LUX FORUM HOUSTON
Finding an Edge Through Energy Innovation Amid Uncertainty

What Comes Next? Predicting Technology Trends Using Lux’s Tech Signal
  

Technology scouting has long been a core capability of the energy and industrial sectors, using disciplined funnels to identify, validate, and deploy emerging ideas at scale. Today, however, many organizations face a growing challenge: a lack of shared vision about what comes next. AI has overtaken climate tech as the dominant innovation force, and for the first time in years, no single technology domain commands universal attention, creating both uncertainty and opportunity for forward-looking leaders.

In this presentation, Lux Research will share its structured approach to navigating this moment using Lux’s Tech Signal framework. Drawing directly from Lux Tech Signal data, the session will highlight emerging technology areas poised to shape the next phase of the energy transition, helping organizations turn early signals into strategic advantage.

Chris Robinson
Senior Director at Lux Research

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Critical Minerals: An Opportunity Worth Chasing?   

One of the few clear signals that has emerged over the last few years is deglobalization. Countries are increasingly viewing energy security as part of national security, driving a rush to secure access to key material supply chains required to deliver on energy goals. This presents energy and industrial companies with both risks and opportunities; which minerals face the greatest supply threat? Are there opportunities for oil and gas companies to build advantaged positions through exploration, extraction, processing, and enabling new technologies for critical minerals?

In this presentation, Lux will answer these questions using the Lux Raw Materials Criticality Framework.

Abhirabh Basu
Senior Analyst at Lux Research

The Lux Innovation Helix: Electric Vehicles 

Electric vehicles are the clearest stress test of the energy transition because they force energy systems to perform under real human behavior, not theory. EV adoption shows that consumer unmet needs are not a marketing concern but a systems signal shaping grid stability, infrastructure utilization, regulatory support, energy demand, and return on capital. The Lux Innovation Helix is a decision framework that treats these unmet needs as early indicators of where energy systems and technologies are misaligned.

In this presentation, Lux applies the Innovation Helix to EVs to show where innovation will scale and where it will stall, providing a more realistic outlook on EV adoption.

Alina Strugut, Ph.D.
Research Director at Lux Research

Urvi Mehta
Senior Research Associate at Lux Research

Finding and Assessing Innovation Providers

This session introduces Lux Lists and Innovator Assessments, two proprietary tools designed to help innovation teams scout technologies faster and with greater confidence in a resource-constrained environment. Attendees will learn how Lux combines AI-enabled screening with deep analyst curation to deliver a comprehensive view of emerging technology landscapes. The presentation will also unpack Lux’s Innovator Assessment methodology, refined over 15 years, and show how consistent, data-backed evaluation can identify winning startups earlier.

Sara Wilson
Senior Account Manager at Lux Research

Lux Ideathon: Critical Minerals

Critical minerals are becoming a defining constraint in the global energy transition and industrial transformation, and are emerging as an opportunity for energy companies. Yet, securing reliable, sustainable supply chains amid geopolitical risk, rising demand, and evolving regulation remains a major challenge for companies across sectors. As such, a robust crop of startups has emerged to solve this dilemma with novel approaches to sourcing, processing, and recycling minerals.

In this Lux Ideathon, we’ll host a live pitch session spotlighting emerging startups from the critical minerals sector.

Moderators:

Chris Robinson
Senior Director at Lux Research

Abhirabh Basu
Senior Analyst at Lux Research

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TBA