Nuve started out trying to solve a simple, yet important, problem for one of the world’s largest energy producers. The Austin, TX-based startup was working with Pemex to prevent fuel theft, and Nuve developed a series of smart locks and sensors that it says saved the Mexican state oil company millions of dollars each year. … Continue reading “Austin’s Nuve Uses Sensors, Smart Locks to Combat Theft”
Author: Angela Shah
Angela Shah was formerly the editor of Xconomy Texas. She has written about startups along a wide entrepreneurial spectrum, from Silicon Valley transplants to Austin transforming a once-sleepy university town in the '90s tech boom to 20-something women defying cultural norms as they seek to build vital IT infrastructure in a war-torn Afghanistan. As a foreign correspondent based in Dubai, her work appeared in The New York Times, TIME, Newsweek/Daily Beast and Forbes Asia.
Before moving overseas, Shah was a staff writer and columnist with The Dallas Morning News and the Austin American-Statesman. She has a Bachelor's of Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin, and she is a 2007 Knight-Wallace Fellow at the University of Michigan. With the launch of Xconomy Texas, she's returned to her hometown of Houston.
International Accelerator Program Brings Foreign Startups to Austin
Being an entrepreneur is a tough business. Then, tack on an added level of difficulty if that entrepreneur is foreign-born and seeking to enter the U.S. market. Angelos Angelou, a longtime business development consultant in Austin, TX, had helped entrepreneurs he had met on and off, including Schoox, a software maker founded by Greek entrepreneur, … Continue reading “International Accelerator Program Brings Foreign Startups to Austin”
University of Houston’s Rathindra Bose Dies at 63
We at Xconomy Texas have some sad news to share. Rathindra Bose, the vice chancellor and vice president for research and technology at the University of Houston, died July 10 after a short illness. He was 63. In an email to faculty and staff, U of H President and Chancellor Renu Khator praised Bose’s contributions … Continue reading “University of Houston’s Rathindra Bose Dies at 63”
Houston’s Texas Medical Center Unveils New Fellowship in Biodesign
The Texas Medical Center is now seeking applicants for a new fellowship that could boost entrepreneurship in digital health and medical devices. The TMC Biodesign Fellowship is taking applications until August 2 for eight spots for a new, yearlong program. The fellows will be named about a week later. “There has been a convergence of … Continue reading “Houston’s Texas Medical Center Unveils New Fellowship in Biodesign”
NanoRacks & Bezos’s Blue Origin Team to Boost Suborbital Research
Nanoracks, a private Houston-area space company, has formed a new partnership with Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin to help scientific researchers work in suborbital space. NanoRacks CEO Jeffrey Manber passed the information along to me in an e-mail this morning. According to a post on the company’s website, Manber said “for many projects, a productive first … Continue reading “NanoRacks & Bezos’s Blue Origin Team to Boost Suborbital Research”
Beyond Houston: Advocates Aim to Boost Texas Biotech in Dallas Area
To illustrate the promise—and potential loss—of biotech in North Texas, JJ Spegele likes to share a conversation he had with a PhD candidate finishing his studies at a Dallas-area institution. “He wants to stay here, but he doesn’t know where to look for work,” says Spegele, the president and CEO of the newly formed BioNorthTX, … Continue reading “Beyond Houston: Advocates Aim to Boost Texas Biotech in Dallas Area”
Texas Roundup: SailPoint, DEC, Neos, Sanofi, NASA & XPrize
The dog days of Texas summer are here, with temperatures hitting 100 degrees. So stay inside and catch up on the latest innovation news: —SailPoint, an Austin-TX-based maker of identity management software, has purchased Whitebox Security, a security software firm based in Sunnyvale, CA. Whitebox’s products will still be offered under the “SecurityIQ” name. Terms … Continue reading “Texas Roundup: SailPoint, DEC, Neos, Sanofi, NASA & XPrize”
