Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship

2020 ETVF Agenda and Speakers

2020 Program Overview 

The 2020 3-day virtual conference facilitated connections between energy tech ventures and industry leaders and investors, while providing energy corporations the opportunity to identify fresh solutions for their technology challenges.

It included:

  • Keynotes and Panels: Each day featured a 1-hour speaker or panel. These sessions will be curated with the presenting companies in mind, to support the growth of their businesses and facilitate thoughtful discussion on the future of energy.

  • Company Pitches: A select 40 companies were showcased throughout the conference. They will provide a live quick pitch, followed by Q&A by a panel of industry experts.

  • Open Q&A Sessions: Each afternoon, 15 minute sessions with each company. These sessions were an opportunity for attendees to learn more about the companies, ask follow up questions and engage in a less structured way. 

  • Invite-Only Investor Office Hours: A critical element of the event is the opportunity for more in-depth discussions with key investors, corporations and partners. Companies had the opportunity to be connected with participating investors for individual office hours, hosted during the two weeks following the event.

  • Announcement of Most Promising Company: Companies were chosen by Rice Alliance energy technology industry experts and participating investors as the Most Promising Company. An additional 3 promising Oil & Gas companies were be selected for the Eternal Energy Consulting Package Prize. Selected companies will have access to Eternal Energy’s teams in both Houston and Dubai and receive consultation services on critical areas of technology commercialization and business growth.  

  • Special Rice Alliance Announcement: We announced the launch of the Rice Alliance Clean Energy Accelerator! 

2020 Confirmed Speakers 

Read more about the speakers and participating companies in the event program. Download it here. 

 

 

Read more about the participating companies and speakers in the event program. 

 

Time 2020 Agenda
  Tuesday, September 15th 
9:00 – 9:05 AM
Welcome
Brad Burke, Managing Director, Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship
9:05 – 9:40 AM
Opening Keynote: 
Maynard Holt, CEO, Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co
9:40 – 9:50 AM Keynote Q&A 
9:50 – 10:00 AM Break
10:00 – 10:40 AM
Corporate VC Panel – Driving Innovation When it is Most Needed
How Corporate VCs are addressing short-term challenges while capitalizing on longer-term corporate priorities

Presented by Leyendecker & Associates
Moderator: Heath Butler, Network Partner, Mercury Fund
Kemal Anbarci, Managing Venture Executive, Chevron Technology Ventures
Nazeer Bhore, Global Manager of Technology Scouting and Ventures Group, ExxonMobil Research and Engineering, ExxonMobil
Kirk Coburn, Investment Director, Shell Ventures
Severine Lalande, Principal, Total Carbon Neutrality Ventures
Jim Sledzik, Managing Director, North America, Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures
10:40 - 10:50 AM Q&A from Attendees
10:50 – 11:00 AM Break
11:00 – 11:50 AM Company Presentations - Upstream Technology Innovations
Tri-D Dynamics
Modumetal
Troposphere Monitoring
Westgen Technologies
CarboEvolution
Swirltex
OriGen.AI
Subsea Shuttle
 
Industry Q&A Panel
Chad Bown, Senior Venture Principal, BP Ventures
Diana Grauer, Director, Research & Chief Research Engineer, TechnipFMC
Thomas Henry, Chief Operating Officer & Co-Founder, Eunike Ventures
Sha-Chelle Manning, Advisor, Cimarex Energy 
11:50 – 1:00 PM Lunch Break
1:00 – 3:00 PM

Company Showcase Q&A 
Each company with 15 minute sessions - Zoom (Link provided in registration confirmation) 
  Wednesday, September 16, 2020 
9:00 – 9:40 AM
Welcome
Brad Burke, Managing Director, Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship
 
Institutional Venture Capital Panel – Following the Money: Has the Pandemic and Recession Changed Anything?
How VCs are hedging their investment return bets (or not) between Investing in Traditional Energy Technology Ventures vs. Focusing on the Energy Transition
 
