Editor's note:Let's roundup the most-read Houston innovation news from the week. Trending Houston tech and startup articles from InnovationMap and its daily newsletter included profiles on Houston Innovation Awards honorees, Rice University and the University of Houston continuing their reigns on an annual ranking, and more.
Houston schools lead rankings for best entrepreneurship programs for 6th consecutive year
Rice University and the University of Houston have maintained their top spots for entrepreneurship studies across graduate and undergraduate rankings, respectively. Photo via Getty Images
Rice University and the University of Houston have once again topped The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur’s lists of the best graduate and undergraduate schools for entrepreneurship studies.
Rice ranks first in the graduate category for the sixth consecutive year, and UH ranks first in the undergraduate category for the sixth consecutive year.
“At Rice Business, our students learn both inside and outside the classroom, drawing on our strong industry and community connections in Houston and beyond,” says Peter Rodriguez, dean of Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business. “With small class sizes and tailored programs, we aim to equip our students with the skills to create new ventures and excel in a fast-changing business landscape.” Continue reading.
Meet 5 of the fastest-growing scaleup companies in Houston
These five scaleups stood out to the judges of the 2024 Houston Innovation Awards. Photo via Getty Images
The 2024 Houston Innovation Awards will feature a new category: Scaleup of the Year, which honors a Bayou City company that's seen impressive growth in 2024.
From biotech companies to decarbonization startups, the inaugural finalists have expanded internationally, moved to larger facilities, completed clinical trials and more. Read on to learn more about these fast-growing startups. Continue reading.
Houston-based, NASA-founded tech startup closes $5.6M in seed funding
Helix Earth's technology is estimated to save up to half of the net energy used in commercial air conditioning, reducing both emissions and costs for operators. Photo via Getty Images
A Houston startup with clean tech originating out of NASA has secured millions in funding.
Helix Earth Technologies closed an oversubscribed $5.6 million seed funding led by Houston-based research and investment firm Veriten. Anthropocene Ventures, Semilla Capital, and others including individual investors also participated in the round.
“This investment will empower the Helix Earth team to accelerate the development and deployment of our first groundbreaking hardware technology designed to disrupt a significant portion of the commercial air conditioning market, an industry that is ready for innovation,” Rawand Rasheed, Helix Earth co-founder and CEO, says in a news release. Continue reading.
Houston organizations identify promising life science cos. at annual event
The Rice Alliance and BioHouston acknowledged innovations from a dozen promising health tech companies. Photo via Rice University
For the 13th year, the Texas Life Science Forum hosted by BioHouston and the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship celebrated innovative companies from around the world that are creating new treatments and solutions to today's biggest health care challenges.
This week, over 40 companies presenting their innovations across cancer, cardiovascular disease, biotechnology, and more. Nearly 700 venture capitalists, corporate innovation groups, angel networks, industry leaders, academics, service providers, and others attended the event on November 7 at Rice's BioScience Research Collaborative in the Texas Medical Center.
Just like in previous years, the event ended with the announcement of the 10 companies that were deemed "most promising" based on their pitches and technologies. Of the 10 companies named, six are headquartered in Houston and an additional two startups on the list have a presence here. Continue reading.
These are 6 of the organizations best supporting Houston's innovation community
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. Continue reading.