20th annual conference unites energy ventures with industry investors
The 20th Annual Rice Alliance Energy Tech Venture Forum will see industry leaders showcase energy tech innovations for the shift toward a more sustainable, reliable and lower carbon future on Sept. 21 at Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business.
For two decades, the Energy Tech Venture Forum — hosted by the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship — has served as the premier conference bringing together energy industry leaders, venture capital investors and promising energy and cleantech ventures to propel the future of energy.
Across interactive panels, keynotes speeches and venture pitches, attendees can explore emerging energy sources, enhancements and efficiencies within existing energy resources and advances in clean or renewable technologies — and learn where investors are contributing to the acceleration of these advancements.
Keynote speakers include Christina Karapataki, partner at Breakthrough Energy Ventures, the venture capital fund cofounded by Bill Gates; Scott Nyquist, vice chairman at Houston Energy Transition Initiative, founded by the Greater Houston Partnership; and Jeff Tillery, chief operating officer at Veriten, founded by Rice alumnus Maynard Holt, formerly with Tudor Pickering Holt.
More than 90 startup technology ventures commercializing energy transition innovations will present their businesses and meet investors looking for disruptive energy technologies that can accelerate clean and renewable energy.
The event also includes Rice Alliance’s Clean Energy Accelerator Class 3 Demo Day pitches and the announcement of “Most Promising Company” chosen by the energy tech industry experts and participating investors.
The presenting companies:
The Clean Energy Accelerator Class 3 Demo Day pitches:
Register here. The agenda can be found here.
Peter Rodriguez, the Houston Endowment Dean of the Jones Graduate School of Business and the Virani Undergraduate School of Business at Rice University, has been named the 2025 Poets&Quants Dean of the Year, a national honor recognizing visionary leadership and outstanding contributions to business education.
In less than a decade, Rodriguez has transformed Rice Business in nearly every dimension. Beyond creating a thriving undergraduate offering, he has overseen a 192% increase in student enrollment. The growth stems from a doubling of MBA students and the launch of an online MBA—the university’s first online degree—along with a hybrid MBA option.
Rice University professor Mikki Hebl says job seekers’ willingness to accept lower pay and roles reflects a softer labor market and shifting values toward flexibility, balance, and meaningful work.
