Kevin Brophy and Ming Lei were named as partners and members of the firm's transactions department.
“Kevin and Ming’s extensive experience executing all manner of sophisticated transactions for energy and infrastructure clients combined with their strong networks in the energy sector enhance Winston’s position in Texas as one of the strongest firms for handling these transactions,” Mike Blankenship, Houston office managing partner, says in a news release. “Their complementary skills will help expand our work with private equity firms and other companies operating in the energy sector.”
Brophy's focus includes upstream and midstream sectors, and Lei advises clients on energy transition, as well as oil and gas exploration, storage, refinery, and more. Both have expertise in mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, asset acquisitions and dispositions, and more.
“Winston’s transactions team has a first-class reputation. We are excited to join the firm’s growing Houston office and look forward to collaborating with our new colleagues to advance Winston’s oil and gas practice in Texas and beyond,” Brophy and Lei say in a joint statement.
A team of researchers led by professors from two Houston universities has discovered new methods that help stabilize an emerging technique known as carbon dioxide reduction reaction, or CO2RR, that is used for carbon capture and utilization processes.
The team led by Rice University’s Haotian Wang, associate professor in chemical and biomolecular engineering, and Xiaonan Shan, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at University of Houston, published its findings in a recent edition of the journal Nature Energy.
CO2RR is an emerging carbon capture and utilization technique where electricity and chemical catalysts are used to convert carbon dioxide gas into carbon-containing compounds like alcohols, ethylene, formic acids or carbon monoxide, according to a news release from Rice. The result can be used as fuels, chemicals or as starting materials to produce other compounds.
The technology is used in commercial membrane electrode assembly (MEA) electrolyzers to convert carbon dioxide into valuable compounds, but the technology isn’t perfected. A significant challenge in CO2RR technology has been the accumulation of bicarbonate salt crystals on the backside of the cathode gas diffusion electrode and within the gas flow channels. The salt precipitates block the flow of carbon dioxide gas through the cathode chamber, which reduce the performance and can cause a failure of the electrolyzers.
The goal in the study was to understand why and how bicarbonate salts form during this reaction. The Rice and UH teams worked together using operando Raman spectroscopy, which is a technique that allows researchers to study the structure of materials and any precipitates that adhere to them while the device is functioning.
“By utilizing operando Raman spectroscopy and optical microscopy, we successfully tracked the movement of bicarbonate-containing droplets and identified their migration pattern,” Shan said in the release. “This provided us the information to develop an effective strategy to manage these droplets without interrupting system stability.”
Next, the team worked to prevent the salt crystals from forming. First, they tested lowering the concentration of cations, like sodium or potassium, in the electrolyte to slow down the salt formation. This method proved to be effective.
They also coated the cathode with parylene, a synthetic polymer that repels water, like Teflon, which also notably improved the stability of the electrolyzer and prevented salt accumulation.
“Inspired by the waxy surface of the lotus leaf which causes water droplets to bead up and roll off, carrying off any dirt particles with it and leaving the leaf’s surface clean, we wondered if coating the gas flow channel with a nonstick substance will prevent salt-laden droplets from staying on the surface of the electrodes for too long and, therefore, reduce salt buildup.” Wang said in the release.
According to Wang, these relatively simple discoveries can extend the operational lifespan of CO2RR systems from a few hundred hours to over 1,000 hours.
The findings also have major implications for commercial applications, Shan added.
“This advancement paves the way for longer-lasting and more reliable (CO2RR) systems, making the technology more practical for large-scale chemical manufacturing,” Shan said in the release. “The improvements we developed are crucial for transitioning CO2 electrolysis from laboratory setups to commercial applications for producing sustainable fuels and chemicals.”
Workplace safety has always been reactive. Incidents happen, reports are filed, lessons are learned — sometimes too late. But what if safety wasn’t about reacting to accidents, but preventing them altogether?
In this episode of the Energy Tech Startups Podcast, Stephen Ojji, founder and CEO of VisionTech, challenges how high-hazard industries approach safety. His vision? AI-driven incident detection that doesn’t just monitor the workplace —i t actively prevents injuries, ensures compliance, and builds a stronger safety culture.
From Oil and Gas Safety to AI Innovation
Stephen’s journey into energy tech isn’t what you’d expect. Starting as a safety engineer in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, his early career was focused on ensuring compliance, training teams, and reducing workplace risks. But he quickly realized a flaw in the system — many incidents weren’t being reported at all.
