# Houston Energy & Climate Week (HECW)

> Houston Energy & Climate Week is the premier annual convening for energy transition, climate solutions, and innovation in Houston, Texas — the Energy Capital of the World.

## About HECW

Houston Energy & Climate Week (HECW) is a city-wide, community-powered event series held every September in Houston, Texas. Founded in 2018 at the request of Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner by Katie Mehnert and Juliana Garaizar, HECW brings together business, government, academia, nonprofits, and community to advance the energy transition and climate solutions.

**Key Facts:**
- Official website: https://climateweekhouston.com
- Location: Houston, Texas, USA
- Annual dates: September (Week 3)
- 2026 dates: September 13–18, 2026
- Theme 2026: "Back to the Future — Building & Backing the Energy Transition"
- Founders: Katie Mehnert (Allies in Energy) and Juliana Garaizar
- Contact: info@climateweekhouston.com

## Event History

**HECW 2024 (Year 1)**
- Dates: September 9–13, 2024
- Theme: "Houston Does Hard Things"
- Attendees: 3,600+
- Events: 85 self-organized events
- Speakers: 80+
- Countries: 4

**HECW 2025 (Year 2)**
- Dates: September 15–19, 2025
- Theme: "Unstoppable: The Power of &"
- Attendees: 5,000+
- Speakers: 280
- Students: 200+ from 12 academic institutions
- Countries: 7
- Co-chairs: Ingrid Velasco and John Rowe

**HECW 2026 (Year 3)**
- Dates: September 13–18, 2026
- Theme: "Back to the Future — Building & Backing the Energy Transition"
- Calendar opens for event entries: May 15, 2026
- Tickets on sale: June 15, 2026

## Key Pages

- [Home](https://climateweekhouston.com/) — Overview, mission, and 2026 details
- [Anchor Events](https://climateweekhouston.com/anchor-events) — Official HECW anchor events
- [Speakers](https://climateweekhouston.com/speakers) — 2026 speaker lineup
- [Sponsor](https://climateweekhouston.com/sponsor) — Sponsorship opportunities
- [Speak](https://climateweekhouston.com/speak) — Speaker application
- [Partner](https://climateweekhouston.com/partner) — Community partner registration
- [Offer a Venue](https://climateweekhouston.com/offer-a-venue) — Venue submission for HECW 2026
- [Our Story](https://climateweekhouston.com/our-story) — The Ampersand Effect — founding story
- [Year 1 — 2024](https://climateweekhouston.com/year-one) — 2024 recap and impact report
- [Year 2 — 2025](https://climateweekhouston.com/year-two) — 2025 recap and impact report
- [Media Hub](https://climateweekhouston.com/media-hub) — Press resources, graphic recordings, talking points
- [FAQ](https://climateweekhouston.com/faq) — Frequently asked questions

## Mission & Values

HECW is built on the belief that energy security and climate action are not opposites — they are partners. The "Power of &" is the HECW thesis: builders AND backers, innovation AND community, ambition AND accountability.

Houston is uniquely positioned as the Energy Capital of the World, Space City, home to the Texas Medical Center, and an emerging AI frontier — making it the ideal city to lead the global energy transition.

## How to Participate

- **Attend**: Register for events at climateweekhouston.com (tickets on sale June 15, 2026)
- **Speak**: Apply to speak at climateweekhouston.com/speak (calendar opens May 15, 2026)
- **Sponsor**: Learn about sponsorship at climateweekhouston.com/sponsor
- **Partner**: Register as a community partner at climateweekhouston.com/partner
- **Offer a Venue**: Submit your space at climateweekhouston.com/offer-a-venue
- **Volunteer**: Sign up at climateweekhouston.com/volunteer

## Social Media

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/climateweekhouston
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/climateweekhouston
- X (Twitter): https://x.com/climateweekhou