about grace

Grace Rodriguez profile picture photo
I help do-gooders do greater.
I like to make fun things and make things fun.
I love to connect, inspire, enlighten, empower and play.
I aspire to be thoughtful. In all senses.
I invite you to join me.

Want to learn why and how I do what I do? Hear, here …


Recent News

I I work (or have worked) to leave the world a better place than I found it, as:

Previous Speaking & Event Engagements include:

  • TED/TEDActive
  • Regional and international TEDx events
  • SXSW
  • Visualized
  • Conscious Capital
  • Creative Mornings
  • Q Ideas / Q Commons
  • Texas Conference for Women
  • WBEA
  • Houston Arts Alliance
  • University of Houston
  • Houston ISD
  • Spring Branch ISD
  • Ignite Houston
  • HiMA Interactive Strategies Conference
  • New Leaders Council
  • TechStreet
  • Youth Leadership Conference 

BIO:

Grace Rodriguez catalyzes social innovation and impact. She blends design & systems thinking with new technologies to help startups and growing companies:

  • Clarify vision and values
  • Explore novel opportunities
  • Develop insight-driven, results-oriented strategies
  • Brand and position offerings
  • Communicate with stakeholders and audiences
  • Execute on mission elegantly and effectively

Forging a path from neuroscience and design to branding, from government and politics to social entrepreneurship, from community organizing and coworking to venture capital and STEAM acceleration — and now working to advance impact innovation and inclusion, equity and justice in startup and entrepreneurial ecosystems — Grace has earned hands-on expertise in ecosystem building, leadership and team optimization, business and social innovation, and design thinking and systems transformation processes. 

Grace Rodriguez is a dynamic force for positive change, dedicated to empowering visionaries and change-makers to leave their mark on the world. With a diverse background in the public and private sectors, including roles at Houston City Council, TED, and Station Houston, Grace has consistently worked to help people transform their ideas into thriving ventures. Her experiences across creative, innovation, investment, and startup ecosystems led her to co-found Impact Hub Houston, a locally rooted, globally connected entrepreneur incubator and impact innovation catalyst.

At Impact Hub Houston, Grace and her team empower a diverse group of innovators to tackle society’s most pressing challenges, and build inclusive and equitable entrepreneurial ecosystems to support them. They are part of the Impact Hub Global Network — recognized by the United Nations as the world’s largest community dedicated to accelerating solutions for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Collaborating with over 115 Impact Hubs across 69 countries, and helping lead the Impact Hubs in North America, Impact Hub Houston offers a welcoming community, personalized programs, and international resources to help local entrepreneurs drive change.

Grace is more than just a leader; she’s a mentor, guiding diverse startups in various accelerator and entrepreneurship programs, including MassChallenge, Founder Institute, UH Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship, and Rice University Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Her passion extends beyond Houston as she advocates for her region on national and global stages, active participation in initiatives like the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs, Kauffman ESHIP National Resource Providers, and the Global Entrepreneurship Network.

Currently serving on the boards of the Houston Office of Business Opportunity and Downtown Management District, Grace has developed an impressive portfolio of roles including leadership in the City of Houston’s Women & Minority Business Task Force, Opportunity Zones Task Force, and Mayor’s Innovation & Technology Advisory Committee, and as the driving force behind TEDxHouston, Code for Houston, The Houston Innovation Summit, and Women in Tech: Houston. 

Grace is deeply committed to the betterment of her community and the advancement of thoughtful leadership and innovation. Her work speaks for itself, earning her well-deserved recognition as an Outstanding Leader by the Houston Business Journal, Innovation Map, and Houston Exponential. She’s not just a leader; she’s an inspirational force for change, showing us all that with determination and vision, we can shape a better world. Grace Rodriguez is the embodiment of how one person’s dedication and vision can create a profound impact on society, proving that positive change is not just a possibility – it’s a reality within our grasp.

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