Join the Houston Methodist Tech Hub at Ion for their leadership speaker series presentation by Dr. Evan Collins.

Evan D. Collins, MD,MBA is Chief of the Houston Methodist Hand & Upper Extremity Center at Houston Methodist. He is a practicing Orthopaedic Surgeon. Dr. Collins is also Houston Methodist Center for Innovation’s first Innovator-in-Residency. His presentation will be about the creative process of innovation.

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So, what is the difference between a cup of joe and a Cup of Joe-Y? It is the WHY. It’s not what you do. It is why you do it!

At the Ion, these are questions that we want to explore with the tech and innovation community. So, show up, be friendly, and make new connections. Know your why, and we will get to the future together.

The future is only a cup away.

Register Here: https://www.cupofjoey.org/

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Office Hours with SCORE take place each Friday morning. Additional partners will be on-site the second Friday of each month (excluding holidays)

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Houston’s startup and innovation ecosystem is as vast and dynamic as the city itself, full of opportunities, resources, and talent. Yet, navigating it can be challenging—especially for those unfamiliar with its many parts. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, educator, student, community leader or curious professional, this session will offer valuable insights into how Houston’s innovation ecosystem works and how you can find your place within it.

Discover the Houston Ecosystem’s Flow
Facilitated by Wade Pinder, the Ion’s Mentor in Residence, this session will help participants map out the journey needed to take an idea from concept to a mature company. Wade brings years of experience in product management, community building, and mentoring entrepreneurs to the table, offering a thoughtful and informed perspective to guide this exploration.

The heart of the session lies in exploring a dynamic mind map that Wade has created and continues to refine—an ever-evolving, community-driven tool that grows alongside Houston’s innovation ecosystem. Attendees will not only learn about the ecosystem’s flow but also have the opportunity to contribute to it by identifying gaps, sharing knowledge, and adding their insights.

This session will center on the stages of a company’s growth journey, exploring the essential elements that drive it forward. Participants will examine the role of financial capital, from early fundraising efforts to securing the resources needed for scaling, and how these milestones align with a company’s progression. The discussion will also delve into the human element of growing a business, highlighting the evolving talent and expertise required to navigate the entrepreneurial journey. Additionally, we’ll explore the importance of “social capital”—the networks, support systems, and relationships that play a critical role in moving ideas to market and sustaining long-term growth.

Ion’s Vision
Helping the community better understand the local ecosystem reflects the Ion’s commitment “to being the home for Houston’s innovation community.” By fostering connections, creating opportunities, and sharing perspectives, the Ion is building a transformative culture that strengthens Houston’s economic resiliency and celebrates the entrepreneurial journey.

From forming an initial entrepreneurial idea to the prototyping phase to scaling a business, this Houston Ecosystem Mapping session aligns with the Ion’s goals to support innovation, attract talent, and build a vibrant ecosystem.

Who Should Attend?
This session is ideal for:

• Entrepreneurs looking to understand greater Houston’s resources.
• Investors curious about the local startup landscape.
• Professionals and students wanting to connect with the innovation community.
• Anyone passionate about Houston’s growth as a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship.
• Innovators who have recently moved to greater Houston and are looking to get “plugged in” to the local scene.
• Community leaders and service providers that support (or want to support) the innovation ecosystem.

Register today for this chance to explore Houston’s ecosystem, uncover its flow, and help shape its future.

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Speakers, panels, pitches, and discussions will take place at events across Houston, with several hosted at the Ion, the heart of Houston’s innovation corridor in Midtown.

For a full list of events throughout the week, check out the official Houston Energy and Climate Startup Week site and then register for each event: https://houstonenergyclimatestartupweek.com/calendar/

Check out the events planned in the Ion District here: https://iondistrict.com/series/houston-energy-and-climate-startup-week/

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This high-energy event features:

Opening Remarks: Brad Burke, Associate VP for Industry & New Ventures, Rice Innovation

Houston’s Ecosystem in Focus: From Spark to Scale: Hot Takes on Houston’s Innovation Growth with Barbara Burger, Corporate Graduate & Energy Advisor

Honoring a Visionary: A tribute to Scott Gale’s vision for Houston Energy & Climate Startup Week, led by Andres Cabada, Managing Director, Halliburton Labs

Houston Energy + Climate Startup Week Video Premiere (yes, it’s a hype video—and you’ll want to see it)

Connected for Impact: Houston’s Energy & Climate Startup Community — a panel moderated by Jane Stricker, featuring:

• Georgina Campbell Flatter, CEO, Greentown Labs
• Jason Ethier, Founding Partner, Energy Tech Nexus
• Sandy Guitar, Executive Director, TEX-E
• Jeremy Pitts, Managing Director, Activate

We’ll wrap the program with an Ion Block Party on the plaza—complete with DJ, drinks, bites from Ion District restaurants and some of the best networking in town.

