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

WHERE TO BE

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

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

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

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

Feb. 7 – SheSpace Offsite: Coffee & Connection

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

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

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

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

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

Feb. 11 – How to Start a Startup

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

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

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

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

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

Feb. 18 — Female Founders and Friends

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

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

Feb. 20 — Diaspora Africa Conference

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

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

Feb 20–21 — TMC AI Summit 2025

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

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

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

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

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

Feb. 26 — Inaugural HTX AgTech Rodeo Innovation Summit 2025

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

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

Feb. 27 — NASA Tech Talks

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


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

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

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

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


Don't miss these January events — from meetups to scale ups. Photo via Getty Images

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

WHERE TO BE

From networking meetups to tech talks, January is filled with opportunities for Houston innovators. Here's a roundup of events you won't want to miss out on so mark your calendars and register accordingly.

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

January 3 — Cup of Joey Networking

Create a connected culture of coffee shop-open networking across our region. Every Friday morning, you’ll have the opportunity to meet new people and expand your current networks, talk about tech, inspire innovation, and create community.

This event is Friday, January 3, from 8:30 to 10:30 am at the Ion. Click here to register.

January 7 — Discover Your Creative Goldmine: The Millions are in your Micro-Niche

In this high-energy workshop, you’ll learn how identifying and embracing your unique micro-niche can simplify your business and fast-track your success. Through a dynamic mix of strategy and mindset mastery, you’ll leave equipped with actionable insights to transform your brand. Don’t miss this opportunity to align your business for growth and connect with like-minded creatives.

This event is Tuesday, January 7, from 12:30 to 1:30 pm at SheSpace. Click here to register.

January 15 — Angel Investing 101: Introduction to Angel Investing

Join the Urban Capital Network team for an evening of learning, discussion and possibilities as we explore the basics of angel investing and the role it plays in bringing new products and services to market and the impact it has on wealth and job creation. At this event, you’ll learn the key components to successfully navigate the critical-path of investing in private, early-stage companies.

This event is Wednesday, January 15, from 5:30 to 6:30 pm at the Ion. Click here to register.

January 15 — In the Age of the Humanoid Robot

Persona AI cofounder & seasoned roboticist Nicolaus Radford will discuss the promise of embodied AI and the adoption of humanoid robots—two advancements likely to impact every market sector. Humanoids coupled to artificial intelligence are poised to reshape the global work landscape; to learn more, check out the Q&A, and Second Draught happy hour.

This event is Wednesday, January 15, from 5 to 7 pm at the Ion. Click here to register.

January 16 — NAWBO Houston Conference: The Power of Women in Business 2025

This event is your opportunity to connect with influential speakers, successful entrepreneurs, and industry experts who are shaping the future of business. From inspiring keynotes to thought-provoking panels, this conference is designed to provide attendees with actionable insights and strategies to elevate their careers.

This event is Thursday, January 16, from 9 am to 3 pm at Norris Conference Centers - Houston/CityCentre. Click here to register.

January 16 — Houston Methodist Innovation TechHub Event

Join the Houston chapter of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society for a discussion on the Houston Methodist TechHub, innovative ideas, and a tour of the Ion.

This event is Thursday, January 16, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at the Ion. Click here to register.

January 21 — 2025 Female Founders & Friends

This Sesh Coworking event brings together female founders, funders and allies looking for connections with other like-minded go-getters in the Houston community. Connect over coffee with like-minded individuals

This event is Tuesday, January 21, from 9 to 10:30 am at Sesh Coworking. Click here to register.

January 23 — NASA Tech Talks

Discover NASA’s toughest tech challenges–and apply your skills and expertise to solve them.In these presentations, occurring the fourth Thursdays of the month, Mr. Montgomery Goforth and other aerospace subject matter experts will discuss the technology development challenges faced by NASA’s Johnson Space Center and the surrounding Aerospace community in our ongoing efforts as the hub of human spaceflight. Presentations will focus on the ways in which these challenges, and the associated opportunities, can be leveraged by Houston’s innovation community

This event is Thursday, January 23, from 6 to 7 pm at the Ion. Click here to register.

