Editor's note: This week's top stories on InnovationMap are all over the map — pun intended. From the usual suspects, like innovators to know and a self-driving car startup doubling down on Houston, to trend pieces on the population boom in The Woodlands and a guest article on the need for tech education.
3 Houston innovators to know this week
Yael Katz, Topper Luciani, and Dorit Donoviel are this week's Houston innovators to know. Courtesy photos
Houston is full of innovative people looking to make an impact — whether it's in the health tech, fashion, or science industries.
This week's innovators to know represent different industries within Houston, but they are all looking to leave a legacy in making a difference. Read more.
California self-driving vehicle startup has all eyes on Houston — here's why
Last year, California-based Nuro, a self-driving car tech company, launched three pilots in Houston. Courtesy of Nuro
Houston — with its sprawl and winding roads broken up across various neighborhoods — is particularly challenging when it comes to self-driving car navigation. And that's exactly why Nuro, a California-based tech startup that's raised over $1 billion in funding, decided to focus on the Bayou City for its autonomous vehicle delivery pilot programs.
"Houston is our first full-scale operations city," Sola Lawal, product operations manager in Houston, tells InnovationMap. "All eyes at Nuro are focused on Houston."
Last year alone, Nuro launched three pilots in six of Houston's ZIP codes from Bellaire to the Heights. The first of which was a partnership with Kroger in March, followed by the announcement of autonomous pizza delivery from Domino's in June. Last month, Nuro announced its latest delivery partner was Walmart. Read more.
Booming Houston suburb hauls in top spot among growing U.S. cities
The Woodlands is booming. Photo by Derrick Bryant Photography
The Houston metro area's population is poised to continue booming over the next decade, so it should be no surprise that U-Haul calculated one Houston suburb as one of the top U.S. cities for growth.
In its annual report, released January 7, the company details migration trends across the U.S. Analyzing data from 2019, the moving and rental company placed Spring-The Woodlands at No. 14 among the 2019 U-Haul Growth Cities.
To determine the country's top 25 growth cities, U-Haul analyzed more than 2 million rental transactions over the calendar year. It then calculated the net gain of one-way U-Haul trucks entering an area versus those leaving an area. Read more.
Houston flight-tracking software company grows its local and international presence
Houston-based FlightAware, a software company that tracks flights, is growing. Cameron Casey/Pexels
FlightAware LLC's business success has, for the most part, flown under the radar in Houston.
Many travelers know about the B2C flight-tracking functionality of FlightAware. "That's a very, very competitive space. We play in that space, but it's not our core business," founder and CEO Daniel Baker says.
These days, the privately held Houston company earns most its revenue from the B2B data it provides to airlines and other aviation clients, according to Baker. He declines to reveal revenue figures, but notes that the company — which bills itself as the world's largest flight-tracking and flight data platform — hasn't taken a penny of outside funding since it started in 2005. Read more.
Preparing Houston's tech workforce starts in school, says expert
It's crucial for Houston to prepare the next generation's workforce to succeed and fill jobs with capable talent. Educational First Steps/Facebook
Recent studies have shown that nearly half of students enter college with an undecided major and as many as 70 percent of students change their major at least once during their four-year program, and it is predicted that by 2030, there will be a deficit of 7.9 million tech workers alone.
In order to better prepare the future workforce, schools are encouraging career exploration through hands-on experience. The Village School has created educational partnerships throughout Houston to offer students options to find their interests and better prepare them for postsecondary success. Read more.