Last week, Rice Innovation hosted an awards luncheon to highlight the exceptional team behind Chassis.Bio, the sole recipient of the latest One Small Step Grant. Chassis.Bio – Developed by AJ Walters in Rice assistant professor Caleb Bashor’s lab, Chassis.Bio is pioneering a therapeutic approach designed to target neuroinflammation and support brain repair through early intervention. By addressing brain injury at its most urgent stage, Chassis.Bio is working to redefine the standard of care and create meaningful outcomes for patients and their families. Congratulations to the entire Chassis.Bio team on this well-deserved recognition! We’re proud to support this project and excited to follow your journey as you translate discovery into real-world impact for patients in need. #RiceInnovation #Neurotherapeutics #TechInnovation #RiceUniversity #Entrepreneurship
Rice Innovation
Higher Education
Houston, TX 1,640 followers
Supporting the development and commercialization of the newest sciences, solving the toughest problems
About us
Office of Innovation of Rice University. Our mission is to be a catalyst for innovation, discovery, and creativity by fostering an environment of academic excellence, interdisciplinary collaboration, and entrepreneurial spirit. We aim to create a culture that encourages our faculty, staff, and students to think outside the box and tackle the complex issues of our time.
- Website
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https://innovation.rice.edu/
External link for Rice Innovation
- Industry
- Higher Education
- Company size
- 1,001-5,000 employees
- Headquarters
- Houston, TX
- Type
- Nonprofit
Locations
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Primary
Get directions
6100 Main St
Houston, TX 77005, US
Employees at Rice Innovation
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Phoebe Wang
Investment Partner, Amazon
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Kenneth Evans
Scholar at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy
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Neethu P.
NSF GRFP PhD Fellow | Rice Innovation Fellow | Rice Venture Scholar | Materials Science & NanoEngineering | Preston Innovation Lab
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Nafisa Istami
Rice Innovation Manager
Updates
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Innovation at Rice is coming to NYC next week 🌇 Join Rice University at Company Ventures for an evening dedicated to innovation, entrepreneurship, and the future of technology. Innovation at Rice: The Evening will feature opening remarks from Paul Cherukuri, Rice’s inaugural Chief Innovation Officer, followed by presentations from faculty and student founders driving breakthrough work in energy, AI, and healthcare. Hosted in the heart of Manhattan by Company Ventures, founded by Rice alumnus Matthew Harrigan, this event offers a unique opportunity to connect with leaders across academia, industry, and venture. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gFjqxTRS Adrian Trömel, Nafisa Istami, Dr. Sanjoy Paul, MBA (Wharton), IEEE Fellow, Grant Belton, Kenneth Evans, Aditya Mohite, Shrivastava Anshumali, ThirdAI Corp., Omid Veiseh, RBL LLC, Martha Fowler, Rice Nexus, Rice University School of Engineering and Computing, Rice University School of Natural Sciences, Association of Rice Alumni
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Just returned from our inaugural Endless Frontiers Summit in Austin which Rice University was a proud co-sponsor --- what an unforgettable few days! This was the most well-curated, organized, and discussion-focused event I’ve ever experienced! This invitation only group of just a handful of the most brilliant minds from across government, academia, and industry were engaged with thoughtful candor on the most pressing challenges facing U.S. universities, our industrial base, and national competitiveness. It’s not every day you find yourself immersed in deeply meaningful conversations with leaders like George Tenet, Bob Gates, Adm. McRaven, and Adm. Inman, and Gen. Mattis, reflecting on the national threats we face—and the role innovation must play in navigating them. For me, this was a full-circle moment. I was in Washington on 9/11 and saw the Pentagon still smoldering. That day, I made the decision to put med school on hold and co-found a Houston startup focused on medtech for the warfighter. That path ultimately led me to Rice, where I had the privilege of working with Rick Smalley on a DARPA-funded nanotube project—my first experience translating deep science into national security impact. To now return to this conversation, leading innovation efforts at Rice and hearing deeply personal accounts from the men and women who guided our country through crisis after crisis, was both humbling and profound. Another notable feature of this summit was Michael Kratsios’ first public address as White House Science Advisor—a role first held by the venerable Vannevar Bush, whose vision shaped the American university research and innovation enterprise after World War II. It was an honor meeting Michael who emphasized that innovation doesn’t happen by accident—it takes decisive, deliberate action and strategic investment in critical sectors like AI, biotech, quantum, and semiconductors. Grateful to the organizers and partners: Council on Foreign Relations, Rice University, The University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University, Baylor University, and sponsors like 8VC, America's Frontier Fund, and Overmatch Ventures. Also—a shoutout to The Holdsworth Center in Austin! It was my first time at this incredible venue. The campus is stunning, the mission is noble, and the staff made it feel like home (morning coffee and all). Our nation has entered a new era that demands urgency, collaboration, and bold thinking. It’s time to re-build our world and we’re just getting started! Rice Innovation Baker Institute Science & Technology Policy Jordan Blashek Marshall Kosloff Galen Hines-Pierce Joe Elabd Erica Fuchs Kenneth Evans Adrian Trömel
