The ninth annual SPE ATCE Startup Village celebrated some of the most promising emerging technologies in the energy sector, highlighting the entrepreneurial spirit driving innovation in oil, gas, and low-carbon solutions.
For the first time, the competition took place inside the 2025 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE) Exhibit Hall, giving conference attendees a closer look at the startups shaping the future of the industry. Ten companies competed this year, each delivering a 7-minute pitch followed by 7 minutes of Q&A with a panel of industry judges—and just 1 minute to transition before the next contender took the stage.
This year’s 10 competitors represented a global mix of innovation and technology development, including Aqualung Carbon Capture, CT Evolution, Daphne Technology, Direct-C, EOR ETC, Hephae, Kinitics Automation, Nanoborne, PrePad, and Taikun.
Two alternates, Austere Environmental Inc. and Tenvos AI, also participated in pre-event activities.
The competition and award ceremony were held on 21 October. The event is a collaboration between SPE and the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship at Rice University.
2025 ATCE Startup Village Winners
Best in Show—$25,000
PrePad
Sean Hervo, CEO—Calgary, Alberta
Rising Star—$4,000
Aqualung Carbon Capture
Andrew Robbins, CEO—Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Rising Star—$4,000
Daphne Technology
Jamie Brick, CEO—Ecublens, Vaud, Switzerland
People’s Choice—$1,000
Daphne Technology
Jamie Brick, CEO—Ecublens, Vaud, Switzerland
A Collaborative Effort
The Startup Village continues to thrive thanks to strong industry collaboration and volunteer leadership.
SPE extends its gratitude to
- Bryant Mueller, Startup Village committee chairperson, for serving once again as Master of Ceremonies during the competition and award ceremony.
- Jennifer Miskimins, 2026 SPE President, for attending the award ceremony, sharing her insights on SPE’s role in fostering innovation, and presenting the awards to the winners.
- The Startup Village coaches, judges, competitor volunteers, and especially the program committee for their dedication and time.
Guiding the competition were five industry experts serving as judges who brought deep experience in technology investment and innovation:
- Kemal Anbarci, GM, Venture Capital, Chevron Technology Ventures
- Alex Biholar, Manager, Devon Energy Ventures
- Ali Marzban, Director of Data Science and Analytics, NOV
- Prateek Patel, Scout and Venturer, ExxonMobil
- Wade Rodgers Sr., Technology Project Engineer, Oxy Technology Ventures
Thank You to Our Sponsors
The success of Startup Village is made possible by the generous support of 19 sponsors, including:
Gold Sponsors: Chevron, NOV, and Oxy
Silver Sponsors: Devon, ExxonMobil, Patterson-UTI, SLB, and Weatherford
Bronze Sponsors: AKM, bp, Climate Investment, Energy Innovation Capital, Halliburton Labs, and Shell
Startup Village Partner: H&P
Startup Village Supporters: INGU (Best in Show 2019), ResFrac (Rising Star 2018), RPG Law Group, and Trog Energy Services
The competition continues to provide a launchpad for early-stage companies advancing technologies that can transform the energy landscape. With its growing visibility and strong industry backing, the event remains a key highlight of ATCE—connecting innovators, investors, and operators committed to driving the next wave of energy innovation.