EVENTS
LUX FORUM HOUSTON
Finding an Edge Through Energy Innovation Amid Uncertainty
Location: Four Seasons Hotel Houston, 1300 Lamar St, Houston, TX 77010
Date: Thursday, April 16, 2026
Time: 8:30am – 2:00pm CT
Lunch will be provided.
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LUX FORUM HOUSTON
Finding an Edge Through Energy Innovation Amid Uncertainty
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About the Event
The only constant is change, but in innovation circles in 2026, even this doesn’t feel constant. The pace of change in the energy system has accelerated while also becoming less predictable. Over the past year, volatility in markets, policy, and geopolitics has created significant uncertainty for organizations responsible for innovation and technology strategy. Financial constraints have tightened at the same time that decarbonization commitments remain unchanged, making long-term planning and investment decisions increasingly difficult. In many organizations, this has led to paused budgets, unclear mandates, and delayed action.
However, periods of uncertainty also create opportunities. Companies that continue to make informed, selective technology bets can position themselves ahead of competitors—by identifying emerging markets early, engaging with startups at more attractive valuations, or acquiring capabilities and assets that others defer. At the Lux Forum Houston, you will learn practical frameworks and insights to help your organization make better innovation decisions, and will include our perspectives on:
- How energy companies can move from hesitation to informed action by identifying credible opportunities
- Which emerging technologies hold near-term revenue potential and long-term impact
- Consumer perspectives which are shaping what projects and technologies are built and which fail
Event Details
- Location: Four Seasons Hotel Houston, 1300 Lamar St, Houston, TX 77010
- Date: Thursday, April 16, 2026
- Time: 8:30am – 2:00pm CT
Lunch will be provided.
For your convenience, a block of rooms has been reserved at the Four Seasons Hotel Houston. To make your reservation and receive a discounted rate, please use this promo code: 260415LUX. The promo code and discounted rate will be available for as long as there is availability.
| Time (CT) | Description | Presenter(s) |
|---|---|---|
|
8:30 am – 9:00 am |
Welcome & Coffee Networking |
|
|
9:00 am – 9:40 am |
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 Mukunda Kaushik |
|
9:40 am – 10:20 am |
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 |
|
10:20 am – 10:50 am |
Networking Break |
|
|
10:50 am – 11:30 am |
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. Urvi Mehta |
|
11:30 am – 11:40 am |
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 |
|
11:40 am – 12:30 pm |
Ready to Scale: Startups Ready to Deploy Innovation teams today are being pressed to deliver near-term results, not just long-term options. In this interactive session, Lux will invite several startups that have solutions ready to deploy today, yet still have potentially long-term disruptive impacts. |
Moderators: Chris Robinson Mukunda Kaushik Guest Speakers: TBA |
|
12:30 pm – 2:00 pm |
Networking Lunch |
|
Expert Speakers
Senior Account Manager
Senior Research Associate
Principal Analyst and Research Director
Senior Analyst
Senior Analyst
Senior Director
About the Lux Forums
At the Lux Forum, subject matter experts will provide meaningful insights relevant to oil and gas, utilities, industrials, chemicals, and consumer products innovation leaders. In this exclusive setting, attendees will make connections with executive-level industry counterparts through networking sessions and will take in cutting-edge research from the leading provider of sustainable innovation research and advisory services, Lux Research. These forums will deliver the thinking you need to accelerate the pace of innovation at your company.
