Start-Up Guide (Issue Brief)

Project

Start-Up Guide (Issue Brief)
Project Information
Has title	Start-Up Guide (Issue Brief)
Has owner	Ben Baldazo, Dylan Dickens
Has start date	Spring 2016
Has deadline date
Has keywords	Hubs, Incubators, Accelerators, Houston, Venture, Capital, Angel, Investor, Startups, Crowding-out, Social-Media
Has project status	Subsume
Subsumed by:	Houston Entrepreneurship
Has sponsor	McNair Center
Has project output	Content, Guide
Copyright © 2019 edegan.com. All Rights Reserved.

Under Houston Entrepreneurship umbrella.

Abstract

Every entrepreneurship ecosystem consists of a delicate balance between innovative thinkers, ambitious business owners, market forces and entrepreneurship institutions. The entrepreneurship institutions, ranging from accelerators and incubators to hubs and co-working spaces, provide key services to aspiring entrepreneurs. After founding a start-up, entrepreneurs require every possible edge they can get in order to maximize their idea's potential. Houston, the largest city in a state with little venture capital, stands in a position to change the narrative of Texan entrepreneurship. Through an analysis of the major entrepreneurship institutions located in Houston, the McNair Center has complied a guide for start-up entrepreneurs, academics, and policy makers to help navigate and better understand the options, successes and failures of the Houston entrepreneurship ecosystem. For this qualitative and quantitative analysis, each institution must provide a "program" for entrepreneurs and their start-ups to enroll in and go through. The qualitative analysis consists of few key parts, namely what the institution considers itself, the services provided by the institution and the entrepreneurship experience level of the institution's directors. The quantitative analysis investigates how many start-ups that participated in an institution's program received venture capital, were acquired, or exited in an initial public offering (IPO). Other considerations such as repeat dealings with venture capital firms, founding date of institution, non-profit status, and quality of venture capital firms dealt with were noted in the data.

Institutions

Quick Links

This page details the following institutions:

• Fannin Innovation Studio
• HHV's NextHIT
• HTC
• NVC
• OwlSpark
• RED Labs
• Redhouse Associates
• START Houston
• Station Houston
• SURGE
• TechStars
• TMCx
• YCombinator

Note that all institutions are in category:ecosystem, which is currently protected to just researcher access.

Inclusion Criteria

In order for an entity to be considered an institution for this project, it needed to be located in Houston, provide some kind of "program" for enrollment by start-ups and entrepreneurs, and had to have an easily accessible and published list of all companies which have participated in this "program." All data was collected from institution websites, thus the type of institution, services provided, skill level of directors, and list of cohort companies which have been through a "program" are all self-reported. Data was then aggregated across the board.

Houston Accelerators

An accelerator is a “fixed-term, cohort-based program including mentorship and educational components, that culminates in a public pitch event, often referred to as ‘demo-day’” (Cohen and Hochberg, 2014). The mission of an accelerator, often a non-profit entity, is to provide early stage start-ups with resources, mentorship, and networking needed to gain access to venture capital funding. On average, cohorts stay with an accelerator for 3 months cumulating with a pitch to several venture capital investors. (Fehder and Hochberg, 2014)

HHV's NextHIT

Houston Health Venture's NextHIT accelerator program is a Houston-based, for-profit institution founded in 2014. It advertises a wide array of services, including funding, access to experts, educational programs, mentorship, and office space at the University of Houston. Of the NextHIT program's five directors, two have direct entrepreneurship experience as either an established entrepreneur or serial venture capitalist, and one director has peripheral experience as a repeat investor or member of an advisory board. Of the seven startups which have enrolled in the NextHIT program, none have received venture capital funding. No companies which have participated in HHV's NextHIT program have been acquired or exited in an IPO.

SURGE

SURGE Venture's accelerator program was a Houston-based, for-profit institution founded in 2011. It is no longer operating and closed down in 2016. It advertised a wide array of services, including funding, access to experts, educational programs and mentorship. SURGE's director has direct entrepreneurship experience as an established entrepreneur. Of the 32 startups which had enrolled in the SURGE program, four had received venture capital funding. One company which had participated the SURGE program was acquired and none exited in an IPO.

