The University of Houston is strengthening Sugar Land’s innovation ecosystem through a strategic partnership with Plug and Play (PnP), a global venture capital firm and innovation platform. As part of the City of Sugar Land’s “Smart Cities” initiative, the collaboration will enhance entrepreneurial outcomes at UH’s Sugar Land campus.
With a presence in more than 100 cities worldwide, PnP connects startups with corporations, investors, universities, and governments to accelerate innovation. As the City of Sugar Land’s innovation partner, PnP is helping startups focused on energy, infrastructure, health, and sustainability address real-world challenges and establish a long-term presence in the city.
UH’s Sugar Land campus currently serves approximately 5,000 students, with plans to double enrollment to 10,000 in high-demand fields such as technology and health sciences. Through its collaboration with PnP, UH is strengthening its role as a bridge between academia and industry, leveraging the firm’s global network to create new pathways for research commercialization and venture creation.
“This strategic partnership between UH and PnP will expand opportunities for success of our UH faculty and students in innovation and entrepreneurship. Special thanks to Dr. Kamal and our UH team for spearheading the collaborative efforts,” said Dr. Haleh Ardebili, AVP Entrepreneurship and Startup Ecosystem, UH Division of Energy and Innovation.
Through this collaboration, UH and Plug and Play are working to convert research and ideas from students and faculty into viable commercial ventures. Core activities include:
- Internships with PnP and its portfolio startups
- Focused learning experiences, including intensive multi-day bootcamps
- Mentorship sessions with industry and venture leaders
- Networking events and coffee chats to build connections within the innovation ecosystem
- Reverse pitch sessions, where industry partners present challenges seeking startup solutions
- Exposure to global platforms, including participation in PnP’s Silicon Valley Summit
Spotlight: April 29 Spring Expo
The latest Plug and Play Sugar Land Spring Expo was held April 29, 2026, at UH’s Sugar Land campus, continuing a series of expos hosted by PnP on campus. The event marked the culmination of the program’s third startup accelerator cohort, with selected startups presenting technologies addressing challenges in energy, infrastructure, and sustainability to investors, corporate partners, and the university community. The agenda included founder pitch sessions, industry panels, discussions on scaling deep tech, and structured networking.
At the April 29 Expo: (left to right) Dr. Ramanan Krishnamoorti, Vice President, Division of Energy and Innovation, UH; Carolina Rio, Director, Plug and Play Sugar Land; Elizabeth Huff, Executive Director, Economic Development and Tourism, City of Sugar Land; Derek Borum, Utility Data Strategy and Innovation, CenterPoint Energy
As UH’s Sugar Land campus continues to expand, its partnership with Plug and Play is helping position the campus as a hub for innovation, entrepreneurship, and industry collaboration in the region.
Learn more about UH Innovation here. Read more about Plug and Play’s work in Sugar Land here.