Whether you’re new to the scene or a longtime ecosystem builder, this is the place to connect before Houston Energy & Climate Startup Week hits full stride.

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About Innovation Norway

Innovation Norway promotes nationwide industrial development to both the business economy and Norway’s national economy, and helps release the potential of different districts and regions by contributing to innovation, internationalisation, and promotion.

Successful businesses

Norwegian enterprises have access to a broad business support system as well as financial means. Innovation Norway provides competence, advisory services, promotional services and network services. The marketing of Norway as a tourist destination is also considered one of the organizations important tasks.

By combining local industry knowledge and international networks with the business ideas and the motivation of entrepreneurs, the foundation for new successful businesses is created.

Local and global presence

Innovation Norway is the Norwegian government’s official trade representative abroad. We aim to assist Norwegian businesses grow and find new markets. Local presence is therefore of crucial concern to us.

It is easy to get in touch with us. We are represented in many countries worldwide and in all Norwegian counties. Our head office is in Oslo. We are closely affiliated with the Norwegian embassies and consulates. You can find our representatives and advisors worldwide.

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Register Here: https://lu.ma/01386qka

How can we meet surging energy demand from AI / data center growth, plus the strains it will place on our grid, while reducing emissions? How can we balance reliability, competitiveness, climate imperatives, and speed? How can we modernize our grid, at speed and scale?

​And, critically – what are all the headlines on this topic getting wrong?

Join 4 leading practitioners in the space for a look behind the curtain on what’s really happening to meet this load-growth moment.

​Panelists

​Michael Skelly; CEO, Grid United
David Berry; CEO, Cloverleaf Infrastructure
Arushi Sharma Frank; Senior Advisor, Emerald AI
Tom Nudell; CEO, Piq Energy

Thank you to Houston Energy + Climate Startup Week for putting together an excellent schedule; we’re glad to be part of it. Please consider sticking around for Activate’s “Meet the Cohort” event immediately after, also at the Ion. And make sure to register for New Climate Ventures’ HECSW Afterparty after Activate at Axelrad Beer Garden, a short walk from the Ion – a chance to meet and mingle with 200+ other climate tech leaders from around Houston, free of cost.

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Register Here: https://lu.ma/rca5g1jj

Join us to meet Activate Houston’s C25 cohort and discover the innovative technologies their companies are driving forward.

• ​Biosimo: Enabling the chemical industry’s net-zero transition by replacing fossil-based essential chemicals with identical quality ones made from bio-ethanol

• ​Brightlight Photonics: Replacing tabletop laser systems with chip-scale titanium:sapphire lasers—bringing lab-grade performance to quantum technologies, diagnostics, and advanced manufacturing in a package that’s 100x smaller and cheaper

• ​Deep Anchor Solutions: Compact anchor making offshore energy viable in new and remote markets worldwide by enabling faster, cheaper deployment of floating renewables

• ​EarthFlow AI: AI-powered platform for subsurface modeling making sophisticated analysis instant and affordable enabling the rapid scaling of carbon storage, geothermal energy, and lithium extraction to meet global demand

• ​FlowCellutions: Chemistry-agnostic diagnostics for grid-scale batteries

• ​KIRA: Reimagining desalination expanding access to clean water and decarbonizing industries from oil and gas to agriculture

• ​Lift Biolabs: Replacing costly purification tools with buoyant protein reagents making therapeutic manufacturing more affordable while also enabling biotech to scale

• ​Semion: Transforming pest control by restoring crops’ natural defenses with plant-based compounds, reducing chemical use and environmental impact, and offering farmers more sustainable and resilient ways to protect their crops

​Also, learn more about our inaugural C24 cohort below:

• ​Atolla Tech: Identifying and quantifying airborne insects through lidar and machine learning

• ​Bairitone Health: AI-driven, sonar-based diagnostic imaging technology for home use reduces healthcare costs while improving accessibility

• ​Coflux Purification: Destroying PFAs through a photocatalytic reactor

• ​Elysium Robotics: Developing breakthrough low-cost, high-dexterity muscle like robotic hands for large-scale robotic deployment

• ​LumiStrain: Novel nanotube technology for mechanical strain mapping

• ​Nanoscale Labs: High-throughput and low-cost self-assembly based nanomanufacturing

• ​Phoenix Materials: Working to decarbonizing concrete using industrial waste

• ​Raven Space Systems: Modernizing composite manufacturing with breakthrough 3D printing

• ​Newfound Materials: Identifying new and unconventional inorganic synthesis recipes for efficient material synthesis

• ​Solidec: Manufacturing chemicals and fuels using only air, water, and renewable electricity

​​This event is a part of Houston Energy and Climate Startup Week and sponsored by MKB and Impact Science Ventures.

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