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CultureMap Emails are Awesome
Greentown raises funding, a new tree initiative in Houston, and more trending energy transition news
Editor's note: From DOE funding for underground power line research to Zeta Energy's big deal with, these are the top headlines that resonated with EnergyCapital readers on social media and daily newsletter this week.
Investors from Houston and Boston fuel Greentown with $4M commitment
A mix of public and private investors have funded Greentown Labs. Photo via GreentownLabs.com
Greentown Labs, a climatetech incubator with locations in the Houston and Boston areas, has announced it has received funding from a mix of investors.
The $4 million in funding came from both of the Houston and Massachusetts locations. Houston investors included Bobby Tudor, CEO of Artemis Energy Partners and chairman of the Houston Energy Transition Initiative; David Baldwin, co-founder of OpenMinds and TEX-E and partner at SCF Partners; and Rice University. Other investors included MassDevelopment and the City of Somerville.
“The challenges of the energy transition are immense, and the role played by technology incubators like Greentown Labs is essential,” Tudor says in a news release. “We believe this role, which is a partnership between academia, industry, philanthropists, entrepreneurs, and governments, is the best way to get to effective, scalable solutions in a time frame that the urgency of the challenge requires. We need all hands on deck, and this partnership between Massachusetts and Texas can be a role model for others.”Continue reading.
Houston launches Google-backed tool to address urban tree cover disparities
American Forests is aiming to assist with at least 100 cities to make progress on Tree Equity by 2030. Photo by Thomas Koenig/Big Pineapple Productions
The oldest national nonprofit conservation organization in the U.S American Forests has launched the Houston Tree Equity Score Analyzer, which was developed through local nonprofit Trees For Houston and local stakeholders from local government, environmental groups and the public health sector, and supported by Google’s philanthropic arm Google.org with a $450,000 grant.
To mark the launch, Trees For Houston and American Forest celebrated the partnership and worked to plant 50 trees at Shadydale Elementary in Northeast Houston on December 6.
“This marks a significant milestone for Houston's urban forestry efforts,” says Texas State Representative Senfronia Thompson at the December 6 event. “This effort goes beyond simply planting trees—it’s about creating the foundation for a greener, more inclusive future for our community. By uniting diverse resources and partners, including American Forests, Google.org and Trees For Houston, we’re showcasing a powerful dedication to enhancing the environmental well-being and quality of life in our urban areas.”Continue reading.
Houston company secures $10M contract to deliver subsea well decommissioning solution
Expro has secured a $10 million contract to provide a subsea well decommissioning solution, combining subsea safety systems and surface fluid management to support safe re-entry and fluid management for plugged and abandoned wells. Photo courtesy of Expro
Houston energy services provider Expro was awarded a contract valued at over $10 million for the provision of a well decommissioning solution.
The solution will combine subsea safety systems and surface processing design that can enable safe entry to the well and management of well fluids.
“The contract reinforces our reputation as the leading provider of subsea safety systems and surface well test equipment, including within the P&A sector,” Iain Farley, Expro’s regional vice president for Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa, says in a news release.Continue reading.
This Houston innovator's innovative corrosion detection tech is vital to the future of energy
Anwar Sadek of Corrolytics joins the Houston Innovators Podcast to discuss his company's growth and move to Houston. Photo courtesy
Houston-based Corrolytics approach is to help revolutionize and digitize microbial corrosion detection — both to improves efficiency and operational cost for industrial companies, but also to move the needle on a cleaner future for the energy industry.
"We are having an energy transition — that is a given. As we are bringing new energy, there will be growth of infrastructure to them. Every single path for the energy transition, corrosion will play a primary role as well," Anwar Sadek, co-founder and CEO of Corrolytics, says on the Houston Innovators Podcast.
The technology Sadek and his team have created is a tool to detect microbial corrosion — a major problem for industrial businesses, especially within the energy sector. Sadek describes the product as being similar to a testing hit a patient would use at home or in a clinic setting to decipher their current ailments.Continue reading.
Houston company's $2B carbon-negative fuel project to rise in Southeast Texas
Pathway Energy has announced a major sustainable aviation fuel project in Port Arthur, Texas. Rendering courtesy of Pathway Energy
Houston developer of ultra carbon-negative fuels projects Pathway Energy announced a series of commercial-scale sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) facilities with the first being based in Port Arthur, Texas.
The project, estimated to be valued at $2 billion, will be one of the largest decarbonization projects in the world.
Pathway plans to bring commercial SAF to market with its years of experience in waste and biomass conversion processes and technologies that include biomass gasification, Fischer-Tropsch, biomass power generation, and complex biorefinery and industrial processes. Continue reading.
The future is here: Top Houston energy transition startup stories of the year
Editor's note: As the year comes to a close, EnergyCapital is looking back at the year's top stories in Houston energy transition. EnergyCapital covers the entire energy transition ecosystem, including the businesses from major public corporations to small but growing startups with promising technologies. This year, top energy startup news included award-winning innovators, a new hub for energy tech startups, big deals, and more. Check out each of the most-read stories below — be sure to click to continue reading each article.
