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 news from innovative health tech companies, high-tech firetrucks, and more.
New health-focused generative AI company emerges from stealth with Houston office, $4M in funding
Biostate AI has emerged from stealth this week — with $4 million and a mission to design AI products to predict human and animal health changes. Photo via Getty Images
A new scalable biodata foundry startup has emerged from stealth with $4 million in investment funding and two new health care artificial intelligence tools. The company is co-located in Houston and Palo Alto, California.
Biostate AI was co-founded by former Rice Professor David Zhang, who serves as the company's CEO, in 2023. With the launch, the company announced two service products: Total RNA sequencing and Copilot for RNAseq data analysis, Biostate reveals in a press release.
"The successful training of any AI well requires large quantities of relevant and high-quality data," Zhang says in the release. "Biostate AI has developed the instrumental technologies to facilitate the collection of more biological data at lower costs. We are pleased to offer these capabilities to academic and industry partners and collaborators."
The company has raised more than $4 million in venture funding. Continue reading.
Houston triumphs in new list of America's top 10 best cities
It's a solid ranking for the Bayou City. Photo via Getty Images
Houston is earning high praise for its prosperity, lovability, and livability in a prestigious new report by Canada-based real estate and tourism marketing advisors Resonance Consultancy.
The annual "America's Best Cities" report ranks the relative qualities of place, cultural diversity, and economic prosperity for America's principal cities with metropolitan populations of 500,000 or more. These top 100 cities are "the engines of their regional and national economies and, importantly, the global economy," according to the report.
Houston ranked No. 10 on the list, with New York City (No. 1), Chicago (No. 2), and Los Angeles (No. 3) claiming the coveted top three spots. Continue reading.
Houston health tech startup secures $20M series A, NIH grant amid clinical trials
VenoStent has raised additional funding. Image courtesy of VenoStent
A clinical-stage Houston health tech company with a novel therapeutic device has raised venture capital funding and secured a grant from the National Institutes of Health.
VenoStent Inc., which is currently in clinical trials with its bioabsorbable perivascular wrap, announced the closing of a $20 million series A round co-led by Good Growth Capital and IAG Capital Partners. The two Charleston, South Carolina-based firms also led VenoStent's 2023 series A round that closed last year at $16 million.
Additionally, the company secured a $3.6 million Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II Grant from NIH, which will help fund its multi-center, 200-patient, randomized controlled trial in the United States. Continue reading.
Houston health care leaders announce new hub for cancer-fighting bioengineering
The new collaborative hub will foster research into cell therapies, artificial intelligence, nanotechnologies, and more. Photo via tmc.edu
Two Houston organizations recently announced a new hub that will focus on developing cell therapies, nanotechnologies, cancer vaccines, artificial intelligence, and molecular imaging.
Rice University and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have teamed up to “drive industry growth and advance life-saving technologies” through the newly established Cancer Bioengineering Collaborative, according to a news release announcing the initiative.
The collaboration between the two institutions includes fundamental and translational cancer research, developing new technologies for cancer detection and therapy, and securing external funding in support of further research and training. Continue reading.
Houston Airports roll out innovative fleet of fire rescue vehicles
High-tech firetrucks are ready to serve the area that includes George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Photo courtesy of Houston Airports
Houston Airports and the Houston Fire Department will roll out a new fleet of eco-friendly and health-promoting vehicles this summer.
Four new Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) trucks will be deployed at HFD Stations 99 and 92 near IAH. The vehicles were purchased with $4.6 million from the Airport Improvement Fund and will replace a fleet purchased in 2006.
One truck is already operating HFD Station 99. Others are expected to be operational by August. Continue reading.