FAQ

General FAQ

What is the Houston Energy + Climate Startup Week?

Houston Energy and Climate Startup Week 2024 is bringing together leading energy and climate venture capital investors, industry leaders and startups from around the world to showcase the momentum Houston is building to launch and grow innovative companies and technologies transforming the energy industry while driving a sustainable, low-carbon energy future.

Houston is a natural convening location for these groups to come together as demonstrated by the many successful events happening throughout the year. Events individually organized by flagship support organizations, incubators, startups and, investors, are orienting around this week-long celebration of energy transformation built by Houston’s biggest champions. A series of must-attend experiences will create collisions with energy and climate enthusiasts that will shape the future of energy. See what Houston has to offer!

Who is leading this effort?

This community-led effort is organized by a group of regional organizations, academic institutions, and corporations in the Houston ecosystem, including Rice Alliance, Halliburton Labs, Greentown Labs, Activate, Digital Wildcatters, and the Houston Energy Transition Initiative. Individual investors, startups, and organizations are all independently hosting events around the city during the week, that are showcased on the Houston Energy and Climate Startup Week website.

How did this week get started, and what is the goal for the inaugural week?

Many years in the making, Houston Energy and Climate Startup Week was launched in response to the question: Can the whole be greater than the sum of its parts? Traditionally, each of the anchor organizations hosted flagship events throughout the year, inviting investors, startups, and energy enthusiasts to Houston multiple times. The tipping point was in 2023 when many of these events started overlapping, often landing on the same day or week as other city climate and startup weeks.

The organizations came together to coordinate and unify their flagship events into a single, destination week, showcasing what Houston has to offer. The inaugural Houston Energy and Climate Startup Week will build on the momentum already present in the city, providing a platform for groundbreaking technologies and innovations.

Getting Involved & Attending

How do I register for the events? How much does is cost to attend the events?

Since all events are being hosted by individual organizers, you can register directly on the organizations’ websites. Each event on our online calendar is linked to the event websites where you can register. Some events are free to attend, and some require payment. Please refer to each individual event site for this information.

If the public cannot attend an event, why is it listed on the calendar (invite only events)?

It was really important to the initial organizers that the week was built by the community. Invite-only events are included on the week’s schedule so that individual organizers can plan accordingly as they launch their own events for the week. Please respect that these events are invite-only, and do not show up unless you are on the guest list.

How do I know which startups are going to be pitching during the week?

You can see a list of startups who are pitching on each individual event website, which are being announced in the coming weeks. We encourage you to also follow us on LinkedIn, to stay up-to-date as these announcements are made.

How do I know which startups are going to be pitching during the week?

How can I host an event?

We encourage people and organizations to host their own energy and climate innovation and startup focused events throughout the week! Our website has a regularly updated calendar which includes a submission page for your event if you wish to include your event on our calendar. Please note that, if you do not submit your event by August 23^rd, they will not be considered for inclusion on the calendar. We review and add events as they are vetted, submission to the calendar, does not automatically mean they will be added.

If you need a venue to host your event, Houston has plenty to offer! Reach out to sydney@digitalwildcatters.com with your needs for recommendations. Please note the hosting organizations cannot plan events for you but are happy to point you in the right direction of venues and vendors. While we’d love to host you, the Ion is already fully committed for the week with participating events.

We also welcome volunteer support for events throughout the week. Please submit a contact form, and we’ll reach out.

Are there sponsorship opportunities for the week?

This is a grassroots effort is designed for and led by the community. There is no “Houston Energy and Climate Startup Week” organizing entity using the entirety of the week to raise funds for their organization. There are opportunities to support specific events and organizations throughout the week. If you are interested in supporting a specific organization or event, please reach out to that event organizers to learn more.

Is your week affiliated with other weeks or organizations?

Houston Energy & Climate Startup Week is not affiliated with any other events or organizations not listed on our website.

This week began with the recognition that Houston is an exciting and growing hub of energy and climatetech innovation and has built a reputation for bringing great investors and innovators throughout the year. The founding partners saw an opportunity to unify several independent events into a single week and maximize our opportunity to showcase this vibrant ecosystem on a national and global stage.

All organizations involved in Houston Energy and Climate Startup Week are committed to keeping this a true grassroots effort, led by the community and for the community. The essence of the week is to showcase innovative energy and climatetech founders and startups and put them in front of potential investors.