January 28 — Texas Small Business Expo

Texas Small Business Expo is a premier trade show, educational business to business conference, exhibition, and networking event for entrepreneurs, startups and anyone that owns a business, or looking to start their own business. The focus of the conference is targeted on networking, building new business relationships and learning from Industry Experts on how to enhance your business.

This event is Tuesday, January 28, from 4 to 9 pm at the Bell Tower on 34th. Click here to register.

January 30 —TiE Houston's Investing in the Age of AI

For those involved in AI-driven innovation, building new companies, leading established businesses, or exploring investment opportunities in AI, this event is designed for you. Moderated by Sammy Haroon, founder and CEO of AlphaX Decision Sciences, speakers at this event include Major Tony Cucolo, CEO of PCSI, and Yashwanth Hemaraj, general partner at BGV.

This event is Thursday, January 30, from 6 to 9 pm at the Junior League of Houston. Click here to register.

January 31 — Greater Houston Partnership 2025 Meeting

This signature event brings together business and community leaders from across our region to celebrate achievements and set the course for an even brighter future. The Greater Houston Partnership will welcome incoming Board Chair Gretchen Watkins, President, Shell USA, Inc., and honor the contributions of outgoing chair Eric Mullins, as well as present several prestigious awards that highlight the exceptional leadership driving Houston forward.

This event is Friday, January 31, from 11 am to 1:30 pm at Hilton Americas Houston. Click here to register.


Here are four ways to look out for the women at your company. Photo via Getty Images

Houston expert: 4 ways to continue supporting women in the workplace

Guest column

Fresh from the nation celebrating Mother’s Day last weekend weekend, recognizing the valuable role women play in raising their families, it is also an appropriate time to reflect upon the struggles women continue to face in a post-pandemic workplace. Women are juggling remote/hybrid schedules along with schooling dilemmas and a decline in childcare options, expediting burnout and fueling the “Great Resignation,” which continues to be a concern as the number of quits in March reached a record high of 4.5 million.

According to a recent Deloitte report, Women @ Work 2022: A Global Outlook, over 50% of women plan to quit their jobs in the next two years due to burnout. In addition, 53% of women say their stress levels are higher than they were a year ago; 46% say they feel burned out; nearly half rated their mental health as poor or very poor; only 43% feel comfortable talking about mental health challenges in the workplace; and 47% rated work-life balance as poor or extremely poor.

These are alarming statistics, but the challenges are not insurmountable as employers work to attract and retain top talent. Below are four ways savvy leaders can support women and working parents in the workplace.

Promote work-life balance

With many employees feeling burned out and exhausted from an extended period of working longer hours and handling schooling/caregiving responsibilities, it is crucial for leaders to promote work-life balance to help alleviate further repercussions and restore equilibrium. While encouraging employees to use allotted paid time off (PTO) and paid volunteer hours are significant ways, there are smaller steps that can add up to big differences in achieving work-life balance. Leaders should encourage employees to step away from their screens by taking daily breaks, enjoying lunch hours, starting/ending the workday on time and refraining from after-hours emails. Leaders should also set an example by practicing what they preach to attain work-life balance. Finding opportunities to unplug via PTO, volunteering and brief amounts of time each day can help employees feel refreshed and focused when they do return to their screens. When employees have work-life balance, it can give them a new perspective and make their jobs feel more rewarding as they pursue their careers.

