Press Release Archives - Page 2 of 3

Ion and Houston Methodist to Open Health Care Innovation Tech Hub

Posted on August 11, 2022May 8, 2023 by Taylor Odum

Houston Methodist joins the Ion as its first healthcare-centric partner in its growing innovation hub. The hospital will build out a space at the Ion modeled after Houston Methodist’s Center for Innovation Technology Hub located at its flagship hospital in the Texas Medical Center to showcase the latest in healthcare innovation.

“Partnering with Houston Methodist’s Center for Innovation is exciting. This also will advance the Ion’s ability to support entrepreneurs and innovators that are already at the Ion as we embark on a new focus in health care innovation,” said Jan Odegard, Executive Director of the Ion.

Expected to open later this year, the Tech Hub at the Ion will occupy an approximately 1,200-square-foot space which will first be used for informational and educational programming, networking with fellow tenants and entrepreneurs, participating in on-site mentoring and pitch competitions, and hosting open houses for the community to see how Houston Methodist is shaping patient-centered health care of the future.

Houston Methodist’s presence at the Ion advances its vision to foster more collaboration across industries, joining aerospace, energy, and oil and gas companies already embedded in the innovation hub. Through this partnership, Houston Methodist expands the work of its Center for Innovation and its Technology Hub, which opened in early 2020 to provide a living laboratory environment to experience the latest innovations in patient-centered health care technology, including remote monitoring, ambient intelligence, and virtual reality. The space at the Ion will be a smaller replica, a twin of the original space within the hospital, and will demonstrate how current and future technology work together in the hospital setting.

“We are advancing the evolution of the hospital’s role in health care through digital transformation,” said Michelle Stansbury, VP of Innovation and IT Applications at Houston Methodist. “Having a footprint at the Ion will not only provide the Ion’s network and Houston community with a window into what we are doing for patients, consumers, and providers but also gives the Ion community and rising innovators an opportunity to bring its own ingenuity and ideas to life with ours.”

Partnering with Houston Methodist and welcoming them to the Ion, developed by Rice Management Company on behalf of Rice University, builds on the legacies of two of the state’s leading institutions, said Rice University President Reggie DesRoches.

“Building new relationships and resources can expand digital innovation in health care,” DesRoches said. “Rice is thrilled to play its part, and we celebrate our shared commitment to meaningful community engagement.”

Houston Methodist and Rice University have a history of collaborations, including the Houston Methodist – Rice University Center for Human Performance, a premier center under construction on Rice’s main campus. The space is intended to bring physicians, academic researchers, and university students together to work side by side with student-athletes, trainers, and coaches to advance research and education in human performance. Houston Methodist and Rice University also are collaborating on the Center for Translational Neural Prosthetics and Interfaces to bring together scientists, clinicians, engineers, and surgeons to solve clinical problems with neurorobotics.

Bryson Grover, Investment Manager of Real Estate Development, Rice Management Company, said, “By enhancing opportunities for our network of academics, businesses, entrepreneurs and innovators to collaborate across the Ion District and globally, we’re creating a more resilient future economy for our region.”

About the Ion

Ion: Where ideas go to grow. Located in Ion District, the namesake building is the transformative centerpiece of Houston’s innovation corridor. Designed to bring our city’s entrepreneurial, corporate, and academic communities into collaborative spaces and programs, the sunlit structure of steel and glass is a home for advancing diverse knowledge, teams, technologies, and products that propel our world forward. From Fortune 500s seeking flexible office space to first-time startups looking for the funding to design a prototype, the Ion provides wide-reaching space and support to connect every What if with What now?—welcoming individuals and teams of all kinds to a place to build a better way. For more information, visit https://ionhouston.com/.

About Houston Methodist: Houston Methodist is one of the nation’s leading health systems and academic medical centers. The health system consists of eight hospitals: Houston Methodist Hospital, its flagship academic hospital in the Texas Medical Center, six community hospitals, and one long-term acute care hospital throughout the Greater Houston metropolitan area. Houston Methodist also includes a research institute; a comprehensive residency program; international patient services; freestanding comprehensive care, emergency care and imaging centers; and outpatient facilities. Houston Methodist employs more than 27,000 people and had more than 1.6 million outpatient visits and more than 132,000 admissions in 2021. For more information on Houston Methodist, see houstonmethodist.org.

