Houston’s future direction is something both Catherine Clark Mosbacher and Stephen Klineberg have spent much time analyzing. It makes sense given their day jobs leading the Center for Houston’s Future and Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, respectively. Each group is gathering data and running scenarios on what the Houston of decades to come … Continue reading “Early Bird Ends Today for Houston 2035: Innovating the City’s Future”
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.
Real Estate Platform TheSquareFoot Nets $2M, Expands to NY
Th SquareFoot, a Houston-born and now New York-based online platform for commercial real estate, has raised $2 million in seed funding following its expansion into the Big Apple. “Being in New York is a very different animal,” says Justin Lee, a SquareFoot co-founder. “The commercial real estate market in New York is super, super competitive … Continue reading “Real Estate Platform TheSquareFoot Nets $2M, Expands to NY”
Startups From Asia, Germany, and Texas, Kick Off Rice Student Contest
Rice University kicks off its prestigious business plan competition this week with 42 student companies from universities all over the United States and as far as Hong Kong, Germany, and Bangkok. The Rice Business Plan Competition, now in its 15th year, begins Thursday evening with a catered barbecue dinner—this is Texas, folks—followed by two intensive … Continue reading “Startups From Asia, Germany, and Texas, Kick Off Rice Student Contest”
Houston’s TCC Aims to Help NASA Find Energy, Biotech Partners
Turns out, even internationally renowned institutions like NASA need a little help making a connection. In the post-Shuttle era, federal funding has dropped and its traditional project-management relationship with outside partners has failed to provide the support to tackle NASA’s goals. Now, in hopes of finding a new path to industry partners, the Houston-based Johnson … Continue reading “Houston’s TCC Aims to Help NASA Find Energy, Biotech Partners”
Dallas Video Aggregator ViewMarket Buys Houston’s CultureMap for $15M
Dallas-based ViewMarket, a video content network, has acquired Houston-based media website CultureMap in a $15 million deal. ViewMarket wanted CultureMap’s platform, says Alexander Muse, co-founder of the Dallas company. “They are already monetizing their content in a profitable way,” he told me in an interview Wednesday evening. “We’re going to take that existing sales organization … Continue reading “Dallas Video Aggregator ViewMarket Buys Houston’s CultureMap for $15M”
Texas Roundup: New funds, Salesforce Buys Toopher, Chin Heads to UT
The post-South By Southwest haze revealed a lot of Austin innovation news, including several startups with new fundraises, an accelerator with a new name, and San Francisco’s Salesforce acquiring Toopher. Here is the latest news from Xconomy Texas, with stories from myself and my colleague, David Holley. —MD Anderson’s Lynda Chin departs the Texas Medical … Continue reading “Texas Roundup: New funds, Salesforce Buys Toopher, Chin Heads to UT”
MD Anderson’s Chin Heads to UT to Lead Efforts to Fight Diabetes
Lynda Chin, who led the University of Texas MD Anderson’s efforts to corral big data to fight cancer, is leaving that post to join the UT System as its first associate vice chancellor for health transformation and chief innovation officer for health affairs. In her new position, Chin will create and lead the new Institute … Continue reading “MD Anderson’s Chin Heads to UT to Lead Efforts to Fight Diabetes”
Renamed SKU, Consumer Goods Accelerator Announces New Startup Class
Fresh off a name change, Austin, TX-based consumer goods accelerator SKU has unveiled the seven startups that make up its fourth class. The former Incubation Station recast itself as SKU in homage to what founder Shari Wynne calls the “atomic unit of consumer goods.” Stock keeping unit, or SKU, is how individual products and services … Continue reading “Renamed SKU, Consumer Goods Accelerator Announces New Startup Class”
Q1 Texas News: Investments, Accelerator Startups & Mark Cuban at SXSW