Moderator, Sandy Guitar, Managing Director, HX Venture Fund
Ricardo Angel, Managing Director & CEO, PIVA
George Coyle, Managing Partner, Energy Innovation Capital
Sean Ebert, Partner, Altira
Hossam Elbadawy, Managing Director, SCF Ventures & Technology Partner, SCF Partners
Cory Steffek, Managing Director, Ara Partners
 
9:40 – 9:50 AM
Q&A from Attendees
9:50 – 10:00 AM Break
10:00 – 10:50 AM Company Presentations - Renewable & Alternative Energy Technologies
CarbonFree Chemicals
CalWave Power Technologies
AeroShield Materials
QD Solar
Osazda Energy
W7energy
CTFusion
Seaformatics Systems
 
Industry Q&A Panel
Luis Alcoser, Venture Executive, Chevron Technology Ventures
Jacqueline Goodman, Senior Analyst, SJF Ventures
Oliver Phillips, Director, Lime Rock New Energy
10:50 – 11:00 AM Break
11:00 – 11:50 AM Company Presentations - Digital Energy Technology Solutions
DroneDeploy
SeekOps
Mira
SensorUp
Xecta
Belmont Technology
Osperity
DC3 Control
 
Industry Q&A Panel
Robert Allen, Director, Evok Innovations
Anand Pradhan, Head of Digital Transformation & Technology Ventures, DCP Midstream
Michael Wheeler, Principal Strategist, Corporate Strategy - North America, Equinor
11:50 – 1:00 PM Lunch Break
1:00 - 5:00 PM Company Showcase Q&A 
Each company with 15 minute sessions - Zoom (Link provided in registration confirmation) 
  Thursday, September 17, 2020 
9:00 – 9:50 AM
Welcome
Brad Burke, Managing Director, Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship
 
Company Presentations - Sustainability & Efficiency Technologies: Storage, Monitoring, & Infrastructure
Prieto Battery
Akselos 
Bluefield Technologies
EnPower
South 8 Technologies
CEGEN Environmental Group
Acoustic Wells
DemandQ
 
Industry Q&A Panel
David Forsberg, Managing Partner, Ascent Energy Ventures
Samantha Lewis, Investment Director, GOOSE Capital
Deanna Zhang, Energy Tech Investment Banking Director, Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co
9:50 – 10:00 AM Break
10:00 – 10:50 AM Company Presentations - O&G Industry Solutions: Carbon Capture, Storage, Water Treatment, & Other Technologies
Sylvan Source (SSI)
Mosaic Materials
Kuva Systems
Iconic Air
Infinite Cooling
Steelhead Composites
HEBI Robotics
Veros Systems
 
Industry Q&A Panel
Patrick Conroy, Partner, Intervale Capital
Patrizia Ingallina, Head of Intellectual Property, Eni
John Thurmond, Principal Advisor - Emerging Technology, Hess
10:50 – 11:00 AM Break
11:00 – 11:40 AM
Energy Transition Panel – Investing for a Net Zero Future
Is it possible to achieve a sustainable energy future while generating venture capital returns?
 
Presented by Halliburton Labs 
Moderator: Meghan Nutting, Executive VP, Policy & Communications, Sunnova
Rishi Bhakar, Vice President, Energy Innovation Investments, Tenaska
Andrea Course, Venture Principal, Shell Ventures
Juan Muldoon, Partner, Energize Ventures
Ganesh Kailasam, Head of Technology, OGCI Climate Investments
Katherine Zamsky, Managing Partner, Carbon Ventures
 
11:40 – 11:50 AM Q&A from Attendees 
11:50 – 12:30 PM
Most Promising Companies Announcement, Presented by Insperity + Eternal Energy Consulting Prize Package 
 
Special Rice Alliance Announcement
  • Bob Harvey, President and CEO, Greater Houston Partnership 
  • Brad Burke, Managing Director, Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship
  • Jenny Flores, Head of Small Business Growth Philanthropy, Wells Fargo Foundation 
  • President David Leebron, Rice University 
  • Mayor Sylvester Turner, City of Houston 
12:15 PM – 1:00 PM Lunch Break
1:00 – 5:00 PM Company Showcase - Open Q&A
Each company with 15 minute sessions - Zoom (Link provided in registration confirmation)