Two companies have announced plans to investigate asteroid mining. While the basics of identifying likely mining prospects with telescopes and deep space probes is straight forward enough, what the companies have not disclosed is a method for refining discovered ore. I believe that by adapting smelting and refining technology we currently use on Earth for…
I first learned of ATDynamics’ Trailer Tail after they won the 2006 Rice Business Plan Competition (as Advanced Transit Enterprises). I had not heard or seen anything about them until this afternoon when I was driving home, and I finally spotted one of the gizmos in the wild.
The top presentation at Start Houston‘s September Demo Day was eOilBoom, a new crowdfunding site for oil and gas. Their premise is simple: internet based crowdfunding for oil and gas investments in producing wells and in drilling new wells. The site allows accredited investors to put in as little as $5,000 in each project. This enables…
My sister bought a new hybrid a few months ago, and she let me drive it when we went to visit my grandmother last June. In addition to the vehicle being deadly quiet, the feature that most caught my eye was the efficiency gauge that replaced the tachometer. Instead of letting me know how close…
The exact date of their arrival varies depending on who you ask. Google wants self-driving cars by 2017, but traditional car companies still think they are 5, 10, 20 or more years away. Regardless of when the first car hits the road, the transition from traditional to self-drivers will occur far faster than many believe.…
From international players to small business growth to incredible technological advancements, Houston is now one of the fastest-growing and most successful cities in the world. Any Houstonian who wants to make this the best city it can be should meet us at TechStreet. Daniel Cohen, Creative Director, Techstreet Houston My colleague Daniel Cohen, the founder…
Today, Brightwork CoResearch held an open house at their new facility. Unfortunately, it is not quite ready, but Jacob Schiach, founder and lead researcher, showed us around and explained his vision for the space.
In my discussions with others, either with my peers or those older than I, I often hear the tired refrain that the American century is over. Soon, we will fall, dominated by the Chinese and the coming wave of the developing world. Our students are lazy, our economy is languishing, our infrastructure is deteriorating, and…
I had a great time last night at the Stag’s Head meeting for the first time with Cleanweb Texas. Great people, great ideas, big impact on the world. As explained to me by Blake Burris, the goal of Cleanweb is to use software to fix real world resource problems. Through smart programming, we can create…
Tiny customized wedding toppers, raising money for charity by eating out with your friends, smart lights that turn on and off as you walk around the house, these were just some of the ideas on display at the 10th Annual Rice Alliance IT and Web Venture Tech Forum. Keep reading for my favorite 3.