Innovation news in Texas started off the year with the announcement that billionaire IT entrepreneur and “Shark Tank” judge Mark Cuban would judge at the Impact Pediatric Health pitch day at South By Southwest. The first quarter of the year concluded with a story on the contest’s winning company—and its largest customer, Cuban himself. There … Continue reading “Q1 Texas News: Investments, Accelerator Startups & Mark Cuban at SXSW”
At Q1’s End, Three Texas Technology Startups Announce New Funds
Three Texas technology companies have announced million-dollar investment rounds this week. —KeepTrax, a Dallas-based mobile app company, said Tuesday it has raised $1 million from Naya Ventures, a Dallas venture firm that focuses on mobile tech startups. KeepTrax, which calls itself an “Internet of Me” company, uses GPS and other mobile sensors to compile a … Continue reading “At Q1’s End, Three Texas Technology Startups Announce New Funds”
Code for the Kingdom’s Hackathon Tackles Human Trafficking, Food Deserts
Hackers from last weekend’s Christian-oriented Code for the Kingdom in Dallas were called from as far as Toronto and Washington state. The assembled group of 100 programmers spent the weekend working on 22 projects, such as developing apps to better connect adults and kids with the Bible. For Chris Armas, who has organized the Code … Continue reading “Code for the Kingdom’s Hackathon Tackles Human Trafficking, Food Deserts”
Austin’s Aeglea Biotherapeutics Raises $44M for Cancer Drug
Aeglea Biotherapeutics closed a $44 million Series B financing Monday. The Austin, TX-based biotech company is developing drug therapies to exploit what my colleague Bernadette Tansey has called the “Achilles’ heel” of cancer, exploiting a vulnerability in which cancer cells can import arginine from the bloodstream to keep growing after tumors no longer produce the … Continue reading “Austin’s Aeglea Biotherapeutics Raises $44M for Cancer Drug”
Pediatric Pitch Day Highlights Kids’ Health Innovation at SXSW
For many entrepreneurs, there is a moment when all the work, planning, hope, and praying comes together to set the business’s growth to warp speed. For Kezia Fitzgerald, who founded CareAline, a Boston maker of a cloth sleeve that securely hides intravenous lines and prevents kids from tugging or pulling them off, that moment could … Continue reading “Pediatric Pitch Day Highlights Kids’ Health Innovation at SXSW”
What Would Jesus Hack? Code for the Kingdom Hackathon Comes to Big D
This weekend, Dallas will be the latest outpost for a Christian-inspired hackathon, an event that is expected to draw about 100 hackers from around the region. Chris Armas, who has organized the effort since its launch in 2013, says the idea is to leverage technology’s ability to shape culture within a Christian context. “The world … Continue reading “What Would Jesus Hack? Code for the Kingdom Hackathon Comes to Big D”
Medical Adhesive Revolution Aims for a Better Wound-Sealing Therapy
[Corrected 3/22/15, 8:45 pm. See below.] For Medical Adhesive Revolution, a German-born biotech company, Houston has been good for business. Last year, the company won the prestigious Rice University Business Plan Competition, becoming the first foreign company to do so. And this month, the biotech has officially moved its headquarters and its president, Alexander Schueller, … Continue reading “Medical Adhesive Revolution Aims for a Better Wound-Sealing Therapy”
Houston 2035: A Glimpse of the Innovative American City of the Future
The innovative American city of the future will likely look a lot like Houston. Surprised? Consider that the nation’s current 4th largest city is a majority-minority city that leads in cutting-edge technology sectors such as energy, life sciences, and health IT. What will this city, and this region, look like 20 years from now? How … Continue reading “Houston 2035: A Glimpse of the Innovative American City of the Future”
22 Startups Join First Class of Texas Medical Center’s TMCx Accelerator
