The Greater Houston Partnership celebrates our members making important announcements and sharing news about their operations and impact in our region. Learn more about some of those announcements over the last month below. Business Moves (breaking ground, expansion, business’ moving to Houston) Corebridge Financial debuts on the Fortune 500 list at No. 224, with $18.78 billion in 2024 revenue, joining 25 other Houston corporations including Exxon Mobil and Chevron.  Fervo Energy, a Houston-based company now valued at over $1 billion, secures fifth on LexisNexis's 10 Most Innovative Startups in Texas report. The company recently fully contracted its 500-megawatt Cape Station geothermal development, which is expected to begin delivering electricity in 2026. Fervo Energy secures $206 million in new financing to support its flagship 500-megawatt Cape Station geothermal project in Utah. Greentown Labs and MassChallenge form a strategic partnership to support early-stage climatetech startups, leveraging their combined expertise and networks. This collaboration aims to strengthen the ecosystem for these companies by providing mentorship, support, and broader commercialization opportunities.  Hilcorp Energy plans a $4.5 million renovation of the 13th floor at its 1111 Travis St. headquarters. This is the latest in a series of renovations for the 24-story tower, which Hilcorp has occupied since 2016.  Houston Dynamo FC adds International Money Express as a new partner, continuing its sponsorship growth. The company will have the naming rights to Shell Energy Stadium's northeast gate, which will be renamed Intermex Gate. Landry’s Inc. plans to convert the two-story, 5,650-square-foot former Joe's Crab Shack at 7 Kemah Boardwalk Waterfront Drive into an entrance building for a new water park. The estimated $435,000 project is slated to start in July and finish by the end of next March. Memorial Hermann Cypress Hospital will begin its third expansion this fall, a $277.5 million privately funded project. This expansion will add two new buildings, including a six-story Patient Bed Tower that will house TIRR Memorial Hermann inpatient rehab and increase the hospital's licensed bed count to 201.  Sueba USA breaks ground on a 346-unit apartment complex, "Missouri City 1," in Fort Bend Town Center in Missouri City, with completion expected by fall 2026. The development, located near a Metro Park and Ride, will offer studio to three-bedroom units ranging from 496 to 2,088 square feet. The Signorelli Co. secures two new large tenants for its 240-acre Valley Ranch Town Center mixed-use development: Books-A-Million will occupy a 12,000-square-foot space, and Havertys Furniture will open a 41,500-square-foot showroom, with both scheduled to open this fall.  Education Harmony Public Schools is set to open its first STEM-focused campus at City Place on August 13 for the 2025-26 school year, serving students from pre-K through sixth grade. This campus is part of a larger development that will eventually include middle and high schools on a 28.9-acre site.  Rice University's Owl Spark and the University of Houston's RED Labs launch their summer 2025 accelerators, featuring a total of 20 student ventures focused on various sectors like technology and healthcare. These programs will culminate in The Bayou Startup Showcase in July.  University of Houston launches the Centennial Construction Project, a $43 million initiative aiming to transform the campus core, creating more pedestrian-friendly spaces, including a new Centennial Plaza and enhancements to Wilhelmina's Grove. University of Houston-Downtown has relocated its Career Center Annex, Office of Alumni Relations, and Office of Continuing Education to "The Launchpad" at 1801 Main St. to enhance post-degree success and career mobility. Additionally, UHD is establishing the Center for Crime, Urban Research and Education (C-CURE) at The Launchpad, aiming to provide technical assistance and foster research-driven solutions for complex challenges in the greater Houston area. Health Care Houston Methodist holds first place among large health systems in Premier's 15 Top Health Systems in the United States, an annual ranking based on clinical outcomes, operational efficiency, and patient experience. Several of its individual hospitals also received high rankings in various categories within Premier's Top 100 Hospitals list, alongside HCA Houston Healthcare facilities.  Innovation  Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital introduces a new robotic bronchoscopy system for early lung cancer detection, marking the first time this minimally invasive technology is available in Fort Bend County.  Rice University's student-led Rice Wind Energy team secured second place overall at the U.S. Department of Energy's 2025 Collegiate Wind Competition. The competition, which challenges students to design and build wind turbines, develop projects, and engage in public outreach, saw over 40 teams compete with only 12 reaching the finals.  Syzygy Plasmonics begins developing NovaSAF 1 in Uruguay, the world's first electrified facility designed to convert biogas into over 350,000 gallons of sustainable aviation fuel annually. University of Houston's BRAIN Center and TIRR Memorial Hermann develop MyoStep, a soft, lightweight exoskeleton designed to help children with cerebral palsy improve motor function. This innovative device includes a wireless sensor network for real-time data collection and safety features, offering a discreet solution for motor impairments.  Transportation  Houston ISD undergoes the first steps for a free METRO bus pass partnership for its roughly 50,000 high school students. This agreement will allow eligible HISD students to use Metro's existing transit system at a negotiated rate. Southwest Airlines is finalizing its first transpacific partnership with Taiwan-based China Airlines, allowing for single-ticket itineraries between their services. The partnership is set to launch in early 2026, with routes becoming available for purchase later this year.  If you are a member and want us to help communicate news about your organization, please send a press release or information about the announcement to member.engagement@houston.org and we will share it with our content team for possible inclusion in an upcoming roundup. Learn more about Partnership membership.

As Houston continues to expand its role as a global center for innovation and investment, the Greater Houston Partnership and Rice University led a strategic trade mission to Paris, France, to elevate the region’s presence at Viva Technology (VivaTech) 2025, the largest technology and innovation summit in Europe.  With 180,000 international attendees, VivaTech offered direct access to global business leaders, policymakers and investors exploring high-growth markets. Houston’s activation sparked opportunities for potential partnerships and drew attention from notable leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Vanessa Wyche, Acting Administrator of NASA.   “They see Houston as one of the cities of the future, and they’re backing that up with their resources and attention,” stated John Cypher, the Partnership’s Vice President of International Investment and Trade. “We saw a lot of potential for partnerships that could bring more international startups to Houston and connect founders to new European markets.”  Beyond VivaTech, the delegation met with key players in France’s innovation and finance sectors, including Banque Publique d’Investissement France, Mouvement des Entreprises de France, and Station F.   The week-long trade mission also highlighted Houston’s global academic leadership with a guided visit to Rice University’s Global Paris Center, the university’s first international campus. “It’s a remarkable moment where Rice shows the world that we are an entrepreneurial-, science- and engineering-based tech accelerator,” said Caroline Levander, Rice’s Vice President for Global Strategy. The center represents a broader vision to connect Houston’s educational and entrepreneurial resources to Europe’s innovation ecosystem. The mission culminated with a reception at the former embassy of the Republic of Texas, celebrating the enduring ties between Texas and France and reinforcing a shared commitment to innovation and growth.   Houston’s role at VivaTech 2025 highlights the city’s innovation and role as a major hub for foreign direct investment. Strengthening international business ties remains a significant part of our growing economy and a way to spur further investment and advance innovation for our region.   Learn more about Houston’s growing role in the global economy.