UH tech bridge bound

Houston energy transition company announces move into new facility

At the UH Tech Bridge, Zenith aims to accelerate its research and development of novel gas and liquid filters, according to UH, to help reduce the cost of clean hydrogen. Photo by Natalie Harms

A Houston-area startup that is purifying water and chemicals with a innovative technology has announced its new office on the University of Houston's campus.

Missouri city-based Zenith Purification develops sorbents and polymeric membranes that can be used for carbon dioxide removal, hydrogen and natural gas purification, and water purification. According to the company, its processes are cost effective and offer a more efficient way to remove contaminants from water.

At the UH Tech Bridge, Zenith also aims to accelerate its research and development of novel gas and liquid filters, according to UH, to help reduce the cost of clean hydrogen.

“We are excited to embark on a new journey with the latest addition to our vibrant community, Zenith Purification LLC,” Darayle Canada, program director, startup development operations at UH Technology Bridge, said in a statement. “With their visionary team and cutting-edge technologies, they are poised to make a significant impact in the market. Their membership at the UH Technology Bridge will provide them with a supportive ecosystem, mentorship, resources, and networking opportunities to accelerate their growth.”

Zenith was founded in 2021 by Jian J. Zou in 2021. Zou has been granted three patents for his work in polymeric membrane synthesis and process development, which are the bases of the company. In July, Zenith was awarded its first research grant from the Department of Energy.

The UH Tech Bridge focuses on providing research and development space to UH-affiliated startups and entrepreneurs. The 15-building complex and its 31,000 square feet of incubator space houses more than 20 small companies and startups that provide internship and learning opportunities for UH students, along with several federally funded research centers and institutes.

In August the Tech Bridge announced that it would be partnering up with the UH Texas Gulf Coast Small Business Development Center to launch a new, collaborative program that will help innovators and entrepreneurs develop a pitch or commercialization plan. And in March it received a $2.875 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. to establish The Deck Innovation & Coworking Center.

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A View From HETI

The Houston Innovation Awards take place November 13 at Greentown Labs. Graphic via Gow Media

InnovationMap.com, EnergyCaptialHTX's sister website, has revealed the finalists for the 2026 Houston Innovation Awards, and the local energy sector is well-represented throughout the awards.

The sixth annual Houston Innovation Awards program returns in an all-digital format this fall to honor the best of Houston's innovation ecosystem, including startups, entrepreneurs, mentors, and more.

Finalists were determined by an esteemed panel of judges. The panel reviewed applications across 10 prestigious categories to determine our finalists. They will select the winner for each category, except for Startup of the Year, which will be chosen by the public via online voting launching later this month.

We will announce the honoree of our annual Trailblazer Award in the coming weeks, then stay tuned as we unveil all of this year's winners on InnovationMap.com in mid-November.

Without further ado, here are the 2026 Houston Innovation Awards finalists:

Minority-founded Business

Honoring an innovative startup founded or co-founded by BIPOC or LGBTQ+ representation:

  • AI Made Fun
  • Deep Anchor Solutions
  • HEXAspec
  • Prana Surgical
  • Torres Orbital Mining Inc.

Female-founded Business

Honoring an innovative startup founded or co-founded by a woman:

  • Adair
  • ARIX Technologies
  • Bairitone Health
  • FlowCellutions
  • ParaDocs Health

Energy Transition Business

Honoring an innovative startup providing a solution within renewables, climatetech, clean energy, alternative materials, circular economy and beyond:

  • Capwell Services
  • FlowCellutions
  • Hertha Metals
  • Mars Materials
  • Solidec

Health Tech Business

Honoring an innovative startup within the health and medical technology sectors:

  • Bairitone Health
  • InformAI Inc.
  • Prana Surgical
  • Skybound MedTech

Deep Tech Business

Honoring an innovative startup providing technology solutions based on substantial scientific or engineering challenges, including those in the AI, robotics and space sectors:

  • Casimir
  • Focis AI
  • Machine Saver Inc.
  • Square Robot
  • Venus Aerospace

Startup of the Year (People's Choice)

Honoring a startup celebrating a recent milestone or success. The winner will be selected by the community via an online voting experience:

  • Fluxworks
  • IronLattice
  • Lumino
  • Progress Report
  • Rosarium Health
  • Thread
  • TokenRoster

Scaleup of the Year

Honoring an innovative later-stage startup that's recently reached a significant milestone in company growth:

  • Erock
  • Hertha Metals
  • Venus Aerospace

Incubator/Accelerator of the Year

Honoring a local incubator or accelerator that is championing and fueling the growth of Houston startups:

  • Activate
  • Impact Hub Houston
  • MarMo Innovation

Mentor of the Year

Honoring an individual who dedicates their time and expertise to guide and support budding entrepreneurs:

  • Al Danto, Rice University
  • Eric Rubenstein, New Climate Ventures
  • Jeremy Pitts, Activate
  • Joe Alapat, Liongard
  • Kyle Judah, Rice University's Liu Idea Lab for Innovation & Entrepreneurship
  • Rachel Bickham, Bickham Services Unlimited LLC

Trailblazer Recipient

  • To be announced

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