A common complaint among people in Houston technology circles is that startup companies in the area often leave town for Austin, Silicon Valley or other places with more extensive tech histories.

Just the opposite is true when it comes to innovative startups in the energy sector, which is responsible for luring dozens of entrepreneurs here.

More have been coming because high oil prices have sparked interest in finding more efficient ways to extract and refine it, or find alternate energy forms, said Walter Ulrich, president of the Houston Technology Center, a business accelerator for startups.

Most of the center's client companies are in the energy field, he said.

"It is truly advantageous that so many of the big oil companies are located here," Ulrich said. "There's been a distinct increase in innovation in energy."

Steve Catha said he moved his Smart Pipe Co. here from New Orleans a few years ago because "this is where the activity is."

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