Support career growth

One of the most important ways to support employees is to offer professional development programs that support career growth and lead to advancement opportunities within the company. Leaders should work with employees to define a career path that supports their career goals and aspirations and identify the best tools/resources required to accomplish their objectives. Professional development programs should offer a variety of resources that align with individual/business objectives, such as on-the-job training, supervisory instruction, formal mentoring programs, instructor-led courses, online learning and conferences to help employees learn in a well-rounded manner that supports varying learning styles. In addition, employers can further demonstrate their support for the growth and educational needs of employees by offering tuition reimbursement programs. When employees have a chance to expand their skill sets and continue to learn/grow, they are more engaged and connected to the company and less likely to seek opportunities elsewhere.

Boost well-being efforts

As employee mental health/wellness has moved to the forefront at many companies, leaders are boosting their efforts to improve, expand or change aspects of their employee well-being programs to address the needs and expectations of the workforce. While generous PTO programs, paid volunteer time, EAPs, mindfulness programs and meditation apps are a solid start, companies should go further by taking a more holistic approach to well-being by weaving it into the company’s DNA. Well-being should be a consideration in all aspects of business operations – from branding and productivity to performance and purpose – facilitating endless opportunities to view the business through a health and wellness lens. In addition, employers that realize many factors influence employees’ lives and their overall health, such as purpose/career, social, financial, physical, community and mental/emotional are displaying their commitment to employee wellness and positioning their companies for long-term success.

Offer relevant perks

The stress related to financial concerns can lead to employee burnout and mental health issues, so leaders should identify ways to help ease some of the monetary burden. Although some expenses may decrease in a remote/hybrid work environment, others might increase in areas such as home/office equipment purchases, office supplies, higher utility bills and child/elder care expenses, causing additional employee stress. When employers offer relevant perks to offset some of these costs, including company-sponsored discounts, gift cards for office supply companies, partial reimbursement for internet service, assistance with child/elder care expenses, raffles for monthly house cleaning, dog-walking or laundry services, or lunches via a food delivery service they are demonstrating care and concern for employees.

While Mother’s Day is only celebrated once a year, the struggles that women and working parents face daily should be a topic of conversation that is elevated and ongoing in boardrooms across the country. As increasing numbers of working parents and employees experience burnout and mental health concerns that may lead to further resignations, it is imperative for business leaders to combat the situation by promoting work-life balance, supporting career growth, boosting well-being efforts and offering relevant perks.

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Jill Chapman is a senior performance consultant with Insperity, a leading provider of human resources and business performance solutions.

At a conference focused on women in business, three Houston entrepreneurs gave their advice for the next generation of female innovators. Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images

Overheard: Houston female entrepreneurs share advice and experience

Eavesdropping in Houston

Hundreds of women gathered for the Greater Houston Women's Chamber of Commerce's annual Greater Houston Conference for Women. The full-day event on April 18th shined a spotlight on the work women are doing in business in the Bayou City.

One part of the programing included a panel of three Houston entrepreneurs who told their stories and meant to inspire the next generation of businesswomen.

"Innovation is critically important to our city," says Tandra Jackson, KPMG's Houston office partner and moderator of the panel. "Having an ecosystem where we bring innovative capabilities, solutions, and organizations to our community is absolutely paramount to the longevity of our city."

If you missed the event, here are some powerful quotes overheard at the panel.

“I look for a passionate entrepreneur with a point of difference — there’s got to be a reason for you to be doing this company. What are you bringing to [the industry]?”

—Janet Gurwitch, founder of Laura Mercier Cosmetics and private equity investor focused on cosmetics companies, when asked if there was a difference between male and female entrepreneurs. "Other than biologically, no," she says.

“It’s extraordinarily important that you find an investor who basically gets it — whether it’s the financial [concern of] how to you do revenue recognition in the software world, or how do you capitalize and understand the valuations. It’s important that you get the right player.”

— Samina Farid, founder of Merrick Systems Inc., an energy software company when asked about advice for young women interested in starting their own company.

“One of the things I see is [the importance of] really knowing the problem that you solve. When you’re early on, [you have to know] what is the core market that you’re going to serve and is the market large enough that you’re going to attract enough customers to solve that problem.”

