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Ranking Houston’s startup ecosystem, new platform launches for entrepreneurs, and other trending innovation news

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Editor’s note:Let’s round up the most read Houston innovation news of the week. Trending Houston tech and startup articles from InnovationMap and its daily newsletter included a few reports ranking Houston’s innovative qualities, a new cohort of student startups, and more.

Report: Houston Takes a Spot in Global Rankings for Best Startup Ecosystems in 2024

The Bayou City has moved up in an international ranking of startup ecosystems. Photo via Getty Images

Houston is making progress in the startup world.

The city rises to No. 48 on StartupBlink’s list of the world’s best startup ecosystems for 2024. That’s four spots higher than Houston’s ranking of No. 52 on the 2023 list. StartupBlink is an economic research platform.

The Greater Houston Partnership recently noted the growth of Houston’s ecosystem for startups.

“Houston’s tech scene has made many strides in recent years to establish the foundation for startups to thrive, from inception to late-stage, across all industries,” the partnership states. “With the multitude of incubators coming online and a surge in venture capital funding, startups now have more landing spots and growth opportunities in Houston than ever before.” Continue reading.

Rice accelerator names second innovative summer cohort

The 12-week program received a record number of applications, which covered the campus’s degree offerings. Photo via rice.edu

Rice University’s Liu Idea Lab for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, or Lilie, has named eight teams for the second cohort of the Lilie Summer Venture Studio.

The teams are focused on a range of innovative concepts, from healthcare solutions to running shoe design to automating recruiting from the NCAA Transfer Portal.

According to Rice, the 12-week program received a record number of applications, which covered the campus’s degree offerings.

“We are thrilled to see such a level of interest and enthusiasm from Rice students for a high-growth venture accelerator,” Kyle Judah, executive director of Lilie, said in a statement. “The diversity and creativity of this year’s applications has been truly inspiring, and we are excited to support these promising companies with the resources and mentorship they need to reach exit velocity and create the next generation of pillar companies for Houston, Texas and the world. » Continue reading.

Houston Entrepreneurial Community Creator Partners with Startup to Provide AI-Driven Creation Tools

The Cannon, a Houston-based coworking community, and nstAI, a recently launched suite of services for founders, announced a new partnership. Photo courtesy of The Cannon

A new Houston company has launched to provide a new resource platform for entrepreneurs powered by artificial intelligence, and the new venture already has its first partner.

The Cannon, a Houston-based coworking community, and nstAI, a recently launched suite of services for founders, announced a new partnership.

“The opportunity for The Cannon to partner with nstAI to provide a value-driven service offering to growth-stage startups is huge for our community. We are constantly looking for areas where we can support every startup, no matter where they are in their journey,” Jon Lambert, CEO of The Cannon, said in a statement. Continue reading.

Houston Area Schools Make Annual List of Best Universities for Certificates Granted

The University of Houston, along with a few other Houston-area schools, was ranked among the top 100 schools for U.S. patents granted. Photo courtesy of UH.edu

The University of Houston System reigns as patent king among Houston area colleges and universities.

A new list from the National Academy of Inventors places UH in 63rd place – with 27 utility patents issued in 2023 – among 100 recognized schools. As the university explains, utility patents are among the world’s most valuable assets because they grant inventors exclusive commercial rights to produce and use their technology.

Other Houston-area schools that appear on the list are Texas A&M University System, tied for 30th place with 66 patents, and Rice University, tied for 93rd place with 14 patents. Continue reading.

Texas organization awards more than $40 million to chemistry research in Houston and beyond

In total, the Welch Foundation announced June 4 more than $40.5 million in academic research grants, equipment grants and scholarships. Photo via Getty Images

Two local professors are among the recently announced recipients of funding from the Houston-based Welch Foundation, which funds chemistry research projects.

The two teachers are:

  • Jacinta Conrad, Frank M. Tiller Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Houston. Conrad will use his grant to study the glass transition, a temperature change that affects polymers. She describes the glass transition as one of the “most intriguing open problems in physical chemistry.”
  • James Shee, assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry at Rice University. Shee will devote his grant to the advancement of theoretical chemistry.

Each year, the foundation awards annual grants totaling at least $100,000 to support chemistry research conducted by full-time faculty at Texas colleges, universities and other educational institutions. Continue reading.

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