Houston to host cleantech collaboration with delegation from Belgium

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Houston-based energy tech-oriented companies will be invited to the pitching event for Antwerp and Houston Cleantech Entrepreneurs from 2 to 5 pm on December 3 at The Ion. Photo via the Ion

A delegation of nine startups from Antwerp, Belgium, along with industry experts will visit Houston from December 2 through December 6, which will include The Greater Houston Partnership, Greentown Labs, The Ion, and The Cannon.

The delegation will represent cleantech, sustainable chemistry, and energy tech sectors to engage with Houston’s energy transition ecosystem and identify collaboration and investment opportunities.

Houston-based energy tech-oriented companies will be invited to the pitching event for Antwerp and Houston Cleantech Entrepreneurs from 2 to 5 pm on December 3 at The Ion. Interested entrepreneurs can register at this link.

Antwerp and Houston are considered two of the world's largest petrochemical hubs, and also part of the leading innovators in the cleantech, sustainable chemistry, and energy tech sectors. The event will be organized by the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, BlueChem (an Antwerp-based sustainable chemistry incubator), the city of Antwerp, and Flanders Investment and Trade.

“Antwerp and Houston are known for their ports and petrochemical industries, but fewer people realize the remarkable cleantech, sustainable chemistry, and energytech ecosystems that have emerged around these hubs,” Nathalie Mathys, head of office at FIT Houston, says in a news release.

The Port of Antwerp-Bruges is known for innovating new technologies, which includes 5G, digital twins, artificial intelligence, drones, and advanced sensors. Antwerp has over 350 startups and nine incubators and accelerators.

“This delegation visit highlights the potential for collaboration between two of the most dynamic regions in these fields, paving the way for a cleaner, more sustainable future,” adds Mathys.

Ali Mostafavi, founder of Resilitix.AI, joins the Houston Innovators Podcast to discuss how he pivoted to provide important data amid Hurricane Beryl. Photo via tamu.edu

Why this entrepreneur believes Houston should lead resilience technology alongside the energy transition

tune in

When it comes to developing resilience technology, Houston startup founder Ali Mostafavi knows he's in the right place.

Mostafavi, a civil and environmental engineering professor at Texas A&M University, co-founded Resilitix.AI two years ago, and with the help of his lab at A&M, has created a platform that brings publicly available data into AI algorithms to provide its partners near-real time information in storm settings.

"We are very excited that our company is Houston based," he says on the Houston Innovators Podcast. "We should not be just ground zero of disasters. We have to also be ground zero for solutions as well. I believe Houston should be the hub for resilience tech innovation as it is for energy transition.

"I think energy transition, climatetech, energy tech, and disaster tech go hand in hand," Mostafavi continues. "I feel that we are in the right place."

Earlier this month, Mostafavi got an unexpected chance to pilot his company's data-backed and artificial intelligence-powered platform — all while weathering one of Houston's most impactful storms.

As Hurricane Beryl came ashore with Houston on its path, Mostafavi says he had the opportunity to both test his technology and provide valuable information to his community during the storm.

"We were in the process of fine tuning some of our methods and algorithms behind our technology," Mostafavi says. "When disasters happen, you go to activation mode. We put our technology development and R&D efforts on hold and try to test our technology in an operational setting."

The platform provides its partners — right now, those include local and state organizations and emergency response teams — information on evacuation reports, street flooding, and even damage sustained based on satellite imagery. Mostafavi says that during Beryl, users were wondering how citizens were faring amid rising temperatures and power outages. The Resilitix team quickly pivoted to apply algorithms to hospital data to see which neighborhoods were experiencing high volumes of patients.

"We had the ability to innovate on the spot," Mostafavi says, adding that his own lack of power and internet was an additional challenge for the company. "When an event happens, we start receiving requests and questions. ... We had to be agile and adapt our methods to be responsive. Then at the same time, because we haven't tested it, we have to verify that we are confident (in the information we provide)."

On the episode, Mostafavi shares how Hurricane Harvey — which occurred shortly after Mostafavi moved to Houston — inspired the foundation of Resilitix, and he also explains how he plans to grow and scale the business.

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This article originally ran on InnovationMap.

The Baker Hughes Technology Showcase opens — and more things to know this week. Photo courtesy of Baker Hughes

New Houston energy tech showroom, a deadline not to forget, and more to know this week

take note

Editor's note: It's a new week — start it strong with three quick things to catch up on in Houston's energy transition: looking back on top news from 2023, a deadline not to miss, and more.

New Baker Hughes Technology Showcase

The Baker Hughes Technology Showcase exists permanently at the company's Western Hemisphere Education Center in Tomball just outside of Houston to display the company's technologies.

There are more than 30 physical displays — some scaled down and 3D printed while others are exact replicas of the technology out in the field. In addition to these tangible pieces, hundreds are available to peruse on the touch-screen displays.

While there's the full technology spectrum represented, there's a particular focus on clean energy technologies — ones that aren't just future facing but are actually being used in the field today. Read more about the new showcase.