— Janette Marx, CEO of Airswift, an international workforce solutions provider. Marx contributes as a mentor in GHWCC's office hours and advises entrepreneurs to look into the program.

Houston-based Work & Mother is rethinking how new mothers pump in the office. Courtesy of Work & Mother

This growing Houston company is revolutionizing the way new mothers pump in the office

Pump it up

A new mom returning to work is probably dreading her new daily inconvenience of taking the time out of the workday to pump her breast milk.

While some employers provide a wellness room to us, but the more likely scenario is that she will have to pump in your car, an empty conference room or the bathroom. And once she is done pumping, she'll have to wash her equipment in the kitchen sink, alongside her coworkers' coffee mugs or dirty Tupperware containers.

One newly launched company mission is to make that scenario a thing of the past.

Work & Mother is a boutique pumping and wellness center that opened its first location in downtown Houston in 2017 and is planning its second downtown location. The 600-square-foot space opened on the first floor of 712 Main St. and offers memberships to companies and individuals, regardless of whether they work in the building.

Abbey Donnell founded the company after speaking with friends who recently returned to work after giving birth.

"There were constant stories about [women] being told the use the IT closet, or the conference room, or the bathroom or their cars," Donnell says. "Some of them were pretty big oil and gas firms companies that should've had the resources and space to do better than that."

Work & Mother offers its members several private pumping rooms, private pumping office spaces, a kitchen area, member lockers and a small retail section where members can buy pumping and wellness equipment. The company's pitch to individual mothers is simple: come to us for privacy and community. But its pitch to companies is more rooted in regulations.

Per the Fair Labor Standards Act Section 7(r), companies with 50 or more employees are required to provide "a place, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from coworkers and the public, which may be used by an employee to express breast milk." Companies that aren't in compliance with Section 7(r) — and lack the resources to do so — can either purchase individual or company memberships to Work & Mother.

"The reception from moms has been incredible," Donnell says. "I've gotten a lot of support from women who are older in their fields, who talk about how [pumping in the office] was a horrible experience for them."

Work & Mother is planning its second location, which will also be in downtown Houston, but Donnell declined to share additional details. When she started the company in 2017, she took minimal investments from friends and family, she says. But in anticipation of the company's second location, Work & Mother will likely launch a pre-seed fundraising round this summer, Donnell says. No financial figures have been finalized, but Donnell says the tentative plan is to raise roughly $1 million.

The company is also hoping to open in cities such as Chicago, New York, Austin, and Dallas in the near future.

Work & Mother isn't targeting companies that are solely concerned about meeting Section 7(r) compliance, Donnell says. Rather, she's hoping to show companies that investing in the well-being of new mothers is essential to running a successful business – and it's the right thing to do.

"If there's an employer who really only cares about the compliance, then they're not exactly a good fit, because they'll convert a closet and check that box," Donnell says.

But what Donnell says she's found refreshing is that most of the companies she's interacted with have had great feedback for her. They're trying to recruit — and retain — top female talent, she says.

More soon

Courtesy of Work & Mother

Donnell has plans for a second Houston location, as well as an expansion to other major United States cities.

SeeHerWork launched its line of female-gear in September. Courtesy of SeeHerWork

Houston company aims to equally equip female workers

If the glove doesn't fit

When Jane Henry was working on her home right after Hurricane Harvey — her house got three feet of mud in it — she went to throw a board into the dumpster, and her glove went with it.

Henry says the industry standard is to recommend small and extra-small sizes for women's workwear, but as a ladies large in athletic gloves, Henry still had a good inch or so of glove at her fingertips in her workwear gloves.

"I went upstairs to my sewing room, and I ripped that glove apart and I resewed it to fit my hand," Henry says.

Other women stopped her in hardware stores to ask her about her shoddily sewn glove, and she realized this was the idea for next company. She incorporated SeeHerWork a few months later in January of 2018, and she launched her line of clothing in September, just a year after she had the idea. Based in Houston, SeeHerWork rents warehouse space in Kingwood and has its corporate office in Midtown.

