Aramco Engages Next-Generation Innovation

Aramco Americas reinforced its commitment to early‑stage innovation and university entrepreneurship through its participation at the 26th annual Rice Business Plan Competition (RBPC), held April 9-11 at Rice University in Houston.

Hosted annually by the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship, the competition brings together student founders, investors, and industry leaders from around the world. This year, RBPC gathered approximately 630 attendees and awarded more than $1.4 million in investment and cash prizes.

First-Ever Aramco Innovator Prizes

At this year’s competition, Aramco Ventures introduced the inaugural “Aramco Innovator” cash prize, recognizing early-stage technologies with strong commercial and industrial potential.

Two teams were selected to receive an Aramco Innovator Prize:

• BRCĒ (Michigan State University), a materials technology startup developing utility-based polymer composites designed to replace traditional textiles with stronger, fire-resistant, and more stable alternatives.
• Grapheon (University of Pittsburgh), a startup advancing ultra-strong, flexible materials incorporating graphene.

The awards were announced during the RBPC ceremony by Jim Sledzik, Strategic Ventures Managing Director, and Ionel Nechiti, Strategic Ventures Investment Director, who also served as a judge during the competition.

“The Rice Business Plan Competition gives us a front‑row seat to emerging technologies that could shape the future of materials, energy, and industrial innovation,” said Sledzik. “The Aramco Innovator Prize is about encouraging bold thinking at an early stage and supporting founders whose ideas have the potential to scale into real‑world solutions.”

Addressing the competing teams, Sledzik encouraged founders to embrace persistence and connection. “Relentlessly network,” he said. “Seek out every opportunity that can create serendipity. It may take 10 years—but that serendipity will happen.”

For Grapheon, the recognition highlights both the technical strength and broader impact of its innovation:

“This award underscores the strength of our technology and its potential to reshape the future of energy technologies", said Aime Laurent Twizerimana, PhD, co‑founder and CEO of Grapheon Technologies. "We are advancing a new pathway to secure a domestic graphite supply at scale and look forward to deepening our engagement with Aramco Ventures to explore strategic opportunities and accelerate the development of a resilient U.S. battery materials supply chain.”

Competition Highlights

The 2026 grand prize winner was BRCĒ (pronounced brace), which also secured the largest overall investment package at this year’s event. The company began by creating an untie-resistant shoelace. Their failure-prone, utility-based polymer technology caught the eye of investors who saw the potential of their product beyond shoes. 

Over the three-day competition, 42 student-led startups pitched their ventures to more than 300 angel, venture capital, and corporate investors, spanning sectors such as advanced materials, energy, cleantech, healthcare, and digital technology.

Since its founding, RBPC has become a globally recognized launchpad for early-stage innovation, with alumni companies raising billions of dollars in follow-on funding.

“The Rice Business Plan Competition has grown into far more than a competition—it’s a proving ground for founders and a catalyst for real company formation, as well as a catalyst for building the Houston entrepreneurial ecosystem,” Brad Burke, associate vice president of Rice Innovation and executive director of Rice Alliance.

Why This Matters

Participation in the Rice Business Plan Competition reflects Aramco’s broader commitment to:

• Identifying early-stage technologies with long-term industrial relevance
• Engaging with academic and startup innovation ecosystems
• Supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs and technologists
• Strengthening Houston’s role as a global innovation hub

Aramco continues to strengthen its presence in leading innovation ecosystems while supporting the next generation of global entrepreneurs.