Intuitive Machines Exploits Space Savvy to Boost Innovation on Earth
Steve Altemus wants to bring the rigor of manned spaceflight to energy and healthcare, as well as the private space industry. As one example, the company he founded to do that, Intuitive Machines, creates software that helps oil companies do more precise drilling by leveraging the founders’ experience in engineering for space. “These are algorithms … Continue reading “Intuitive Machines Exploits Space Savvy to Boost Innovation on Earth”
As Boomers Gray, Kegels Aren’t Just for Women Anymore
As many as a third of American men and women suffer from incontinence, and Austin, TX-based Consortia Health wants to bring stateside a method used by patients around the world. Consortia, which was founded three years ago, provides physician groups with equipment and nurses trained in guiding patients through pelvic floor exercises, also known as … Continue reading “As Boomers Gray, Kegels Aren’t Just for Women Anymore”
Neos Therapeutics, Maker of ADHD Drug Delivery System, Files IPO
Neos Therapeutics, a Dallas-area biotech company, has filed to go public. The company plans to raise about $60 million by offering four million shares at a price range of $14 to $16 in an initial public offering. At the midpoint of the range, it would command a fully diluted market value of $220 million, according … Continue reading “Neos Therapeutics, Maker of ADHD Drug Delivery System, Files IPO”
New Motive Accelerator Targets Real Estate Startups in Dallas
Dallas has a new startup accelerator—this one to boost innovation in real estate. “If you look at the last few years of tech development and adoption, a lot of it is around the physical space and geolocation,” says John Backes, co-founder of the new Motive accelerator launching in the fall. “We want to create a … Continue reading “New Motive Accelerator Targets Real Estate Startups in Dallas”
Green Park & Golf Brings Swedish Medtech “Cooling Cap” to Dallas
Dallas’s Green Park & Golf Ventures has invested $850,000 in a Swedish medtech firm, which will now open its U.S. headquarters in the North Texas city. Dignitana has developed a scalp-cooling system that, when used during chemotherapy, can reduce hair loss. The product is already in use in Europe, Latin America, and Australia, the venture … Continue reading “Green Park & Golf Brings Swedish Medtech “Cooling Cap” to Dallas”
Google’s Self-Driving Car Roams, and Maps, the Streets of Austin
Now, this might make Austin, TX, traffic more bearable. Google said Tuesday that it has been testing its self-driving car in the Texas state capital in recent weeks, the first spins outside the company’s Mountain View, CA, headquarters. (The Lexus RX 450h is not exactly driverless; two Google employees are in the car at all … Continue reading “Google’s Self-Driving Car Roams, and Maps, the Streets of Austin”
Roundup: Water Innovation, RevTech, RideScout, & Money for Startups
The end of the 4th of July long weekend means we can start the third quarter in earnest. Let’s kick things off with the latest innovation news from Xconomy Texas: —Accelerate H20, a San Antonio-based accelerator promoting technologies related to what it says is Texas’s $9 billion water market gathered last week in Austin for … Continue reading “Roundup: Water Innovation, RevTech, RideScout, & Money for Startups”
Dallas’s KeepTrax Offers Travelers a Diary for the Digital Age
The family vacation has gone digital. KeepTrax, a Dallas-based mobile app, is an online travel diary, aiming to make sense of all the various photos and check-ins we post online. Founder and CEO Kedar Benegal says he wants to remember the places he travels to on trips, but he found that social media sites require … Continue reading “Dallas’s KeepTrax Offers Travelers a Diary for the Digital Age”
Dallas’s RevTech Announces Startups for New Accelerator
Dallas’s RevTech accelerator—formerly known as VentureSpur—has announced the startups that will make up its first class as a retail- and restaurant-focused program. The five startups are working on innovations related to gambling, loyalty marketing, digital printing, and other industries. Each will receive $40,000 in seed capital and participate in a 14-week program at the Dallas … Continue reading “Dallas’s RevTech Announces Startups for New Accelerator”