Doing the legwork
Henry is no stranger to the startup game. She created her own consulting company, Xcution Inc., over 16 years ago, but she downsized the company in 2016 when oil prices took a turn. Instead, she went into Rice University's MBA program, where, ultimately, she created a network of associates that would eventually help SeeHerWork grow.

"I've been a serial entrepreneur — been trying to avoid calling myself that," says Henry. "I have two entrepreneurial parents, and I told myself I'd never be an entrepreneur, yet that's what I keep doing."

Through her business expertise and education, she knew she had to start with a one-page business plan for the company. She then took her idea to over 50 focus groups made up of 10 to 20 female workers, safety managers, and procurement managers across industries — transportation, military oil and gas, engineering, and more.

"The response was eerily similar despite the industry," Henry says.

The focus group participants were tired of the "pink it and shrink it" approach to women's workwear and equipment. They felt like if their supplies don't fit, they don't fit. Mentorship opportunities and performance are then subsequently hindered, creating a spiral effect of deterring women from entering the skilled labor workforce. This is a huge problem, considering there's the recent labor shortage with these types of jobs.

She took this information and her first prototypes to a national pitch competition to great success — and a standing ovation. Henry also connected with the Rice Angel Network, Station Houston, The Cannon, and other local innovation-focused entities.

Roadwork ahead
Henry has big plans for SeeHerWork, and is in talks with a few large entities — like the Houston Airport System, Fluor Corp., and Toyota — that have expressed interest in using her gear for their workforce. Henry also wants to expand her products and reach female workers through retail — online and in store.

"Ultimately, SeeHerWork is the Lululemon of workwear," Henry says.

SeeHerWork is focused on keeping women safe, firstly, but also encouraging more women to enter the skilled labor workforce and then work their way up the ladder.

"I don't want people to think of us as a workwear company," Henry says. "I want them to think of us as an inclusion company. Mostly because just like professional sports team, the first step is the right clothing and equipment and the second step is working to be a team and working together."

At your fingertips

Courtesy of SeeHerWork

SeeHerWork has a full line of products, from gloves and bags to safety vests and long-sleeves shirts. She's launching more products — like coveralls, pants, and footwear — soon.

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5 incubators and accelerators fueling the growth of Houston startups

meet the finalists

Houston is home to numerous accelerators and incubators that support founders in pushing their innovative startups and technologies forward.

As part of our 2025 Houston Innovation Awards, the new Incubator/Accelerator of the Year category honors a local incubator or accelerator that is championing and fueling the growth of Houston startups.

Five incubators and accelerators have been named finalists for the 2025 award. They support startups ranging from hard-tech companies to digital health startups.

Read more about these organizations below. Then join us at the Houston Innovation Awards on Nov. 13 at Greentown Labs, when the winner will be unveiled.

Get your tickets now on sale for this exclusive event celebrating Houston Innovation.

Activate

Hard tech incubator Activate supports scientists in "the outset of their entrepreneurial journey." The Houston hub was introduced last year, and joins others in Boston, New York, and Berkley, California—where Activate is headquartered. It named its second Houston cohort this summer.

This year, the incubator grew to include its largest number of concurrent supported fellows, with 88 companies currently being supported nationally. In total, Activate has supported 296 fellows who have created 236 companies. Those companies have raised over $4 billion in follow-on funding, according to Activate. In Houston, it has supported several Innovation Awards finalists, including Solidec, Bairitone Health and Deep Anchor Solutions. It is led locally by Houston Managing Director Jeremy Pitts.

EnergyTech Nexus

Cleantech startup hub EnergyTech Nexus' mission is to accelerate the energy transition by connecting founders, investors and industrial stakeholders and helping to develop transformative companies, known as "thunderlizards."