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Thrilled to announce our partnership with global venture powerhouse MoreThan Capital to supercharge innovation and entrepreneurship through the Rice Nexus — our 10,000 sq ft launchpad in the Ion Houston. This strategic partnership with MTC, a Luxembourg-based venture capital and advisory firm, fosters innovation and entrepreneurship originating from Rice and accelerate the growth of Houston’s innovation ecosystem. MTC brings the best in class capital, mentorship, and deep networks and injecting it right into the heart of Rice’s innovation ecosystem, with a focus on AI and deep tech startups that can change the world. This partnership aligns with Rice’s strategic plan, Momentous: Personalized Scale for Global Impact, emphasizing the university’s commitment to delivering unparalleled personalized education and propelling breakthrough discoveries to transform lives and better humanity. Proud that Rice Innovation is building a better world today.....thrilled to be partnering with MTC right in the heart of Houston! Rice University Guillermo Ruiz Will Moore Adrian Trömel Nafisa Istami Brad Burke Dr. Sanjoy Paul, MBA (Wharton), IEEE Fellow https://lnkd.in/gTjandAn
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Innovation at Rice: Join us on May 1st in NYC with Paul Cherukuri to bring together leaders, alumni, and innovators to highlight the growing Rice Innovation ecosystem. Hosted at the offices of Company Ventures, founded by Rice alumnus Matthew Harrigan, the evening will feature remarks from Paul Cherukuri, Rice University’s inaugural Chief Innovation Officer. He will share updates on Rice’s momentum in innovation and commercialization, followed by presentations from faculty and student founders advancing startups in energy, AI, and healthcare. An opportunity to connect with fellow leaders, discover emerging technologies, and learn how Rice is shaping the future of innovation. Learn more and register: https://lnkd.in/gFjqxTRS Adrian Trömel, Kevin Gass, Nafisa Istami, Dr. Sanjoy Paul, MBA (Wharton), IEEE Fellow, Grant Belton, Kenneth Evans, Aditya Mohite, Shrivastava Anshumali, ThirdAI Corp., Omid Veiseh, RBL LLC, Martha Fowler, Rice University, Rice Nexus, Rice University School of Engineering and Computing, Rice University School of Natural Sciences, Association of Rice Alumni, Rice Engineering Alumni
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Rice Innovation reposted this
Would you like a tour of Ion Houston? I'll be running a tour this Friday, April 4th at 10:00am if you're interested. Here's the details and registration page: https://lnkd.in/drE8dxNa If you'd like a tour, but can't make it this Friday, I do them the first Friday of each month, so there's other chances to catch one.
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Thrilled to take center stage at this year's ASU+GSV Summit for a special fireside chat on "The Invisible Hand in Global Innovation" with the always insightful President of Arizona State University, Michael Crow! And guiding this conversation? None other than Ellen Levy—"the Most Connected Woman in Silicon Valley"—who has spent her career at the intersection of academia, startups, and industry. Come find me at this deep dive into how ideas move from the lab to market and how we can accelerate university innovation at both speed and scale! 📅 April 8, 2025 ⏰ 10:56 - 11:30 AM 📍 San Diego, CA Rice University Rice Innovation Brad Burke Adrian Trömel Kenneth Evans Dr. Sanjoy Paul, MBA (Wharton), IEEE Fellow Let's meet up at www.asugsvsummit.com! #ASUGSVSummit #Innovation #HigherEd #Entrepreneurship #ResearchToImpact
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🚀 Announcing the 4th Cycle of the One Small Step Grant! The Rice Office of Innovation’s One Small Step Grant provides crucial support to empower key experiments that pave the way for groundbreaking startups or the licensing of breakthrough technologies. Designed to bridge the gap for faculty-led projects with strong commercial potential, this grant can be a game-changer for innovators at Rice University. With up to $100,000 in financial support, we’re here to help you take that one small step toward creating a lasting impact. Applications are due at 11:59 PM on April 30, 2025. Take your first step toward changing the world: https://lnkd.in/gCAbwV5v #RiceUniversity #RiceOfficeofInnovation #Innovation #Technology #Entrepreneurship #Startups Paul Cherukuri, Adrian Trömel, Nafisa Istami, Neethu P., Aditya Mohite, Omid Veiseh, Haotian Wang, Ryan DuChanois, Yang Xia, Samira Aghlara-Fotovat, Samantha Fleury, Jeremy Daum, Alec Ajnsztajn, Dana Vazquez, Tianshu Zhai, Chen-Yang Lin, Martha Fowler, Rafael Verduzco, Paul W., Trevor Best, Jim Cohen, Mark Poag, Dana Deardorff, Matthew Harrigan, Paul Sheng, Phoebe Wang, Solidec, Coflux Purification, HEXAspec, SteerBio, Rice University School of Natural Sciences, Rice University School of Engineering and Computing, Rice University School of Social Sciences, Thomas Killian, Luay Nakhleh, Rachel Kimbro
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Rice Innovation reposted this
This weekend, I had the privilege of attending the wedding of Preston Smalley, the son of my late mentor, Rick Smalley. It was a moment that made me reflect on how the relationships we build in academia—and in life—go far beyond the simple transfer of knowledge. I first met Preston at a gathering in Smalley’s house when he was just five years old. At the time, I was a student fortunate enough to be taken under Rick’s wing, not realizing how deeply our lives would become intertwined. Even after Rick’s passing at a far too early age, his family remained part of my life. Over the years, I watched Preston navigate profound challenges, from losing his father to overcoming hardships that could have easily derailed his journey. And yet, this weekend, I saw him standing tall—not just as a husband but as a physicist and educator at The University of Texas at Austin inspiring the next generation. Moments like these remind me that universities aren’t just institutions of learning — they are places where lifelong bonds are forged, where mentorship transforms lives, and where the impact of a great teacher extends far beyond the confines of a classroom. Congratulations, Preston to you and your beautiful bride Olivia —your father would be incredibly proud. Rice University Rice Innovation
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Rice Innovation reposted this
“The support from Rice Innovation allows us to push Chassis.Bio forward and validate our technology in ways that would have otherwise been challenging. We’re excited to take this next step with the backing of the Rice entrepreneurial ecosystem.” Congrats to Innovation Fellow, NRLC alum, and founder of Chassis.Bio, AJ Walters! https://lnkd.in/giFcERCC
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