At The Ion, Rice University graduate researchers stepped onto a global stage March 24 to pitch energy ventures aimed at tackling some of today’s most urgent challenges in sustainability, infrastructure and resource management.
Held during CERAWeek, the Energy Venture Day and Pitch Competition — hosted by the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship and the Houston Energy Transition Initiative — featured more than 40 ventures spanning materials, clean energy and emerging technologies.
The fast-paced event connects startups with venture capitalists, corporate innovation teams, industry leaders and academics, with top ventures in each track recognized at the conclusion of the competition. A collegiate pitch competition, hosted by TEX-E, also highlighted student-led startups from across Texas.
Among the presenters were Rice-affiliated founders bringing research-driven ideas beyond the lab and into the marketplace.
For doctoral alumnus Will Schmid ‘25, a postdoctoral researcher and co-founder of Resonant Thermal Systems, the experience marked a turning point. Schmid is also a Rice Innovation Fellow through the Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Rice.
“This feels like the first day where it’s really real,” Schmid said. “I’m seeing peers and other founders pitching exciting companies, and it’s a whole new world I’m learning more about every day.”
Schmid’s startup is developing decentralized systems that use renewable energy to treat industrial wastewater, producing clean water while recovering critical minerals essential for technologies such as batteries.
Across the venue, TEX-E Fellow Jules Seay, a second-year doctoral candidate in geology, prepared to pitch her venture, Global Ozone Environmental System (GOES), to capture waste heat from data centers while supporting local communities.
Her approach integrates greenhouse systems that use excess heat to grow plants and store carbon, offering a nature-based solution for carbon capture and resource generation.
“This is probably the biggest stage I’ve ever pitched on,” Seay said. “I’m a little nervous, but I’m excited for the opportunity.”
Both founders pointed to Houston’s growing innovation ecosystem as a key factor in their entrepreneurial journeys. The Ion, located in the city’s innovation corridor, serves as a hub for collaboration across academia, industry and startups.
“Rice and Houston are incredibly supportive of going beyond academia and into startups,” Seay said. “It’s a unique environment where you feel like you have a place to build something.”
Three student energy innovation companies were named winners of the Texas Exchange for Energy and Climate Entrepreneurship (TEX-E) Prize, receiving a combined $50,000 in funding. Schmid earned $15,000 through the TEX-E competition, recognizing the potential of his startup’s approach to water treatment and resource recovery.
For Schmid, the value of the experience extended beyond competition results.
“It’s not just about money,” he said. “It’s about building connections, learning from others and growing the company in the right way.”
As Rice continues to expand opportunities for graduate student entrepreneurship, Energy Venture Day highlights how research can move from discovery to deployment — with the potential to shape the future of energy on a global scale.