Austin’s RideScout Buys Ticketing App GlobeSherpa
RideScout, an Austin, TX-based transportation app, announced Tuesday that it has acquired GlobeSherpa, a ticketing app based in Portland, OR. GlobeSherpa operates a mobile book-and-pay service in three U.S. cities: Portland, San Francisco, and Chicago. RideScout was founded four years ago as a one-stop-shopping app to access transportation options, including bike-share services, taxis, buses, and … Continue reading “Austin’s RideScout Buys Ticketing App GlobeSherpa”
Texas Roundup: SXSW, SparkCognition, TMCx, & Austin’s Biotech Scene
Here is the latest innovation news in Texas: —Officials with South By Southwest were in Houston recently drumming up support for the upcoming V2V event in Las Vegas next month, as well as launch the Panel Picker program for next year’s next year’s festival. The program is the process by which a large number of … Continue reading “Texas Roundup: SXSW, SparkCognition, TMCx, & Austin’s Biotech Scene”
It’s Elementary: At TMCx, Grade School Students Pitch Health IT Innovations
The Texas Medical Center has said that its accelerator TMCx aims to boost fledgling healthcare startups. On Tuesday, the young inventors getting a boost were aged eight and nine. About 100 students from the British International School of Houston had a demo day at TMXc pitching health IT innovations such as a wearable to detect … Continue reading “It’s Elementary: At TMCx, Grade School Students Pitch Health IT Innovations”
Austin Makes Strides in Building a Robust Biotech Innovation Community
Austin, TX, has made its mark as a tech hub but lately the city’s life sciences community is gaining some critical mass. One of the primary factors? The installation of the new Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin. “I think the medical school is going to definitely drive momentum in our … Continue reading “Austin Makes Strides in Building a Robust Biotech Innovation Community”
Houston Health Ventures Invests in InRFood, NC-Based Food App
Not all calories are created equal, and Keval Mehta, founder and CEO of INRfood, says his app can help us sort the good from the bad. INRfood is an app with a database of about 500,000 products and 650 restaurants nationwide. The technology analyzes ingredients—read off the nutrition label on food packaging—and gives users a … Continue reading “Houston Health Ventures Invests in InRFood, NC-Based Food App”
Austin Biotech Aeglea BioTherapeutics Files for IPO for Cancer Therapies
Aeglea BioTherapeutics, an Austin, TX-based biotech company that is developing drugs to essentially starve certain cancers to death, has filed for an initial public offering. The company will trade under the ticker AGLE on the Nasdaq, according to a document filed today with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In March, Aeglea raised $44 million from investors Lilly … Continue reading “Austin Biotech Aeglea BioTherapeutics Files for IPO for Cancer Therapies”
Restaurant App Flavour Bought by New York-Based Tasting Table
In our Yelp-ified Top 10 list society, Emily Keeton is convinced diners are still hungry for restaurant information. That’s why she has led Flavour, a restaurant-finding app founded last year that aims to cut through the foodie clutter and present users with a more curated list of eateries. And today, Tasting Table, a New York-based … Continue reading “Restaurant App Flavour Bought by New York-Based Tasting Table”
Texas Entrepreneur Networks to Host Later-Stage Funding in Austin
Hall T. Martin, founder and CEO of the Texas Entrepreneur Networks, wants to help innovative Texas companies get over the Series B hump. That’s why he—along with Seattle-based venture capital data provider PitchBook—has created the Texas Venture Growth Forum to be held in the Texas state capitol in October. The two-day event will focus on … Continue reading “Texas Entrepreneur Networks to Host Later-Stage Funding in Austin”
Texas Roundup: Drizly, Vinli, Medical Informatics, Curb, TabbedOut
