Digital Technology

As the home of NASA’s human space program and headquarters to the global energy industry, Houston has long been known for its engineering prowess. Although most of Houston's technology talent is embedded in some of the area's largest industries such as energy and health care, sub-sectors such as software development, programming and database management are also growing. In recent years, the region has seen one of the largest overall increases in tech talent in the nation.

Business Climate

Houston has a large tech workforce. The region ranks 9th nationally with over 160,000 employed in computer, engineering and architecture occupations, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Most of Houston’s digital engineering talent is absorbed in the energy and health care sectors rather than in standalone software or computer tech companies. Houston is also moving the needle forward in clean energy, which accounted for 37 percent of the $5.2 billion dollars in VC funding awarded to Houston in '17

VC funding received in ’17

$1.8B

Private Equity & VC Assets

$62B

Private Equity & VC Firms

Tech Employment

167,000

While the city’s most recognized achievements have come from its institutions, tech-focused entrepreneurs have also achieved record-breaking success. Houston is home to more than 500 technology startups in the consumer and business service, health care, data analytics, software development and clean energy sectors.

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Industry Toolkits

$62 billion+

Houston-based private equity firms manage over $62 billion in assets

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24.9 percent

Part of local digital tech firms that focus on information technology

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25,000+

Local workforce of Houston's top 100 digital tech companies

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More Industry Data

"Houston has a huge amount of raw ingredients needed to launch a startup -- top tier universities, affordable cost of living, tremendous wealth, large corporations -- so the creation of a startup hub in Houston has just been about aligning all these elements under one roof that provides entrepreneurs with the tools they need to succeed."

Lawson Gow

Founder & CEO, The Cannon