The Texas Medical Center’s accelerator TMCx unveiled the members of its inaugural class: 22 healthIT companies in informatics, medical devices, and biomaterials. TMC executives hosted a meet-and-greet Monday morning to introduce the startup founders to the media just before the six-month accelerator program begins. “Our job is to make you successful,” says Bobby Robbins, TMC’s … Continue reading “22 Startups Join First Class of Texas Medical Center’s TMCx Accelerator”
Houston Biotech Vapogenix Raises $5.1M for Skin-Numbing Drug
Vapogenix, a Houston biotech that aims to build a better treatment for skin pain, has completed a $5.1 million Series B funding round—and is already looking at raising additional capital later this year. The B round was led by Switzerland-based Pamoja Capital and GPG Ventures in Dallas. Vapogenix is developing a rapidly acting topical analgesic … Continue reading “Houston Biotech Vapogenix Raises $5.1M for Skin-Numbing Drug”
Dallas’s Tech Wildcatters Brings on Latest Class of B-to-B Startups
[Updated 3/05/15 11:36 am. See below.] Dallas’ Tech Wildcatters accelerator announced today its latest batch of tech startups, whose focus includes fashion, sports, and financial services. The 15 companies hail from as far away as Germany and Moscow as well as closer to home in Fort Worth and Denver. “The truth is, we don’t really care … Continue reading “Dallas’s Tech Wildcatters Brings on Latest Class of B-to-B Startups”
Inaugural Dallas Startup Week Puts Focus On Region’s Innovators
The first-ever Dallas Startup Week begins today, aiming to introduce the region’s different entrepreneurial ecosystems to each other. “Now, there is collaboration happening,” says Michael Sitarzewski, one of the startup week’s organizers. “We’re bringing the Greater Dallas-Fort Worth startup communities together to share their experiences and network. Next year, it’s about bringing other people in … Continue reading “Inaugural Dallas Startup Week Puts Focus On Region’s Innovators”
Cancer Agency Leaders in Houston, $111M in Grants Awarded
Leaders of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas stopped by the Texas Medical Center in Houston yesterday at a “Meet CPRIT” event to update the city’s biotech community on the agency’s efforts. CPRIT recently announced its latest slate of awards, a total of $111.4 million in research and commercialization grants, which come at … Continue reading “Cancer Agency Leaders in Houston, $111M in Grants Awarded”
Bellicum CEO Reflects on Rise From Baylor to Houston Biotech Darling
The Houston biotech community welcomed Bellicum Pharmaceuticals at a BioHouston breakfast Wednesday, one of the first public events for its executives since the life sciences company went public in a $140 million offering late last year. More than 100 people crowded an events room at Rice University’s BioScience Research Collaborative building to hear Bellicum CEO … Continue reading “Bellicum CEO Reflects on Rise From Baylor to Houston Biotech Darling”
Tech Wildcatters’ New Network Enlists Corporations to Boost Startups
To help startups get off the ground, Tech Wildcatters is bringing in Big D’s big businesses. The Dallas-based accelerator has unveiled a new program called the Corporate Innovation Network, a select group of companies that will have a much more hands-on role with Tech Wildcatters’ startups. “This is a way to formalize the relationship with … Continue reading “Tech Wildcatters’ New Network Enlists Corporations to Boost Startups”
Austin Ventures Changes Tack, Shows Growth of City’s Startup Scene
Austin Ventures funded many of the first generation of technology companies that put the Texas capitol on the innovation map. But after three decades and 10 funds, the venture capital firm has decided not to raise an 11th for early stage investing. The announcement set off speculation in a recent article in Fortune that the … Continue reading “Austin Ventures Changes Tack, Shows Growth of City’s Startup Scene”
Houston’s Surge Accelerator Debuts New Set of Cleantech Startups
About 400 people packed Underbelly restaurant in Houston’s trendy Montrose district Wednesday to meet the latest startups from the Surge Accelerator’s fourth class. This year’s cohort is the program’s most mature group of startups, in terms of customers and funding already in-hand, since Surge’s founding in 2011. Many of the companies already earn at least … Continue reading “Houston’s Surge Accelerator Debuts New Set of Cleantech Startups”
