In addition to its growing network of incubators, accelerators, makerspaces, coworking spaces, and non-profits, Houston’s leading academic institutions are also investing in the region’s innovation ecosystem.  The University of Houston is set to break ground on a 70,000-square-foot, high-tech Innovation Hub this fall that is projected to open in spring 2025. The $52 million hub will house the Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship, the Energy Transition Institute, Presidential Frontier Faculty labs and offices, and a makerspace. It will serve as a center for academic and industry innovators to convene and advance research, commercialization, and education.  "There's all this talent that's out there — but we don't give them a place to come in and engage the future generations,” Ramanan Krishnamoorti, Vice President of Energy and Innovation at UH, said in an interview with InnovationMap. “This is an effort to provide a venue to create those unexpected, unanticipated collisions, create a talent pipeline, engage with experts, and build activities that will very quickly de-bottleneck some of the biggest challenges we have in the innovation space."  According to Krishnamoorti, the Innovation Hub will help bolster UH’s reputation on a national level, with the goal being to rival institutions such as Stanford University and MIT in 15 years.  Rice University is also seeking to bridge the gap between the university and Houston’s innovation ecosystem with the creation of its own innovation hub – Rice Nexus.  Located within the Ion, the space will be used for prototyping and scaling up the cutting-edge technologies being developed by Rice faculty, as well as workspaces and access to leading technical experts and business advisers. According to a press release from Paul Cherukuri, Vice President of Innovation at Rice, the goal of Rice Nexus is to provide a clear glide path for transitioning technologies from invention to commercialization.  "It's a two-way street. We're going to solve problems out in the real world and get those solutions to scale, and we'll be able to find new problems in the real world and bring them inside of Rice and create that new tech. We want to be able to make solutions." - Paul Cherukuri, Vice President of Innovation at Rice University  Rice University’s Office of Innovation recently named Adrian Trömel, a materials scientist and Houston founder, as the new vice president for strategy and investments, who will oversee the creation of Rice Nexus. Trömel will also lead the creation of a translational research grant fund and a university-affiliated venture fund for Rice-affiliated entrepreneurs.  Learn more about Houston’s innovation ecosystem.

A robust workforce, thriving business community and low cost-of-living is what continuously makes Conroe, Houston’s scenic neighbor to the north, one of the fastest growing cities in the nation. With over 100,000 residents, the city has seen an annual growth rate consistently over three percent and grown more than 65 percent since 2010, according to the Conroe Economic Development Council.  As Conroe continues to rapidly grow, many new developments and revitalization projects are underway in the city.  Business Community  Two of Conroe’s most compelling attractions is its business parks, Conroe Park North and Deison Technology Park.  Conroe Park North is a 1,655-acre industrial park, home to more than 40 companies and 3,000+ employees. Conroe Park North represents a wide variety of industries, including medical device manufacturing, freight distribution, food processing, oilfield services, higher education and more.  In May, the Conroe Economic Development Council announced that North Park reached 98 percent capacity. One of the most recent and significant projects that contributed to the nearly full park is the 1.2 million square foot NorthPort Logistics Center. Through a partnership between Houston-based real estate investment firm, Lovett Industrial and Cresset Partners, North American real estate investment manager, the Class A logistics facility spanning 75 acres broke ground last year. “Conroe is one of the fastest growing cities in the US, has a business-friendly environment, and the location checks every box a major distributor would have relating to access, infrastructure, available incentives, and availability of labor,” said Charlie Meyer, President of Lovett Industrial in a press release. Deison Technology Park is a 248-acre eco-friendly space for a corporate campus, research and development, or office facility. Last year, VGXI, a contract developer and manufacturer of biopharmaceuticals, became Deison’s first tenant with the opening of the first phase of its $17 million, 240,000-square-foot headquarters and greenfield biomanufacturing facility. The state-of-the-art facility features independent manufacturing trains and suites, which will increase VGXI’s fermentation capacity from 500l to 1,500l and is equipped with essential mechanical equipment and a full-site back-up generation system. “Deison Technology Park is the perfect fit for us,” said Dorothy Peterson, VGXI’s chief operating officer in a news article. “We love that the land in the park is designed to be a technology community. The fact that it is close to our current facility makes it that much better. Housing With a cost-of-living, typically 10 percent less than the average across the U.S., Conroe is attracting individuals of every age to the area.  