Navigating for Houston Energy & Climate Startup Week
A Practical Guide for Founders
Houston is the Energy Capital of the World — and Energytech Nexus is where climate and energy startups plug in to connect with the energy industy.
Every September, the city becomes a magnet for innovators, investors, and industry leaders solving the energy trilemma: how to deliver energy that is secure, affordable, and sustainable. With so much happening across just a few days, it’s easy to miss the moments that matter most.
That’s why we built this guide to help founders cut through the noise, prioritize what’s valuable, and get the most out of their time in Houston.
This is our curated pick of events from:
- Houston Energy and Climate Week (September 14–19)
- Houston Energy and Climate Startup Week (September 15–19)
At Energytech Nexus, we’re here to support those bold enough to reimagine the future of energy. This is your moment. This is your map. Welcome to Houston.
September 16
ETN Pilotathon + Company Showcase: Innovation for Impact ⚡⚡⚡
Hosted by: Energytech Nexus
Energytech Nexus hosts its annual Pilotathon, a high-impact event designed to fast-track pilot deployments for climate and energy tech startups. Expect a full day of curated startup pitches, a 50-plus company innovation showcase, and direct engagement with corporate partners, investors, and ecosystem leaders. The afternoon will also feature participants from the ETN CoPilot Accelerator. RSVP here
PICKLEBALL Social ⚡⚡
Hosted by: Amperon, Constellation, Nextera Energy and Powerhouse Ventures
If you are not coming to the Pilotathon, and are working with power grid technologies, this should be your first stop to meet with Sean and the team at Amperon and meet some power players (pun intended) in the industry.
Meet the Activate Houston Cohort 2025 Fellows
Hosted by: Activate Houston
Activate has officially announced its Houston C25 Cohort. Join to meet and discover the innovative technologies their companies are driving forward. The cohort includes Biosimo, Brightlight Photonics, Deep Anchor Solutions, EarthFlow AI, FlowCellutions, KIRA, Lift Biolabs and Semion. Activate fellows are ones to watch when it comes to meeting high profile founders. While this is good peer networking, its also an opportunity to catch some investors who will be in attendance.
New Climate Ventures Afterparty - Houston Energy + Climate Startup Week ⚡⚡⚡
Hosted by: New Climate Ventures
An informal gathering at Axelrad with drinks, music, and mingling. A vibrant night to connect with the Houston climate startup community. This is where we are officially directing attendees of the Pilotathon after the day’s events. Eric, Taylor, and the crew hosted a great afterparty last year, and this one is sure to be awesome. The venue is large, with parking in the back; there are bound to be founders, investors, and strategic partners in attendance. Axelrad has a shared yard with a pizza joint, so if you are short on time, you can grab a pie to match the cold drinks provided by the New Climate Ventures team.
We’ll be there, so come by and say hello.
September 17
Energy x AI Happy Hour
Hosted by: Collide and Midnight Marketing
Celebrate Houston Energy & Climate Startup Week with happy hour from 5–7 PM. Network with energy pros and talk all things AI, innovation, and collaboration.
From our team, Jason willl be here.
Electric AI Day 2025
Hosted by: Energy AI Solutions
Energy AI Solutions, Mindstone, and the University of Houston’s AI Club (Code [Coogs]) are hosting Electric AI Day 2025 at GreenStreet, Downtown Houston. This free meetup will feature expert talks from leaders including Sidney Taylor (Microsoft Azure), Patricia McManus (Google), Glenn Wu (R&B Technology Group), Alicia Moniz (Energy AI Solutions), Yannick Concordel (Mindstone) and the University of Houston’ AI club to learn and discuss the latest AI technologies and hwo they are applied to pressing challenges in the energy industry. Definitely a place to land if you are looking to connect with some of the smartest folks in AI today. ETN is the proud sponsor of this event.
Full details and RSVP here
From Local to Global: Helping Climatetech Startups Succeed Internationally
Hosted by: Greentown Labs
This high-energy event explores what it takes for climatetech startups to scale across borders. Hear from international leaders on the challenges and opportunities of global expansion, then stay for rapid-fire pitches from startups driving innovation in clean energy, decarbonization, and sustainable industry—from Norway, Australia, and beyond.
As a founder I’d come early for the Check-in to try and catch some of the speakers early at 8AM, or come at the end when networking starts at 9:30AM. Look for connections with Woodside and Equinor
Hack the Heat Hack-A-Thon
Hosted by: HECW
Join the first-ever Hack the Heat Hackathon, a hands-on innovation sprint tackling real-world challenges at the intersection of energy, heat, and climate. It is for a coder, designer, engineer, policy thinker or someone just passionate about sustainable solutions. The hackathon is open to all skill levels and backgrounds, focused on collaboration, creativity, and climate resilience.
As a founder come to meet others working on pressing challenges faced by the smart technical folks in the city; if you already are deep into your own project then this one is ok to skip.
24/7 Energy Abundance with Geothermal & Critical Minerals
Hosted by: HECW, MicroThermal and Geothermal Rising
If you are working on Geothermal this is the one to attend. The panel sessions are Texas centric, but it's a veritable who’s who of technical leadership that's bound to bring in potential partners and investors alike.