TMCx

TMCx is a Houston-based, for-profit accelerating institution founded in 2014. It advertises a wide array of services, including funding, access to experts, educational programs, office space, mentorship and networking opportunities. TMCx has three directors, one of whom has direct entrepreneurship experience as an established entrepreneur. Of the 53 startups which have enrolled in the TMCx program, five have received venture capital funding. No company which has participated in the TMCx program has been acquired or exited in an IPO.

Houston University Accelerators

University accelerators, like standard accelerators combine mentorship and education in a fixed-term cohort program. Rather than being run by a purely entrepreneurship-focused entity, university accelerators are powered and run through universities. Generally the advising is provided by entrepreneurship and business academics. While entrance costs and expectations are comparatively low, enrollment is generally restricted to those affiliated with the University. The cohort size, time of program and total funding of university accelerators tend to be smaller than than their non-academic counterparts.

OwlSpark

OwlSpark is a Houston-based, non-profit university accelerator founded in 2013. It advertises a wide array of services, including funding, access to experts, office space and mentorship. OwlSpark has five directors, none of whom have direct entrepreneurship experience as an established entrepreneur. Of the 33 startups which have enrolled in the OwlSpark program, none have received venture capital funding. No company which has participated in the OwlSpark program has been acquired or exited in an IPO.

RED Labs

RED Labs is a Houston-based, non-profit university accelerator founded in 2013. It advertises a wide array of services, including funding, access to experts, office space and mentorship. RED Labs has one director who has indirect entrepreneurship experience in the sector. Of the 18 startups which have enrolled in the RED Labs program, none have received venture capital funding. No company which has participated in the RED Labs program has been acquired or exited in an IPO.

Houston Incubators

Incubators “shelter vulnerable nascent businesses, allowing them to be stronger to become independent” (National Business Incubation Association). Incubators serve as a temporary space for start-ups to develop in their early stages. Unlike accelerators, there is no formal curriculum, cohorts, or duration of stay. Residents of incubators pay fees for both rent and services, and are not offered the breadth of resources found in an accelerator. (Fehder and Hochberg, 2014)

Redhouse Associates

Redhouse Associates is a Houston-based, for-profit incubator institution founded in 2011. It advertises a wide array of services, including funding, office space and mentorship. Redhouse Associates has five directors, three of whom have direct entrepreneurship experience as an established entrepreneurs, and one who has indirect entrepreneurship experience in the sector. Of the 4 startups which have enrolled in the Redhouse program, two have received venture capital funding. No company which has participated in the Redhouse program has been acquired or exited in an IPO.

HTC

The Houston Technology Center is a Houston-based, non-profit incubator institution founded in 1999. It advertises a wide array of services, including education, directors for companies, start-up services and mentorship. HTC has four directors, two of whom have indirect entrepreneurship experience in the sector. Of the 144 startups which have enrolled in the HTC program, 17 have received venture capital funding. Six companies which have participated in the HTC program have been acquired and one has exited in an IPO.

Other Houston Institutions

Other types of institutions within the Houston area were also analyzed. Co-Founder institutions work to match eligible entrepreneurs with experienced business people and experts in relevant fields. There is an understanding that these more experienced individuals will co-found start-ups with the entrepreneurs, potentially providing funding and guidance as well. Hubs, also known as tech hubs or startup hubs, are entities that serve as an intersection between incubators, accelerators, and co-working spaces to foster an entrepreneurial ecosystem and environment. Hubs serve as leaders in their local entrepreneurial communities, enabling entrepreneurs through a wide variety of programming, events, and benefits. Co-working spaces represent institutions that provide collaborative and shared space for entrepreneurs and fledgling start-ups. Co-working spaces oftentimes offer other services beyond just the physical space such as mentorship, networking and educational programs.

Fannin Innovation Studio (Co-Founder)

The Fannin Innovation Studio is a Houston-based, for-profit co-founding institution founded in 2005. It advertises a wide array of services, including access to experts, directors for companies, start-up services and co-founding. Fannin Innovation Studio has three directors, two of whom have indirect entrepreneurship experience in the sector. Of the nine startups which have enrolled in the Fannin program, one has received venture capital funding. No companies which have participated in the Fannin program have been acquired or exited in an IPO.