NASA and Houston’s Ion Partner to Create Opportunities for Startup Community

Posted on July 14, 2022May 8, 2023 by Taylor Odum

The Ion, Houston’s innovation hub, has announced its collaboration with NASA’s Johnson Space Center. NASA and the Ion are establishing a technology transfer center at the Ion to empower the Houston-Galveston region’s aerospace innovation ecosystem by extending opportunities to local entrepreneurs and startups to share their ideas and intellectual property with NASA and vice versa.

NASA and the Ion’s partnership is an example of private-public partnerships aimed at creating events, programming, and initiatives to promote and diversify the new commercial space economy and the use of NASA technologies in the broader economy. Alongside Rice University, the Ion’s owner, the organizations are pioneering a platform to accelerate the formation of space entrepreneurs to grow commercial space supply chains, seek solutions to address space technology challenges, and license NASA technology for commercial applications.

“We’re eager and excited to work with Rice University and the Ion to help NASA solve challenges, develop spinoff technologies, grow minority entrepreneurs, and accelerate innovative and tech-forward solutions in Houston,” said Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center. “This partnership will allow us to increase startups through our aerospace accelerator targeting minority businesses and help achieve NASA’s goals to enhance scientific and technological knowledge to benefit all of humankind as we propel commercialization of space and work to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon under Artemis.”

The organizations will also focus part of their efforts on minority businesses and entrepreneurs in the aerospace and technology fields, including the Ion’s Aerospace Innovation Accelerator for Minority Business Enterprises (AIA for MBEs), which develops businesses tackling aerospace-related challenges. NASA has supported the AIA for MBEs since its inception and initial grant process. NASA will continue to support the accelerator and its participants through its provision of mentors and subject matter experts and ongoing input and advice at the Ion’s monthly startup competitions and showcases in addition to the below.

As part of the new collaboration, NASA and the Ion will open an application process for interested startups and entrepreneurs to become connected with NASA in Fall 2022. Programming will run through mid-2023. Together, NASA, the Ion and the startup community will work to:

● Develop spin-off technologies in support of commercial space and for potential use in future NASA and private space missions;

● Provide access to intellectual property (IP). The Ion community will have once-in-a-lifetime access to NASA’s IP portfolio, for potential use in commercial applications;

● Create more onramps for Houston’s small business communities through NASA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) & Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs;

● Build a private sector skilled local workforce to support the development of space technologies

“NASA’s Johnson Space Center has led the US and the world on an ongoing journey of human exploration, and the Ion is here to accelerate tomorrow’s space endeavors,” said Jan E. Odegard, Executive Director of the Ion. “Together, our Ion community of startups, entrepreneurs, and academic institutions, across industries and disciplines – from health care to sports to e-commerce to resiliency – is the perfect place for human performance and for NASA to derive talent. Just as NASA is the perfect team to inspire our Ion community to reach for the stars. Together we will safeguard Houston’s title as ‘Space City’ and advance the global space industry for future missions.”

About the Ion

The Ion Welcomes ExxonMobil as a Founding Partner

Posted on June 13, 2022May 8, 2023 by Taylor Odum

The Ion, Houston’s innovation hub, announces ExxonMobil has joined as a Founding Partner to curate programming to advance the energy transition and create Houston’s workforce of tomorrow. The collaboration is effective immediately and was celebrated at the kick-off of the Ion’s Activation Festival.

“ExxonMobil has been a leader in energy technology for over a century. Collaboration is essential to both augment our capabilities and accelerate the development of scalable solutions,” said Linda DuCharme, president of ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company. “Our partnership with The Ion will enable us to tap into the extraordinary talent in Houston.”

