It’s rodeo season in Houston, which hosts the world’s largest livestock show and rodeo every March. They say everything is bigger in Texas, and that is very much true for the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo which draws crowds from all industries – tech included. This year, the local tech community launched its own series of events to coincide with the rodeo.
Houston Tech Rodeo (#HTXTechRodeo) kicked off last night at Karbach Brewery with a panel discussion themed Houston vs. The World. Speakers included Mercury Fund managing director Blair Garrou, Artemis Fund co-founder Leslie Goldman, and GOOSE director Samantha Lewis. The discussion, moderated by InnovationMap editor Natalie Harms, was centered on the details that separate Houston from other venture capital ecosystems.
Key differentiators specific to Houston that were discussed include:
As one of the most diverse major cities in the U.S., Houston benefits from a diverse pool of tech talent
The Houston ecosystem is currently riding a wave of positive momentum
Support from the energy industry, as Houston is widely known as the Energy Capital of the World
While coastal startups in places like Silicon Valley and Boston historically have more venture capital support, Houston shows all signs of bucking that trend in the years ahead. The ongoing support of established brands like Microsoft, Intel, and KPMG will be instrumental in shaping the Houston startup ecosystem into a self-sustaining haven for the global tech community. And with innovative incubators like Houston Exponential, The Cannon, and The Ion leading the charge, the tech industry is poised to take on a major role in the city’s increasingly diversified economy.
Be sure to check out the Houston Tech Rodeo website for more details and the events schedule: www.htxtechrodeo.com.