Friday, June 26, event can complete volunteer projects from the comfort of their home at little to no cost, according to a press release.

    All participants will receive a project guide prior to the event with details for each project and can join a kickoff webinar on the morning of June 26.

    Volunteer projects fall into the following categories:

    Disaster response
    Notes of encouragement for essential workers; hurricane preparedness kits; and care cards for seniors or families living in shelters.

    Basic needs
    Assembly of breakfast bags for homebound senior citizens or snack packs for students who rely on school resources for meals; activity kits to keep seniors engaged and busy while remaining isolated due to COVID-19.

    Summer learning
    Assembly of family game kits and summer activity kits to keep families and children beat boredom and stay mentally engaged during time off from school; donation of books and design of a printable bookmark for each donated book.

    To view available projects and register, visit the Day of Action site.

    When the projects are completed, participants are asked to deliver the finished item to a suggested nonprofit organization in their community by July 3.

    "Now more than ever, families and individuals in our region need support as they face the unknown due to COVID-19," said Emily Faron, manager at United Way of Greater Houston, in a statement. "The Day of Action is a great way to not only give back to those in need, but understand what United way does year-round to support our community's most vulnerable."

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    This article originally ran on CultureMap.

    Preventing paper business card waste and hand-to-hand contact, Ncrowd has created a tool to maintain connecting in an evolving networking space. Photo courtesy of Ncrowd

    This Houston startup is revolutionizing event networking

    going digital

    A Houston-based startup is launching this month in order to up the ante for networking at events — whether they are in-person or virtual.

    NCrowd allows its users to avoid the hassle and awkwardness in-person networking and takes connecting into the virtual space. The app, available through the App Store and Google Play, is the only networking platform that uses an interactive RSVP list for users to market themselves and network before an event.

    "Professional networking has been done the same way for over 60 years," says CEO and co-founder Roland Martinez. "Young professionals do not approach networking as someone did decades ago."

    NCrowd users can create their own profile and their very own digital business card that allows for users to enter virtual networking lounges to view attendees that have RSVP'ed to events. The events are easy to find in the app, allowing users to pick and choose what event they would be interested in, exchange digital business cards, view other attendees' profiles, including their social media handles.

    "The app is user friendly and helps professionals see who is attending the event before the event happens," says Martinez. "This is pretty valuable for those aiming to make a great first impression."

    The platform is especially useful during the COVID pandemic where in-person events are being taken into virtual spaces.

    The networking platform makes it easy to stay connected online and all in one app. The digital business cards are archived on the platform providing a digital footprint and allowing users to call, chat, and email other professionals and create connections.

    "COVID-19 has changed the way people interact forever," says Martinez. "Networking will be forever changed because now we know it isn't essential to meet face-to-face. NCrowd optimizes virtual events with our platform that allows professionals to connect in an online environment."

    NCrowd allows users to connect while keeping social distancing measures that reduce the risk of infection by reducing the need to meet in large gatherings. That's not the only positive side effect, Martinez says that reducing paper waste was a huge motivator during NCrowd's development phase.

    "About 10 billion paper cards are printed each year and the vast majority end up getting lost or thrown away a few days later," says Martinez. "It makes a lot more sense to go digital and reduce paper waste to help the planet."

    Now that NCrowd has completed its year of beta testing, according to Martinez, he is excited to launch and grow their business. They will test out their platform later this month with a company that will be using telecommunication software and their app to make networking virtually easier.

    Ncrowd's co-founders are Craig Sico, Roland Martinez, Larry Olivarez, and Priscilla Olivarez. Photo courtesy of Ncrowd

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    Key energy leaders to converge in Houston for CERAWeek 2026

    where to be

    CERAWeek returns this month, March 23-27, and will once again bring leading energy executives and government officials to Houston.

    The 44th annual event will again host U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum.

    Wright will participate in a plenary session focused on energy policy with Daniel Yergin, conference chair and vice chairman of S&P Global, on March 23. The following day, he will be featured in the Celebrating 10 Years of U.S. LNG reception with Jack Fusso, president and CEO, of Cheniere Energy. Both events are part of the Executive Conference track.

    Burgum will participate in a leadership dialogue plenary session with Yergin on March 25. It is also part of the Executive Conference track. Burgum is also chairman of the National Energy Dominance Council, established by President Trump in 2025.