ExxonMobil is working with the Ion to share best innovation and research practices to support the Ion’s mission as a global technology hub and further empower local entrepreneurs and Houston’s workforce. ExxonMobil plans to leverage the Ion’s innovation ecosystem, partner, and academic network, which has relationships with ten-plus local schools and universities, to help develop solutions for the world’s emerging energy issues. Long-term, this work will contribute to the overall growth of emerging technologies and innovation in Houston.

“To have one of the strongest brands in oil and gas globally join us is a testament to the Ion’s momentum and mission,” said Jan E. Odegard, executive director, Ion. “We’re thrilled to welcome ExxonMobil’s thought leaders and this caliber of mindshare to the Ion family. As the Ion expands its programming and footprint, we are confident in the impact we’ll create together.”

The Ion is the anchor of the 16-acre transformational, mixed-use development in Houston’s Ion District. The Ion’s other Founding Partners are Aramco, Chevron Technology Ventures, Baker Botts, and Microsoft and Affiliate Partners bp and Intel.

About the Ion

The Ion, Houston’s Innovation Epicenter, Announces Opening Celebration Activation Festival

Posted on April 29, 2022May 8, 2023 by Taylor Odum

Rice Management Company (RMC), the developer of the Ion, a 266,000 square-foot innovation hub within the greater Ion District located in Midtown, today announced it will host Activation Festival the week of May 9 to commemorate the building’s opening and in-person programming. The public is invited to partake in programming, explore the Ion’s amenities and learn about the educational and upskilling opportunities it offers beginning May 9 at 1:00 p.m. The Ion’s purpose is to strengthen Houston’s economic resilience and build a community for those that have not had access to economic opportunities in innovation and tech-enabled industries.

About the Building

Linking educational institutions, incubators, accelerators, businesses, entrepreneurs, and investors together, the Ion is creating pathways for the future workforce. The building is centrally located less than a mile from Downtown Houston and 1.5 miles from the Texas Medical Center. It is also steps from the Wheeler MetroRail station and is oriented for easy pedestrian, bike, train, bus, and rideshare access.

The building accommodates multiple uses, including 50,000 square feet devoted to public and shared spaces for events and programming, event space, classrooms, and maker spaces, including the Ion Prototyping Lab and the Ion Investor Studio. Current Ion tenants include technology giants Microsoft, Chevron Technology Ventures, Schlumberger, and Dow Chemicals, as well as startups like Liongard, one of Houston’s fastest-growing startups, and early-stage companies like Koda Health and Clutch. The Ion will also be home to four chef-driven restaurants by Houston-based restaurateurs, including The Lymbar, Late August, Common Bond, and Second Draught, a concept by Baileson Brewing, which will open in summer 2022.

Dramatically Redesigned for Today’s Workforce

Formerly an Art Deco, 1930s-era Sears, the Ion was collaboratively designed by SHoP Architects, James Carpenter Design Associates, and Gensler. Today, it is now a dramatically reimagined and purpose-built innovation hub that is also the anchor of Midtown’s upcoming transformational 16-acre Ion District. Gilbane and Walter P Moore played integral roles in the building’s construction and structural engineering. Hines served as the development manager. The building’s design team repurposed the existing structure to generate a smooth flow, connectivity, and transparency to innovation activities within the building and the half-acre outdoor plaza, designed by James Corner Field Operations.

The Ion’s structure includes the existing four-story concrete Sears building with an additional two floors of new class-A office atop. Preserved to revive the building’s architectural significance, the design and construction team meticulously preserved historical aspects of the original building, including the façade, historic concrete canopies, interior terrazzo flooring, mosaic surrounding the glass block windows, and the concrete structure.

Legacy and design elements of note:

● Display showcase windows (“vitrines”) on the façade, which were restored and are for small exhibitions. The first art exhibit titled “Eye On Art” is open for public enjoyment.

● An abundance of natural light, introduced through large window openings in the north, east, and west concrete exterior walls.

● A massive light well created through large openings in the center of each floor of the building with a 250-seat Forum Stair amphitheater at the ground level for public-facing events.

