Following the success of the inaugural event “The Leap: Houston Innovation Panel” in 2025, the University of Houston Innovation Council (UHIC) hosted “Leap Innovation 2026” on October 8, where UH students, faculty, and entrepreneurs had the opportunity to meet and interact with prominent members of the city’s innovation community.
The event began with a networking hour where participants learned more about UH innovation programs, including RED Labs, Tech Bridge, and the Innov8 Hub. This was followed by a panel discussion featuring leading Houston innovators, which was moderated by Alex Landon, the director of the Cullen Honors Program and member of UHIC.
The UHIC, which organized this event, is a conglomeration of UH faculty from various colleges with a shared interest in innovation and was formed in 2024. The Innovation Council focuses on developing programs and pathways to enhance the visibility, recognition, and commercialization of UH-affiliated intellectual property and startups.
“Our aim is to expand the culture of innovation within the university and beyond. The idea is to create momentum for innovation and foster it across the university, on all our campuses, and beyond.”
Haleh Ardebili, founding chair, Innovation Council, and Kamel Salama Endowed Professor of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
This year the much-anticipated panel discussion featured Nicolaus Radford, CEO of Persona AI; Sassie Duggleby, CEO and co-founder of Venus Aerospace; and Sangtae Kim, professor of chemical & biomolecular engineering at UH,[RB3] former pharmaceutical executive, and member of the National Academy of Engineering.
The panelists discussed what the future holds for their industries and why they chose Houston[RB4] to start their businesses. They shared their experiences and the lessons they learned through good and bad times as entrepreneurs.
“Sure, the technology is coming, and we’re going to build it, but your job is to figure out who in the world is going to buy it,” said Radford, emphasizing the real-world perspective of building successful companies.
“As a student or a faculty member who makes a product that changes the world, it’s extremely important for you or someone higher up in the company to have the primary responsibility of working 24/7 on raising money because the best time to raise money is right after you’ve raised enough money that you don’t look like you need to raise money,” said Kim as he advised entrepreneurs on the path to success.
To fulfill its ongoing goal of fostering a campus-wide innovation ecosystem that unites university stakeholders, alums, investors, corporate partners, and the Houston community, the UHIC plans to make the Leap Innovation Panel an annual event.
