World-changing concepts

Houston Startup Weekend kicks off 54 hours of innovation

Adam Stacoviak, Founders Talk
Photo via Houston Startup Weekend
Richard Yoo, founder and former CEO of Rackspace and Serverbeac
Photo via Houston Startup Weekend
Photo via Houston Startup Weekend/Facebook

Not often do entrepreneurs have a unique opportunity to pitch innovative ideas to a room full of interested investors and collaborators — without the exhausting footwork.

Houston Startup Weekend will take place at the University of Houston's Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture tonight through Sunday. The local event is part of a Seattle-based, global initiative matching developers, designers, marketers, product managers and startup enthusiasts to formulate comprehensive plans and world-changing concepts.

More than 100 participants will spend 54 hours pitching concepts, making connections, interfacing with experienced entrepreneurial mentors to work out kinks and fortify ideas with involvement from new partners and investors.

If you have a winning idea for a new project, this is your chance to make it count. Organizers have put together a packed agenda. More than 100 participants will spend 54 hours pitching concepts, making connections, interfacing with experienced entrepreneurial mentors to work out kinks and remedy foreseeable flaws, fortifying ideas with involvement from new partners and investors.

Entrepreneurs Adam Stacoviak (podcaster and Rizn Media founder) and Richard Yoo (founder and former CEO of Rackspace Hosting) will talk about what makes a successful startup. Local establishments Kitchen Incubator, Ziggy's, Marathon Bakery, Buffalo Bayou Brewing and Raku Sushi will provide food.

At the end of the weekend, the concepts will be ranked according to business model, customer validation and execution by a panel of judges that includes CultureMap CEO Stephen Newman.

"Our prizes are designed to allow the winning teams to have some extra 'runway' to get their business off the ground. They include a combination of office space and Internet access (at C2 Creative, Caroline Collective, and Bouncing Pixel)," explained organizer Sarah Worthy in an email.

"In addition we have a set of individuals who have offered their time as advisors to the winning teams — legal, business advisory, technical, marketing, etc. These are generally in the form of a set number of hours donated by each one."

Houston participants are also invited to enter ideas in the Global Startup Battle. Houstonians are encouraged to vote for local startup talent.

Veterans have compiled a list of ways for entrepreneurs to prepare for the weekend, but if you don't have time to get your project together before then, never fear: Organizers hope to continue making Houston Startup Weekend a bi-yearly event (the first was in February).

Last minute tickets cost $119 (student discounts available), and the event begins at 5:30 p.m. today (Nov. 18).

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accessibility brings empowerment

Autonomous cab company cruises into Houston with wheelchair-accessible rides

Courtesy of Cruise

The six month program is available is more than 90 Houston-area ZIP codes.

A California company with autonomous cabs has announced a new pilot program in partnership with a provider of wheelchairs and mobility solutions.

Cruise has teamed up with Numotion for a six-month wheelchair-accessible vehicle (WAV) pilot program in Houston, offering free transportation for qualifying Numotion customers, according to the companies. The program will operate in over 90 Houston-area ZIP codes.

“Numotion is excited to partner with Cruise to offer a seamless and convenient solution for wheelchair users in the Houston area. By providing transportation to and from repair appointments, we're alleviating a significant stressor and providing a way for our customers to receive their service and repair faster,” says Mike Swinford, CEO of Numotion, in a news release. “We're constantly striving to innovate and improve the lives of our customers, and this collaboration demonstrates our ongoing commitment to providing beneficial customer experiences."

Cruise entered the Texas market last year, with Houston services launching in October 2023 before the company put all operations on pause following a California crash. This is the first Texas announcement for Cruise since the pause.

"Accessibility is core to our mission at Cruise. This pilot program with Numotion is doing more than providing accessible rides – it’s about empowering people in the community with greater mobility and independence, while also building learnings to better our service in the future," says Craig Glidden, president and chief administrative officer at Cruise about the new pilot.

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

World-changing concepts

Houston Startup Weekend kicks off 54 hours of innovation

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accessibility brings empowerment

Autonomous cab company cruises into Houston with wheelchair-accessible rides

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