“To create a purposefully collaborative complex, RMC intentionally chose to bring in the world’s leading design and architecture teams to reimagine the Ion’s space to mirror its vision,” said Ryan LeVasseur, Managing Director, Direct Real Estate, RMC. “We are ecstatic that the public can celebrate SHoP, Gensler, James Carpenter, Field Operations, Gilbane, and Walter P Moore’s vision. Their ingenuity and collaboration created a dynamic hub and anchor to transform how Houstonians work, learn, and engage with its neighbors.”

Ion District Also Growing

The Ion anchors the forthcoming Ion District, an intentionally accessible, walkable, and integrated urban community. The growth of the Ion District continues to pick up momentum as the home to the second location of North America’s largest climate-tech incubator, Greentown Labs Houston, and the recently announced education facility for the nationally renowned Theatre Under The Stars. RMC is also continuing construction of the district’s third building, the 1,585 space District garage, and is in discussions for the development of three more buildings over the next three years.

About Activation Week

Activation Week begins May 9 with 2-3 programs daily through Friday, May 13. The event is a week-long, in-person showcase of the Ion and its innovation ecosystem partners. It includes an array of thought-provoking experiences, programs, and speakers, including a silent disco, demos with robotic dogs, keynotes and panels on the future of innovation, and a startup showcase, representative of the building’s diverse offerings and the breadth of audiences it serves. Activation Festival culminates in a community-wide block party to celebrate the heart of Houston’s new innovation district Friday evening. A complete list of public events can be found here, where you can also RSVP.

Opportunities to get Involved

Ongoing programming includes Cup of Joey, a weekly Friday networking event; Family Tech Day, an event for Houston’s youth and their families to learn more about how to build a big idea; How to Start a Startup, where attendees can learn how to identify problems, needs, and trends with their startup idea; and Houston Startup Showcase, a year-long series of monthly pitch competitions.

“The Ion offers a wide range of accessible programming,” said Jan E. Odegard, Executive Director of the Ion. “After more than a year adapting to the online and hybrid environment during 2020 and 2021, all of our events are now in-person, safety and health conditions permitting, and we’re thrilled to welcome the Houston community for this epic week.”

To follow the Ion’s journey and get involved, Houstonians and tech enthusiasts can sign-up for the newsletter here.

About the Ion

About Rice Management Company Rice Management Company (RMC) is responsible for the stewardship of Rice University’s endowment. The endowment plays a vital role for Rice. The distributions generated provide approximately 40% of the University’s operating revenues, which makes it the single largest revenue source to the operating budget. The RMC team brings decades of investment management expertise across diversified industries and financial specialties. Through disciplined research and due diligence, we assess and pursue investment strategies that are aligned with the long-term risk/reward profile of the endowment. For more information, please visit investments.rice.edu

Stuff’d Wings Sets Opening Date for First-Ever Stand-Alone Concept to Rise in Houston’s New 16-Acre Innovation District

Posted on April 27, 2022May 8, 2023 by Taylor Odum

Ion District announced that STUFF’d Wings (401 Richmond Avenue) will officially open to the public on Friday, April 29, in the space formerly occupied by a Shipley Do-Nuts. Representing the first brick-and-mortar iteration of Jarrod and Prisoria Rector’s wildly popular food truck by the same name, the 2,100-square-foot restaurant marks the first-ever restaurant concept to make its debut in the 16-acre area surrounding the Ion innovation and community hub.

Since its 2019 launch, STUFF’d Wings has attracted legions of diehard fans who can’t resist its simple-but delectable menu made up of bone-in chicken wings stuffed with dirty rice, seafood boudin, chicken boudin and/or mac and cheese. Soon after the Rectors began operating out of their truck at 6402 Tierwester Street, they have regularly churned out over a thousand wings daily covered in a proprietary spicy/sweet sauce, often accompanied by a side of classic fries. Dessert offerings include a now-famous stuffed strawberry banana pudding with variations that include Oreo banana pudding and chocolate chip banana pudding.

