Texas Venture Fest: Houston 2025
🤠 TEXAS VENTURE FEST: HOUSTON 2025
YOUR HOSTS
AGENDA
8:30 AM to 10:30 AM: Cup of Joey's TVFH Special Edition
11 AM to 5:50 PM - Programming
11 AM to 11:30 AM - Women Founders Panel
Dhini Nasution, Cofounder + CEO, ParaDocs Health
Rita Mounir, Cofounder + COO, Allthenticate
Damyanna Cooke, Founder + CEO, WellPour
Moderator: Aileen Allen, Venture Partner, Mercury Fund
11:30 AM to 12 PM - Science + Engineering Founder Programs Panel
Jeremy Pitts, Managing Director, Activate Houston
Luly Castillo, Startup Success Manager, Halliburton Labs
Homer Quintana, Director for Center for Rapid Device Translation, Houston Methodist
Leonel A. Romero, Entrepreneurship & Innovation Partner, Texas Children's Hospital
Moderator: Joey Sanchez, Founder + CEO, Cup of Joey
12 PM to 12:30 PM - Creators Panel
Sarah Smith, Cofounder + CEO, Speakerbox Media
Roselia Banuelos, Co-founder + CEO, CREATOPIA
Michael Gutierrez, Workforce Director, TXRX Labs
Katie Leigh Creeggan-Ríos, Executive Director, Houston Cinema Arts Society
Moderator: Taylor (Tay Powers) Barner, Co-Founder + CEO, Emergent & Co
12:30 PM to 1 PM - Cybersecurity Panel
Michael Farnum, CEO, CYBR.SEC.Community
Teodosio (Ted) Gutiérrez, Cofounder + CEO , SecurityGate
Chad Spensky, Foundner + CEO, Allthenticate
Joe Alapat, Founder + CSO, Liongard
Moderator: Cherise Esparza, Cofounder + President & CPO, SecurityGate
1 PM to 2 PM - Lunch Break
2 PM - Afternoon Coffee & Tea
2 PM to 2:30 PM - Design and Sustainability Panel
Sarah-Jayne Smith, Founder, Magpies & Peacocks
Kelie Mayfield, Founder, MaRS Culture
Seth Eslami, Founder, Clarity Castle
Federico Marques, Chief Executive Officer, Moonflower Farms
Moderator: Ahshia Berry, Vice President | Director of Communications-PR, Magpies & Peacocks
2:30 PM to 3 PM - AI Panel
Arnold Castro, Assistant Dean of AI, Mays Business School
Omar Mohtar, MD PhD, Founder + CTO, ParaDocs Health
Sean Kelly, Cofounder + CEO, Amperon
Oleg Lysiak, VP of Partnerships and Business Development, Honeycomb Software
Moderator: Katie Mehnert, Founder + CEO, Ally Energy; Cofounder, Houston AI
3 PM to 3:40 PM - Women Investors Panel
Mitra Miller, President-Elect & Board Member, Houston Angel Network
Juliana Garaizar, Lead Investor Rising America Fund, Portfolia; Venture Partner, CGV - ClimaTech Global Ventures
Andrea (Rubio) Course, Founder and Managing Director, Course Investments
Amy (McNary) Henry, Co-Founder + CEO, Eunike Ventures; Board Member, TiE Houston
Veronica Juarez, Managing Partner, Dahlia VC
Moderator: Adrienne Mangual, VP of Finance & Operations, The Artemis Fund
3:40 PM to 4:10 PM - SportsTech Panel
Tyler Strothman, Founder + CEO, Veloci Running
Lydia Davies, Founder + CEO, Osprey
Thomas Fields, Founder + CEO, GRIND
Moderator: Jan-Luc Blakborn, Board Co-chair, TEAM Houston
4:10 PM to 4:40 PM - MedTech & BioTech Panel
Wesley (Enwelum) Okeke, Executive Officer, CUBIO Innovation Hub
Lance Black, MD, MBID, Senior Associate Dean of Innovation & Strategic Projects, Texas A&M Engineering Medicine (EnMed)
Carlos Estrada, Growth Partner, First Bight Ventures
Moderator: Ximena G. Magana, Director of Partnerships and Operations, CUBIO Innovation Hub
4:40 PM to 5:20 PM - Ecosystems Panel
Jason Ethier, Founding Partner, Energy Tech Nexus
Varad Mohod, Investor, Plug and Play Tech Center - Sugarland (Smart Cities)
Kelsey Kearns, Director of Community Strategy, Greentown Labs Houston
Dr. Ravi Brahmbhatt, Director of Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Houston City College; Veteran Entrepreneurship
Dr. Yolanda Norman, Partnerships Director, TEX-E: The Texas Exchange for Energy and Climate Entrepreneurship
Moderator: Wade Pinder, Ecosystem Wayseeker
5:20 PM to 5:50 PM - HTX Investor Perspectives Panel
