Sep27th2007
Today is the 5th Annual Rice Alliance Energy & Clean Technology Venture Forum held at the Jones School (McNair Hall) , Rice University. Here is an overview of the event:
- One of the largest energy venture forums in North America
- Emerging energy technology companies will showcase their new ventures in front of an audience of 400-500 investors and venture capitalists, industry representatives, business leaders, advisors/mentors, service providers
- Several keynote speakers will share their insights
- 45-60 companies will give an elevator pitch
- 5 companies will present their business plans
- 35-40 companies will participate in the Technology Company Showcase.
- Plus, learn how major oil companies and venture capitalists make decisions to invest in early stage technology companies
If you get a chance to make it today, say hello to Kurt Stoll who is there today.
Sep14th2007
Houston based life science startup, ThromboVision announced today the closing of a $4 million Series A round of financing from National Health Care Services and a group of private investors. The company plans on using the funds to build an infrastructure and fund clinical trials of their ThromboGuide product towards FDA approval. The system will help physicians individualize antiplatelet therapy that they use to prevent heart attacks, strokes and stent occlusions.
In conjunction with the closing of this round, the company also announced securing a $750,000 credit facility with Silicon Valley Bank.
Aug24th2007
From the Rice University News Desk:
Entrepreneurs interested in taking technology from the research lab to the marketplace now have a new certificate program from Rice to show them the way to success.
“From Lab to Market: How to Build and Grow a Successful Life Science Business” is the new life science entrepreneurship certificate program produced by the Rice University Executive Education program at the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Management in conjunction with Rice Alliance and BioHouston.
Over three alternating weekends, from Sept. 28 to Nov. 2, students will learn the key steps required to build and manage a successful life science company. The course will describe the roles of managers, entrepreneurs, scientists and researchers.
The program will provide practical information taught by leading practitioners in drug development, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, biotechnology and diagnostics. Participants will also meet successful life science entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and investors.
Guest instructors will include experts from Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, PLx Pharma, Encysive Pharmaceuticals, Baylor College of Medicine, Agennix, Vanguard Venture Partners, DFJ Mercury, AlphaDev, BioHouston, Houston Technology Center and Rice University.
For more information, call 713-348-6060 or visit the Rice University certificate course web page at www.rice.edu/ee.
Aug14th2007
I had breakfast this morning with Stuart Page, CEO of Houston-based startup, GloriOil. I first noticed GloriOil after they announced an infusion of capital from their investors (see blog post from last week). Turns out that Stuart and I have some mutual friends so we met up today to chat.
GloriOil is very interesting to me in that they represent a fusion of multiple industry segments that are well represented in Houston: energy and biotechnology. For those of you who have not checked out their site, this company is commercializing a Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR) process and technology developed by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) through a partnership with ONGC.
By using biosurfactant substances developed in GloriOil’s Houston laboratory, the company uses a “huff and puff” technique in which they develop a “down-hole bioreactor,” sort of like a microbrewery put under intense pressure underground, that the company claims to potentially create a 200% increase in oil production of mature fields. Check out the links on their site for SPE papers on the topic.
Very few cities around the world can facilitate such cross pollination of two divergent technologies; yet it happens all the time in Houston. Another company that demonstrates the potential Houston has for such multiple discipline development is Oxane Materials, maker of OxProp which is a more effective proppant that uses nanotechnology in frac jobs.
I see tremendous opportunities for companies like these here in Houston and hope we can continue to foster their development.
Jul11th2007
Get ready to mark your calendars because the Rice Alliance has just announced their schedule of events for the rest of 2007 and 2008. We have the quick reference version for you below and you can get additional details on all the latest Rice Alliance goings-on at the events section of their web site.
- Rice Alliance Entrepreneurship and Mentoring Series
- Wednesday-Thursday, July 25-26, 2007 – SOLD OUT!
- 8th Annual Rice Alliance Kick-Off Celebration
- Thursday, August 23, 2007, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
- 5th Annual Energy and Clean Technology Venture Forum
- Thursday, September 27, 2007
- Life Science Entrepreneurship Certificate Program
- Fridays and Saturdays - September 28 - November 2, 2007
- 5th Annual Information Technology Venture Forum
- Thursday, November 8, 2007
- 7th Annual Nanotechnology Venture Forum
- Thursday, January 24, 2008
- 2008 Rice University Business Plan Competition
- Thursday-Saturday, April 3-5, 2008
- 7th Annual Life Science Technology Venture Forum
I guess you can never start planning too early for some of these things and as you can see some of them are already selling out (especially the Entrepreneurial Workshops) and of course we will be posting reminders here in the blog and on our event calendar as things get closer. Judging by the response I have seen at these events it looks like there is a lot of startup interest in Houston for now and the forseable future.
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