New Digital Media Outlet Covers Stories of Innovation in Houston

Gow Media, a leading multi-platform media company that includes ESPN 97.5FM, SB Nation Radio, CultureMap and SportsMap, today launched a new digital media platform, Innovationmap.com. The content site will cover innovation spanning startups, tech, health, energy, social impact and more, and immediately becomes the leading online destination for stories of innovation in Houston.

“Houston is on a great trajectory,” said David Gow, CEO of Gow Media. “The efforts of many are coming together to develop a strong entrepreneurial and innovation economy. We think the time is right for a media outlet that focuses on innovation in Houston.We also want to highlight the vision of our presenting sponsor, BBVA Compass, a longtime leader in developing the innovation economy in Houston.”

“BBVA Compass has made its way to the front of the financial industry's digital revolution on the strength of its technology and its vision,” said BBVA Compass Houston CEO Mark Montgomery. “We embrace disruption, innovation and unique approaches that elevate vibrant cities like Houston. Highlighting these ideas through this new endeavor aligns perfectly with our mission.”

Gow Media has tapped Natalie Harms to serve as Houston Editor of InnovationMap. Harms is a native Houstonian, graduate of the University of Houston, and worked for several years at the Houston Business Journal. In her new role, Harms will report to Arden Ward, Vice President of Editorial for Gow Media statewide.

Gow also announced that joining him on the board of InnovationMap will be Patrick Schneidau, a highly-regarded software executive and current chair of the Talent Committee of Houston Exponential; Jarred King, CEO of Swagger Agency and President of Entrepreneurs’ Organization in Houston; and Brad Deutser,President of Deutser LLC, a management consulting firm, and Deutser Clarity Institute, a think tank and learning lab, and author of the book Leading Clarity.

The new site launches with astrategic group of sponsors who have been leaders in developing Houston’s innovation economy. In addition to BBVA Compassas the presenting sponsor, other sponsors include Baker & Botts, Briggs &Vaselka, Accenture, Tony’s Restaurant, Murrah and Killough, Acme Party and Tents and others. “We are grateful to these sponsors who have joined us here at the launch,” said Gow.

InnovationMap is the second recent addition to Gow Media’s ever-growing portfolio. Last month, the company launched Giftingmap.com, a new ecommerce site, that is being marketed aggressively by Gow’s media platforms.“With the growth of GiftingMap and SportsMap, and the impressive success of CultureMap, we are now in a position to launch InnovationMap. With InnovationMap, we are leveraging our digital platform, editorial approach, and our cross-platform promotional power to establish the leading voice for innovation in Houston,” said Gow.

About Gow Media

Gow Media, LLC is a multi-platform media company founded in 2007 and based in Houston. The company owns CultureMap, the leading online destination for lifestyle content in Texas; SportsMap, a leading sports site in Houston; GiftingMap, a new ecommerce site for gift-giving; two Houston sports stations, ESPN 97.FM and Sportsmap 94.1FM; and one of the country’s largest national sports radio networks, SB Nation Radio, which it runs in partnership with SBNation.com. Gow Media, LLC is backed by a private investment group with significant experience in media ownership. The investor group includes Steve Webster, co-manager and co-CEO of Avista Capital; Patrick Dugan, vice president and general counsel of Nortex Corporation; and David Gow, chairman and CEO of Gow Media, LLC.