The University of Houston's Technology Bridge welcomes Ballistae as its latest addition, strengthening the institution's reputation as a hub of innovation and transformative ideas.
Based in Austin, Ballistae strives to be a dynamic solution to global warming that develops, delivers and promotes remedies with swift, cost-effective and scalable results through the power of material science innovation.
“On behalf of the entire UH Technology Bridge community, we are thrilled to extend our warmest welcome to Ballistae,” said Darayle Canada, program director of start-up operations at Technology Bridge. “We are dedicated to providing them with a dynamic and supportive environment that empowers companies like this to unlock their full potential.”
Ballistae President James Chen said the core objective is clear: a significant impact in energy conservation efforts that spearheads needed advancements in reducing emissions and battling climate change, ultimately reshaping energy consumption and enhancing global well-being.
“About the material and the systems we use… day-time passive cooling can be achieved by arranging the right material into the right pattern to form a heat dissipation structure,” Chen said. “The trick is to figure out a way to fabricate said material efficiently at scale and develop an application pathway that does not demand specialized personnel or equipment for deployment.”
Chen said Ballistae is fervently dedicated to revolutionizing many diverse fields, such as construction and the automotive industry. However, Chen said the company’s greatest impact could be felt in the pockets of consumers.
“Cooling contributes to 14 percent of total energy consumption of a typical commercial building, without counting an additional 18 percent to distribute cooled air throughout the building. And here in Texas, cooling can account for up to 50 percent of a residential home's electricity bill,” Chen said. “Hence, the prospects of a scalable method that does not rely on continuous energy and water input can ease the strain on our communities' power grid and save homes a fortune on utility bills.”
As UH continues to cultivate its innovation ecosystem, partnerships like this underscore Tech Bridge’s unwavering commitment to bridging the gap between academia and industry to drive forward transformative initiatives.
“I really appreciate UH Tech Bridge for making top-notch infrastructure accessible to innovation-driven startups,” Chen said. “We also look forward to connecting with great minds here as well as in the UH community. Backed by Tech Bridge and its outstanding team, we feel confident in focusing more on research itself and pushing out results one after another.”