Register here
Biomanufacturing Masterclass
Hosted by: First Bight Ventures
If you are working in biomanufacturing this is the event for you. Veronica and the team tackle how biomanufacturing will change global supply chains. From the looks of the agenda, this is more market overview and investor DD guide than a technical panel, but it will still prove to be a good place to meet others working at the intersection of biotechnology and energy.
Register here
Born Blobal Energy & Climate Forum
Hosted by: Born Global Ventures
Always a broad and diverse audience, this event emphasizes Houston’s global position as the center as an Energy capital of the world. There will be a broad mix of individuals from startups, government, NGOs, and industry.
Energy Tech Venture Forum Reception
Hosted by: Baker Botts
This reception has traditionally tailed the Energytech Venture Forum hosted by the Rice Alliance. It is invite-only for program participants, but always has a good mix of founders and Investors—save the slot in your calendar if you are attending the ETVF, if not would 100% try to sneak in.
Register here
September 18
ACCEL Year 3 Showcase
Hosted by: ACCEL
Join the third ACCEL cohort for a showcase featuring their technologies, what they’ve accomplished in the first six months of the program, and where they’re headed next. At this event, you’ll also have the opportunity to network with industry leaders who are passionate about and building an inclusive and sustainable future.
Tickets are free; if you are short on time come for the Networking (Early: 5-5:40, or late after 7pm) You’ll want to keep an eye out for strategics and Investors canvasing the new startups.
2025 GRIT Awards and Best Energy Workplaces Finalist Reception
Hosted by: ALLY Energy
ALLY Energy's 2025 GRIT Awards and Best Energy Workplaces Finalist Reception is coming up on September 18, 2025. Join for an evening of recognizing innovation, resilience, and excellence in the energy sector. Meet the finalists, mingle with industry leaders, and witness the announcement of this year's Lifetime Achievement Award winners. Sign up now.
Shell STCH Open House
Hosted by: Shell
If you are working on next generation materials, then you need to check out the Shell STCH facility. Learn from Mars Materials and DexMat on how working with Shell can accelerate your go-to market. There’s nothing like partnering with an organization that can bring safety, process, and permits you to the table to help you as you try to wrangle control over a new technology.
Register here.
How AI is reshaping the Future of Energy and Carbon Capture
Hosted by: Society for Low Carbon Technologies
This looks like the place to be if you are working in CCUS. The panelist look like a good group of movers and shakers who are active in this space and will prove to give you good insight on where the AI and technology conversation is today when it comes to carbon capture. Would recommend.
Register here.
VIP Awards Reception 2025 ⚡
Hosted by: EnergyTech Nexus
Celebrating standout startups from Pilotathon and recognizing high-potential companies from Pre-Seed to Series A, this exclusive event showcases real progress in climate and energy tech. For founders, it’s a unique opportunity to connect with top investors, industry leaders, and strategic partners in an intimate setting—building relationships that can accelerate growth and open doors.
If you’d like to be part of this special evening, reach out to Jason, Nada, or Juliana for an invitation.
22nd Annual Rice Alliance Energy Tech Venture Forum ⚡⚡⚡
Hosted By: Rice Alliance
ETVF is the premier energy tech VC conference to connect energy innovators, investors, corporations and the energy ecosystem. In its 22nd year, the ETVF will showcase energy tech innovations to shift towards a more sustainable, reliable and lower carbon future. The event is jam-packed with quality companies and conversations and is the go-to event of the year to connect with and see where energy is headed. The conference included industry speakers, investors, and promising startups from throughout the U.S. and beyond.Early bird registration is open through September 5. RSVP here
Invite-Only: Rice Alliance Startup and Investor Office Hours
Hosted by: Rice Alliance
This exclusive event offers a unique opportunity for startups and investors to connect, share insights, and explore potential partnerships on September 18, held in conjunction with the Annual Energy Tech Venture Forum. Learn more
How AI Is Reshaping the Future of Energy and Carbon Capture
Hosted by: Society for Low Carbon Technologies
Join the Society for Low Carbon Technologies for an in-person event at Equinor US in Houston. This timely panel will spotlight industry leaders from Siemens Digital, Baker Hughes, Rystad Energy, Harvestone, and Kiewit as they explore how AI and data centers are transforming energy demand, reshaping grid planning, and integrating carbon capture into digital infrastructure. The discussion will cover emerging trends like co-locating CCS with data centers and using AI-driven MRV (monitoring, reporting, and verification) to build a more resilient, carbon-managed energy system. RSVP here
Fathom Fund + MIT Cocktail Reception
If I had to find the best way to end the week this would be it. Fathom Fund invests in deep tech/hard tech, and their guest speaker Evelyn Wang use to be the director at ARPA-E. Between live music at the Houst of Blues + connecting casually with some of the smartest people in Hard tech this one is hard to miss.
Register here
PS: Food to Explore if you arrive early.
If you arrive late on Sunday and are looking for some tasty eats, here are some staff favorites - Rosie Cannonball (menu) is one of our favorites. Pizzas and Booze are half off after 9pm and wine is actually half off all day. Its right in Montrose, which should be easily accessible for anything