Sixteen startups entered, and only one could be crowned champion. After four rounds of voting, the health technology company Farlite Solutions LLC took the crown.
Inno Madness is our friendly, bracket-style challenge where readers vote to advance companies based on one question: Which would you invest in? The 16 companies were nominated by founders, investors and organizations around Houston as well as editorial input from the Houston Inno team. The selected companies represent an increase in early-stage startups in the Bayou City, as well as the region’s innovations in industries such as climate technology, health technology, and business-to-business software.
Farlite Solutions took 66% of the vote in the last round of voting against GigaDAC, a member company at climate incubator Greentown Labs that specializes in carbon capture. That completed a sweep of Greentown Labs companies for Farlite, which previously eliminated Hertha Metals, Biosfera, and Aeromine in the earlier rounds. GigaDAC, meanwhile, progressed to the championship round through knockouts of the Mercury-backed software startup Molecule, the custom wig company Upgrade Boutique, and the emissions reduction business Capwell Services.
Co-founders R. Hunter Knight and Frank Giacalone, with backgrounds in software and infrastructure development and management respectively, founded the company to create healthy spaces using a new type of disinfection. Farlite's technology revolves around using ultraviolet light to disinfect spaces such as hospitals, schools, restaurants, and airports.
Knight and Giacalone told Houston Inno that the business originated during the Covid-19 pandemic, where demand was high for a disinfection solution that could protect people while they were occupying the space. The technology also includes a way to see the effect of the UV light on pathogens in the atmosphere.
"The Covid-19 pandemic was the genesis of our efforts to build a better solution," Knight said. "It stimulated our team to find new ways to circumvent problems from the past. Since Farlite has its origins in the technology world, a cloud-based, digital, monitoring and control system was a vital consideration."
Both founders said Houston had helped them gather resources for their business, and offered advice to other entrepreneurs building businesses. Next steps for the company include raising a first round of funding and to expand globally. Knight and Giacalone also offered advice for entrepreneurs.
"Be patient. Use resources wisely and sparingly. Outsource activities that bring efficiencies. Be the best in class," Knight said. "The Farlite co-founders have started several companies in Houston and those experiences helped us focus on a continuous state of improvement."
Here are the final standings for Houston Inno Madness 2024:
- Champion — Farlite Solutions LLC: Farlite Solutions neutralizes aerosol pathogens, such as measles, influenza and Covid-19, in indoor spaces with a customized UV light solution to reduce the probability of becoming infected while visiting a protected space. Founded by R. Hunter Knight and Frank Giaralone.
- Runner-Up — GigaDAC: GigaDAC is pioneering a method to build carbon dioxide direct air capture systems at a gigaton scale. Founded by Harrison Rice.
- Semifinalist — Aeromine Technologies Inc.: Aeromine uses a “bladeless wind turbine” to help commercial properties meet increasing demands for renewable energy.
- Semifinalist — Molecule: Targeting commodities trading, Molecule’s software platform automates risk analysis and other complex calculations for hedge funds, trading companies and financial services funds. Co-founded by current CEO Sameer Soleja, Randy Baker, and Adam Strickland.
- Quarterfinalist — Biosfera: Biosfera converts carbon dioxide into isoprene, a chemical used to manufacture rubber and solvents, both reducing emissions and creating value from waste. Co-founded by Jacob Arredondo and Marya Cokar.
- Quarterfinalist — Ema: Ema is a conversational AI platform that aims to help women with health concerns by providing targeted recommendations based on input. Founded by Amanda Ducach.
- Quarterfinalist — Astronaut: Astronaut is a software company developing an artificial intelligence assistant for online community management. Co-founded by Ayoola John and Chris Volzer.
- Quarterfinalist — Upgrade Boutique: Upgrade Boutique creates customized wigs and has a tech marketplace to sell them. Its clients include Simone Biles and Taraji P. Henderson. Founded by Britney Winter.
- Round of 16 — Arden: Arden is developing a platform that allows users familiar with traditional — or Web2 — internet to make the jump to Web3. Co-founded by Coert Voorhees and Andrew Yeager.
- Round of 16 — Blue People: Blue People is a software-as-a-service company creating artificial intelligence solutions for a variety of industries and use cases. Co-founded by Enrique Carro and Fernando De La Garza Varela.
- Round of 16 — Capwell: Capwell offers a solution for oil and gas wells emitting methane, allowing companies to detect and destroy methane emissions at the source. Co-founded by Andrew Lane, Tomas Pinilla, and Lucien Peach.
- Round of 16 — Corrolytics: Corrolytics produces an AI method for detecting and tracking corrosion in real time, allowing asset owners to make rapid decisions. Co-founded by Anwar Sadek, Sai Prasanna Chintala, and Chelsea Monty-Bromer.
- Round of 16 — Helix Earth Technologies: Helix Earth Technologies uses NASA-developed technology to improve air conditioning and carbon capture processes through its filtration system. Co-founded by Rawand Rasheed and Brad Husick.
- Round of 16 — Hertha Metals: Hertha Metals aims to decarbonize steel manufacturing, tackling scope 1 to scope 3 carbon emissions. Founded by Laureen Meroueh.
- Round of 16 — Intention: Intention is creating a carbon impact investment platform that allows investors of all sizes to launch and track their own climate infrastructure portfolios. Founded by Nisha Desai.
- Round of 16 — Mars Materials: Mars Materials is developing a technology to address CO2 emissions by sequestering the gas in carbon fiber and wastewater treatment. Aaron Fitzgerald and Kristian Gubsch.