    Top energy executives, many of whom are based in Houston, will also be featured prominently at the week-long event. Other speakers include:

    • Bill Blevins, director of grid coordination for the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT)
    • Trevor Best, CEO of Syzygy Plasmonics
    • Marie Contour Carrere, executive director of the Rice Sustainability Institute
    • Ryan DuChanois, co-founder and CEO of Solidec
    • Reginald DesRoches, president of Rice University
    • Georgina Campbell Flatter, CEO of Greentown Labs
    • Jim Fitterling, chair and CEO of Dow Inc.
    • Vicki Hollub, CEO of Occidental Petroleum Corp.
    • Renu Katon, chancellor and president of the University of Houston
    • Ryan Lance, chairman and CEO of ConocoPhillips
    • Olivier Le Peuch, CEO of SLB
    • Patrick Pouyanné, chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies SE
    • Adrian Tromel, chief innovation officer and interim VP for Innovation at Rice University
    • Bobby Tudor, founder and CEO of Artemis Energy Partners and chairman of HETI
    • Wael Sawan, CEO of Shell plc
    • Lorenzo Simonelli, chairman and CEO of Baker Hughes Co.
    • Mike Wirth, chairman and CEO of Chevron Corp.
    • Jeremy Pitts, managing director of Activate Houston
    • And many others

    This year, CERAWeek will center around the theme of Convergence and Competition: Energy, Technology and Geopolitics.

    "Change is inescapable," Yergin said in a news release. "The global energy landscape—and to a large extent the entire global economy—is being fundamentally reshaped by the dual forces of convergence and competition. The race for AI is fusing the energy and technology industries like never before, bringing into sharp relief the need to align energy expansion with sustainable economic growth."

    "Yet, the potential for collaboration and innovation is increasingly matched by the risk for collision and conflict in a world marked by geopolitical rivalry, tariffs and fragmented supply chains," he continued. "Reconciling an increasingly complex world with the growing demand for energy that is stable, secure and affordable is a complex reality that CERAWeek 2026 will tackle when global energy leaders meet in Houston."

    Key topics of discussion will include:

    • Politics, Economics, Trade and Supply Chains
    • Policy, Regulations and Stakeholders
    • Oil Value Chain
    • Power, Renewables, Generation and Grid
    • AI and Digital
    • Minerals and Mining
    • Electrification Technologies
    • Investment and Financing
    • Chemicals and Materials
    • Business Strategies
    • The Innovation Ecosystem
    • Managing Emissions
    • Low-Carbon Fuels and Mobility
    • Climate and Sustainability
    • Workforce Strategy

    The CERAWeek Innovation Agora track, which is the program's deeper dive into technology and innovation, will feature thought leadership on "AI, decarbonization, low carbon fuels, cybersecurity, hydrogen, nuclear, mining and minerals, mobility, automation and more," according to the release.

    Agora Hubs will return this year and be divided into three zones: new energies, carbon and climate, and AI. The hubs will feature amphitheater-style sessions and panels. Agora Pods will allow energy startups to showcase their ideas in 20- to 30-minute presentations.

    Additionally, CERAWeek will introduce a new program this year on Friday, March 27. Known as Look Forward, it will focus on economics, politics and technology.

    See the full agenda for the week here. Find more information and register for the event here.

    ---

    This article originally appeared on our sister site, EnergyCapitalHTX.com.

    Texas ranks as the No. 13 most innovative state in 2026 study

    innovative states

    During a SXSW reception March 12 at the Governor’s Mansion in Austin, Gov. Greg Abbott hailed Texas as the No. 1 state for innovation. Personal finance website WalletHub doesn’t see it that way, though.

    A new study from WalletHub assigns Texas a No. 13 ranking for innovation among the states and the District of Columbia. D.C. comes out on top, followed by Massachusetts, California, Colorado and Washington. Mississippi appears at the bottom of the list.

    Texas earns an innovation score of 49.56, compared with 69.13 for top-ranked D.C. In two broad categories, Texas ranks 12th for human capital and 13th for innovation environment.

    To identify the top places for innovation, WalletHub evaluated the 50 states and D.C. by reviewing 25 key indicators of innovation friendliness. The indicators include:

    • Share of STEM professionals.
    • Forecast for Share of STEM professionals
    • Forecast for STEM jobs
    • Eighth-grade math and science performance
    • Concentration of tech companies
    • R&D spending per capita
    • Share of science and engineering graduates age 25 and over
    • Average internet speed
    • Venture capital funding per capita

    “The most innovative states are especially attractive to people who have majored in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, as they offer abundant career opportunities and investment dollars, both for jobs at existing companies and for startups,” WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said in the report.

