HOUSTON – (March 25, 2024) – Ardent was awarded first place in the Carbon capture, utilization and storage; oilfield solutions; analytics; minerals track at the Energy Venture Day and Pitch Competition at CERAWeek March 20 — an annual contest to showcase energy ventures driving efficiency and advancements toward the energy transition through fields such as renewables, hydrogen solutions and carbon storage.
Ardent (formerly Compact Membrane Systems) - a pioneer in development of industrial carbon capture solutions - is an advanced membrane solutions company with over 30 years of manufacturing experience. With a proven track record of taking new technologies from the lab to the field, Ardent partners with global leaders like Chevron, Pfizer, and Braskem to deliver end-to-end solutions at commercial scale. Ardent debuted its new name and brand at CERAWeek, both of which reflect the company’s next chapter as an innovative, high-growth company, ardently committed to accelerating decarbonization and transforming the global industrial and energy landscape.
The winning pitch by Christine Parrish, VP of Technology Solutions, centered on Ardent’s Optiperm™ Carbon solution, a breakthrough technology poised to unlock cost-effective and practical industrial point-source carbon capture. The pitch competition win is the latest in a series of milestones that reflect Ardent’s growing momentum. At the beginning of the year, the company announced the expansion of its offices and manufacturing facilities in Delaware, and earlier in March, the company announced it had delivered the first of three pilot rigs that will be commissioned this spring with leaders in the petrochemical, steel, and kiln industries.
“Membranes have a critical role to play in accelerating industrial decarbonization, and it’s exciting to see broad recognition of that at CERAWeek in general and in this award win in particular.” Said Erica Nemser, CEO of Ardent.
The Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship, the Houston Energy Transition Initiative (HETI) and TEX-E hosted the competition where nearly 40 selected ventures pitched their innovative companies in front of a judging panel with industry experts and investors. The fast-paced competition is designed to connect energy startups with venture capitalists, corporate innovation groups, industry leaders, academics and service providers.
The competition featured three industry tracks, spanning oilfield solutions to grid technologies. The industry experts and investors judged the pitches and named the top three ventures from each track. Presenting companies also met with investors during Office Hours. Office Hours are introductory, one on one meetings with venture capitalists, corporate technology scouts, private equity firms, and angel investors.
A complete list of venture track winners are:
Track A: Carbon capture, utilization and storage; oilfield solutions; analytics; minerals
1. Ardent
2. Vaulted Deep
3. Mitico
Track B: Batteries; renewables; water; grid technologies
1. SunGreenH2
2. FeX Energy
Track C: Mobility; materials; hydrogen solutions
1. Thiozen
3. Arolytics
People’s Choice: Decimetrix
For more information, visit alliance.rice.edu/EVD.
About Ardent
Ardent is an advanced membrane technology company on a mission to accelerate decarbonization and transform the global industrial and energy landscape. Ardent's patented and proven membrane technology harnesses membrane chemistry to make point-source carbon capture and other challenging chemical separations practical and cost effective.
Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, Ardent has over 30 years of manufacturing experience and has a proven track record of taking new technologies from the lab to the field, partnering with global leaders like Chevron, Pfizer, and Braskem to deliver end-to-end solutions at commercial scale.
About Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship:
The Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship is Rice University’s flagship initiative devoted to the support of technology commercialization, entrepreneurship education and the launch of technology companies. Connecting startups to capital, networks and success, the Rice Alliance is a catalyst for building successful ventures through education, guidance and connections. Since inception in 2000, more than 3,355 companies have participated in over 300 Rice Alliance programs and have raised more than $25.88 billion in early stage capital.
About Houston Energy Transition Initiative (HETI):
The Greater Houston Partnership is dedicated to strengthening Houston’s position as the Energy Capital of the World. The economic vitality and growth of our region’s economy is inextricably tied to the energy industry. The Partnership’s Houston Energy Transition Initiative (HETI) builds on the best of traditional energy skills and systems to leverage Houston’s industry leadership to accelerate global solutions for an energy-abundant, low-carbon future. HETI is a coalition of industry, academic and community partners working together to ensure the long-term economic competitiveness and advancement of the Houston region as leaders of the global energy transition.
About TEX-E:
TEX-E is a first-of-a-kind collaboration among the University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University, University of Houston, Rice University and Prairie View A&M University—powered by Greentown Labs and the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship—to create a powerful student-driven entrepreneurship ecosystem in Texas.