The concept’s new brick-and-mortar digs within the evolving Ion District will feature a number of new menu items, including a fresh batch of stuffings that will be introduced on theme nights as well as unique holiday offerings like broccoli cheese casserole. STUFF’d on Richmond will also serve up a new loaded side dish in the form of Cajun fries covered in melted cheese, sriracha, ranch, and fresh boudin dressing. On weekends, Stuff’d will put a unique twist on breakfast when it begins rolling out stuffed hash browns, maple bacon wings glazed with maple syrup, and a glaze funnel cake. Drink offerings will include a variety of beer, wine, and soda.

“The journey to a permanent STUFF’d location in the Ion District is one that has a lot of personal significance for Prisoria and myself; she is really the reason why STUFF’d exists and why we are standing here about to expand the food truck into a brick and mortar,” emphasized Jarrod Rector, Co-Owner of STUFF’d Wings. He added, “We are thrilled to be able to reach new audiences and to see old favorites returning to check out our new spot. I can’t wait for first-time guests to try our wings because I love seeing the look on each person’s face when they take that initial bite. Conversely, I am really excited for our regulars who have tried everything on the menu to be able to sink their teeth into the new items that we’ve been perfecting for some time now. It’s going to be like one big family reunion!”

The Rectors enlisted the talents of prolific interior designer Gin Braverman of Gin Design Group on the restaurant’s interior FF&A – industry parlance for furnishings, fixtures, and accessories – as well as creative guidance from local artists who were recruited to further enhance the space.

The launch of STUFF’d Wings comes on the heels of the recently-opened Common Bond On-the-Go at the Ion – which made its anticipated debut in late January – and it will soon be joined by Late August, a new concept by Top Chef finalist Chef Dawn Burrell in partnership with Lucille’s Chef Chris Williams; The Lymbar – a craft cocktail bar and neighborhood restaurant by restaurant royalty, Chef David Cordúa; and Second Draught – a high-energy taproom from the creators of neighborhood brewpub Baileson Brewing Company featuring a robust selection of pours from Houston’s 70+ craft breweries – each of which will take up space within The Ion.

“Jarrod and Prisoria represent everything that the District stands for as local entrepreneurs who are bringing their creative passion, ingenuity, and determination together to cultivate an innovative experience that will be celebrated by the entire community,” said Bryson Grover, Investment Manager for Direct Real Estate at Rice Management Company.

As a microcosm of the broader Ion District mission to serve as a 16-acre civic nexus that enhances the totality of Houston’s community in a multitude of ways, STUFF’d Wings encapsulates each of its five core tenets: creation, dedication, connection, production, and immersion. As a vibrant and walkable urban destination built around the establishment of a diverse network of entrepreneurs, the Ion District – via the leadership of Rice Management Company – is committed to fostering small businesses and giving them the tools they need to thrive. To that end, STUFF’d Wings adds to a growing professional ecosystem within the Ion and the Ion District, one in which companies of all sizes collaborate with, support, and encourage one another to achieve success in their various disciplines.

As part of the launch, STUFF’d will produce a very limited run of merchandise items in collaboration with local apparel designer Jaylin Noah (@damnitsjaylin). Merch items will include t-shirts, hoodies, and sweatpants. Once items are sold out, they will not be reproduced. STUFF’d Wings will be open from 11 am to 8 pm on Tuesday through Thursday; 11am to 10pm on Friday through Saturday; 11 am to 6 pm on Sunday; closed Mondays.

About Ion District The Ion District is an intentionally accessible, walkable and integrated urban community. It spans 12 city blocks (16 acres) in Houston’s Midtown, where people, ideas, and businesses thrive. Initiated by Rice University, the Ion District energizes a more sustainable, resilient, and inclusive future. At actively programmed events and spontaneous everyday moments, the Ion District invites residents, startups, corporate, academic, and civic leaders to unite, explore, and create opportunity together. For more information, visit https://iondistrict.com.

About STUFF’d Wings Created by Jarrod and Prisoria Rector, STUFF’d Wings are traditional chicken wings STUFF’d with Louisiana Boudin and other cuisines. The brand – which has gained popularity over the past three years – is built on faith, family and fun while giving the market something new and innovative. The STUFF’d Wings food truck can be found traveling around town and popping up at some of the top festivals and events in Houston. STUFF’d Wings will be opening its first retail location in Midtown and looks forward to customers traveling from all over the world making a visit to STUFF’d in the near future. For more information, please visit https://www.stuffdwings.com/.

