In the past few years, Houston’s startup scene has accelerated to escape velocity, breaking VC investment records, climbing in “startup city” rankings, and boasting a positive migration of tech talent. We’re blasting off in the right direction, but understand we still have work to do in building a connected community given the city’s urban sprawl. Despite being the 4th most populous city in the US, our population density is a fraction of what you’d find in the top 3 (New York, LA, and Chicago). And while we love our ability to find affordable housing or an open table at our favorite restaurant, we do face an uphill battle when it comes to the collisions and frequent interactions required to build the tribal networks that foster innovation.
“The critical density needed for meaningful connections is the product of the right people in the same place, at the same time,” says Bryant Chan, Director of Product at Houston Exponential. “We received a lot of great feedback from the 2021 Tech Rodeo, asking for this physical density and that’s what we plan to accomplish in 2022.” How does one create geographic proximity while also showcasing the many facets of the Houston startup ecosystem? Enter the Tech Rodeo Roadshow.
Concentrated along the METRO Red Line, the Tech Rodeo Roadshow is a week-long round-up of community-driven content designed to connect and develop Houston innovation. Each 3–4 hour session will take place in a different saloon (venue) along the Red Line, hosted by accelerators, co-working spaces, and higher education organizations. At any given time, only one of these saloons is active, acting as the focal point of the roadshow so all attendees know where and when to join the action. Each saloon is also covering a different set of content to ensure key audiences can interact over relevant topics.
We know geographic density isn’t a silver bullet for accelerating successful startup growth, but when combined with a supportive ecosystem brought by these open-door saloons, we’re confident we’ll be riding until the bell at this year’s tech rodeo.
About Houston Exponential: Houston Exponential (HX) is an ecosystem advocate that exists to position Houston as one of the best places in the world for startups to launch and scale.
For more information, visit houstonexponential.org