    “These states also instill young students with the skills they need to succeed in the current workforce, skills which are useful whether or not they pursue a STEM career,” he added.

    Texas zeroes in on semiconductor industry

    On the innovation front, Abbott and other state leaders have focused intently on growing the state’s semiconductor industry, which generates roughly $30 billion to $60 billion in economic activity per year. Texas ranks among the top states for semiconductor manufacturing, with major operations in North Texas and Central Texas.

    To bolster the industry, Abbott signed the Texas CHIPS Act into law in 2023. The law established the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund, which issues grants for semiconductor research, design and manufacturing, and the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Consortium, which advises the governor and state legislators on matters related to the semiconductor sector.

    Among the consortium’s appointed representatives are:

    • Joe Elabd, vice chancellor for research at the Texas A&M University System
    • David Staack, deputy vice chancellor for research at the Texas A&M University System
    • Ramanan Krishnamoorti, vice president for energy and innovation at the University of Houston
    • Magesh Rajan, vice president for research and innovation at Prairie View A&M University

    Semiconductor companies with a presence in the Houston area include chip manufacturer NVIDIA, which is building an AI supercomputer factory in Houston; Labtopia, a tech staffing firm that does business in the semiconductor sector; Microchip USA, a distributor of semiconductors and other electronic components that opened an office in Kingwood last year; and Infineon Technologies, which designs, develops, and manufactures semiconductors.

    The Greater Houston Partnership touts the Houston area’s track record as an innovation hub.

    “As a home to world-changing innovations and a talented labor pool, Houston has been an attractive region for innovation and startups across all key industries for years,” the partnership says, “and as a major player as a center of activity for the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs.”

    Houston fuels energy innovation

    As for energy innovation in the Houston area, Abbott last month announced a 455-megawatt, $617 million natural gas plant that Houston-based NRG Energy is building at its Greens Bayou facility in north Harris County is now a designated project under the Texas Jobs, Energy, Technology, and Innovation (JETI) program. JETI offers economic incentives for qualifying projects.

    The NRG plant is expected to begin generating power for the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) in 2028.

    Other energy innovators in the Houston area include Chevron, ExxonMobil, Occidental’s 1PointFive subsidiary, Schneider Electric, Shell, AB Energy USA, Fervo Energy, Solugen and Syzygy Plasmonics.

    One promising area for energy innovation in Houston is carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration (CCUS). A new study from the Houston Energy Transition Initiative (HETI) and Deloitte Consulting says the Houston area is positioned to take a leading role in the development of CCUS, thanks to the region’s chemical and refining industries, energy infrastructure, energy-heavy workforce and access to global markets.

    “With supportive policy, continued innovation, and strong industry partnerships, we can accelerate [CCUS] deployment, create new low-carbon value chains, and ensure Houston remains at the forefront of the global energy transition,” said Jane Stricker, HETI’s executive director and senior vice president of energy transition.

    Uber rolls out women-only ride preferences to Houston users

    Women Preferences

    Houston women riders and drivers can now be matched to other women on the Uber app. The ride-hailing giant has expanded its pilot program nationwide in response to customer safety concerns.

    “When women riders and drivers told us they wanted more control over how they ride and earn, we listened,” wrote Uber in a blog post announcing the move. “That feedback led to Women Preferences, features designed to give women the choice to ride with other women. Since our first pilots last summer, we’ve heard just how much that choice matters — from feeling more comfortable in the back seat to more confident behind the wheel.”

    According to Uber, passengers can request to be matched with a woman driver by requesting an on-demand ride, scheduling a trip in advance, or setting a preference within the ride app. If wait times are longer than anticipated, the rider can opt to be paired with a driver of any sex.

    Uber says it began offering the rides in 2019, after women in Saudi Arabia gained the right to drive. Since then, it has rolled out the program in Europe, Latin America, Australia, and Africa — although in some countries, only drivers can make the match.

    The move forward on Women Preferences comes despite a pair of lawsuits aimed at Uber and its main competitor, Lyft. According to Time reporting, the plaintiff’s lawyers argue that women-only rides unfairly limit the volume of rides for male drivers and reinforce gender stereotypes about men.

    Lyft rolled out its similar program, Women + Connect, in 2023. The initiative is slightly more expansive than Uber’s preferences, allowing both women and nonbinary people to participate.

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    This article originally appeared on CultureMap.com.

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