Two Houston-based accelerator programs announced new entrepreneur cohorts at the end of March and beginning of April.
DivInc Houston, an arm of Austin-based nonprofit DivInc, launched its Clean Energy Tech Accelerator program in partnership with Chevron Corp. (NYSE: CVX) and Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) targeting startups created by women and people of color. Seven companies will participate in a 12-week program hosted at the Ion.
The cohort includes two Houston startups and one based out of Austin, with the rest coming from across the country:
- Pirl Technology Inc. – Originating in Maryland, the startup installs electric vehicle chargers for commercial and multifamily units.
- Quantum New Energy – Houston-based Quantum New Energy provides and analyzes data for companies to make energy-efficient decisions.
- SOL roofs – Based in Austin, SOL Roofs provides rooftop solar-energy installation kits.
- WIP International – Houston-based WIP International distributes atmospheric water generators.
- PiggyBack Network – Originating in Chicago, PiggyBack Network uses artificial intelligence to connect willing parents for carpools.
- Owanga Solar – Designs and installs pay-as-you-go solar energy systems for businesses and residences.
- BlackCurrant – Chicago-based BlackCurrant develops a trading platform for hydrogen producers and buyers.
DivInc Houston Managing Director Ashley DeWalt told the Houston Business Journal that leveraging subject matter experts from partners such as Microsoft and Chevron helped draw in founders from around the country.
“We're having real-time conversations with [our partners] on a weekly basis to continue to level up our program,” DeWalt said. “That’s critical to these founders, and that’s why we can attract them from around the country.
Pirl Technology founder Kobby Osei-Tutu said the opportunity to connect with other minority founders in clean tech drew him to DivInc.
“When I go around and meet other founders, there are just a number of underrepresented founders in clean tech,” Osei-Tutu said. “But there’s very few of them. What attracts me to DivInc is the chance to sort of learn from the horizontal level, from founder to founder, from people I love to be around.”
DivInc’s cohort follows the reveal of 14 companies participating in the Softeq Venture Studio accelerator program, run by Houston-based Softeq Development Corp. Unlike the DivInc program, this technology accelerator is industry agnostic and the cohort includes companies specializing in applications ranging from data intelligence and robotics.
Five Houston startups and one Austin startup were named in the cohort. The companies participating in Softeq’s accelerators are as follows:
- Aim7 – Houston-based Aim7 provides customizable recommendations from data provided by wearable health devices. The startup was seeded with $1.3 million last November.
- Avendly – Rhode Island-based Avendly makes robots for restaurants, including a bot that can mix cocktails.
- ClioVis – Based in Austin, ClioVis targets students interested in content creation by making interactive lesson plans tailored to their strengths.
- Flometrica – Originating in Tel Aviv, Israel, Flometrica develops urine analyzer devices to track urinary tract issues.
- Gophr – Louisiana-based Gophr provides logistics analysis and delivery services for individuals and businesses.
- KarChing – Chicago startup KarChing develops an app and a cash rewards program for teen drivers to avoid using their phones on the road.
- Meander – Houston startup Meander collects travel data through microsurveys and photos in exchange for perks such as reward miles.
- MEedia – California-based MEedia brands its product as a “press conference in your pocket,” which can be shared through social media broadcasts.
- MeterLeader – MeterLeader, based in California, tracks energy usage and suggests energy conservation behaviors.
- PayOnDelivery – Houston-based PayOnDelivery adds additional security made to online marketplaces like Facebook and Craigslist.
- Picasso Analytics – Louisiana-based Picasso provides scheduling software for oil refinery dashboards to help save time and ensure deadlines are met.
- Toivoa – Florida-based Toivoa develops software-based therapies for people with disabilities suffering from behavioral health disorders. The prescription-based platform is on track for Food and Drug Administration approval, according to Softeq.
- Upbrainery Technologies – Houston-based Upbrainery is an artificial intelligence startup intended for educational use. Upbrainery was a contestant in the 2023 Houston Inno Madness competition.
- WellWorth – Houston-based WellWorth produces software that helps upstream oil and gas finance managers improve decision-making related to raising and investing capital.
Like DeWalt, Softeq CEO Chris Howard touted the cohort’s reach outside of Houston, with over 23 of 89 Softeq Venture Studio-affiliated founders coming to the Bayou City.
Softeq’s program runs for three months from April, according to its announcement.
Several Houston-based accelerators have announced their 2023 cohorts earlier this year, including the Texas Medical Center’s two TMCi cohorts in January and Greentown Labs’ ACCEL cohort in February.