Here is the latest innovation news from Xconomy Texas: —Drizly, a Boston-based alcohol delivery company, has expanded into Dallas. The north Texas city is the company’s 15th market. Last month, Drizly said it had raised $13 million in a Series A round. Its mobile app lets users order beer, wine, and liquor from local alcohol … Continue reading “Texas Roundup: Drizly, Vinli, Medical Informatics, Curb, TabbedOut”
Surge Focusing on More Mature Energy Companies, Raising Bigger Fund
The change of one word can signify a lot. Surge Accelerator has become Surge Ventures, a name change that reflects the maturing mission of the cleantech accelerator in Houston. The shift comes amid a downturn in the oil and gas industry as a whole: Oil prices are down to about half of their peak of … Continue reading “Surge Focusing on More Mature Energy Companies, Raising Bigger Fund”
Houston’s Medical Informatics Gets FDA Nod for Alert System Software
[Corrected 6/22/15, 11:13 am. See below.] Medical Informatics, a Houston healthcare IT company, has received FDA clearance to sell the first version of its healthcare data alert system, a major milestone as it works to bring its product to market. The company is focusing on “alarm management,” with software that aggregates patient data in the … Continue reading “Houston’s Medical Informatics Gets FDA Nod for Alert System Software”
Austin’s Curb Monitors Energy Use, Aims to Be the Smart Home’s Brain
There’s a lot of talk about smart homes, but Erik Norwood, founder of Curb, says our residences are a long way from true intelligence. Look, for example, at our cars, “which are packed full of technology,” he says. Warning lights remind us to put on seat belts, check engine fluids, or if our gas tanks … Continue reading “Austin’s Curb Monitors Energy Use, Aims to Be the Smart Home’s Brain”
Austin’s TabbedOut Nabs $21.5M for Mobile Payments App
TabbedOut, a mobile payments system for bars and restaurants based in Austin, TX, announced today it has raised $21.5 million in Series C funding. The investment round was led by Wellington Management Company and included participation from previous investors such as NEA and Morgan Creek Capital Management. In total, TabbedOut has raised $39 million since … Continue reading “Austin’s TabbedOut Nabs $21.5M for Mobile Payments App”
Houston’s Saranas Raises $2.35M for Device to Detect Blood Leaks
Saranas, a Houston medical device company, expects to announce this week that it has raised $2.35 million to further develop a souped-up sheath that can detect blood leaks caused by catheters in real time. The funding came from existing investors, including members of the GOOSE Society, such as Vanguard Ventures co-founder Jack Gill, and Houston Angel … Continue reading “Houston’s Saranas Raises $2.35M for Device to Detect Blood Leaks”
Texas Roundup: Pulmotect, Tech Wildcatters, Houston2035, & SynShark
Here’s the latest innovation news for Xconomy Texas. —Pulmotect, which is making an inhaled therapeutic to prevent and treat respiratory infections in cancer patients with compromised immune systems, received a $3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. The Houston-based biotech company had previously received a $7.1 million matching award from the Cancer Prevention … Continue reading “Texas Roundup: Pulmotect, Tech Wildcatters, Houston2035, & SynShark”
Recap: Xconomy’s Houston 2035 Conference, in Pictures
Healthcare and energy, edtech and urban design. Those were among the topics at hand at the inaugural Houston 2035 conference last Thursday, which brought together leaders from Houston and nationally to speak about how Houston can both leverage its assets and prepare for future challenges as an innovative city of the future in the decades to … Continue reading “Recap: Xconomy’s Houston 2035 Conference, in Pictures”
Houston 2035: Innovative Cities Make Diversity A Growth Engine
What makes Houston one of the nation’s most innovative cities of the future but also represents its biggest challenge? Its diversity. Hand-wringing over the diversification of those who call America’s fourth largest city home is beside the point, said Stephen Klineberg, founding director at Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research. “It’s done; it’s already … Continue reading “Houston 2035: Innovative Cities Make Diversity A Growth Engine”
Video Predictions for Houston 2035: Register Now for Thurs. Event