"Workers don’t always report hazards, and not because they don’t care," he explains. "Sometimes it’s fear of consequences. Sometimes it’s just human nature — we’re focused on getting the job done. But ignoring small risks leads to big accidents."
That’s where VisionTech’s AI-powered safety monitoring system comes in. Instead of relying on human reporting, VisionTech integrates with existing workplace cameras, using computer vision technology and AI to detect:
Spills, fire hazards, and safety violations in real-time
Workers at risk of injury due to incorrect lifting techniques or missing PPE
Trends in safety culture, helping companies address recurring risks
"Think of it like having an extra set of eyes that never blinks," Stephen says. "Not to police workers, but to protect them."
AI and Safety: Moving Beyond Compliance to Prevention
Unlike traditional workplace monitoring, VisionTech’s AI safety system doesn’t track individuals — it tracks behaviors. The system uses ghosting technology, ensuring that workers’ identities remain anonymous while hazards are flagged instantly.
This shifts the focus from penalizing mistakes to empowering safer work environments.
"Companies say they care about safety, but what does that really mean?" Stephen challenges. "If safety is the priority, why not use every tool available to protect workers before an accident happens?"
And here’s the kicker: VisionTech doesn’t just detect risks. It helps companies act on them.
Instead of logging safety incidents in spreadsheets that go unread, the system transforms safety data into actionable insights — identifying patterns, trends, and areas for improvement that help companies make real, lasting changes.
Why Now? The Urgency for Smarter Safety Solutions
With OSHA regulations tightening and ESG commitments pushing for stronger worker protections, industrial companies are under growing pressure to do more than just meet compliance standards.
At the same time, AI and machine learning have advanced rapidly, making AI-powered safety monitoring more affordable, scalable, and accurate than ever before.
"If we had tried to build this 10 years ago, it wouldn’t have worked," Stephen admits. "The technology wasn’t ready. The market wasn’t ready. But today? It’s the right time, and the right tool for a problem that’s been ignored for too long."
What’s Next for VisionTech?
Currently in the MVP stage, VisionTech is preparing for pilot programs with oil and gas companies to prove its impact in real-world environments. The plan? Scale beyond oil and gas into manufacturing, construction, and any industry where safety matters.
But for Stephen, this isn’t just about launching another safety product — it’s about changing how companies think about protecting their workers.
"Safety isn’t just a compliance box to check," he says. "It’s about people. If companies really believe that ‘our employees are our greatest asset,’ then investing in their safety should be the easiest decision they ever make."
This is a conversation you don’t want to miss.
See the full episode with Stephen Ojji on the Energy Tech Startups Podcast below, or click here to listen.
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Energy Tech Startups Podcast is hosted by Jason Ethier and Nada Ahmed. It delves into Houston's pivotal role in the energy transition, spotlighting entrepreneurs and industry leaders shaping a low-carbon future.
Greentown Labs announced that it added five startups to its Houston community in Q1 of 2025.
The companies are among a group of 19 that joined the climatetech incubator, which is co-located in Houston and Boston, in the same time period. The companies that joined the Houston-based lab specialize in a number of "green" applications, from converting plastic waste into sustainable materials to developing energy-storage solutions.
The new Houston members include:
Concept Loop, a project of Pakistan-based Innova8e Inc., aims to repurpose post-industrial and post-consumer plastic waste into sustainable building materials.
GeoFuels, a Sugar Land-based company that produces hydrogen by using baseload geothermal power and methane pyrolysis.
PLASENE, a Houston-based company with an innovative platform that converts plastic waste into liquid fuel and low-carbon hydrogen through its proprietary catalysts and modular, scalable, pre-engineered units platform. The company was named to Greentown's ACCEL Year 3 cohort earlier this year.
RepAir Carbon, an Israeli company with a fully electric, zero-heat carbon-removal technology that consumes minimal energy, operates without liquids or solvents, and produces no hazardous materials or waste.
RotorVault from Pasadena, California, is commercializing energy-storage and load-following solutions that are containerized, modular, and field-deployable systems built on flywheel technology.
PLASENE and five other new members—Thola, Respire Energy, Andros Innovations, FAST Metals and Tato Labs—join Greentown Labs through its most recent Advancing Climatetech and Clean Energy Leaders Program, or ACCEL, cohort. ACCEL, which works to advance BIPOC-led startups in the climatetech space, announced its third cohort last month.