Station Houston (Hub)

Station Houston is a Houston-based, for-profit hub institution founded in 2016. It advertises a wide array of services, including access to mentors, experts, networking, office space, and start-up services. Station Houston has three directors, all three of whom have direct entrepreneurship experience as established entrepreneurs. Of the 54 startups which have enrolled in the very new Station Houston program, two have already received venture capital funding. One company which participated in the Station Houston program have been acquired and none have exited in an IPO.

START Houston (Co-Working Space)

START Houston is a Houston-based, for-profit co-working space institution founded in 2012. It advertises a wide array of services, including access to office space, networking, and mentorship. START Houston has three directors, one of whom has direct entrepreneurship experience as established entrepreneur. Of the 27 startups which have enrolled in the START Houston program, one has received venture capital funding. No companies which participated in the START Houston program have been acquired and none have exited in an IPO.

Benchmarking Institutions (Non-Houston)

Institutions outside of the Houston area of significant reputation and success were also analyzed as comparative benchmarks for Houston's progress. While Houston's institutions cannot be expected to perform at the exact same standards as these pinnacles of the industry, TechStars, NVC, and YCombinator represent the potential for Houston's institutions and as a target for growth.

TechStars (Accelerator)

Techstars is a Boulder, Colorado-based, for-profit accelerator institution founded in 2006. It advertises a wide array of services, including access to office space, funding, mentorship, experts, start-up services and office space. Techstars has five directors, four of whom have direct entrepreneurship experience as established entrepreneurs. Of the 874 startups which have enrolled in the Techstars program, 225 have received venture capital funding. 45 companies which hacve participated in the Techstars program have been acquired and nine have exited in an IPO.

NVC (University Accelerator)

The New Venture Challenge is a Chicago, Illinois-based, non-profit university accelerator institution founded in 1996. It advertises two services, mentorship and education. NVC has four directors, three of whom have indirect entrepreneurship experience in the sector. Of the 293 startups which have enrolled in the NVC program, 15 have received venture capital funding. 13 companies which participated in the Station Houston program have been acquired and two have exited in an IPO.

YCombinator (Incubator)

YCombinator is a Silicon Valley-based, for-profit incubator institution founded in 2005. It advertises a wide array of services, including access to mentors, funding, office space, and start-up services. YCombinator has eight directors, seven of whom have direct entrepreneurship experience as established entrepreneurs and an eight who has indirect experience in the sector. Of the 849 startups which have enrolled in the YCombinator program, 204 have received venture capital funding. 66 companies which participated in the YCombinator program have been acquired and seven have exited in an IPO.

Quantitative

Percent of Portfolio to Receive Venture Capital

SDC Session:

 Session Details
---------------
Request   Hits    Request Description
  0        -     DATABASE: Portfolio Companies (VIPC)
  1     38059    Moneytree Deals: Select All Moneytree Deals
  2              Custom Report: VCall (Columnar) - Save As:
                 C:\SDC\4.0.3.1\Platinum\USR\VCall.txt

 Billing Ref # : 1964678
 Capture File  : riceuniv.1964678
 Session Name  :

Variables Pulled:

Company Name
Date Company Received Last Investment
Date Company Received First Investment
Company Founding Date
Total Known Amt Invested in Company ($000)
Company City
Company Nation

Percent of Portfolio to IPO

Session Details:

Session Details
---------------
Request   Hits    Request Description
   0        -     DATABASES: All Public & Private Common Stock, exc. UK & PO (C, CEC,
                  CNC, EC, ICX, JPC, LAC, OC, R144C, UKC, ANCX, ASPC)
   1    212146    Dates: Issue Date: 1/1/1985 to 10/28/2016 (Custom) (Calendar)
   2     57663    IPO: Select All IPOs
   3     44185    Issuer/Borrower Public Status : V
   4              Custom Report: IPOrefined (Columnar) - Save As:
                  E:\McNair\Projects\Houston\Acc Rank (IB)\Portfolios_updated\SDC
                  Data\IPOrefined.txt
�
  Billing Ref # : 1973273
  Capture File  : riceuniv.1973273
  Session Name  :