Roundup: UT’s Food Lab, Houston Angel Network, SecureNok, & More
Here is the latest innovation news from around Texas in the last couple of weeks. —The Houston Angel Network announced that it had invested a total of $15.3 million in 66 deals during 2014, the highest number of both investment dollars and transactions since its founding in 2001. In 2013, the angel group invested $9.3 … Continue reading “Roundup: UT’s Food Lab, Houston Angel Network, SecureNok, & More”
Austin Chamber, UT Target Space Startups as the Next Frontier
Houston, you have a competitor. Or, at least, another Texas metro area that wants to get in on the space game. Houston, home to NASA’s fabled space program, remains the center-of-the-universe when it comes to space innovation in most people’s minds. But with the advent of a growing private-sector space industry, economic clusters like Austin … Continue reading “Austin Chamber, UT Target Space Startups as the Next Frontier”
Fannin Spinout Acelerox Aims to Halt Immune Attacks With Nanotech
Houston’s Fannin Innovation Studio has spun out its latest company, a biotech called Acelerox that aims to use nanoparticle technology to treat a variety of autoimmune and other disorders. Acelerox has been formed out of a licensing deal with Rice University. It’s based on novel nanoparticles developed by James Tour, a synthetic chemist and a … Continue reading “Fannin Spinout Acelerox Aims to Halt Immune Attacks With Nanotech”
Hatch Pitch Unveils Tech Startup Lineup for Upcoming SXSW Demo Day
The buzz over this year’s South By Southwest’s Interactive festival is gathering momentum. A few weeks ago, we wrote that Mark Cuban would be making his debut at the annual tech mega-conference, emcee-ing a pitch day for startups specializing in pediatric health innovations. On Tuesday evening, the organizers of the Hatch pitch competition, which focuses … Continue reading “Hatch Pitch Unveils Tech Startup Lineup for Upcoming SXSW Demo Day”
Wearables, Gaming, IoT Device Among Top Texas Crowdfunding Projects
Oil prices might be sliding down, but the party’s still strong in Texas. How else can we explain that Kickstarter’s most-funded project from the Lone Star State last year was the “Bunch O Balloons,” a water-hose attachment that fills and ties 100 balloons in one go. The Plano, TX, project took in nearly $930,000—blowing away … Continue reading “Wearables, Gaming, IoT Device Among Top Texas Crowdfunding Projects”
Software Maker Graylog Raises $2.5M, Moves to Houston from Germany
Graylog, a maker of open-source data analytics software, announced it has raised $2.5 million and will move to Houston. The company, which began as an open-source project in Hamburg, Germany, will use the funds for marketing and to further develop its software. The financing round was led by the Houston-based Mercury Fund, with participation from … Continue reading “Software Maker Graylog Raises $2.5M, Moves to Houston from Germany”
Texas Roundup: Volusion, SeatSmart, Xenex, Decisio, BioHouston, AveXis
After an unseasonably cold start to the new year, sunny skies and warmer days have returned. The pace of startup launches and new financing deals is as brisk as ever. Here is the latest innovation news from Xconomy Texas. —Austin, TX-based Volusion raised $55 million to further develop its e-commerce software. The Series A round … Continue reading “Texas Roundup: Volusion, SeatSmart, Xenex, Decisio, BioHouston, AveXis”
Austin’s Volusion Raises $55M to Further Develop E-Retail Software
Volusion, an e-commerce software maker, has acquired $55 million in venture funding to boost development of its Mozu software aimed at mid-market to large companies. The Series A round of venture funds were raised from Main Street Capital Corporation, a Houston-based investment firm. Previously, Volusion had raised about $35 million in debt financings. “This funding … Continue reading “Austin’s Volusion Raises $55M to Further Develop E-Retail Software”
Austin’s Localeur Gets Funds, Imprimatur from Ex-Facebook Execs
