Tenth Annual Bayou Startup Showcase

Join us for the Tenth Annual Bayou Startup Showcase on Wednesday, August 2, from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Saint Arnold Brewing Company inside the Beer Hall. This annual event is a celebration of entrepreneurship, the newest startups and small businesses from Rice University and University of Houston accelerators, and the community that champions them.

The showcase features 24 ventures from our four accelerators: RED Labs, OwlSpark, RED Launch and BlueLaunch. You will be able to engage with these businesses, sign up for pre-orders, and buy products at their booths. Teams have recorded their pitches for you to learn about them in advance, watch during the event, or review afterward. RSVP now to receive updates and get early access to pitch videos, and confirm your spot at the event.

Pitch Videos

Meet the Startups & Small Businesses

OwlSpark & RED Labs Class 11  •  RED Launch & BlueLaunch Class 2

2tinys

RED Launch | University of Houston
Amy Lai & Lan Lai
2tinys is a small stationery store offering handmade and thoughtfully designed bujo (“bullet journal”) stickers, perfect for embellishing journals and planners.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
If you have experience with wholesale distribution or just love silly and fun art, come check out our booth at the showcase where we will be selling our stickers. You can also shop now on our Etsy store and connect with us on Instagram @2tinys.

WEBSITE | EMAIL

Pitch Video

Affekta

OwlSpark | Rice University
Hedinn Steingrimsson, Sudith Ashokan, Yushi Liu, Piyusha Shinde, & Benson Thomas
Affekta is building a real-time affect-sensitive online learning platform that offers personalized self- and blended learning, improving course completion rate.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
We are looking for introductions to individuals interested in online courses, or corporate trainers, training consultants, and course designers who are interested in offering their courses on our platform.

WEBSITE | EMAIL

Pitch Video

AiKYNETIX

OwlSpark | Rice University
Denis Akhiyarov & Anton Galvas
AiKYNETIX enhances full body motion and reduces injury risk for athletes, coaches, and sports medicine by using AI-powered real-time video with a single camera.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
We are looking to connect with shoe stores, sports teams, and sports brands. You can also download our app or stop by our booth to try AiKYNETIX for yourself.

WEBSITE | EMAIL, EMAIL

Pitch Video

All About Baby

BlueLaunch | Rice University
Emurode Williams
AllAboutBaby makes mealtime more enjoyable. We offer high-quality, eco-friendly products to help parents and babies transition to solid foods.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
We are actively seeking partnerships with baby boutiques, gift stores, and shops in the Houston area.

WEBSITEEMAIL

Pitch Video

Archway Family Medicine

BlueLaunch | Rice University
Cindy Dafashy
Archway Family Medicine is a membership-based Direct Primary Care clinic that offers patients better access to care and healthcare cost savings.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
We are looking for small business owners interested in offering affordable health benefits to their employees, or individuals and families looking for a new kind of primary care doctor.

WEBSITE | EMAIL

Pitch Video

Curio Sweets

RED Launch | University of Houston
Tiffany Enemuo
Curio Sweets is a plant-based food manufacturer that offers a range of services including no-order minimum co-manufacturing, white-label solutions, and recipe development.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
We would love to connect with experts and business owners in food distribution and manufacturing (food or otherwise). We are also seeking guidance in building an advisory board.

WEBSITE | EMAIL

Pitch Video

Eureka Exchange

OwlSpark | Rice University
Uyiosa Abusomwan & Ao Ma
Eureka Exchange is building a marketplace where scientists and researchers can publish and share their research models with collaborators and industry.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
We are looking for connections to professors, directors of research groups, and technology transfer executives in academic institutions who would like to join us to transform the way research collaboration and technology transfer occurs.

WEBSITE | EMAIL

Pitch Video

First Bite Houston

RED Launch | University of Houston
Brian Ariyo, Nicolas O’Brien, Philip Qin & Nick Sun
First Bite Houston is a consulting firm empowering small businesses, specifically restaurants, with a strong online presence through a range of services, including website building, QR code menu creation, and digital transformation for traditional mom-and-pop businesses.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
We are seeking mentorship from individuals well-versed in the restaurant industry and marketing experts who can assist us in promoting our brand.

WEBSITE | EMAIL

Pitch Video

Greedy Green

RED Labs | University of Houston
Siddhartha Paul
Greedy Green is creating nanoporous membrane technologies that recover metals from battery waste more effectively and with less environmental impact.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
We are looking for mentors and advisors in the waste recycling space who can help us on our journey to commercialize our lab research into a cleantech company.

EMAIL

Pitch Video

La Mer Macaron

BlueLaunch | Rice University
Misty Fehler, Nathan Fehler, Alexis Weaver & Zachary Weaver
La Mer Macaron delivers elevated sweet moments with our exclusive assortment of homemade French macarons, bringing the authentic flavors of Paris to Houston.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
If you have experience in food product supply chains, marketing, or working with commercial kitchen space, we would love to speak with you.

WEBSITEEMAIL, EMAIL

Pitch Video

Lacey’s Artt

RED Launch | University of Houston
Lacey White
Lacey’s Artt partners with local animal shelters and paints unique dog portraits of adoptable dogs to increase adoption rates.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
We are seeking social media marketing mentorship, artists with experience commercializing their work, and connections to shelter marketing directors.

