The First Annual Bayou Startup Showcase

In Texas, it is well known that Austin is the place to go for unique business start ups, especially if they are technology related. Seeders, incubators, and an assortment of early stage investors abound and that is probably not going to change any time soon.

Houston may not be the capitol city of the state, but as the “Energy Capitol” of the world it is flush with financial capital and rich in home grown entrepreneurial talent.

Last week, Red Labs of the University of Houston, and OwlSpark, of Rice University, hosted a joint event called the Bayou Startup Showcase, which gave students of both schools a forum to pitch their businesses to an audience of their peers, the media, and potential investors.

According to the event organizers Hesam Panahi of Red Lab, and Kerri Smith of OwlSpark, participants underwent months of mentorship with business leaders which included dozens of pitch meetings and consultations to help refine business models and presentations.

The joint effort between the two schools sets a precedent in efforts to cultivate entrepreneurial activities by an educational institutions within Texas.

“Collaboration is a key ingredient to any successful entrepreneurial ecosystem – although it is sometimes difficult to achieve in a city as big as Houston. Rice and UH are paving the way for future institutional collaboration with their joint accelerator demo day.  The Bayou Startup Showcase is a real benefit to their entrepreneurs, mentors and others in the Rice and UH communities. — Blair Garrou, Managing Director at Mercury Fund

As an observer of the event, I can testify to the spirit of cooperation and to the level of professionalism of the event. The format of the event was appropriate, with a dozen firms making approximately 5 minute long presentations, with the first half going early in the afternoon, and the second half going a bit later after a networking break.

During the breakout session I had the chance to talk to the different startups and meet other attendees which included other start-up companies and an assortment of start-up investors. I met people who were investing in or worked in clean energy, medical devices, energy storage, phone apps, social media, and technology incubators. This does not even include all of the presenters.

From Xconomy:

The entrepreneurs were a mix of undergraduate and graduate students. Some have worked on their startups for years while others only conceived of their ideas a few months ago.

Five of the 12 have already been featured as part of Xconomy’s “startup summer school” series, such as Zodist, Luminostics, and RaptorBird Robotics. We also met Data is Beautiful Solutions, which rechristened its BioWheel product to Easel, and ProsthetiTech, which is now known as Prosus Health.

Here is the rest of the entrepreneurial lineup:

—Wavve: This U of H startup has developed what it says is a nanomaterial dubbed “filtering beads” that removes bacteria, metals, and chemicals from water better than traditional commercial filters. The startup competed in the Rice University Business Plan Competition this past April and completed the I-Corps program sponsored by the National Science Foundation. CEO Julia Lonnegren says they are seeking additional grants to do more testing and hope to partner with large filter manufacturers like Brita, Unilever, and Culligan.

—Thermal Nomad: There just aren’t enough microwaves. That’s the opening statement put forward by student entrepreneurs at Thermal Nomad at Houston. This startup says it has developed a self-heating thermos in which liquid and semi-solid foods can be heated in two minutes and at 180 degrees. The entrepreneurs are targeting athletes who compete in daylong competitions and require frequent eating.

—Nexus Software: This startup is creating a “few-to-few” social network through its photo-sharing app called Corners. The app attempts to find a customized middle-ground between one-on-one communication and sites like Twitter and Facebook which connect users to a large, open-ended group of people. Nexus is targeting the Greek system at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, TX, as a test case.

—One Jump: This startup is developing an online database of educational enrichment opportunities, especially for underserved students. The idea is to feature a one-stop shop online for students to learn about programs, how to apply, and how to receive financial aid using a Netflix-style search. Founder Karthik Soora, a former Teach for America volunteer, says connecting underserved students like those from low-incomes to these programs often serves as crucial stepping-stone for personal enrichment. The site could also help universities connect to students with specific desired profiles, he said.

—YouHootMe: The app aims to bring the serendipity of meeting people in the real world online through geographic social networking. Users can search within a specific ecosystem—whether that’s a university or a city—and have live video chats with others in that ecosystem.

—HospiTable: The hospital table hasn’t been redesigned in more than 200 years, say founders at this Rice startup. HospiTable’s table has features like a lazy Susan, hand stabilizers, and adjustable heights in order to make it easier for patients to eat. The benefits go beyond patient comfort. Co-founder Ben Hoff says better eating habits mean fewer malnourished patients, fewer hospital days and lower readmission rates, which could lead to cost savings for hospitals.

—Big Delta Systems: Why should batteries be rectangular or cylindrical in shape? These Rice entrepreneurs have developed a spray-on flexible battery that uses existing battery chemistry in order to allow design customization of items such as wearable devices. The startup uses a 3-D printing technique to create the battery. Big Delta Systems is licensing the technology from Rice and co-founder Adrian Yao says they expect to close on a seed round of funding soon.

—Rebel Putter: Call it a smart putter. Armed with computer processing, a sensor, and a laser, Rebel Putter says its device can help golfers correct their putts in real-time without changing the feel and weight of the putter itself. All of the data is then synced to a player’s smartphone for review later. The prototype is compliant with Professional Golf Association standards, says co-founder Yize Zhao.

Napoleon T. Butic

CEO 

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