The Rice Alliance is currently accepting applications from Information Technology [...]]]> 9th Annual Information Technology & Web Venture Forum
Call for Presenters DEADLINE TODAY 5 pm:
Apply to present your entrepreneurial company to over 400 investors and industry leaders
Application Deadline: Friday, October 14, 2011, 5:00 pm
Event Date: December 8, 2011 – Jones Graduate School of Business, Rice University

The Rice Alliance is currently accepting applications from Information Technology and Web companies to present in front over 450 venture capitalists, investors, business leaders and industry experts. Past start-up companies at Rice Alliance Technology Venture Forums have raised over $1.6 billion in funding!

NEW: Investor Office Hours!! In addition to presenting at the Venture Forum, early-stage IT and web companies who are selected will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with up to 10 venture capital firms, angel network groups, and accelerators in a private Investor Office Hours session on Wednesday, December 7, 2011. This is an opportunity to get a private introduction to venture capitalists and angel investors.

NEW: Private Investor Reception!! Selected companies will also be invited to a private investor reception on the evening before the event.

To apply to present: CLICK HERE. There is no cost to apply. Simply submit your executive summary.
For more information: Click Here
For guidelines (template) for preparing your executive summary: Click Here

SCHIPULCON 2011

October 6-7 Norris Conference Centers at CityCentre Houston, TX

Register

Schipul, The Web Marketing Company – helmed by none other the venerable startup champion Ed Schipul is putting on another design/technology/marketing event that is spanning two days at the beginning of October.

From the press release:

Focused around the central themes of Create, Profit and Reach, speakers such [...]]]>

SCHIPULCON 2011

October 6-7
Norris Conference Centers at CityCentre
Houston, TX

Register

Schipul, The Web Marketing Company – helmed by none other the venerable startup champion Ed Schipul is putting on another design/technology/marketing event that is spanning two days at the beginning of October.

From the press release:

Focused around the central themes of Create, Profit and Reach, speakers such as Dries Buytaert (founder of Drupal), Liza Kindred (founder of Lullabot), Giovanni Gallucci (photographer and marketing strategist) and Don Vaughn (Baylor College of Medicine neuroscientist) and lead marketers for brands like Tito’s Vodka and St. Arnold’s Brewery, will present perspective-shifting talks, intended to stimulate new thinking – and, more importantly, gamechanging action.  Collaborative sketching for design ideation, turning time into profit and shattering business secrets with social media are just a few of the confirmed speaker topics set to offer big-picture perspective and strategies for creating, profiting and reaching new entrepreneurial horizons. And with live robot and RC helicopter demos on the schedule, the two-day engagement is certain to be chock-full of surprises.

Entrepreneurs and MAKERS will be thrown together for two days in different sessions in the hopes that innovative and actionable ideas for business will result. Ed and the entire Schipul crew (affectionately known as ‘Schipulites’) are gearing up to make this the best conference that they have produced to date. Aside from their many community support roles – most visibly as organizers and sponsors of Houston NetSquared, the Schipulites are well known for throwing great parties like the kickoff event at St. Arnold’s Brewery (free registration).

]]> http://www.startuphouston.com/2011/09/21/schipulcon-2011/feed/ 0 http://www.startuphouston.com/2011/09/15/surge-accelerator-launches/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=surge-accelerator-launches http://www.startuphouston.com/2011/09/15/surge-accelerator-launches/#comments Thu, 15 Sep 2011 13:25:24 +0000 Marc Nathan http://www.startuphouston.com/?p=1692

It’s finally here. A seed accelerator (similar to ycombinator, TechStars and Capital Factory) in Houston, Texas – the Energy Capital of the World, the program is designed to help emerging businesses accelerate their growth through an infusion of seed capital, an intense mentoring program and direct connections to industry insiders. Startups [...]]]>

It’s finally here. A seed accelerator (similar to ycombinator, TechStars and Capital Factory) in Houston, Texas – the Energy Capital of the World, the program is designed to help emerging businesses accelerate their growth through an infusion of seed capital, an intense mentoring program and direct connections to industry insiders. Startups will apply to the program and be selected by a the leaders of the organization to come to Houston to work full-time on their ideas. Over 40 mentors have already agreed to participate (full disclosure: I’m one of them). With the help and support of other startup organizations like HTC, Rice Alliance and funds like DFJMercury, Surge Accelerator will drive innovation and showcase the strengths of Houston as the Energy Capital.

http://www.surgeaccelerator.com

Facebook: SurgeHouston

Twitter: SurgeHouston

]]> http://www.startuphouston.com/2011/09/15/surge-accelerator-launches/feed/ 0 http://www.startuphouston.com/2011/08/27/new-houston-startup-simpapply/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-houston-startup-simpapply http://www.startuphouston.com/2011/08/27/new-houston-startup-simpapply/#comments Sat, 27 Aug 2011 12:09:47 +0000 Marc Nathan http://www.startuphouston.com/?p=1669 SimpApply is a company started by Rice University students, Abhishek Nag, Norman Pai and Yilong Yao. Basically, it allows graduating college students to fill out a single, aggregated job application that hiring companies can use instead of individual applications that they currently require. This simplifies both the job search and hiring process on both sides [...]]]> SimpApply is a company started by Rice University students, Abhishek Nag, Norman Pai and Yilong Yao. Basically, it allows graduating college students to fill out a single, aggregated job application that hiring companies can use instead of individual applications that they currently require. This simplifies both the job search and hiring process on both sides of the equation. Very clever and a great team to boot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFziL2MF6Zo

Looking for the best hackers, marketeers, or sales reps to join your startup? Hoping for a source of fresh ideas and dynamite energy? Look no further, SimpApply has you covered. SimpApply is a web service supported by quality customer service that connects your company with top student and graduate talent from across Texas while heightening your company’s visibility. If you’re looking to make new additions to your team, post your position at www.simpapply.com and let us do the rest.  Your first post is free for a limited time for STARTUPHOUSTON readers. Email us at contact@simpapply.com or give us a call today at (832)429-7077.