Upcoming deadline: The DOE's EnergyTech University Prize

The Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship will host the regional qualifier for a Department of Energy-backed student competition, and the application deadline to participate is coming up.

The DOE's EnergyTech University Prize, or EnergyTech UP, a virtual regional qualifier hosted by the Rice Alliance will take place in February, and applications for students and faculty are now open. A $400,000 collegiate competition, the program challenges student teams to develop a business plan based off of National Laboratory-developed or other emerging energy technology.

The application deadline is February 1 for students. This year there's a new track for faculty that has a prize of $100,000 on the line. Faculty have until January 5 to apply. Learn more.

The year in review

All month long, EnergyCapital has been looking back at 2023 — specifically the second half of it, seeing as EC's launch was this summer — to see what articles were the most read by subscribers. Here are all of these roundups:

The acquisition is inline with "DNV's ongoing commitment to support customers in leading and accelerating the energy transition." Photo courtesy of DNV

Norway-based risk management company acquires Houston energy SaaS biz

M&A Moves

A Norwegian company that specializes in risk management in the maritime industry has acquired a Houston software business.

DNV announced the acquisition of Houston-based ANB Systems earlier this month. ANB's software-as-a-service platform provides energy program services to utility and regulatory body customers. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“ANB has grown steadily across its software products, its services, and its customers, through its configurable and scalable low-code proprietary software platforms," S. Balakrishnan, CEO of ANB Systems, says in the news release. "The acquisition by DNV will provide us with the resources for product development and operations, as well as give us global market reach. Most importantly, this will give us the resources to ensure we continue providing excellent customer implementation and support via our successful ReSULTS framework.”

The two companies have collaborated previously, and the acquisition is inline with "DNV's ongoing commitment to support customers in leading and accelerating the energy transition," as the company describes in the release.

"Energy efficiency is one of the defining features of the energy transition and the acquisition of ANB, with its strong focus on quality software solutions, will strengthen and expand our offerings in energy management and related services particularly in North America," Remi Eriksen, group president and CEO of DNV, says in the release.

Since its inception in 1997, ANB has developed digital solutions for automation within energy efficiency, electric vehicles, and more. Its platform is powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning.

"The collaboration between DNV and ANB will bring together two world-class teams, combining insights and experience to deliver comprehensive solutions to customers," Ditlev Engel, CEO of Energy Systems at DNV, says. "ANB Systems was founded with a clear mission - to partner with their customers to create best-in-class technology solutions that empower energy companies to provide best-in-class service including artificial intelligence.

"The company has grown and gained remarkable expertise in developing digital solutions for clean energy programs," he continues. "Together, DNV and ANB Systems are committed to accelerating the transition towards decarbonized, safe, and smart energy systems, enabling a sustainable future for all.”

The deadline to apply to participate in an upcoming energy-focused event is approaching. Photo courtesy of Rice

Rice Alliance calls for participants for its annual energy conference

now's the time to apply

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Energy Tech Venture Day, a one-day symposium for energy innovation put on by the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship. The organization is currently calling for applications for startups interested in participating.

The event is taking place on September 21 at Rice University and will bring together energy innovators, investors, corporate leaders, and the rest of the energy ecosystem. The programming will include panels and discussions as well as startup pitches from the Rice Alliance's Clean Energy Accelerator 2023 cohort.

In addition to the CEA pitches, energy tech startups from around the world can apply to be a part of the day and be in the running to be recognized as a select group as the "most-promising" at the conclusion of the pitches. Applications can be filled out online and are due July 14. Registration is also open online.

According to Rice, 90 or so companies will be selected to participate in one-on-one meetings with around 75 investors. The organization conducts a unique matchmaking round that pairs up investors and founders for four to 10 of these office hour meetings which will take place the day before the main event.

On the day of the Energy Tech Venture Day, around 40 companies will pitch to the rest of the crowd. At the end of the day and based off the investor feedback from the one-on-one meetings, 10 energy tech startups will be deemed the most-promising businesses and be presented with awards.

Last year, over a third of the companies that pitched were based in the Houston area. Two Houston-based companies received awards at the end of the day, including:

Kanin Energy, which works with heavy Industry to turn their waste heat into a clean baseload power source. The platform also provides tools such as project development, financing, and operations.
Syzygy Plasmonics, which is commercializing its light-reacting energy, which would greatly reduce carbon emissions in the chemical industry. The technology originated out of Rice University.

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Investors from Houston and Boston fuel Greentown with $4M commitment

next era

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.”

According to Greentown, the funding will support its financial position and contribute to preparing the incubator for its next chapter of supporting its its leadership team prepare for Greentown’s next chapter supporting and growing its 575 startups.

“Greentown’s mission aligns closely with the Houston Energy Transition Initiative’s goal of accelerating global solutions to address the dual challenge of meeting growing energy demand globally while also significantly reducing CO2 emissions,” adds Steve Kean, president and CEO of the Greater Houston Partnership.