Localeur, an Austin, TX, travel website that relies on local residents, or “localeurs,” for tips has brought some heavy social media hitters into its stable of investors: former executives from Facebook. The investor group—which includes Mike Murphy, the social media giant’s former chief revenue officer, and Tom Arrix and Blake Chandlee, who led North American … Continue reading “Austin’s Localeur Gets Funds, Imprimatur from Ex-Facebook Execs “
San Antonio’s SeatSmart Builds Marketplace for Sports & Arts Tickets
Snowmageddon got you hankering for sunny Phoenix and last-minute Super Bowl tickets? San Antonio startup SeatSmart, an online marketplace for secondary tickets, is launching today. The site provides what co-founder and CEO Brett Cohen says are better values to consumers while also helping ticket brokers build personal relationships with those buyers. “The current system is … Continue reading “San Antonio’s SeatSmart Builds Marketplace for Sports & Arts Tickets”
FDA Nod in Hand, Health IT Software Maker Decisio Hits the Market
Houston’s Decisio Healthcare, a health IT company that makes software to create a critical care dashboard for ER and ICU staff, is now FDA approved. That distinction is notable, since seeking and obtaining regulatory approval is rare for medtech software companies. Most companies in the electronic health records industry are classified as medical device data … Continue reading “FDA Nod in Hand, Health IT Software Maker Decisio Hits the Market”
BioHouston to Honor Female Execs in Life Sciences, Energy, & Space
When Jacqueline Northcut began her 18-year career at a major accounting firm, at most three of the firm’s 80 partners were women, she says. By the time Northcut herself made partner at the former Arthur Andersen, the numbers in the C-suite were still far from parity. “But the good news is, by that point, we … Continue reading “BioHouston to Honor Female Execs in Life Sciences, Energy, & Space”
Dallas’ AveXis Gets $10M to Bring Gene Therapy to Rare Spinal Disorder
Spinal Muscular Atrophy, or SMA, is a deadly inherited disease. It affects about 1 of 10,000 babies, but it tends to be fatal—it’s the number one genetic cause of death for infants, and most of them die by age 3. There is no approved treatment for SMA, and as a result, it’s become a big … Continue reading “Dallas’ AveXis Gets $10M to Bring Gene Therapy to Rare Spinal Disorder”
TX Roundup: New Money, Texas Venture Labs, Aceable, & Roverpass
The new year is progressing at a rapid pace, as are Texas’s innovators. Here’s the latest on new products, a shout-out to Houston and Austin as meccas of STEM jobs, and a slew of fresh money being invested into startups. —Got a traffic ticket? Aceable in Austin, TX, says you can now take a defensive … Continue reading “TX Roundup: New Money, Texas Venture Labs, Aceable, & Roverpass”
Austin’s Aceable Aims to Make Driver’s Ed Portable, More Fun
Driver’s ed is getting mobile. That’s the idea behind Aceable, an Austin, TX, startup that makes an app on which teens and other soon-to-be drivers can take the required coursework for a driver’s license. “Having these courses on an app is a far more interactive experience than on a browser,” says Blake Garrett, Aceable’s founder … Continue reading “Austin’s Aceable Aims to Make Driver’s Ed Portable, More Fun”
RideScout CEO Leads the Bunker to Austin For Veteran Entrepreneurs
Joseph Kopser wants to bring his fellow veterans back into the bunker. This one, however, will be focused on raising capital and business plans rather than battlefield tactics. Kopser, the founder of transportation app RideScout, has launched a new outpost in Austin, TX, of the Chicago-based Bunker incubator program aimed at veteran entrepreneurs. “It was … Continue reading “RideScout CEO Leads the Bunker to Austin For Veteran Entrepreneurs”
Startup 101: Texas Venture Labs Pairs UT Students With Entrepreneurs
Dig a little deeper into the entrepreneurial gestation of a few of Austin, TX, startup successes and you’ll find they have something in common: the Texas Venture Labs. Part of the University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs School of Business, TVL is a relative newcomer to the Austin startup scene. It was founded five years … Continue reading “Startup 101: Texas Venture Labs Pairs UT Students With Entrepreneurs”
