Houston's economic diversity Thread .. (Austin, West: relocating, rating, best time)

[Jack Lance]

A local company formed in April is building machines designed to help society deal with the pandemic and contributing to Houston's economic diversity.

The George R. Brown Convention Center was built to hold Houston’s biggest crowds, but during the pandemic its halls have grown quieter. In reviving the center, Houston First squared off with a problem facing all local venues — showing the public they’re safe.

To address the problem, the local government corporation created to operate the city’s convention and performing arts facilities launched a public education campaignin August and spent about $30,000 on three mobile air filtration units for the convention center’s general assembly space, which is often used by businesses for presentations. The units, installed in September, add a layer of security for guests, said Michael Heckman, the group’s acting president and chief executive.
The filters are the product of Houston’s Integrated Viral Protection, an enterprise formed by engineer and real estate developer Monzer Hourani based on technology developed by researchers at the University of Houston.
In its marketing materials, IVP calls its filtration system “an affordable, mobile, plug-and-purify device” that is “proven to immediately eliminate 99.999% of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus on contact.”

A patent is pending for the innovation, said Dr. Garrett Peel, founding partner at IVP and coresearcher on the project. To filter the air, scientists developed a network of forces that pull viruses into the units, where a nickel mesh catches particles and kills them with a heat that can reach nearly 400 degrees. The heat within the unit does not warm the surrounding air — a point of pride for its creators.

An IVP Air filtration unit filters air in a hotel lobby Monday, Sept. 28 2020, at the InterContinental Houston-Medical Center hotel in Houston.Photo: Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer
In addition to the novel coronavirus, the technology also kills other viruses and airborne pathogens like anthrax, Hourani said. He added its versatility could be particularly important if the coronavirus continues to mutate into new vaccine-resistant strains. IVP only claims it can kill viruses that enter the filters, not those that may linger in the air and are not drawn to the filter.
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/bus...photo-20259142

[Jack Lance]

Two Houston universities’ entrepreneurship programs rank No.1 in Princeton Review

The University of Houston and Rice University both ranked No.1 in the Princeton Review for their entrepreneurship programs for undergraduate and graduate levels respectively.

This marks the second consecutive year the two Houston universities have topped the list of entrepreneurship programs. For Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business, it’s fifth time in a top 3 position nationally and the 12th year in a row ranked it has ranked in the top 10 graduate entrepreneurship programs.

Rice is working with Houston and major corporations and organizations, such as the Texas Medical Center and NASA, to define and develop the future of technology and industry innovation in the city. The university is developing the Midtown innovation district anchored by The Ion, which is scheduled to open in spring.

The Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship within the C.T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston has ranked No. 1 or No. 2 on the Princeton Review’s list of undergraduate entrepreneurship for 10 of the last 13 years.

Bauer Dean Paul A. Pavlou said entrepreneurs, like the ones the Wolff Center produces, will be vital to recovering from the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

To view the complete rankings, visit https://www.princetonreview.com/business-school-rankings?rankings=top-25-entrepreneurship-grad.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/bus...c17c50392c1d98

[ParaguaneroSwag]

SmartDraw Software is moving their operations from San Diego, CA to the Woodlands. For whatever reason, tech companies have been choosing either the Woodlands and Conroe, or West Chase.

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/20925...-the-woodlands

[As Above So Below...]

Originally Posted by ParaguaneroSwag

SmartDraw Software is moving their operations from San Diego, CA to the Woodlands. For whatever reason, tech companies have been choosing either the Woodlands and Conroe, or West Chase.

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/20925...-the-woodlands

That doesnt surprise me. Tech companies in DFW choose Plano and Frisco over Dallas. Cheaper and easier to set up a campus. Even in the Bay Area, the large tech campuses are in suburban areas.

[ParaguaneroSwag]

Tilman Fertitta, you did it again. I was one of those who thought the Golden Nugget Online Casino going public was going to be an after burner. But here he is taking over the online gaming landscape. Taking over the rust belt states (only area where this type of business is allowed without a physical presence) and struck a license deal to build a franchised Golden Nugget in Illinois to be able to get access there. I just wish I would've invested instead of being skeptic.

[Jack Lance]

Local medical supply company is cashing in on the need for personal protection equipment helping businesses and medical professionals deal with the pandemic and helping to diversify the Greater Houston economy.

When shortages of personal protective equipment began in March, Houston entrepreneur Omri Shafran saw an opportunity.

Medical workers were struggling to get the masks, face shields and surgical gowns they needed in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. But Shafran realized that hospitals would not be the only employers looking for gear, nor would they be the only ones contending with the disease.

Dimitri Menin, president of Texas Medical Center Supply leads a virtual tour in one of their showrooms Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020, in Houston.Photo: Steve Gonzales, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

With $1,000 in startup costs, Shafran and co-founder Dimitri Menin began Texas Medical Center Supply, a personal protective equipment supplier that works with city and state governments, public health systems, school districts and corporate offices. The company, which opened in late March, provides items such as medical-grade surgical gowns, latex gloves, hand sanitizer dispensers and a robot that disinfects rooms.

Since then, sales have have soared to $50 million and employment to more than 50 from the original four. The company plans to expand to a 144,000-square-foot plant to manufacture surgical gowns and other disposable equipment in Houston and hire an additional 1,200 employees next year.
Inside the Houston PPE supplier making masks, hand sanitizer dispensers and disinfecting robots - HoustonChronicle.com

[ParaguaneroSwag]

Another good read...

Formerly HIIG (Houston International Insurance Group) now Skyward Specialty Insurance, joins the long list of Houston companies that are rebranding to be able to accommodate a wider field than just O&G. Under Skyward, they expand their B2B portfolio into other industries.

Most people associate diversifying with the companiws coming in, but the biggest book of diversified is the companies already here tapping into other fields.

I’ve never seen so many companies here expand their services like this year. Surely, COVID probably pushed them there.

[mojo101]

I have lived in major cities-Chicago,New York,New Orleans(if you can call it major) and now Houston.
I dont know if Houston is diversified enough to survive the down turn in energy??

[ParaguaneroSwag]

Originally Posted by mojo101

I have lived in major cities-Chicago,New York,New Orleans(if you can call it major) and now Houston.
I dont know if Houston is diversified enough to survive the down turn in energy??

What's your definition of survive? Either way, it's hard to compare Houston to the rest of the country right now because the whole country is in a recession as opposed to just an energy down turn.

But again, what do you mean by survive? Supposing there weren't a national/global recession, and an energy only "down turn" took place, would Houston specifically be hit? The answer would obviously be yes, energy is still the biggest draw. But would the entire city go into a depression including non-energy related businesses? Not really. So I guess that depends on your definition. Hard to see what survive means.

[As Above So Below...]

Originally Posted by mojo101

I have lived in major cities-Chicago,New York,New Orleans(if you can call it major) and now Houston.
I dont know if Houston is diversified enough to survive the down turn in energy??

Survive???