Events from September 29, 2022 – April 20, 2023 – Ion District

Building Closed

Torey Brown — Thu, 25 Dec 2025 06:00:00 +0000

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Building Closed

Torey Brown — Thu, 01 Jan 2026 06:00:00 +0000

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Ion Networking with Cup of Joey

Torey Brown — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 14:30:00 +0000

What is the purpose of Cup of Joey? It is to create a connected culture of coffee shop-open networking across our region. Every Friday morning, you’ll have the opportunity to meet new and expand your current networks, talk about tech, inspire innovation, and create community.

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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Social Media Breakfast

Torey Brown — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 14:30:00 +0000

Join Impact Hub at the Social Media Breakfast and learn how to maximize the power of social media for your business! Expand your reach, connect with your audience, and boost your brand’s online presence. Don’t miss out! http://smbhou.com/

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Welcome to the Ion: An Introduction and Tour

Torey Brown — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 16:00:00 +0000

Join the Ion’s Mentor in Residence, Wade Pinder, for an engaging tour and introduction to the Ion, Houston’s dynamic hub for innovation and entrepreneurship, powered by Rice University. This event is designed for entrepreneurs, students, professionals, investors, community leaders, and anyone curious about what the Ion has to offer. For those new to Houston and eager to connect with the local innovation ecosystem, this event provides the perfect opportunity to get started.

The tour will begin in the lobby at 10:00 AM and conclude at 11:00 AM. During this time, participants will learn about the Ion’s resources, events, and facilities. Highlights of the tour include the technology showcases, coworking spaces, public areas, and the on-site restaurants and bars.

About Wade Pinder

Wade Pinder is a dedicated advocate for Houston’s innovation community, serving as the Ion’s Mentor in Residence. With a wealth of experience in product management, community building, and fostering entrepreneurial growth, Wade offers invaluable insights into how the Ion serves as a launchpad for ideas and innovation.

The Vision of the Ion

Powered by Rice University, the Ion is the epicenter of the 16-acre innovation district in the heart of Houston’s midtown. Committed to being the home for Houston’s innovation community, the Ion District propels the transformative culture of people, places, ideas, and experiences that build a better quality of life for all of Houston.

The Ion is a beautifully restored building at 4201 Main Street. It connects Houston’s talent, academic, corporate, and entrepreneurial communities in a collaborative environment designed to inspire and grow ideas. The Ion serves as a space where serendipitous collisions lead to meaningful connections and opportunities.

What to Expect

Coworking Spaces: Explore flexible work areas tailored for collaboration and creativity.
Public Spaces: Discover spaces designed for networking, inspiration, and community events.
Restaurants and Bars: Experience the on-site dining options that make the Ion a lively hub.

Through its programs and partnerships, the Ion empowers individuals and organizations to build, solve, and innovate. From prototyping to pitching, accelerating to sustaining, the Ion is Houston’s headquarters for turning ideas into reality.

Whether you have a promising product, an intriguing technology, a budding business idea, or are simply curious about the Ion and its offerings, this tour will provide valuable insights into how the Ion can help connect your “What-ifs” with “What now.” Don’t miss this opportunity to explore and be inspired by Houston’s innovation ecosystem.

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Ion Networking with Cup of Joey

Torey Brown — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 14:30:00 +0000

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!

The future is only a cup away.

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

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Greater Houston Business Procurement Breakfast

Torey Brown — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Join the B2G Victory Team and come by our table at the Greater Houston Business Procurement Forum (GHBP) January.

Breakfast Served: 8:00AM- 9:00AM

The GHBP is excited to:

Provide a venue that “Makes Business Happen” for Houston’s small and minority business community and the community at large.
Connects key contacts that lead to contracts and financing
Facilitate management and technical assistance
Assist in the growth and development of the Houston Community
Generates real business Success Stories

For more information about the Greater Houston Business Procurement (GHBP) Forum, visit: https://ghbpf.org/contact/#calendar-fe92efaa-617b-4a09-bd7f-7e198bdab716-event-m681n7cz

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Real-Time Monitoring & AI for Offshore Safety Operations

Torey Brown — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 14:30:00 +0000

Join Upstream for a special edition of the Upstream: Digital Tech Meetup at the Ion, a community gathering focused on practical digital innovation for drilling, production, and offshore operations.

This session will explore how AI and real-time monitoring are being applied in safety-critical offshore environments, what’s working today, where the biggest gaps remain going into 2026, and how operators and service companies are approaching adoption. Coffee and a light breakfast will be provided.

Event Details

Topic: Real-Time Monitoring & AI for Offshore Safety Operations

Format: Moderated Panel + Table Discussions

Host: Upstream: Digital Tech Meetup

Venue Sponsor: The Ion

Event Sponsor: INTELIE

Brought to you by: Timbergrove and INTCOM

Date: January 21 Time: 8:30 – 10:30 AM Location: The Ion – Midtown Houston (4201 Main St.)