Local energy innovators recognized at annual Houston Innovation Awards
At an event celebrating Houston innovation, these four energy transition leaders were recognized. Photos courtesy
This week, the Houston innovation ecosystem celebrated big wins from the year, and members of the energy transition community were recognized alongside other innovators.
The Houston Innovation Awards honored over 40 finalists across categories, naming the 12 winners and honoring the two Trailblazer Legacy Awards at the event. The event, hosted at TMC Helix Park on November 14 named and celebrated the winners, which included four energy transition innovators. Click to see what energy leaders secured wins.
Houston startup taps new corporate partner for AI-backed sustainability consumer tech
IBM and Boxes recently partnered to integrate the IBM watsonx Assistant into Boxes devices, providing a way for consumer packaged brands to find out more than ever about what its customers like and want. Photo courtesy of Boxes
With the help of a new conversational artificial intelligence platform, a Houston startup is ready to let brands get up close and personal with consumers while minimizing waste.
IBM and Boxes recently partnered to integrate the IBM watsonx Assistant into Boxes devices, providing a way for consumer packaged brands to find out more than ever about what its customers like and want.
The Boxes device, about the size of a 40-inch television screen, dispenses products to consumers in a modern and sustainable spin on the old-fashioned large vending machine.
CEO Fernando Machin Gojdycz learned that business from his entrepreneur father, Carlos Daniel Machin, while growing up in Uruguay.
“That’s where my passion comes from — him,” Gojdycz says of his father. In 2016, Gojdycz founded Boxes in Uruguay with some engineer friends
Funded by a $2,000 grant from the University of Uruguay, the company's mission was “to democratize and economize affordable and sustainable shopping,” in part by eliminating wasteful single-use plastic packaging. Click to continue reading.
Houston startup selected for inaugural climatetech global entrepreneur competition
Syzygy Plasmonics is going to be competing in Gastech's new startup competition. Photo via Getty Images
A global natural gas, LNG, hydrogen, low-carbon solutions, and climate technology convention is coming to Houston next month — but only one Houston startup is geared up for the event's new startup competition.
Gastech invited 20 promising companies for its inaugural Gastech Start-Up Competition, and 11 companies have signed on to participate so far. Houston-based Syzygy Plasmonics, which created and is scaling a sustainable photocatalytic reactor, is currently the only local company among the participants.
“Gastech's focus on creating a low-carbon, affordable energy future aligns perfectly with Syzygy's drive to produce low-carbon, low-cost hydrogen, liquid fuels, and syngas," Syzygy Plasmonics CEO Trevor Best says. "We can't wait to represent Houston as the only startup from the area to be included among the 11 finalists in the Gastech Climatetech Global Entrepreneur Competition.” Click to continue reading.
Houston leaders launch new downtown hub to support energy transition innovation
Energy Tech Nexus has opened in downtown Houston. Photo by Natalie Harms/EnergyCapital
Three Houston energy innovators have cut the ribbon on a new space for energy transition innovation.
The Energy Tech Nexus, located in the historic Niels Esperson Building at the corner of Travis and Rusk Avenue, opened on September 10, which was proclaimed Energy Tech Nexus Day by the city.
Jason Ethier and Juliana Garaizar, formerly in leadership roles at Greentown Labs, teamed up with Nada Ahmed, previously headed innovation and transformation at Aker Solutions, launched ETN as a community for energy transition startups. The new hub plans to host incubation programs, provide mentorship, and open doors to funding and strategic partnerships for its members.
"We are creating more than a space for innovation," Garaizar says in a news release. "We are crafting a community where pioneers in technology and energy converge to challenge the status quo and accelerate the shift to sustainable energy solutions." Click to continue reading.
Houston bio-based materials founder rebrands, evolves future-focused sustainability startup
Zimri T. Hinshaw, founder and CEO of Rheom Materials, joins the Houston Innovators Podcast. Photo courtesy of Rheom
At first, Zimri T. Hinshaw just wanted to design a sustainable, vegan jacket inspired by bikers he saw in Tokyo. Now, he's running a bio-based materials company with two product lines and is ready to disrupt the fashion and automotive industries.
Hinshaw founded Rheom Materials (née Bucha Bio) in 2020, but a lot has changed since then. He moved the company from New York to Houston, built out a facility in Houston's East End Maker Hub, and rebranded to reflect the company's newest phase and extended product lines, deriving from dozens of different ingredients, including algae, seaweed, corn, other fruits and vegetables, and more.
"As a company, we pivoted our technology from growing kombucha sheets to grinding up bacteria nanocellulose from kombucha into our products and then we moved away from that entirely," Hinshaw says on the Houston Innovators Podcast. "Today, we're designing different materials that are more sustainable, and the inputs are varied."Click to continue reading.