Robert de Los Santos is an SEO expert with a solid and successful track record in perfecting the art of SEO.  He will be sharing his methods and practices for getting more folks to your website and KEEPING them there.

Plan to be there:

Date:  Tuesday, [...]]]> SEO - How to Get on Top TEN GOOGLE

Robert de Los Santos is an SEO expert with a solid and successful track record in perfecting the art of SEO.  He will be sharing his methods and practices for getting more folks to your website and KEEPING them there.

Plan to be there:

Date:  Tuesday, April 19th, 2011

Time:  7:00 PM

Location:  ZEBEC Center, 2425 Fountainview, Houston, TX 77057

Parking: FREE and lots of it

CEO Members get in for free, general public pay small fee of $10.00 at the door – proceeds go towards helping our student organization www.uhceo.com. An organization at the University of Houston dedicated to nurture and help students start their own business while in school.

Any questions contact mohamedshogar@gmail.com or 281-235-7298

There are still two weeks left to register to attend what has become Houston’s single most important event for the technology startup community – the Rice IT/Web 2.0 Venture forum. This is where startups pitch deals and VC’s from all over the state come to tell us what they want to see. It’s [...]]]>

There are still two weeks left to register to attend what has become Houston’s single most important event for the technology startup community – the Rice IT/Web 2.0 Venture forum. This is where startups pitch deals and VC’s from all over the state come to tell us what they want to see. It’s also an incredible networking opportunity for people who are thinking about starting a company to gain some insight as to the trends, language and people involved with our community. I can’t overemphasize enough what a ‘can’t miss’ event this will be (and not just because I’m pitching this year as one of the fifty other startups).

You can download the free iPhone app for the event here: iTunes App

To give you an better idea about some of the speakers:

Chip Davis runs one of Houston’s largest private equity shops and has invested in early stage technology companies.

Blair Garrou really needs no introduction – he effectively is the Venture Capitalist for early stage technology startups and has more passion for helping entrepreneurs and more experience in dealing with startups than just about any other individual in Houston.

Morris Miller is an entrepreneur in his own right and had the vision to angel invest in three kids running a web hosting firm at Trinity that turned into the Cadillac of Web Hosts, Rackspace.

Nicholas Seet was the 2005 winner of the Rice Business Plan Competition that has since gone on to secure VC funding and deploy a video ad network management system across the net.

Doug Erwin is one of Houston’s most successful tech business leaders who has several wins under his belt including Compaq, RLXTechnologies, PentaSafe and most recently The Planet who just completed a merger with web hosting firm SoftLayer earlier this month.

Thursday,December 9th, 2010
8:00am – 6:30pm
Rice University Jones School

Event Info and Registration Here

Registration Prices:
Early Registration (before Dec. 6 at 5 p.m.): $75
Walk-up Registration: $100
Rice Alliance members, underwriters, or sponsors: Free
Rice faculty, staff, or student: Free

Description and Agenda:

More than 40 of the most promising early-stage I.T companies have been hand-picked to present and showcase their new venture to an audience of more than 400 venture capitalists, early-stage investors, successful entrepreneurs, academic and business leaders. Attendees will benefit from networking and learning opportunities.

8:00 – 9:00 AM Registration

9:00 – 9:15 AM Welcoming Remarks

Brad Burke, Managing Director, Rice Alliance

9:15 – 9:45 AM Opening Keynote - Tomasz Tunguz, Redpoint Ventures

Business Plan Presentations and Feedback

9:45 – 10:00 AM Introductions – Venture Capital Feedback Panel

Charles L. (Chip) Davis, Managing Director, SMH Private Equity Group
Mike Dodd, Venture Partner, Austin Ventures
Blair Garrou, Managing Director, DFJ Mercury
Morris Miller, Managing Director, Cutstone Ventures
Alan Ying, Venture Partner, Chrysalis Ventures

10:00 – 10:30 AM Business Plan Presentations

10:30 – 11:00 AM Networking Break

11:00 – 12:00 PM Business Plan Presentations (continued)

12:00 – 1:00 PM Lunch and Networking

1:00 – 1:15 PM Afternoon Remarks and Introductions

Brad Burke, Managing Director, Rice Alliance

1:15 – 1:45 PM Afternoon Keynote – Nicholas Seet, Founder, Auditude

1:45 – 2:30 PM Elevator Pitches – Session I

2:30 – 3:00 PM Networking Break

3:00 – 3:45 PM Elevator Pitches – Session II

3:45 – 4:15 PM Company Updates

4:15 – 4:45 PM Closing Keynote – Doug Erwin, Former Chairman and CEO, The Planet

4:45 – 5:00 PM Announce “Top 10 Rising Ventures”

5:00 – 6:30 PM Company Showcase and Networking Reception

It’s the U.S. energy capital. It was the home of Enron. And for the most part, those two facts reflect the scope of startups in Houston, Texas. Enron, before it began conducting massive accounting fraud, was innovative in its approach to energy. And thanks [...]]]>

Why You Should Start a Company in… Houston