Variables Pulled

Issuer   
Industry   
Principal Amountmil   
Issue Date  
Filing Date  
State   
Nation   
Principal Amt sum of all Mktsmil  
Proceeds Amt in this Mktmil  
Proceeds Amt sum of all Mktsmil  
Marketplace   
CUSIP   
Ticker Symbol  
Primary Exchange Where Issuer s Stock Trades
IPO FlagY N   
Pc Change Stock Price 1 Day After Offer
Date Founded
Street Address Line 1
Street Address Line 2

Percent of Portfolio to be Acquired

Session Details:

Session Details
---------------
Request   Hits    Request Description
   0        -     DATABASES: Domestic Mergers, 1979-Present (MA, OMA)
   1        -     Date Announced: 1/1/1985 to 10/11/2016 (Custom) (Calendar)
   2    300607    Target Nation : US
   3    258144    Acquiror Nation : US
   4    210845    Acquiror Public Status : V, P
   5    101382    Target Public Status : V
   6     87962    Deal Status : C
   7     77311    Percent of Shares Owned after Transaction: 100 to 100
   8              Custom Report: RelevantAcquis (Columnar) - Save As:
                  E:\McNair\Projects\Houston\Acc Rank
                  (IB)\Portfolios_updated\RelevantAcquis.txt
�
  Billing Ref # : 1970397
  Capture File  : riceuniv.1970397
  Session Name  : RelevantAcquis.ssh

Variables Pulled:

Target Name
Acquiror Name
Enterprise Value at Announcement mil
Enterprise Value Based on Effective Date mil
Equity Value at Announcement mil
Date Announced
Date Effective
Acquiror Industry Sector
Target Industry Sector
Status
Acquiror City
Target City

Report

Abstract

Houston, the largest city in a state with little venture capital, stands in a position to change the narrative of Texan entrepreneurship. Through an analysis of the major entrepreneurship institutions located in Houston, the McNair Center has compiled a report for startup entrepreneurs, academics, and policy makers to help navigate and better understand the options, successes and failures of the Houston entrepreneurship ecosystem. For this qualitative and quantitative analysis, each institution must provide a "program" for entrepreneurs and their start-ups to enroll in and go through. The qualitative analysis consists of few key parts, namely what the institution considers itself, the services provided by the institution and the entrepreneurship experience level of the institution's directors. The quantitative analysis investigates how many start-ups that participated in an institution's program received venture capital, were acquired, or exited in an initial public offering (IPO). Other considerations such as repeat dealings with venture capital firms, founding date of institution, non-profit status, and quality of venture capital firms dealt with were noted in the data.

Introduction

Every city in the world from Hong Kong to Lima and from Barcelona to Houston possesses a delicate and potent entrepreneurship ecosystem. Not all cities’ systems stand equal however. While some cities such as Berlin and Chicago have greatly improved their entrepreneurship ecosystems over the past few years, becoming attractive headquarters for global start-ups, other cities, such as Houston have fallen behind. Only a mere $4.1 billion has been invested in Houston start-ups since 2006, which means Houston entrepreneurship has received less funding across 10 years than New York City entrepreneurship receives in one[1]. This report aims to examine and describe the Houston entrepreneurship ecosystem through the lense of its entrepreneurship institutions. Through an examination of these institutions, broad diagnoses may be formulated and general policy recommendations made.

Entrepreneurship Ecosystems and Venture Capital in Texas

Entrepreneurship ecosystems consist of innovative thinkers, ambitious business owners, market forces and entrepreneurship institutions. They are the fertile economic hot springs in which nascent businesses find life. The study, protection and support of these ecosystems should be critical goals for policymakers and citizens hoping to foster entrepreneurship and innovation in their cities, and the fostering of these two engines of growth should be a priority. Entrepreneurship and innovation are the drivers of economies, responsible for essentially all new businesses and technologies, the vast majority of new jobs and are a key force for economic growth and development. Unfortunately, these powerhouses of economic growth appear to be faltering in the state of Texas broadly and in the city of Houston specifically.