The hub was founded in 2023 by CEO Jason Ethier, Juliana Garaizar and Nada Ahmed. It has supported startups including Capwell Services, Resollant, Syzygy Plasmonics, Hertha Metals, EarthEn Energy and Solidec—many of which are current or past Innovation Awards finalists. This year Energy Tech Nexus launched its COPILOT Accelerator, powered by Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN²) at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). COPILOT partners with Browning the Green Space, a nonprofit that promotes diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the clean energy and climatech sectors. Energy Tech Nexus also launched its Liftoff fundraising program, its Investor Program, and a "strategic ecosystem partnership" with Greentown Labs.

Greentown Labs

Climatetech incubator Greentown Labs offers its community resources and a network to climate and energy innovation startups looking to grow. The collaborative community offers members state-of-the-art prototyping labs, business resources and access to investors and corporate partners. The co-located incubator was first launched in Boston in 2011 before opening in Houston in 2021.

Greentown has seen major changes and activity this year. In February, Greentown announced Georgina Campbell Flatter as its new CEO, along with a new Board of Directors. In July, it announced Lawson Gow as its Head of Houston, a "dedicated role to champion the success of Greentown Houston’s startups and lead Greentown’s next chapter of impact in the region," according to Greentown. It has since announced numerous new partnerships, including those with Energy Tech Nexus, Los Angeles-based software development firm Nominal, to launch the new Industrial Center of Excellence; and Houston-based Shoreless, to launch an AI lab onsite. Greentown Houston has supported 175 startups since its launch in 2021, with 45 joining in the last two years. Those startups include the likes of Hertha Metals, RepAir Carbon, Solidec, Eclipse Energy (formerly GoldH2) and many others.

Healthtech Accelerator (TMCi)

The Healthtech Accelerator, formerly TMCx, focuses on clinical partnerships to improve healthcare delivery and outcomes. Emerging digital health and medical device startups that join the accelerator are connected with a network of TMC hospitals and seasoned advisors that will prepare them for clinical validation, funding and deployment.

The Healthtech Accelerator is part of Texas Medical Center Innovation, which also offers the TMCi Accelerator for Cancer Therapeutics. The Healthtech Accelerator named its 19th, and latest, cohort of 11 companies last month.

Impact Hub Houston

Impact Hub Houston supports early-stage ventures at various stages of development through innovative programs that address pressing societal issues. The nonprofit organization supports social impact startups through mentorship, connections and training opportunities.

There are more than 110 Impact Hubs globally with 24,000-plus members spanning 69 countries, making it one of the world’s largest communities for accelerating entrepreneurial solutions toward the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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The Houston Innovation Awards program is sponsored by Houston City College Northwest, Houston Powder Coaters, FLIGHT by Yuengling, and more to be announced soon. For sponsorship opportunities, please contact sales@innovationmap.com.



Rice University launches  engineering-led brain science and health institute

brain research

Rice University has announced the creation of a new interdisciplinary center known as the Rice Brain Institute (RBI).

The new hub will aim to use engineering, natural sciences and social sciences to research the brain and reduce the burden of neurodegenerative, neurodevelopmental and mental health disorders.

“The Rice Brain Institute reflects Rice’s strength in collaboration without boundaries,” Rachel Kimbro, dean of the School of Social Sciences, said in a news release. “Our researchers are not only advancing fundamental science but they’re also ensuring that knowledge reaches society in ways that promote human flourishing.”

RBI researchers will work in thematic clusters focusing on neurodegeneration, mental health, brain injury and neurodevelopment. The clusters will work toward goals such as significantly improving key brain health outcomes, reducing mortality and mental health disorders and improving quality of life for patients living with brain injuries and neurodevelopmental disorders, according to Rice.

The institute will focus on “engineering-driven innovation,” rather than traditional neuroscience, to design tools that can measure, model and modulate brain activity based around Rice’s expertise in soft robotics, neuroimaging, data science and artificial intelligence—making it unique among peer organizations, according to Rice.

