Houston Technology Center (HTC) Launches Emerging Technology Council 

HOUSTON (August 3, 2007) – Houston Technology Center (HTC) announced today the launch of its new Emerging Technology Council.

HTC’s Emerging Technology Council will help Houston’s innovative technology companies tap into the city’s range of business-development and professional resources, while also integrating its efforts with those of HTC and its partner organizations.

The Emerging Technology Council will focus on achieving four goals:

•  Provide emerging-technology companies with access to helpful organizations, associations and institutions located in Houston.

• Strengthen the ties between Houston’s technology-oriented organizations.

• Match Houston’s major corporations with qualified emerging-technology companies.

• Recruit fast-growth technology companies from other parts of the nation to Houston.

To accomplish these goals, the Emerging Technology Council will offer a variety of hands-on programs, including summits that bring a select group of technology entrepreneurs together with decision makers from prestigious Houston corporations and learning forums drawing emerging technology companies from across the region to meet with large businesses and nationally recognized speakers.

In addition, the Emerging Technology Council will offer a series of meetings that will bring together representatives from one or two large corporations with emerging technology companies to discuss procurement opportunities.

The group will also host partner events which give emerging technology companies the opportunity to speak with representatives from Houston’s leading technology and business organizations under a single roof.

“Building a successful technology company requires more than just an entrepreneurial spirit, it requires a business environment that fosters growth and innovation,” said Cindy Boyd, chair of the Emerging

HTC’s President and CEO Walter Ulrich echoes this sentiment, saying that the Emerging Technology Council will be “integral to the HTC’s efforts to recruit and retain technology companies here in Houston.”

“We hope people will come to think of the Emerging Technology Council as Houston’s technology concierge,” concluded Boyd, “a single organization dedicated to fostering growth and innovation through Houston’s varied resources.”

Membership in the Emerging Technology Council is open to all individuals working in Houston’s technology industry. The group already includes representatives from numerous technology companies, ranging from Fortune 500 corporations to early stage ventures.

To join the Emerging Technology Council, please contact Sue Moore at Smoore@houstontech.org or 713.658.1750.

About Houston Technology Center

Houston Technology Center (HTC) is a business accelerator that assists Houston-based emerging technology companies within several key sectors: Energy, Information Technology, Life Sciences, Nanotechnology and NASA / Aerospace technologies.  Visit www.houstontech.org for more information.

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Media Contacts:

Hilla Barzilai-Abileah                                                                          Jon Rucket

Houston Technology Center                                            Pierpont Communications, Inc.

(832) 476-9235                                                                                   (713) 627-2223, ext. 1122

hilla.abileah@houstontech.org                                                       jrucket@piercom.com

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