"If current trends continue, Texas, the second-largest state in the U.S. in terms of gross domestic product (GDP), will be struggling to remain in the top 10 for venture capital investment within the next decade. The reason for Texas’ relative decline is simple: while other high-ranking states are growing their venture capital investment at extremely fast rates, Texas’ venture capital investment has decreased 19% over the past 10 years in real terms…Despite having the Texas Medical Center (TMC)—the largest medical center in the world with over 100,000 employees and 7,000 patient beds—Houston has seen a meager 26 life science companies funded in the past decade. These 26 companies raised a combined total of less than $800 million. In comparison, the Boston/Cambridge life science sector has between 20 and 40 deals bringing in as much as $1 billion each quarter: What Houston and the TMC have taken 10 years to accomplish, a thriving entrepreneurship ecosystem can accomplish every couple of months.” - Egan and Garber, 2016[1]

As demonstrated in previous analysis, Texas and Houston are both experiencing a comparative and crippling dearth of venture capital investment. If entrepreneurship ecosystems are the fertile hot springs in which businesses grow, then venture capital investments are the nutrients they sustain themselves on. The number one cited barrier to growth for entrepreneurs is available capital. While it may be tempting to try and spark entrepreneurship in a city through government-funded venture capital, in practice this approach does not appear to work. The National Bureau Economic Research reports that government-funded venture capital in Canada actually led to a decrease in the number of effective entrepreneurs due to a phenomenon dubbed “crowding out.” This government intervention did lead to more firms being founded, but fewer survived and thrived. Venture capitalists that received government funding had a guaranteed stream of income, and thus, had less incentive to ensure that business plans were viable and more incentive to invest in firms that were not as likely to succeed. Eventually venture capital firms that were not receiving government money failed, leaving very few institutions that could actually generate successful firms, and thus, damaging the entrepreneurship ecosystem in the long run[2]. The NBER study lends caution to broad-sweeping policies while highlighting the importance of entrepreneurship institutions. These institutions need to remain competitive, growing and successful in order to maximize their efficacy in promoting entrepreneurship.

Entrepreneurship Institutions and Methodology

Entrepreneurship institutions, ranging from accelerators and incubators to hubs and co-working spaces, provide key services to aspiring entrepreneurs. After founding a start-up, entrepreneurs require every possible edge they can get in order to maximize their idea's potential. Entrepreneurship institutions help entrepreneurs crystalize their products, network with other start-ups, secure venture capital and receive guidance from successful captains of industry. Within the city of Houston, 10 major entrepreneurship institutions representing six different types of institutions were identified and studied. In order for an entity to be considered an institution for this project, it needed to be located in Houston, provide some kind of "program" for enrollment by start-ups and entrepreneurs, and had to have an easily accessible and published list of all companies which have participated in this "program." The selected institutions were then studied both qualitatively and quantitatively. The qualitative analysis consists of a few key parts, namely what the institution considers itself, the services provided by the institution and the entrepreneurship experience level of the institution's directors. The quantitative analysis investigates how many start-ups that participated in an institution's program received venture capital, were acquired, or exited in an initial public offering (IPO). Other considerations such as repeat dealings with a venture capital firm, founding date of institution, non-profit status, and quality of venture capital firms dealt with were noted in the data. Data was collected from institution websites, thus the type of institution, services provided, skill level of directors, and list of cohort companies which have been through a "program" are all self-reported. Data was then aggregated across all institutions studied. Institutions outside of the Houston area with significant reputation and success were also analyzed as comparative benchmarks for Houston's progress. While Houston's institutions cannot be expected to perform at the exact same standards as these pinnacles of the entrepreneurship industry, these institutions represent the potential for Houston's institutions and as a target for growth.