The Ion and Ion District Join The Global Network of Innovation Districts

Posted on April 26, 2022May 8, 2023 by Taylor Odum

In a move that further solidifies its position as the home of innovation, The Ion, the epicenter for Houston’s innovation ecosystem, and the forthcoming Ion District, an accessible, walkable, and integrated urban community in Houston’s Midtown have joined a pioneering worldwide collaboration: the Global Network of Innovation Districts. The Ion District is the first innovation district from the state of Texas accepted as a member of the Global Network, which has been developed by The Global Institute on Innovation Districts’ (GIID).

The Global Network is a major initiative created to provide governments and investors with new insights and resources on how to support innovation districts as they re-energize cities. Positioned to become engines of economic development, innovation districts have the unique potential to spur productive, inclusive, and sustainable environments.

GIID, led by Julie Wagner and affiliated with the world-renowned Brookings Institution, is the preeminent global organization of thought leaders and developers of institutionally-led innovation districts. Along with 21 other members in the Global Network, including the Pittsburgh Innovation District in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Cortex Innovation Community in St. Louis, Missouri, Tech Central in Sydney, Australia, and Knowledge District Zuidas in Amsterdam, Netherlands, The Ion and Ion District will engage, collaborate, and contribute mindshare with innovation districts from across the globe. Additionally, by utilizing the organization’s research to build comprehensive expansion strategies, The Ion and Ion District will have an opportunity to validate its unique value proposition on a global stage.

“GIID’s Global Network is utilizing best practices of world-renowned innovation districts to accelerate regional economies. Their focus on placemaking, startup services, and community engagement are some of the critical components that lead to successful districts,” said Bryson Grover, Investment Manager of Real Estate Development, Rice Management Company, the developer of The Ion and Ion District.

“We are the only venture in Texas accepted into the Global Network to date, which is a testament to our progress and vision. With GIID, we will continue to think creatively about how the built environment and specialized programming can inform future development and allow equitable access to an ever-changing workforce.”

“We’re thrilled for The Ion and Ion District to join our network, especially as it commences its next steps on development later this year,” said Julie Wagner, President of GIID. “Our team has extensive experience working with unique real estate ventures that aim to transform how communities learn, work, and live. We look forward to playing a part in Houston’s transformation, and as we have documented in innovation districts around the world, having a leader like Rice drive the creation of the district is a key ingredient of its continued and growing success.”

Recently completed, The Ion, a 266,000 square-foot innovation hub, is an integral part of the forthcoming Ion District, which also includes Greentown Labs, the largest climatetech startup incubator in North America. The build-out of the Ion District encompasses more than three million square feet of development, which will occur over the next decade. The next building is already under construction, and RMC intends for three more to commence in the next year. In addition to office and research, and development space, the district will include multi-family apartments, retail space, entertainment venues, and several acres of highly programmed, fully-public outdoor space. Together, The Ion and Ion District create the foundational ingredients that entice talent to co-locate and innovate.

The Global Network’s goal for its members, like the Ion District anchored by The Ion, is to accelerate the growth of innovation districts—individually and collectively—through empirical analysis, peer learning, and technical support for implementing new strategies and initiatives in districts and their communities. Through structured engagement led by GIID, The Ion and Ion District will leverage insights and best practices on challenges and solutions that other districts have faced in the past or are currently facing.

“The Ion and the Ion District represent a major commitment and investment in the success of Houston as a center of innovation and a foundation of Houston’s economic future. From the very beginning of our planning, we visited innovation hubs and districts around the country and around the world to make sure that we drew on their experiences and best practices,” said Rice President David Leebron. “And by participating in the Global Network now, the Ion District will contribute to and benefit from a global exchange of knowledge among the very best innovation districts, which complements Rice’s broader international engagements and strategies.”