The line between robot and human will be getting even more blurred. So says John Holcomb, director of the Center for Translational Injury Research and vice chair of the department of surgery at UT’s Health Science Center in Houston. Sensors embedded within us, he says, will sync in real time with the cloud, offering caregivers … Continue reading “Video Predictions for Houston 2035: Register Now for Thurs. Event”
Houston 2035: Startups Predict the Innovative Houston in Two Decades
We’re seven days out from Houston 2035, a look at the innovative city of the future. This week we have been featuring predictions from some of the entrepreneurs who are attending our daylong conference on May 21. On tap: discussions on how Houston can leverage its strengths in healthcare, energy, education, and other sectors to … Continue reading “Houston 2035: Startups Predict the Innovative Houston in Two Decades”
SnapStream Launches Express Service, Integrating Social Media & TV
Television programs such as “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” or “The Daily Show” generate multitudes of social media clips with viewers sharing favorite bits on Twitter, Facebook, and other sites. Houston-based SnapStream helps those programs collect, search through, and leverage those TV clips and mentions to build audiences and advertising. It also helps those shows find … Continue reading “SnapStream Launches Express Service, Integrating Social Media & TV”
Countdown to Houston 2035: Startups Predict City’s Innovation Trends
To get the best view of the innovation taking place in a city, it helps to get down to the bottom, the foundation of each community’s ecosystem: the entrepreneurs themselves. Thanks to our generous sponsors, Xconomy has been able to provide complimentary tickets for a number of startups for the Houston 2035 conference on May … Continue reading “Countdown to Houston 2035: Startups Predict City’s Innovation Trends”
Invictus Gets FDA OK to Sell Device Protecting Newborns’ Skulls
A San Antonio, TX, biotech company has received FDA clearance allowing it to sell a device designed to relieve extracranial pressure on newborns. Invictus Medical makes a headband-style device that wraps around a baby’s head. While allowing movement in a hospital bassinet, it prevents pressure from building on the skull, which can cause “flat spots” … Continue reading “Invictus Gets FDA OK to Sell Device Protecting Newborns’ Skulls”
Saver Rate Ends Today: Houston 2035, the Innovative City of the Future
Don’t wait: Today marks the end of our Saver rate for Houston 2035, a look at the innovative Houston in decades to come. Register today and receive $120 off the regular registration rate of $295 for one of Xconomy’s premier events, which will take place at TMCx at the Texas Medical Center on May 21. The … Continue reading “Saver Rate Ends Today: Houston 2035, the Innovative City of the Future”
Funds Raised By ATI Startups Point to Growing Austin Biotech Scene
The Austin Technology Incubator said Wednesday that its current and alumni companies have raised a total of $100 million during the first three months of this year, a record quarterly tally since the organization’s founding in 1989. In particular, one ATI alum is responsible for the bulk of the cash haul: Aeglea Biotherapeutics closed a … Continue reading “Funds Raised By ATI Startups Point to Growing Austin Biotech Scene”
Bunker’s Veteran-Led Startups: Retail Tech, Crowdfunding, & More
The Bunker, an accelerator targeting military veteran entrepreneurs, will be moving into a new home at Austin, TX-based Capital Factory. The dozen startups in the Bunker’s first class had been working since the program’s beginning in January out of the offices of RideScout, a transport app company founded by Joseph Kopser. (Last year, the West … Continue reading “Bunker’s Veteran-Led Startups: Retail Tech, Crowdfunding, & More”
Houston 2035 Preview: 3-D Printing Could Lower New Housing Costs
Urban revitalization is a priority for many American cities, and Houston is home to significant efforts to develop urban living as never before. Residents have returned to downtown, and some in-town neighborhoods are creating an urban lifestyle that for the first time is not necessarily built around the car. But other areas—former industrial quarters or … Continue reading “Houston 2035 Preview: 3-D Printing Could Lower New Housing Costs”
