Innovation

Houston is where innovation and industry converge. Ours is a city that chooses to take humankind's boldest challenges head-on, from landing on the moon to developing the first artificial heart. And Houston's innovation ecosystem continues to thrive through programs like TMC Innovation Institute at the Texas Medical Center and spaces like the emerging Midtown Innovation District.

Houston is home to 21 Forbes Global 2000 headquarters

500+

Houston is home to over 500 digital technology companies

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24.9 percent

Part of local digital tech firms that focus on information technology

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The Innovation District

In April 2018, Rice University announced plans to develop a new hub for the innovation district in Midtown. Housed on a 9.4-acre site anchored by a former Sears building, the hub will bring the area's entrepreneurial, corporate and academic communities together. A number of groups including the nonprofit Houston Exponential will take up residence in the development once it's complete.

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Houston Exponential

Houston Exponential is a dynamic organization that serves, organizes, champions and grows the region’s innovation ecosystem. HX is accelerating the development of Houston’s innovation economy, fostering a robust ecosystem that supports high-growth, high-impact startups. HX was created by the Greater Houston Partnership’s Innovation Round Table, Mayor Turner’s Innovation and Technology Task Force, and the Houston Technology Center. By convening the ecosystem, helping to build an innovation district in Houston, attracting talent to the region and promoting Houston’s image, both locally and nationally, as a vibrant, innovative economy where startups thrive, we will bolster Houston’s innovation ecosystem and drive the region to become a top 10 startup ecosystem.

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Cannon Ventures Houston Angel Network (HAN) Houston Exponential Mercury Fund NASA Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship Station Houston Technology Collaboration Center TechSpace Texas HALO Fund The Cannon TMC Innovation Institute UH Technology Transfer & Innovation WeWork Headquarters HTX The City of Houston GOOSE Society of Texas RED Labs

Meet Us at an Upcoming Event

Human Resources and Talent Event

Rise to the Top

3/6/20

Save the date for the 9th annual Rise to the Top event, celebrating International Women’s Day. Hosted by the Partnership’s Women’s Business Alliance (WBA), Rise to the Top features compelling, candid conversations from outstanding female executives discussing the challenges and triumphs of succeeding as a woman in today’s business environment. International Women's Day is a global celebration of the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. This year also marks the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, guaranteeing and protecting a woman's constitutional right to vote. We encourage you to wear purple in honor of International Women's Day. We hope you'll make Rise to the Top your destination to celebrate the women on your team, including women's employee resource groups, office administration and top volunteers. Demonstrate your company’s commitment to supporting women’s initiatives in the workplace by becoming a sponsor. For a recap of 2019's Rise to the Top, click here. To see photos from 2019's event, click here. Connect with us online using #GHPRise and #IWD2020. WBA provides professional development resources to empower high-performing women to advance their career opportunities, form strategic partnerships and build a network of advocates. Learn more about joining WBA.

Membership

Annual Meeting

1/22/20

ANNUAL MEETING IS SOLD OUT. Very limited onsite registrations will be available once doors have opened and available seating can be determined. Join the Greater Houston Partnership at our 2020 Annual Meeting on Wednesday, January, 22, as our incoming chair Bobby Tudor, Chairman, Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. LLC, delivers an address on Houston's position in the global energy transition. He will be joined by Partnership President and CEO Bob Harvey to offer a look ahead as we execute on Houston Next, our strategic plan focused on building a strong, diverse economy; ensuring a great quality of life; and supporting opportunity for all Houstonians. The event will also feature a look back at our work together in 2019 from our outgoing chair Scott McClelland, President H-E-B Food and Drug.

Economic Development

State of Houston's Petrochemical Industry

3/3/20

Houston is one of the biggest petrochemical hubs in the country, accounting for about 42 percent of the nation’s petrochemical manufacturing capacity. Save the date for the Greater Houston Partnership's State of Houston's Petrochemical Industry, featuring Bob Patel, Chief Executive Officer, LyondellBasell Industries, who will share what is on the horizon for such an important sector of the greater Houston economy.

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