Matt Cherian, Venture Partner, Monta Vista Capital (Silicon Valley)
Douglas Romanoff, Managing Partner, Parameter Ventures (NYC)
Jan E. Odegard, Innovation District Advisor, Investor, and Mentor, 62x Ventures (HTX)
Veronica Breckenridge, Founder/Managing Partner, First Bight Ventures (BioTech Fund)
Moderator: Jesse Martinez, Founder + CEO, invincible; Founding Partner, Resolved Ventures; Venture Partner, VamosVentures
6 PM to 9 PM - Skyline Soiree, 21+ Only
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PARTNERS
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🏆 ABOUT TEXAS VENTURE FEST (Awards & Gala)
The Lone Star State shouldn’t have lone star founders. The Texas Venture Fest is the only truly "Texas-sized" day of networking and programming highlighting the ecosystem of startup support. More than 10 cities simultaneously host this statewide phenomenon, co-creating a record-breaking event for the country & proud moment for the state. Across our small towns and the nation's biggest metropoles, 3,000+ Texans gather to help innovation flourish and to network & learn from each other!
We also use the statewide event registration to ask for your favorite investor, startup, and community leader, and why, for the Texan's Choice Awards. It's the "People's Choice Awards" for our statewide innovation community presented at the Fest's sister signature event, the Texas Venture Gala & Forum. Follow Texas Venture Fest on LinkedIn & Instagram, and make sure to tag us so we can share your experience!
⭐️ ALL TEXAS VENTURE FESTS 2025:
This is a free statewide event to attend, but please considering making a donation in lieu of a purchase to support Hill Country: Texas Venture Fest: Hill Country Edition View all Texas Venture Fests and share with your fellow Texans, the link here: www.texasventurefest.com.
Texas Venture Fest: Code of Conduct & Event Terms
Texas Venture Fest is dedicated to providing a safe, respectful, and collaborative environment for all participants. By registering for or attending this event, you agree to comply with the following terms.
1. Expected Behavior
Treat all participants with respect and professionalism.
Contribute to a welcoming, inclusive environment for startups, investors, and community partners.
Follow all event instructions from organizers, venue staff, and security personnel.
Comply with all applicable laws and venue policies.
2. Prohibited Behavior
The following conduct will not be tolerated:
Harassment, discrimination, or intimidation of any kind.
Disruptive, unsafe, or threatening behavior.
Aggressive solicitation or self-promotion outside approved areas.
Recording, photography, or sharing of content in violation of event guidelines.
Any activity deemed by organizers to interfere with the event’s purpose or the safety and comfort of participants.
3. Right to Refuse or Remove
Texas Venture Fest reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to refuse admission to, or remove any individual from the event at any time, with or without a refund. Grounds for removal include (but are not limited to):
Violation of this Code of Conduct.
Failure to follow organizer or venue instructions.
Behavior the organizers determine is disruptive, unsafe, or inconsistent with the goals of the event.
4. Liability & Enforcement
Organizers assume no responsibility for the conduct of any participant.
Participants asked to leave will not be entitled to compensation for travel, lodging, or other costs.
Decisions made by Texas Venture Fest staff regarding enforcement of this policy are final.
5. Agreement
By registering for or attending Texas Venture Fest, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to abide by this Code of Conduct & Event Terms.