Editor's note:Another week has come and gone, and it's time to round up the top headlines from the past few days. The latest trending news on InnovationMap includes a Q&A with a local innovator joining the VC world, plus a look at the can't-miss business and innovation events to attend this month.
Houston innovator joins VC world to increase her social impact
Kelly Avant, investment associate at Houston-based Mercury Fund, shares how and why she made her way into the venture capital arena. Photo courtesy of Mercury
Kelly Avant didn't exactly pave a linear career path for herself. After majoring in gender studies, volunteering in the Peace Corps, and even attending law school — she identified a way to make a bigger impact: venture capital.
"VC is an awesome way to shape the future in a more positive way because you literally get to wire money to the most innovative thinkers, who are building solutions to the world’s problems," Avant, who joined Mercury Fund last year, tells InnovationMap in this Q&A. Click here to continue reading.
10+ can't-miss Houston business and innovation events in June
Here's your one-stop shop for innovation events in Houston this month. Photo via Getty Images
It's fully summer here in Houston, and the city's business community is mixing in networking and conference events with family vacations and time off. Here's a rundown of what all to throw on your calendar for June when it comes to innovation-related events.Click here to continue reading.
3 Houston innovators to know this week
This week's roundup of Houston innovators includes Allie Danziger of Ampersand Professionals, Pete O'Heeron of Fibrobiologics, and Brandy Guidry of The Cannon. Courtesy photos
In this week's roundup of Houston innovators to know, you'll meet three local innovators across industries — from health innovation to job training technology — who have recently made headlines in Houston innovation. Click here to continue reading.
Houston college system plans to open $30M resiliency-focused center
HCC is working on a new center focused on resiliency on its Northeast Campus. Image via HCC
Houston’s initiative to protect the city from catastrophes is getting a big boost from Houston Community College.
The college is developing the Resilience Center of Excellence to aid the city’s resilience campaign. At the heart of this project is the 65,000-square-foot, $30 million Resiliency Operations Center, which will be built on a five-acre site HCC’s Northeast campus. The complex is scheduled to open in 2024.
HCC estimates the operations center will train about 3,000 to 4,000 local first responders, including police officers and firefighters, during the first three years of operation. They’ll be instructed to prepare for, manage, and respond to weather, health and manmade hazards such as hurricanes, floods, fires, chemical spills, and winter freezes. Click here to continue reading.
Houston expert: Navigating dark data within research and innovation
Let's talk about dark data — what it means and how to navigate it. Graphic by Miguel Tovar/University of Houston
Is it necessary to share ALL your data? Is transparency a good thing or does it make researchers “vulnerable"? Sarah Hill, communications manager for the UH Division of Research, discusses the meaning behind dark data — and how to navigate it — in this article.Click here to continue reading.