In addition to affordability, Conroe fosters a diverse housing market, offering the perfect blend of small town feel with big city amenities. The city is surrounded by beautiful neighborhoods, new mixed-use communities, breathtaking greenery, charming historic buildings and waterfront views.  As people head to Conroe for this very reason, new housing developments are on the rise to accommodate the city’s ever-growing population, including the following: Cielo, a 256-acre single-family community is slated to open in late 2023, bringing more than 850 homes to Conroe. Located off Airport Road, Cielo will feature 45 acres of green space, lakes and community amenities. The community will also be home to Bartlett Elementary, a new Conroe ISD school set to open in 2024.  City Place, a 65-acre mixed-use community that has developed its projects throughout nearly two decades, consists of office space, medical office space, retail shopping, restaurants, a 16-screen stadium-seat theater and a 264-unit multi-family development. City Place is currently undergoing phase six, which will feature a 276-unit multi-family development, set to be completed in 2024. Evergreen, a 740-acre master-planned community located at the intersection of Hwy. 242 and FM 1314, offers more than 2,000 homesites. The community will have 100 acres devoted to greenspace and parks, featuring a creek, recreational center, trails and more.  Grand Central Park, a 2,046-acre mixed-use community with 1,600 homes planned, features Deer Lake Park with a fishing pier, picnic area and pavilion. Additionally, the community has several commercial centers planned, including its Loop 336 Marketplace. Confirmed tenants of the Marketplace include Feng Cha Teahouse, Tropical Smoothie Cafe and The Noodle. Rockrose Ranch at Lake Conroe, a 700-home modern manufactured community opened in March. The affordable community spans 170 acres and features a gated active adult village alongside a section of homes open to all ages. Some of the community’s amenities include scenic walking trails, a dog park, playground, family swimming pool, fitness center and more.  Quality of Life Conroe’s vibrant community, high-quality education system, family-friendly atmosphere and affordability provides residents a great place to live and work. As more people move to the area, Conroe is working to revitalize the city and boost new developments that will increase community engagement and wellness, including the following: Community: The Oscar Johnson Jr. Community Center, an 87,000-square-foot facility broke ground this month. The center will feature a fitness center, childcare areas and event space for 300 people.  Education: Conroe ISD is opening three new schools next month as part of its 2019 referendum. The three new schools include Hines Elementary School, Veterans Memorial Intermediate School and Moorhead Junior High School, all of which will help alleviate overcrowding. Retail: 105 Business Plaza, a mixed-use development will offer 30,000 square feet of retail and office space. Possible tenants include a meat market, pizza restaurant, bakery and Family First Urgent Care. Revitalization: In a multimillion-dollar project, Lindsey Properties will redevelop three historic buildings in downtown Conroe, transforming them into mixed-use developments. The new buildings will become Simonton-Cable, a four-story building offering ground floor retail spaces and executive offices with a rooftop terrace, located at 150 N Main Street, the Everett, a 25,000-square-foot retail center split by an inviting walkway combining historic and modern architecture, located at 114 Simonton Street and Pacific Lofts, a highly walkable 22,000-square-foot multi-family building with ground floor retail storefronts, located at 201 N Pacific Street. Revitalization: As a part of its plan to revitalize downtown Conroe, the city plans to bury utilities in three downtown alleys, placing brick pavers with colorful artwork along the walkways.  Tourism & Hospitality Known as “nature’s paradise,” Conroe is home to the 22,000-acre Lake Conroe, W.G. Jones State Forest and Sam Houston National Park, making it a top travel destination. Up until earlier this year, the infamous Margaritaville Lake Resort was the only luxurious space to host visitors. In May, the $107 million, seven-story Hyatt Regency Conroe and Convention Center officially opened, adding a new upscale, full-service hotel to the city. The new hotel offers high-end amenities, 250 rooms, a restaurant and 30,000 square feet of gathering space, and is only a 25-minute drive to Lake Conroe and Sam Houston National Park. The hotel will help meet the increasing demand for space as more businesses and tourists visit the area. Learn more about Houston's communities and neighborhoods.