Rice University Provost Reginald DesRoches added, “Acceptance into the GIID pairs Rice and The Ion District with an unparalleled set of peers around the globe that have created transformative environments to collaborate and innovate. Through the GIID, Rice and the Ion District can lend its capacity to advance translational research to catalyze innovation and embrace global best practices.”

“As we create quality collaborations between entrepreneurs, corporations, academics, and the community, we are thrilled to be a part of the network and look forward to exchanging ideas with other members and their constituents,” added Jan E. Odegard, Executive Director, The Ion. “The valuable interactions the network provides will help our team build The Ion and Ion District into a globally-minded innovation hub and further cement Houston’s technology ecosystem.”

About the Ion

About the Ion District: The Ion District is an intentionally accessible, walkable and integrated urban community. It spans 12 city blocks (16 acres) in Houston’s Midtown, where people, ideas, and businesses thrive. Initiated by Rice University, the Ion District energizes a more sustainable, resilient, and inclusive future. At actively programmed events and spontaneous everyday moments, the Ion District invites residents, startups, corporate, academic, and civic leaders to unite, explore, and create opportunity together. For more information, visit https://iondistrict.com.

About The Global Institute on Innovation Districts: The Global Institute on Innovation Districts (GIID) is a global-reaching not for profit organization dedicated to conducting independent and practice-oriented research on innovation districts—new geographies of innovation emerging primarily in cities and urbanizing areas. Drawing on deep analytics and proven impact, GIID seeks to identify how districts transform into new engines of city and regional economic growth. During a time of uneven growth, our research and work with a global network of districts aims to identify new systems for advancing inclusive innovation. For more on (GIID), visit https://www.giid.org

Aramco Joins The Ion as a Founding Partner to Advance Houston’s Innovation Community

Posted on April 4, 2022May 8, 2023 by Taylor Odum

Aramco Americas, the U.S. subsidiary of energy leader Aramco, has joined as a founding partner of The Ion, Houston’s newly opened innovation hub. Together, The Ion and Aramco Americas will create opportunities ranging from education to events to workforce development to advance energy transition and Houston’s tech economy over the next three years.

Aramco Americas (“Aramco”) is partnering with The Ion to share culture and best practices of innovation, knowledge gained from its global research and development network, and experience with early-stage, high-growth technology companies. Through its corporate venture capital arm, Aramco will further support The Ion’s mission as a global technology hub and empower local entrepreneurs and workforce.

“The addition of Aramco as a Founding Partner of The Ion is another step forward in the realization of our vision of The Ion as a globally connected innovation hub that brings new possibilities to the people of Houston,” Rice President David Leebron said. “We know the aspiring innovators and entrepreneurs of Houston will benefit from Aramco’s engagement, for which we are grateful.”

“I am excited to welcome Aramco as a Founding Partner to expand Houston’s technology and innovation ecosystem,” said Jan E. Odegard, Executive Director, The Ion. “Aramco’s involvement not only enables us to continue expanding our support toward inclusive and sustainable economic growth, but expand our reach globally, amplifying Houston as a high-growth technology ecosystem for energy, health, manufacturing, space, and transportation.”

Rice University Provost Reginald DesRoches added, “Innovation hubs such as The Ion are critical for creating more diverse and equitable economies. Partnering with Aramco Americas ensures The Ion and Rice can better deliver on this promise for the good of all Houstonians and we’re excited to come together and demonstrate our vested interest in evolving Houston’s economy.”

As part of its partnership with The Ion, Aramco has appointed Jim Sledzik, Managing Director, Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures, North America to The Ion Leadership Advisory Roundtable to help shape programming and offer insights on strategic direction. The organization will also actively participate in The Ion Prototyping Lab and The Ion Investor Studio to interact with entrepreneurs, corporate innovators, and venture capitalists to drive innovation and accelerate and grow the innovation ecosystem.

The Ion is the anchor of the 16-acre transformational, mixed-use development in Houston’s Ion District. The Ion’s other founding partners are Baker Botts, Microsoft, and Chevron Technology Ventures.