Agenda

8:00 – 8:30 AM Check-in

8:30 – 9:00 AM Networking with light breakfast

9:00 – 9:50 AM Moderated Panel (Introductions by Ian Uriarte)

9:50 – 10:00 AM Q&A

10:00 – 10:20 AM Table discussions

10:20 – 10:30 AM Closing comments

Speakers

Moderator: • Rob Tiffany — Director of Research, IDC

Panelists:

• David Reid — CTO/CMO, NOV

• Stéphane Lauzon — Global VP & Head of Oil, Gas & Energy, SAP

• Augusto Borella — Chief Product Officer, INTELIE

• Alvaro Antunes — Founder & CEO, INTCOM

Host: • Ian Uriarte — Founder & CEO, Timbergrove / Upstream: Digital Tech Meetup

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Angel Investing 101

Torey Brown — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 23:30:00 +0000

In a world where only the very wealthy, well connected, and major institutions have access to premium investment opportunities, which have created massive wealth for a small portion of the population, the team at Urban Capital Network believes the key to closing income and wealth gaps globally is to democratize access to opportunities across the investment ecosystem.

Join the Urban Capital Network team for an evening of learning, discussion and possibilities as we explore the basics of angel investing and the role it plays in bringing new products and services to market and the impact it has on wealth and job creation. At this event, you’ll learn the key components to successfully navigate the critical-path of investing in private, early-stage companies.

This session is ideal for the following investment related stakeholders:

Prospective Angel Investors who want to learn more about the world of Angel Investing
Investment Advisors (RIA/FA) who are looking for alternative investments for their clients
Entrepreneurs who want to learn more about what Angels are looking for in their deals
Entrepreneurs who want to meet/network with Angel Investors

Ion District Investor Activation Program:

The Houston Ion District Investor Activation Program along with Urban Capital Network is helping build an equitable climatetech industry capable of rapid deployment by addressing a fundamental challenge: the region’s lack of funding for early-stage climatetech startups, and especially for those led by underrepresented founders.

This program from Greentown Labs and the Ion brings early-stage investors from Greater Houston—a region playing a pivotal role in the energy transition—into the fold, offering education on climatetech investing, channeling a pool of capital to young startups, and catalyzing a thriving climatetech investment ecosystem that prioritizes diversity, equity, and inclusion.

If you would like to join the program, please fill out this form, and if you have additional questions, please contact Juliana Bernal Martinez at jbernal@greentownlabs.com.

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NASA Tech Talks

Torey Brown — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We want HOU! Join us to discover NASA’s toughest tech challenges–and apply your skills and expertise to solve them.In these presentations, occurring the fourth Thursdays of the month, Mr. Montgomery Goforth and other aerospace subject matter experts will discuss the technology development challenges faced by NASA’s Johnson Space Center and the surrounding Aerospace community in our ongoing efforts as the hub of human spaceflight. Presentations will focus on the ways in which these challenges, and the associated opportunities, can be leveraged by Houston’s innovation community.Join us after the talk for drinks and networking at Second Draught!Past NASA Tech Talks have included: Montgomery B. Goforth discussing NASA Intellectual Property suitable for commercialization by small/start-up companies; Jared Daum discussing Orion’s parachutes and risk identification and mitigation that are showstoppers for the spaceflight parachute industry; Kevin Kobylka discussing current Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) capabilities and needs; and Nick Skytland, Chief Technologist at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) and Director of the Business Development and Technology Integration Office. Future NASA Tech Talks will include: dual-use (space/terrestrial) technologies in the areas of:

Avionics / Communication / Sensors
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for ultra-long lived wireless sensors
Power Storage and Distribution
Autonomous & Robotics Systems
Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA) Systems
Virtual/Augmented Reality in Human Spaceflight Training & Execution
Human Health & Performance / Human Systems Research

About the Speakers

Montgomery B. Goforth has more than 40 years of experience as both Engineer and Manager in a variety of highly technical space and defense-related efforts. After working for a small defense contractor specializing in anti-submarine warfare, he joined NASA’s Johnson Space Center in 1990. He has held leadership positions in multiple JSC Directorates and Program Offices. In his current role as Assistant Director of the JSC Engineering Directorate, he has established a framework to better focus Engineering’s efforts towards Human Spaceflight technology and systems development consistent with JSC and Agency goals for exploration. He has used this framework to guide Engineering’s internal investments and external partnerships supporting Lunar and Mars Exploration. Mr. Goforth was born in East Texas, raised in Southern California and Arizona, and graduated from Rice University (BSME 1982, MSME 1987).

NASA Tech Talks topics include dual-use (space/terrestrial) technologies and focus areas in:

Avionics / Communication / Sensors
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for ultra-long-lived wireless sensors
Power Storage and Distribution
Autonomous & Robotics Systems
Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA) Systems
Virtual/Augmented Reality in Human Spaceflight Training & Execution
Human Health & Performance / Human Systems Research
NASA Intellectual Property suitable for commercialization by small/start-up companies
Orion’s parachutes and risk identification and mitigation strategies
Leveraging Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for ultra-long-lived wireless sensors

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