Houston Accelerators

An accelerator is a “fixed-term, cohort-based program including mentorship and educational components, that culminates in a public pitch event, often referred to as ‘demo-day’[3].” The mission of an accelerator, often a non-profit entity, is to provide early stage start-ups with resources, mentorship, and networking needed to gain access to venture capital funding. On average, cohorts stay with an accelerator for 3 months cumulating with a pitch to several venture capital investors[4]. Accelerators targeting the youngest of companies and guide them through mentorship and education to a position where they may successfully appeal for venture capital funding. These services are critical for getting start-ups off the ground and accelerating their growth towards success. Within Houston there are three major accelerator programs to be examined.

Houston Health Ventures’ NextHIT

Focused on healthcare IT and medical devices start-ups, Houston Health Ventures’, or HHV’s, NextHIT accelerator program is an “intensive” eight-week program designed to guide nascent start-ups in these fields to success. Founded in 2014, HHV’s NextHIT for-profit program advertises a wide array of services, including direct funding, access to industry experts, educational programs, mentorship, and office space at the University of Houston. While HHV’s NextHIT is a relatively new program, it has so far underperformed in its role as an accelerator. Of the seven companies which have enrolled in the NextHIT program, not a single one has received venture capital from an outside firm, been acquired, or exited in an IPO. While the program has yet to prove it can attract investment to its companies, its directory board and market niche show promise. Of the NextHIT program's five directors, two have direct entrepreneurship experience as founders of successful companies and one director has peripheral experience as a repeat start-up investor. This relatively robust directory board, combined with HHV’s position as a healthcare institution in a healthcare hub suggest that with the right support the NextHIT program could become a major player in the Houston entrepreneurship ecosystem.

SURGE Ventures

Founded in 2011 but closed down in 2016, SURGE Ventures was located in the fourth ward neighborhood of Houston just west of Downtown. Positing itself to invest in energy start-ups, SURGE Ventures’ for-profit program advertised services in direct funding, access to industry experts, educational programs and mentorship. The program had only a single director, but one who was well-versed in entrepreneurship, having founded multiple tech start-ups throughout their career. During its short lifespan the SURGE accelerator program was relatively successful, with 32 startups enrolling in its program and four of these startups receiving venture capital investments from outside firms. Three of these investments came from top 100 venture capital firms, implying that the companies enrolled in the SURGE program were very promising and graduating at a high caliber. One of the four companies enrolled was acquired. SURGE Ventures represented the potential for success within the Houston entrepreneurship ecosystem. While short lived, it was rather successful at a funding rate of 12.5%, one of the highest rates of any institution in Houston. The cited reasons for closing down were a lack of industry support and a feeling that the mission of SURGE was not being achieved. While SURGE exists as an example of accelerator success in Houston, it also serves as a warning, that without proper support, elements of the entrepreneurship ecosystem will fail, dragging the overall potential of Houston’s start-ups down with them.

Texas Medical Center Accelerator

Located in the Texas Medical Center’s Innovation Institute on the eastern edge of the Center, the Texas Medical Center Accelerator, also known as TMCx, was founded in 2014 to help accelerate early-stage digital health and medical device companies. The for-profit program advertises direct funding, access to industry experts, educational programs, office space in the TMC, mentorship and industry networking opportunities. TMCx has three directors, only one of whom has experience in entrepreneurship, albeit as the founder of a telemedicine company. In its three years of operation, 53 start-ups have enrolled in the TMCx program, five of which have received funding from outside venture capital firms. While none of these venture capital firms are in the top 100, TMCx still boasts an investment rate of 9.43%, the fifth highest of studied institutions in Houston. No companies which have enrolled in the TMCx program have been acquired or have exited in an IPO. While TMCx has not performed better than the now-closed SURGE Ventures, it has performed markedly better than its closest competition, HHV’s NextHIT. Due to its higher performance in terms of venture capital investment, TMCx has positioned itself not only as the premier medical technology accelerator within Houston, but with the closing of SURGE Ventures, as the premier accelerator in the city across all industries. While TMCx is performing better than these two direct competitors, there is still much room to improve. TMCx’s investment rates are still lower than many other institutions of different kinds throughout Houston and substantially lower than comparative benchmark institutions outside of Houston, such as the nationwide accelerator TechStars, to be analyzed more in depth later, which boasts an impressive 19.68% investment rate.