First-Ever Pediatric Health Pitch Day at SXSW to Be Hosted by Mark Cuban
Mark Cuban might be bringing a little “Shark Tank” to South By Southwest this spring. Cuban, the IT entrepreneur and billionaire who owns the Dallas Mavericks basketball franchise and stars in the entrepreneurial reality TV show, will leave the judging to others. But in his role as emcee, he will likely provide entrepreneurs with his … Continue reading “First-Ever Pediatric Health Pitch Day at SXSW to Be Hosted by Mark Cuban”
Texas’s Innovative 2014: IPOs, Startup Funding Programs & SXSW
Another year comes to a close. Before you pop that champagne-bottle cork, let’s pause to remember the top innovation themes in Texas in 2014. The funding environment was brisk with Texas VCs deploying capital to startups in energy, life sciences, and IT. Two Texas biotechs made stock market debuts—the first ones in many years. While … Continue reading “Texas’s Innovative 2014: IPOs, Startup Funding Programs & SXSW”
Big D’s VentureSpur Targets Innovation in Retail & Restaurants
The VentureSpur accelerator in Dallas aims to make itself the destination of innovation that reflects the city’s overall economy: retail and restaurants. It makes sense when you’re located in the home of retailers ranging from luxury peddler Neiman Marcus to more down-market JCPenney, as well as food chains like Brinker International Restaurants, which has Chili’s … Continue reading “Big D’s VentureSpur Targets Innovation in Retail & Restaurants”
Officials Say Fuji’s Purchase of Kalon Boosts Texas’s Biotech Profile
A Texas A&M University spinoff has been acquired by Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies, a transaction that helps to secure Texas’s role as an innovation hub for the testing and manufacturing of vaccines for pandemics, as well as cancer drugs. Terms were not disclosed for the deal involving College Station, TX-based Kalon, which was spun out of … Continue reading “Officials Say Fuji’s Purchase of Kalon Boosts Texas’s Biotech Profile”
Houston’s Bellicum Pharma Rides T-Cell Therapy Wave to $140M IPO
Bellicum Pharmaceuticals has made a little bit of Houston history. In becoming the latest in a new wave of cancer immunotherapy companies to go public, Bellicum has managed another feat—it’s the first Houston biotech to make it to the Nasdaq in nearly 15 years. Bellicum priced 7.35 million shares Wednesday night at $19 apiece, raising $139.65 million before … Continue reading “Houston’s Bellicum Pharma Rides T-Cell Therapy Wave to $140M IPO”
New Funding for Texas Software, Cleantech, & Health IT Startups
There’s just over a week until Christmas. How is your shopping going? As you wait in checkout lines or for e-retailers to process your orders, catch up with the latest innovation news from Xconomy’s Texas bureau, such as funding news and new startup partnerships in Houston. —Rebellion Photonics, a Houston energy startup, has received $4.25 … Continue reading “New Funding for Texas Software, Cleantech, & Health IT Startups”
Austin’s Cratejoy Helps Local E-tailers Manage Subscriptions
Eileen Griffith realized that she and her husband were in a rut—and so were her friends. “Everyone was having the same conversation: What do you want to do?” she recalls. “Everyone was so busy to plan something so it always ends up with take out and Netflix.” Seeking alternative social excursions, Griffith in September of … Continue reading “Austin’s Cratejoy Helps Local E-tailers Manage Subscriptions”
Texas Medical Center, Village Capital Look to Boost Health Startups
The Texas Medical Center hosted a dozen digital health startups this week as part of a program with Village Capital, a Washington, DC-based venture firm. The program, called VilCapUSA, marks the debut of the medical center’s new accelerator space, TMCx, which will unveil its own inaugural class of healthcare startups in March. “Working with Village … Continue reading “Texas Medical Center, Village Capital Look to Boost Health Startups”