The West Coast has long been recognized for its life sciences and tech ecosystems, but when those companies look to scale or expand operations, Houston is a top destination. This symbiotic relationship was a defining characteristic of the Partnership’s recent delegation trip to the West Coast, led by its Regional Economic Development team.   The delegation focused on building key corporate relationships with top companies in San Diego, Los Angeles, and Silicon Valley to explore future collaboration opportunities that would help the Greater Houston region to attract more jobs and investment, while also giving California companies access to new markets and room for continued growth.  San Diego’s leadership and status as a thriving life sciences hub made it a valuable destination for our delegation to learn about neuroscience, cancer research, and corporate real estate through productive meetings with the Salk Institute, BioSapien, and Intersect Management. The Partnership’s delegation, which included leaders from the Texas Medical Center, Cell Therapy Manufacturing Center (CTMC), and The Woodlands Economic Development Partnership, shared how Houston can work to assist life sciences companies in their research and the opportunities available for similar developments in the Greater Houston region.  Houston’s emergence as a growing life sciences ecosystem was also the focus of meetings in the Bay Area with the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine to learn about its work in cell and gene therapy, especially as it relates to CTMC in Houston, and with Bionova Scientific to discuss their work in biologics.  The unique industry convergence of life sciences and the energy transition in Houston is providing opportunities for development and collaboration between diverse companies across different sectors. Meetings with Sempra Energy, TÜV SÜD America, and BASF explored this rare convergence and what it could mean for companies located in the two regions’ ecosystems. Delegates, including leaders from Rice University, Cemvita, and Alchemy Industrial, also visited with Google to discuss their continued investment in Houston’s digital tech and energy transition ecosystems.  As part of the Partnership’s ongoing economic development efforts, delegates met with top site selection companies in the Los Angeles area to explore expansion opportunities for companies focused on sustainability, energy transition, digital tech, manufacturing, and logistics – all core strengths for Houston’s distinctive market.  The delegation closed out a successful week by hosting a signature reception and dinner in partnership with the Houston Energy Transition Initiative (HETI). The evening’s programming included an energy startup panel that featured expert panelists from Activate Berkeley Community, Cemvita, Alchemy Industrial, and Rice University to discuss present and future efforts relating to the energy transition and Houston’s startup ecosystem. Learn more about why companies choose Houston.

Texas Southern University is expanding its aviation program by opening a training facility at Ellington Airport, further bolstering the region’s investment in the aviation sector, and training the next generation of pilots.  The City of Houston recently authorized a memorandum of agreement between the Houston Airport System and TSU, which will span five years. HAS has agreed to invest up to $5 million to build the new two-acre facility. Once complete, it will include an aircraft hanger, an aircraft apron, and 7,200 square feet of office and training/classroom space.  “This opportunity provides an enhanced environment for student learning opportunities as we work to address our nation’s critical aviation needs,” TSU’s Executive Director of Aviation Terence Fontaine said. “Furthermore, it provides space for our fleet of eight aircraft to be housed inside and protected from weather conditions, thus allowing us to preserve them for extended use.” TSU will join a list of already impressive tenants at Houston Spaceport, including San Jacinto College’s aerospace program, Intuitive Machines, Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace. The EDGE Center offers students hands-on experience in electrical, design, manufacturing, and operating and maintenance.  “The air transportation industry in Houston and across the United States is growing and provides career opportunities for those with the skills needed to succeed,” Mayor Sylvester Turner said. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects overall employment of airline and commercial pilots to grow six percent from 2021 to 2031, with about 18,100 openings for airline and commercial pilots each year.  More than 500 aviation and aerospace-related companies operate in Houston with more than, 23,000 aerospace and aviation-relation professionals. Earlier this year, United Airlines opened a new expanded Inflight Training Center at Bush Intercontinental Airport. The new facility will train more than 600 flight attendants per month. In addition to the programs at TSU and SJC, Lone Star College offers a pilot program at its Conroe campus.  Learn more about Houston’s aerospace and aviation industries.