WEBSITE | EMAIL

Pitch Video

Meow Planet

BlueLaunch | Rice University
Huan Hong & Yina Shen
Meow Planet is opening a cat lounge, offering the benefits of animal companionship without the responsibilities associated with pet ownership.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
We are in search of retail partners for hosting pop-up events and a mentor to guide us in profit models and marketing strategies.

WEBSITE | EMAIL

Pitch Video

Orbit

RED Labs | University of Houston
Tejas Patel
Orbit is an app designed to provide users with a practical training experience to improve their trading skills before they invest in the stock market.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
Sign up for our pretotype as we test our solution and follow us through our journey.

EMAIL

Pitch Video

Papa6 Productions

BlueLaunch | Rice University
Jerad Masse & Thai Tong
At Papa6 Productions, we’re revolutionizing the steel industry, providing residential contractors with a personalized one-stop shop for premium ornamental and structural steel materials.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
Help us triple our number of partners in the next year through connections and introductions to contractors and supply stores in the commercial construction industry.

WEBSITE | EMAIL

Pitch Video

ScoutBetter

OwlSpark | Rice University
Rajath Gopidi, Rakshith Gopidi, Srujith Rao Ambati, Vikranth Reddy Gaddam & Vishal Vaitla
ScoutBetter revolutionizes recruitment with AI, cutting hiring time and costs by up to 55%, simplifying job searches for seekers, and providing targeted applicant pools for recruiters.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
We are seeking expert guidance to craft a robust go-to-market strategy and to ensure the successful execution of our pilot programs.

WEBSITE | EMAIL

Pitch Video

Serendipity Picnic

BlueLaunch | Rice University
Mary Lynn Fernau
Serendipity Picnic offers a beautiful, lightweight, easy-to-carry reusable “BlanKIT” with all the goodies and essentials for your picnic.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
We are searching for connections to decision-makers in the hospitality industry to collaborate and craft custom, branded picnics for their guests.

WEBSITE | EMAIL

Pitch Video

Space City Vinyl

RED Launch | University of Houston
Emilia Fontes
Space City Vinyl specializes in providing fast and non-permanent vehicle color change services through vinyl wrapping services.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
If you are interested in elevating your vehicle with a vinyl color wrap, Visit our booth or contact us on our website or Instagram @spacecityvinyl.

WEBSITE | EMAIL

Pitch Video

Taurus Vascular

OwlSpark | Rice University
Matt Kuhn & Melanie Lowther
Taurus Vascular is developing a minimally invasive catheter for addressing the most pressing complication of endovascular aortic aneurysm repair: endoleaks.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
Taurus Vascular is currently raising its seed round. In addition to funding, we are always looking to speak with healthcare professionals involved in endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms. Please see us at our booth or visit our website to get in touch.

WEBSITE | EMAIL, EMAIL

Pitch Video

TenTwelve

BlueLaunch | Rice University
Alicia Espindola & Martin Mancuso
TenTwelve offers residential construction and remodeling services across west and southwest Houston.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
We are seeking marketing and business experts to join our team and board of advisors to make TenTwelve the best residential construction and remodeling company in Texas. Please spread the word on social media, visit our website, and share our projects.

WEBSITE | EMAIL

Pitch Video

Terradote

OwlSpark | Rice University
Mo Hossain
Terradote manufactures petroleum-free chemicals for plastics and fiber manufacturers to reduce their carbon footprint.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
We would love to connect with supply chain and bio-fermentation experts, companies with manufacturing assets, contract manufacturers, and funding for our pilot plant build-out.

WEBSITE | EMAIL

Pitch Video

Venus By Design

RED Launch | University of Houston
Betul Saytash
Venus by Design is a handmade jewelry company that hand crafts everything from dainty crystal jewelry to statement pieces.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
We are seeking social media marketing and sales experts who can help grow the Venus by Design brand and increase sales.

WEBSITE | EMAIL

Pitch Video

Voythos

OwlSpark | Rice University
Joe Makoid
Voythos is an AI-powered physician co-pilot, designed to predict clinical risks in real time to reduce delays in care, saving lives and limbs.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
We are looking to connect with go-to-market experts in digital health, physicians who would be willing to give us feedback or test out our product, and advisors who can guide us through a pre-seed raise.

WEBSITE | EMAIL

Pitch Video

We Felt It

RED Labs | University of Houston
Caroline Shiloh
We Felt It produces 3D-printed personalized modifications for mobility devices, such as canes, walkers, and wheelchairs, ensuring optimal comfort during usage with retrofitted designs.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
We are seeking mentorship in manufacturing, industrial engineering, and business development.

WEBSITE | EMAIL

Pitch Video

Zoop

RED Labs | University of Houston
Jenil Monpara
Zoop creates sustainable, freeze-dried smoothie premixes that are perfect for on-the-go nutrition. You simply add the mix to water, vegan milk or regular milk, and go.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
We are looking for CPG domain experts and who can help us build our US supply chain and distribution channels.

WEBSITE | EMAIL

Pitch Video