French Chefs & Pirates: Houston’s Biotech Community Bonds Over Chili
[Updated 5/4/15 5:08 pm. See below.] The sky threatened thunderstorms but the only jolt came from the spices at BioHouston’s latest annual chili cookoff. Houston’s biotech and life sciences community gathered for the 12th time not only to make chili and share drinks but show off their creative sides, with booths and costumes that included Parisian chefs, pirates, flaming (devil) … Continue reading “French Chefs & Pirates: Houston’s Biotech Community Bonds Over Chili”
Austin Biotech Mirna Therapeutics Nabs Nearly $42M in Series D Funding
[Updated 4/20/15 5:01 pm. See below.] Mirna Therapeutics, an Austin,TX, biotech company has raised $41.8 million in a Series D financing to further develop its immuno-oncology drugs. The financing round was led by Baxter Ventures, which was joined by new investors including Eastern Capital, Sante Ventures, Morningside Ventures, Rock Springs Capital, and Celgene. Existing investors … Continue reading “Austin Biotech Mirna Therapeutics Nabs Nearly $42M in Series D Funding”
Seed Sumo Announces Eight Tech Startups for new Accelerator Class
Perhaps it’s no surprise that at ground zero of Texas A&M University football madness, a tech accelerator would select its startups based on a methodology used for the gridiron. Bryan, TX-based Seed Sumo has announced its second class of eight startups for its three-month program. (Bryan is a neighbor to College Station, TX, Texas A&M’s … Continue reading “Seed Sumo Announces Eight Tech Startups for new Accelerator Class”
Dallas’ Health Wildcatters Second Class of Startups Raises $4.5M
The Health Wildcatters accelerator in Dallas says its second class of startups have raised $4.5 million since leaving the program in November. Silicone Arts Laboratories, which makes a synthetic skin product, received the most of the companies, closing on a $1.5 million Series A round last month. Tennessee-based Innova was the lead investor and Green Park & … Continue reading “Dallas’ Health Wildcatters Second Class of Startups Raises $4.5M”
TX Roundup: New Funding, an IPO, Rice Biz Plan winner, & More
Here is the latest innovation news from Xconomy Texas: —The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas this week announced it has awarded $6 million in cancer research awards. Margarida Santos received $2 million to be recruited to the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston from the National Cancer Institute, while Xiaochun … Continue reading “TX Roundup: New Funding, an IPO, Rice Biz Plan winner, & More”
Houston 2035: War for Talent, Personalized Textbooks, & More
Are you ready for the Smackdown in H-town? The hunt for engineering talent by technology companies is brutal and two tech company CEOs—Gaurav Khandelwal at ChaiOne and Shion Deysarkar at Datafiniti—will bring their experiences on Houston’s strengths and weaknesses at the upcoming Houston 2035 conference May 21. In 2013, Deysarkar decided to move his company … Continue reading “Houston 2035: War for Talent, Personalized Textbooks, & More”
Kid-Themed Wearable Wins Top Prize in Rice Student Startup Contest
KiLife Tech, a Brigham Young University student startup, won the grand prize in this year’s Rice Business Plan Competition. The startup makes a smartband for children aged 18 months to seven, which buzzes and rings should the child wander beyond a designated distance set by the parents. The Kiband is connected to the parent’s smartphone … Continue reading “Kid-Themed Wearable Wins Top Prize in Rice Student Startup Contest”
Rice Business Plan Competition Adds ‘People’s Choice’ Award
As if a couple of million dollars in prizes weren’t enough, the Rice Business Plan Competition this year unveiled a reality-show style “People’s Choice” award. The voting for the $5,000 prize takes place on a special Facebook page; only one vote per customer, please. The polls close Saturday at 1 pm Central. As of mid-morning Friday, … Continue reading “Rice Business Plan Competition Adds ‘People’s Choice’ Award”