Introducing InnovationMap

Introducing InnovationMap: The new media outlet covering what's igniting change in Houston

InnovationMap tells the stories of innovation in Houston.

Courtesy graphic

Houston innovation is now on the map. Gow Media, a leading multi-platform media company that includes CultureMap, SportsMap, Houston's ESPN 97.5 FM, and SB Nation Radio, has announced the launch of its newest digital media platform, InnovationMap.

As the new voice of innovation in Houston, InnovationMap shines a spotlight on innovation within startups, tech, health, energy, social impact, and more. In addition to thoughtful news coverage, the site will feature profiles of leaders within the industry and thought leadership content from a pool of expert guest contributors.

"Houston is on a great trajectory. The efforts of many are coming together to develop a strong entrepreneurial and innovation economy. We think the time is right for a media outlet that focuses on innovation in Houston. We also want to highlight the vision of our presenting sponsor, BBVA Compass, a longtime leader of the innovation economy in Houston," says David Gow, CEO of Gow Media.

Joining Gow on the board of InnovationMap are Patrick Schneidau, software executive and chair of the Talent Committee of Houston Exponential; Brad Deutser, CEO of Deutser Consulting and author of the bookLeading Clarity; and Jarred King, CEO of Swagger Media and president of Entrepreneurs' Organization in Houston.

Gow Media has tapped Natalie Harms to serve as editor of InnovationMap. Harms is a native Houstonian, graduate of the University of Houston, and former associate editor at the Houston Business Journal.

The new media outlet was recently celebrated at a private pre-launch party hosted by Gow. An intimate group of Houston leaders across industries gathered to toast to the future of innovation in the city — and to get an exclusive first look at the site.

InnovationMap is the second recent addition to Gow Media’s ever-growing portfolio. In October, the company launched GiftingMap, a new e-commerce site featuring a curated selection of gifts with a focus on brands tied to Texas.

"With the growth of GiftingMap and SportsMap, and the impressive success of CultureMap, we are now in a position to launch InnovationMap. With InnovationMap, we are leveraging our digital platform, editorial approach, and our cross-platform promotional power to establish the leading voice for innovation in Houston," says Gow.

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Best in class

2 Houston schools lead 2025 rankings for top entrepreneurship programs

Rice University, aerial, campus, buildings

Photo courtesy of Rice University

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Rice University and the University of Houston have topped The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur’s lists of the best graduate and undergraduate schools for entrepreneurship studies for 2025.

Neither school is a stranger to the prestigious national rankings.

Rice ranks first in the graduate category for the sixth consecutive year, and UH ranks first in the undergraduate category for the sixth consecutive year.

“At Rice Business, our students learn both inside and outside the classroom, drawing on our strong industry and community connections in Houston and beyond,” says Peter Rodriguez, dean of Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business, in a release. “With small class sizes and tailored programs, we aim to equip our students with the skills to create new ventures and excel in a fast-changing business landscape.”

UH President Renu Khator praises the ranking as recognition for the impact of the Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship at the C.T. Bauer College of Business.

“This program is a tremendous asset not only to the University of Houston and the Bauer College of Business, but also to the city of Houston, where entrepreneurship fuels both socioeconomic mobility and economic growth,” Khator says in a release. “We are proud to see the impact of this program reverberate throughout our community.”

Rankings for The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur’s 2025 lists were based on a survey of administrators at nearly 300 schools in the U.S., Canada, and Europe that offer entrepreneurship studies. Among the more than 40 factors used for the rankings were academic programs, faculty credentials, mentorship opportunities, and alumni entrepreneurship ventures.

The only other school in Texas that made either top-10 was the University of Texas at Austin.

The top 10 schools on the list of 50 best graduate schools for entrepreneurship studies in 2025 are:

1. Rice University
2. University of California-Los Angeles
3. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
4. Washington University in St. Louis
5. Babson College
6. University of Washington
7. University of Texas at Austin
8. University of Virginia
9. Erasmus University Rotterdam in the Netherlands
10. University of South Florida

The top 10 schools on the list of 50 best undergraduate schools for entrepreneurship studies in 2025 are:

1. University of Houston
2. University of Texas at Austin
3. Babson College
4. University of Washington
5. Washington University in St. Louis
6. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
7. University of Maryland-College Park
8. Miami University of Ohio
9. Tecnológico de Monterrey in Mexico
10. Northeastern University

The spirit of entrepreneurship is strong in Houston. The city recently ranked No. 7 on a list of the of the 10 best U.S. cities for entrepreneurs to live.

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The story originally was published on our sister site, InnovationMap.

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