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The startup scene in United States
Rice University describes Rice Alliance as its technology commercialization and entrepreneurship initiative serving Houston and beyond. Rice identifies its university-developed Ion District as a 16-acre innovation hub in Midtown Houston. (Claims 25966, 25967)
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Rice University describes Rice Alliance as its technology commercialization and entrepreneurship initiative serving Houston and beyond. Rice identifies its university-developed Ion District as a 16-acre innovation hub in Midtown Houston. (Claims 25966, 25967)
Rice says Nexus, located at the Ion, connects Rice-founded ventures and industry leaders. Rice describes Innovation Fellows as a 12-month translational venture program for graduate students, with mentorship, equity-free funding, and dedicated space at Lilie; its Launch Fund provides early-stage funding for Rice-affiliated startups. (Claims 25968, 25969, 25971)
Rice reports that Helix Earth is a Houston-based energy technology company founded in 2022 and spun out of Rice research, with incubation at Greentown Labs Houston near the Ion. (Claim 25972)
The Greater Houston Partnership’s 2022 report counted 8,800 technology-related firms and more than 800 venture-backed startups in the Greater Houston region. These are regional, historical figures, not Houston city counts. (Claim 25975)
This month
On in Houston this month
11 startup events in the next 30 days, 4 this week, 11 free. The city as a calendar, with the hosts and venues that keep it full.
Thursday, Nov 5
Town Hall
Sahar ul Arsh · Second DraughtFreeAI Workshop
Workshop · Nucleate HQ · The Shop WorkspaceFreen8n Meetup Houston: FDE Sprint #1 — From Messy Workflow to Trusted AI Automation
Meetup · n8n · 14000 University BlvdFreeHomecoming II "Run that back"
Double A Management · The Nichols VenueFreeWednesday, Nov 11
First Principles: Inside the Texas A&M Space Institute
Kofi Burney · The IonFreeStartup ecosystem standing
Where Houston ranks
| Ranking | Edition | Position | Since last edition | Trust | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Global Cities Index | 2026 | #28 | No prior edition | B | Performance, Growth, Talent, Competitiveness, Business Climate |
 Global Innovation Index: Innovation Cluster Ranking (formerly Science and Technology Clusters) | 2026 | #39 | Down 1 | B | Innovation, Research, Activity |
 Global Startup Ecosystem Index (cities) | 2025 | #52 | No prior edition | B | Ecosystem, Activity, Finance, Business Climate |
 Emerging Ecosystems Ranking (GSER Top 100) | 2026 | 21 to 30 | No prior edition | C | Ecosystem, Performance, Finance, Talent |
320 organizations with a profile
Who's based in Houston
Investors 274
Investor
InvestorCapital Factory is an accelerator based in Texas that supports early-stage startups by connecting them with investors, customers, and talent. It…
InvestorInvesting in the future of energy.
The 3 most prominent of 274. Browse all investors
Venture studios 20
Venture studioEmpowering underestimated founders through innovation.
Venture studioEmpowering life science innovators.
Venture studioAccelerating Capital into Climate Infrastructure
The 3 most prominent of 20. Browse all venture studios
Accelerators 15
AcceleratorAccelerating clean energy innovation.
AcceleratorEmpowering foreign-born entrepreneurs in the U.S.
AcceleratorAccelerating technology innovation in Houston.
The 3 most prominent of 15. Browse all accelerators
Incubators 11
IncubatorEmpowering students through investment education.
IncubatorAccelerating life science innovations.
IncubatorEmpowering talent and organizations for the future.
The 3 most prominent of 11. Browse all incubators
Based here, most-ranked first
Universities in Houston
UniversityListed in 4 rankings
UniversityListed in 2 rankings
Pick what describes you
Your way in
Raising in Houston
Investors based here, and the programs that take teams at your stage.
Get investor introsFinding startups in Houston
Accelerators and incubators here see the earliest teams first.
Get startups that fitScouting in Houston
Campuses and communities are where teams form before anyone funds them.
Start scoutingFrom public sources
What the sources say about Houston
Axios describes AGent’s Houston base, grid relationships, business model and three markets.
Source: AGent Energy raises $11 million seed funding to support gridHAN’s website describes founder support and offers a funding application route, without current intake terms.
Source: Houston Angel Network homepageChronicle reporting shows growth in biotech VC while its investigation identifies capital and experience gaps.
Source: Houston could be a biotech hub. What’s the missing ingredient?The regional report describes TMC Innovation Institute’s medical technology accelerator and incubator space.
Source: Houston Tech ReportThe regional 2022 report counts 8,800 tech firms and more than 800 venture-backed startups.
Source: Houston Tech ReportRice reports Helix Earth as a Houston-based 2022 company spun from Rice research.
Source: Rice spinoff Helix Earth raises $12M to tackle energy efficiency in commercial buildings
Questions about Houston
How does Houston rank as a startup ecosystem?
Houston is #52 of 1,473 in StartupBlink Index (cities) (2025). It appears in 4 published rankings; the table above lists each one.
How many startup investors are based in Houston?
274 investors based in Houston have a profile here, including Pipeline Angels, Capital Factory and Quantum Capital Group. The real number is higher.
Are there accelerators or incubators in Houston?
Yes. Houston has 15 accelerators, 11 incubators and 20 venture studios on record, including Halliburton Labs, Axiom Investing Incubator and Devland Innovation.
Which universities are in Houston?
2 universities have a profile: Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine.
Geographic proximity
Nearby cities to Houston
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134 km away
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236 km away
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305 km away
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326 km away
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