Innovation News

Rose Rock Bridge, a Tulsa-based non-profit venture studio led by Tulsa Innovation Labs (TIL), has selected four innovative startups from its recent accelerator cohort, each receiving $100,000 to build their businesses in Tulsa. As the winners, they will receive this critical non-dilutive funding in addition to support services and pilot pathways with top energy corporations. The $400,000 investment is part of a broader effort to accelerate commercialization in the energy sector by connecting high-growth startups with Oklahoma based corporate partners to pilot opportunities and gain experience needed for long-term market integration. Rose Rock Bridge is helping position Tulsa as a national hub for energy innovation and entrepreneurship.

Thirteen startups tackling the most pressing challenges faced by the energy sector were invited to present to energy companies and investors at the 2025 Rose Rock Bridge Showcase on May 15. Selected from a competitive pool of more than 600 applicants, these companies are driving innovation in low carbon natural gas through technologies that enhance operations, control and reduce emissions, and turn waste from energy production into valuable materials.

"These startups stand out not just for their technical ingenuity, but for their ability to tackle real challenges in the energy sector,” said Jennifer Hankins, Managing Director of Tulsa Innovation Labs. “What makes Rose Rock Bridge unique is the direct input our founders receive from leading energy companies right here in Oklahoma. That collaboration gives startups a critical edge, allowing them to shape their solutions to meet real world demands smarter and faster. This is what makes Tulsa the perfect proving ground for the future of energy.”

The 2025 Rose Rock Bridge awardees include:

• Eigen Control – Artificial intelligence/machine learning -assisted Raman Spectroscopy for real-time chemical analysis. This technology provides better analysis to energy producers on the fluids they’re working with, which helps them process their product more efficiently.
• Kinitics Automation – Spring-loaded electric valve actuators, which increase the reliability of equipment while reducing methane emissions.
• Lukera Energy – Converts wastewater and stranded gas into clean methanol.
• Pike Robotics – Robotic inspection platforms for hazardous, high-risk environments.

Advisory board members representing Williams, Devon Energy, ONEOK, Helmerich & Payne, Microsoft, EIC Rose Rock, George Kaiser Family Foundation and PartnerTulsa selected the winning companies based on their growth potential in the region and their ability to address critical needs in the energy industry.

“We're excited about the newest members of Rose Rock Bridge studio,” says John Schwarck, vice president of capital ventures for ONEOK. “ONEOK is collaborating with both Eigen Control and Pike Robotics to explore the ‘art of the possible’ with new AI-driven technology and how it can further improve efficiency and safety in our operations – all to further our mission to deliver energy products and services vital to an advancing world.”

Since its launch in 2023, Rose Rock Bridge has accelerated 33 companies, initiated 22 active pilots with industry partners, and secured 11 customer contracts, resulting in over $50 million in funding raised by its member companies. Building on Tulsa Innovation Labs’ success as a nationally designatedTech Hub, where nearly $250 million in regional investment has fueled advancements in aerospace, mobility, and energy, Rose Rock Bridge continues to elevate the region’s profile in advanced energy solutions.

Director of Capital and Entrepreneurship at TIL Malachi Blankenship shared, "We're not just accelerating startups, we're building upon Oklahoma's legacy as a leader in energy by forging deep collaborations that turn breakthrough ideas into real-world energy solutions, cementing Tulsa's role as the innovation hub for the future of the industry." 

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Rose Rock BridgeRose Rock Bridge is the early-stage innovation and investment engine of Oklahoma’s largest energy companies. Founded by Tulsa Innovation Labs to establish Tulsa as a national hub for energy entrepreneurship and innovation, Rose Rock Bridge sources, commercializes, and integrates nascent energy innovations with established corporations to solve industry’s most challenging pain points. Rose Rock Bridge provides select energy technology startups with funding, access to customers and place-based support in the Tulsa region. For more information, visit www.roserockbridge.org.

Tulsa Innovation Labs

Tulsa Innovation Labs is a tech-led economic development organization securing Tulsa’s leadership in industries of the future and ensuring Tulsa remains a vibrant and influential hub of job creation and community engagement. As the strategic leader of Tulsa’s nationalTech Hub designation, TIL fuels economic opportunity for all in the region.