Additionally, RBI will be structured around three collaborative Rice “pillars”:

  • The Neuroengineering Initiative, launched in 2018, brings together neuroscience, engineering, and related fields experts
  • The Neuroscience Initiative, a new initiative that brings together cell biologists, neurobiologists, biochemists, chemists and physicists to explore fundamental mechanisms of the brain and nervous system
  • The Brain and Society Initiative, also a new initiative, considers brain research within the broader social and policy landscape

Rice’s Neuroengineering Initiative has already garnered more than $78 million in research funding, according to Rice, and has established major partnerships, like the Rice-Houston Methodist Center for Neural Systems Restoration.

“Rice is uniquely equipped to bridge and connect scientific understanding of the brain and behavior sciences with the technologies and policies that shape our world,” Amy Dittmar, the Howard R. Hughes Provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, added in the news release. “By uniting faculty in neuroengineering, neuroscience and psychological sciences, this interdisciplinary hub embodies the kind of bold, nimble collaboration that allows Rice to turn discovery into societal impact to save lives and enhance human flourishing.”

The formation of the RBI coincides with recent support of the Dementia Prevention Research Institute of Texas (DPRIT), which landed voter approval earlier this week and aims to make Texas the center for dementia research via brain-health tech. According to the World Economic Forum, brain disorders and mental health disorders cost the global economy an estimated $5 trillion per year and could be as high as $16 trillion by 2030.

“Few areas of research have as direct and profound an impact on human well-being as brain health,” Rice President Reginald DesRoches added in the news release. “As rates of Alzheimer’s, dementia and other neurological diseases rise in our country and around the world, universities have a responsibility to lead the discovery of solutions that preserve memory, movement and quality of life. We all know someone who has been affected by a brain-related health issue, so this research is personal to all of us.”

Texas voters OK $3 billion for new dementia research institute

state funding

Texas voters on Nov. 4 overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure that provides $3 billion in state funding over a 10-year span for the newly established Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (DPRIT).

Thanks to the passage of Proposition 14, Texas now boasts the country’s largest state-funded initiative dedicated to dementia research and prevention, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Up to $300 million in grants will be awarded during the 10-year funding period.

“This is a transformative moment for Texas and for the fight against Alzheimer’s and all other dementia,” said Joanne Pike, president and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association. “Texans have chosen to invest in hope, innovation, and solutions for the millions of families affected by these devastating diseases. With the passage of Proposition 14, Texas is now poised to lead the nation in dementia research and prevention.”

The association says DPRIT will drive scientific breakthroughs, attract top-notch dementia researchers to Texas, and generate thousands of jobs statewide.

An estimated 460,000 Texans are living with dementia, the association says, and more than one million caregivers support them.

DPRIT is modeled after the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). Since 2008, the state agency has awarded nearly $4 billion in grants to research organizations for cancer-related academic research, prevention programs, and product development.

An analysis by the McKinsey Health Institute found that investing in brain health initiatives like DPRIT could boost Texas’ GDP by $260 billion. Much of that GDP bump could benefit the Houston area, which is home to dementia-focused organizations such as UTHealth Houston Neurosciences, Baylor College of Medicine’s Center for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston’s Collaborative Alzheimer’s Disease and Memory Disorders Program, and the Houston Methodist Research Institute’s John M. O’Quinn Foundation Neurodegenerative Disorders Laboratory.

The Greater Houston Partnership says DPRIT holds the potential “to elevate Texas — particularly Houston — as a hub for brain health research.”

State Sen. Joan Huffman, a Houston Republican, is one of DPRIT’s champions. She sponsored legislation this year to create the institute and ask Texas voters to approve the $3 billion in funding.

“By establishing the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, we are positioning our state to lead the charge against one of the most devastating health challenges of our time,” Huffman said in May. “With $3 billion in funding over the next decade, we will drive critical research, develop new strategies for prevention and treatment, and support our health care community.”

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