what's trending

5 most popular innovation stories in Houston this week

An innovative vet clinic raising funds was among this week's top stories. Photo courtesy of Rockin' Pets Rollin' Vets

Editor's note:Another week has come and gone, and it's time to round up the top headlines from the past few days. Trending Houston tech and startup news on InnovationMap included innovators to know, startup gift ideas, and more.

4 Houston innovators to know this week

This week's roundup of Houston innovators includes Dr. Toby Hamilton of Hamilton Health Box, Meredith Wheeler and Maggie Segrich of Sesh Coworking, and Simone Biles of Cerebral. Courtesy photos

Editor's note: In this week's roundup of Houston innovators to know, I'm introducing you to three local innovators across industries — from health to coworking — recently making headlines in Houston innovation. Click here to continue reading.

Houston mobile vet startup raises $5M to expand statewide

You'll paw-bably soon be seeing Rockin' Pets, Rollin' Vets vans across the Lone Star State. Photo courtesy of Rockin' Pets, Rollin' Vets

An innovative Houston company has closed a fresh round of funding in hopes of rolling its service out statewide.

Rockin' Pets, Rollin' Vets, a full-service mobile veterinary clinic based in Houston, has closed a $5 million equity raise with plans to expand across the Lone Star State. Founded by Dr. Katie Eick, who is the company's CEO, Rollin’ Vets Group flips the switch on pet health care by bringing vets to its patients' homes.

This fresh funding helps Eick take that first step toward expansion. According to a news release, Rockin’ Pets, Rollin’ Vets expects to have a presence in Dallas and Austin by March of next year.

“This equity raise allows us to not only hire additional talent, but also increase our mobile clinic fleet, while expanding into other cities at an expedited rate. There is a vast opportunity to serve animals and people that need non-traditional veterinary care in other Texas markets. We are ready to tap into these markets and bring convenient, state-of-the-art care straight to pet owners’ doorsteps,” says Eick in the release. Click here to continue reading.

Chevron announces innovation leadership change in Houston

Barbara Burger has led Chevron's innovation efforts for almost a decade and is passing the responsibilities to Jim Gable. Photos courtesy

Chevron's Houston-based innovation leader has announced her retirement, and the company has named her successor.

After 34 years at Chevron, Barbara J. Burger, vice president of innovation and president of Chevron Technology Ventures, will retire, the company announced this week. Jim Gable, who currently serves as vice president of Downstream Technology & Services, will succeed Burger, effective February 1, 2022.

"Barbara is a respected leader in our industry and beyond," says Eimear Bonner, vice president and CTO, in a news release. "She has played a significant part in driving innovation, technology and new business solutions within Chevron. She has also been instrumental in Chevron’s leadership of the external innovation ecosystem through partnerships such as The Ion innovation hub in Houston and Boston-based Greentown Labs.” Click here to continue reading.

Did the pandemic slowdown innovation in Houston? Maybe not as much as you'd expect

Let's look at the pace of innovation in Houston over the past couple of years. Graphic byMiguel Tovar/University of Houston

When the world came to a halt in 2020 due to COVID-19, innovation moved forward as normal day to day operations went virtual. Small business incubators like the University of Houston Technology Bridge, The Cannon and The Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship, have found that, even during a lockdown, new innovations and leading-edge technologies have become easier to create.

“Hardship always leads to innovation. People have to get scrappy and creative. There’s always a lot of good that comes from the bad, ” founder and president of The Cannon, Lawson Gow, said. Click here to continue reading.

5 innovative gift ideas from Houston startups for the 2021 holidays

Support Houston startups by shopping local this holiday season. Photos courtesy

Editor's note: We are in the thick of the holidays, and I'm willing to bet a good chunk of you are still doing your gift shopping, right? Why not give a little business to local startups as you shop for friends and family this year.

Need some more ideas? Browse last year's roundup of Houston startup-created gift ideas and check out the 2019 startup gift guide as well for even more options. Click here to continue reading.

Trending News

Building Houston

 
 

Rob Schapiro of Microsoft joins the Houston Innovators Podcast to discuss DEI initiatives, translating between the tech in the energy sectors, AI, and more.

At a glance, Rob Schapiro's resume might not make the most sense. A trained geologist with decades of experience in the energy sector, Schapiro made the move to Microsoft three years ago.

"I saw this disconnect between technology companies and energy companies — they didn't really speak the same language," he says on this week's episode of the Houston Innovators Podcast. "I thought I could help potentially solve this problem and work between the two as a sort of translator."

Now, as Microsoft’s Energy Acceleration Program director and site leader for the company’s Houston office, which is located in the Ion, Schapiro is deeply embedded in Houston's innovation ecosystem and is dedicated to helping advance Houston's role energy transition in a sustainable and equitable way.

Inspired by the murder of George Floyd, Schapiro says he sought out opportunities in his personal life to expand his contribution to the community as an ally, and he became a big brother in Big Brothers Big Sisters. Microsoft, too, is active in supporting the community through partnering with local organizations, including SUPERGirls SHINE Foundation, the G-Unity Foundation Inc., and more.

"This has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my job, that I've had the ability to leverage the might of Microsoft and my own privilege to have an impact on real people," Schapiro says. "Microsoft's mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more, and when you think about how you do that, it's really daunting. We realized that in order to do that, it's going to require a workforce that looks really different than it does today."

Microsoft knows too well the changing workforce, both from a diversity perspective and when it comes to artificial intelligence and other new technology. In its recent Work Trend Index report, the company found that, rather than being afraid of AI replacing jobs, the majority of the workforce is interested in applying AI to mundane tasks.

Schapiro shares more about his view of how AI will affect the workforce, plus what all the energy industry needs to focus on amid the energy transition, on the podcast. He also weighs in on how Houston's innovation ecosystem has evolved and where he hopes it's going. Listen to the interview below — or wherever you stream your podcasts — and subscribe for weekly episodes.

Trending News