Houston University Accelerators

University accelerators, like standard accelerators combine mentorship and education in a fixed-term cohort program. Rather than being run by a purely entrepreneurship-focused entity, university accelerators are powered and run through universities. Generally the advising is provided by entrepreneurship and business academics. While entrance costs and expectations are comparatively low, enrollment is generally restricted to those affiliated with the university. The cohort size, time of program and total funding of university accelerators tend to be smaller than than their non-academic counterparts. University accelerators are almost exclusively non-profit entities. University accelerators blend the educational and funding traits of traditional accelerators with the resources and innovation culture of major universities. Due to this unique blend, university accelerators serve as an important bridge in the entrepreneurship ecosystem between aspiring entrepreneurs and cutting-edge research. Houston has two major university accelerators.

OwlSpark

Based at Rice University, just across Main Street from the Texas Medical Center, OwlSpark aims to “ignite a passion for entrepreneurship within the Rice community,” and “build an ecosystem for entrepreneurs to connect and startup teams to launch.” Founded in 2012, OwlSpark advertises direct funding, access to industry and academic experts, office space on Rice’s campus and mentorship. OwlSpark has five directors, all of whom are academics in the broad fields of economics and business, but none of whom have much experience as either entrepreneurs or investors of start-ups. Of the 33 companies which have enrolled in the OwlSpark program, none have received venture capital funding, been acquired or exited in an IPO.

RED Labs

The second university accelerator in Houston, RED Labs, was founded in 2013 and is housed at the University of Houston in the Greater Third Ward neighborhood. With a mission to promote entrepreneurship within both the University of Houston and greater Houston communities, RED Labs advertises access to industry and academic experts, office space at the University of Houston and mentorship. The accelerator has one director, who has direct experience as the founder of a successful company. Across its four years of existence, only 18 companies have enrolled in the RED Labs program, none of which have received venture capital investments from an outside firm, been acquired, or exited in an IPO. While university accelerators cannot be expected to perform at the same standards as for-profit industry accelerators, some, such as the New Venture Challenge accelerator of the University of Chicago which will be analyzed more in depth later, have investment rates of 5.12%, demonstrating that university-model accelerators can, and do, work. University accelerators are critical components of entrepreneurship ecosystems, helping to transfer innovative ideas from the lab to the market, and investment into Houston’s university accelerators should be considered to help revitalize the ecosystem as a whole.

Houston Incubators

Incubators “shelter vulnerable nascent businesses, allowing them to be stronger to become independent[5].” Incubators serve as a temporary space for start-ups to develop in their early stages. Unlike accelerators, there is no formal curriculum, cohorts, or duration of stay. Residents of incubators pay fees for both rent and services, and are not offered the breadth of resources found in an accelerator[4]. By focusing less on accelerating a small business through a strict educational program and more on offering cheap housing, services and protection from market fluctuations, incubators can be an attractive option for start-ups and entrepreneurs in all stages of growth. There are two major incubators in Houston.

Redhouse Associates

Founded in 2011, Redhouse Associates is one of the oldest entrepreneurship institutions in Houston. Located between the Montrose and Midtown neighborhoods, the for-profit incubator runs a relatively exclusive institution, with only four companies having ever utilized its resources over an eight year period. Of these four companies however, two have received venture capital from outside firms, leading to an investment rate of 50%. While the small sample size does inflate this number, this is still the highest investment rate in Houston, and suggests that while Redhouse may be very selective, the companies that they do select perform well. Redhouse associates advertise the services of direct funding, office space at their location, and mentorship. The incubator has five directors, three of whom are experienced entrepreneurs and founders of their own companies, and one of whom has peripheral experience as a repeat investor. While half of the companies to utilize Redhouse have received venture capital, none have been acquired or exited in an IPO. None of the outside firms which have invested in Redhouse companies are listed as top 100 venture capital firms.

Houston Technology Center

Sources: [1]http://www.bakerinstitute.org/media/files/files/4aff062f/BI-Brief-030716-McNair_VentureCapital.pdf

[2]http://www.nber.org/papers/w14029

[3](Cohen and Hochberg, 2014)

[4](Fehder and Hochberg, 2014)

[5](National Business Incubation Association)