IntuBlade leads the way at the 2026 Veterans Business Battle
One team rose to the top of this year’s Veterans Business Battle: IntuBlade. Their win capped a competitive two-day event at Rice Business that brought together veteran entrepreneurs from across the country.
BRCĒ is a material-tech startup replacing failure-prone textiles with polymer composites engineered for strength, fire resistance and intrinsic stability. Its patented Lattice-Grip technology enables directional grip and controlled tension at the yarn level, eliminating slippage and performance loss under extreme conditions. The recent “Shark Tank” participant won over judges during the Rice Business Plan Competition and walked away with 11 prizes totaling $611,500.
Boniuk Institute charts global research agenda on religious violence and pluralism
Religious pluralism as an ideal exists around the world, flourishing under certain conditions of state, cultural and grassroot-level support. To do so, it requires active engagement, according to a new research paper from Rice’s Boniuk Institute for the Study and Advancement of Religious Tolerance.
New hemp rules in Texas raise safety concerns, drug policy expert says
New consumable hemp rules from the Texas Department of State Health Services are officially in effect, and the biggest change comes down to how THC is measured, according to an expert from Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
New Rice, UH partnership aims to address real-world solutions for plastics recycling
The Center for Energy Studies at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and the University of Houston Energy Transition Institute are launching a strategic partnership to advance scalable, real-world solutions for plastics circularity by integrating policy, economics, science and engineering.
Geopolitics experts see Iran conflict as long-term, systemic shock to global energy, trade networks
Energy security has become central to how global leaders are weighing policy responses and considering the risks of further escalation regarding the conflict surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, according to the experts on the latest episode of “Baker Briefing,” the foreign and domestic policy podcast from Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
‘More dangerous and unpredictable’: Experts discuss ongoing Iran conflict
“The war in Iran has entered a more dangerous and unpredictable phase,” said David Satterfield, former U.S. ambassador and director of Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy in the latest episode of “Baker Briefing,” the institute’s podcast that explores timely topics with domestic and foreign policy.
Rice Alliance, TEX-E and HETI name energy venture winners at CERAWeek
More than 50 energy tech companies presented to the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship’s extensive network of investors and partners during CERAWeek March 25. The fast-paced global competition featured three industry tracks, ranging from advanced materials to decarbonization.
Does gender diversity attract investors? New study says it depends
Do cues like gender diversity operate the same way when investor attention depends on interactions between two different teams? New research tests this question. Co-authored by Alessandro Piazza of Rice Business and Dana Kanze of Georgetown University, the study analyzes data from 984 startups that participated in Techstars accelerator programs worldwide.
Inside the court: Chief Justice Roberts discusses 20 years on Supreme Court
Chief Justice John Roberts returned to the Rice campus March 17 for a special public conversation hosted by Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. The event marked two decades of Roberts serving on the United States’ highest court and offered a rare opportunity to hear him reflect on his time on the bench.
Rice Business’ online MBA ranked among world’s top programs by Financial Times
Rice’s Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business has been ranked among the world’s leading online MBA programs in the Financial Times Global Online MBA Rankings, placing No. 13 globally (tied with the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University) and No. 6 in the United States.
Rice Business launches Moody Business Scholars Program to accelerate undergraduate career pathways
Rice’s Virani Undergraduate School of Business is introducing the Moody Business Scholars Program, a highly selective, cohort-based undergraduate experience designed to prepare high-achieving business students for high-profile careers in competitive industries.
Women in Leadership Conference passes torch to next generation
The 26th annual Women in Leadership Conference welcomed hundreds of women to Rice Business’ McNair Hall for a day of networking, learning and inspiration for climbing the ladder in their careers. This year’s theme was Pass the Torch: Together, We Will Carry the Flame.
New research shows how firms use hurdle rates differently in practice than finance theory predicts
A new study published in the Journal of Financial Economics, co-authored by Rice Business professors John Barry, Bruce Carlin and Alan Crane along with Duke professor John Graham, draws a sharp distinction between project evaluation and development — a separation that rarely appears in finance models.
Rice Business event explores how AI can innovate hiring, finance, health care and more
At the second annual Innovation and AI Summit, Rice Business faculty led conversational panels on how artificial intelligence will affect digital transformation, finance and human capital.