With the announcement of the funding, Greentown named its board members, including Tudor, who will serve as Greentown Labs Board Chair. The other Houston-based board members are:

David Baldwin, co-founder of OpenMinds and TEX-E; partner atSCF Partners
Bob Harvey, former president and CEO of GHP; board member of TEX-E
Jane Stricker, senior vice president of energy transition and executive director of HETI

“With this new funding, Greentown is poised to expand its impact across its existing ecosystems and support even more climatetech startups,” adds Kevin Dutt, interim CEO of Greentown Labs. “We believe in the essential role entrepreneurship will play in the energy transition and we’re grateful for the support of our partners who share in that belief and our collective commitment to commercializing these technologies as quickly and efficiently as possible.”

According to Greentown, the incubator plans to announce its new CEO in the coming months.

2 Houston companies invest in innovative carbon-converting tech from Rice University

freshly funded

A Canadian company based on tech originating out of Rice University closed an equity financing round of up to $20 million thanks to two Houston-based companies.

NewTech Investment Holdings and Westlake Innovations Inc. led Universal Matter's investment round, which the company expand its graphene-based dispersion capacity technology that can be used for servicing customers and prospective customers in its target markets.

“Our continuing interest at NewTech is to seek out and invest in advanced materials companies having high potential to deliver disruptive technologies and environmental benefits within the cleantech sector,” NewTech Investment Holdings Managing Director Guy Hoffman says in a news release. “Universal Matter stands out with its game-changing graphene manufacturing process for producing high quality products that help reduce the carbon footprint in hard- to-abate sectors, such as cement concrete and bitumen asphalt-based applications.

Universal Matter's Flash Joule Heating process technology — originating out of Rice University's James Tour lab by scientist Duy Luong — can upcycle carbon into fully formulated graphene-based products to enhance the performance and sustainability of major industrial materials, per the company's release. Universal Matter developed the complementary product technologies with its Genable graphene-based dispersions that equate to ease-of-use by fabricators in major global markets that include cement/concrete, bitumen asphalt, industrial coatings, automotive tires, and others.

“Graphene is a material with a number of potential performance and sustainability benefits that could apply across a number of Westlake’s ‘Performance & Essential Materials and Housing & Infrastructure Products’ business lines,” Westlake's Senior Vice President and Managing Director John Chao says in the release. “We look forward to working with Universal Matter and its management team as it moves forward on development and commercialization of its flexible technology.”

This year, Universal Matter participated in the Greentown Go Make program put on by Greentown Labs and Shell. During the program, Universal Matter worked with Shell to identify eight potential collaboration areas across upstream carbon feedstocks, downstream end-use applications for the startup’s graphene, and more.

METRO rolls out electric shuttles for downtown Houston commuters

seeing green

The innovative METRO microtransit program will be expanding to the downtown area, the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County announced on Monday.

“Microtransit is a proven solution to get more people where they need to go safely and efficiently,” Houston Mayor John Whitmire said in a statement. “Connected communities are safer communities, and bringing microtransit to Houston builds on my promise for smart, fiscally-sound infrastructure growth.”

The program started in June 2023 when the city’s nonprofit Evolve Houston partnered with the for-profit Ryde company to offer free shuttle service to residents of Second and Third Ward. The shuttles are all-electric and take riders to bus stops, medical buildings, and grocery stores. Essentially, it works as a traditional ride-share service but focuses on multiple passengers in areas where bus access may involve hazards or other obstacles. Riders access the system through the Ride Circuit app.

So far, the microtransit system has made a positive impact in the wards according to METRO. This has led to the current expansion into the downtown area. The system is not designed to replace the standard bus service, but to help riders navigate to it through areas where bus service is more difficult.

“Integrating microtransit into METRO’s public transit system demonstrates a commitment to finding innovative solutions that meet our customers where they are,” said METRO Board Chair Elizabeth Gonzalez Brock. “This on-demand service provides a flexible, easier way to reach METRO buses and rail lines and will grow ridership by solving the first- and last-mile challenges that have hindered people’s ability to choose METRO.”

The City of Houston approved a renewal of the microtransit program in July, authorizing Evolve Houston to spend $1.3 million on it. Some, like council member Letitia Plummer, have questioned whether microtransit is really the future for METRO as the service cuts lines such as the University Corridor.

However, the microtransit system serves clear and longstanding needs in Houston. Getting to and from bus stops in the city with its long blocks, spread-out communities, and fickle pedestrian ways can be difficult, especially for poor or disabled riders. While the bus and rail work fine for longer distances, shorter ones can be underserved.

Even in places like downtown where stops are plentiful, movement between them can still involve walks of a mile or more, and may not serve for short trips.

“Our microtransit service is a game-changer for connecting people, and we are thrilled to launch it in downtown Houston,” said Evolve executive director Casey Brown. “The all-electric, on-demand service complements METRO’s existing fixed-route systems while offering a new solution for short trips. This launch marks an important milestone for our service, and we look forward to introducing additional zones in the new year — improving access to public transit and local destinations.”

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This article originally ran on CultureMap.

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