“Aramco’s commitment to innovation is reflected throughout our business operations,” said Nabeel I. AlAfaleg, President & Chief Executive Officer, Aramco Americas. “Partnerships like The Ion accelerate innovation, champion new ideas, and build a culture to address global energy challenges.”

About the Ion

About Aramco Americas Aramco Services Company (d/b/a Aramco Americas) is the U.S.-based subsidiary of Aramco, a world leader in integrated energy and chemicals, and has had a presence in the U.S. for more than 60 years. Aramco Americas is a contributor to the U.S. energy sector through research and development, venture fund activities, asset ownership, as well as technology and digital transformation. The company is headquartered in Houston, and maintains offices in New York, Washington D.C., Boston, and Detroit. Aramco Americas is committed to being a positive contributor in the communities where its employees live and work, and to making a difference through outreach that benefits the arts, geosciences, education, and the environment. americas.aramco.com

The Ion Launches New Art Display Supporting Houston Artists

Posted on March 31, 2022May 8, 2023 by Taylor Odum

The Ion, Houston’s innovation hub, has finalized its first window displays created by prominent local artists Preston Gaines and Lina Dib. The installations, commissioned by The Ion and Ion District, are now available for the public to view for free for the next six months as part of the Ion District’s ongoing art rotation program. The art displays are a visual expression of the intersection of art and innovation and are a reflection of The Ion and Ion District’s effort to support local talent.

The Ion and the Ion District Art Advisory Council selected the two artists’ installations after reviewing 60-plus submissions from local artists this past Fall with the support of public art consultant Piper Faust. Called “The Eye On Art Program,” the installations are meant to be an adaptive reuse of the beloved Sears building on which The Ion was built. The display windows are a unique opportunity to reimagine Sears’ store windows and build on the collective memory of the space’s past, present, and future. Strategically placed, as the entry points and eyes of the building, the two highly visible display windows facing Fannin and Main Streets serve as beacons to draw the community in.

“As the center for Houston’s innovation ecosystem, The Ion recognizes the importance of cross disciplinary connections creating and fostering innovation,” explained Jan E. Odegard, Executive Director of The Ion. “Creative expression and ideation is an essential part of The Ion’s bigger picture and mission. The Ion is committed to creating opportunities for Houston-based artists, like Preston and Lina, and looks forward to giving local artists and makers long-term platforms to create, innovate, and collaborate.”

About The Art:

Lina Dib’s “Self-Portrait in the Garden” is an over-the-top kitsch environment that includes plants, astro-turf, pink flamingos, and bright screens. Initially the images on the screens are of greenery, the sea, and the sky, but as viewers move, they scrub the images of nature to reveal reflections of their own presence. When viewers stop moving, nature slowly takes over again. This uncanny window installation entices visitors to question the boundaries they draw between categories, such as the natural and the artificial, and to playfully engage in conversation with its surroundings and others.

Preston Gaines’ “Fantasy Landscape” consists of numerous, interconnected panels that provide visitors with a mind-bending, multi-sensory journey. Filled with explosive color, mysterious pre-recorded sounds, the Fantasy Landscape supplies a look into a hypothetical future and a new way of viewing objects in nature and their role in human life. Each color is intended to connect to various areas of the human body and affect individuals differently emotionally, physically, and mentally. This combination of sensory stimuli forms an experience that is both meditative and dissociative, creating a space for the eyes, ears, mind, and body to explore. The outcome is a living, blooming floral paradise whose beauty flourishes when visitors engage with it: an ever-changing landscape, always different, a reflection of the personality of viewers themselves.

“As Houston, its neighborhoods, and the world-at-large open its doors again, a connector such as The Ion, is the perfect space to open up an installation of this scale,” explained Faust. “The Eye on Art Program isn’t simply art on a wall but installations that aim to entice, engage, and invite people into The Ion so they know it is a place where they can become part of a community, The Ion community.”

About The Artists: Preston Gaines and Lina Dib are Houston-based artists and educators. Trained in architecture and anthropology, respectively, both artists used interactive technology, motion, and touch to create their installations at The Ion. The juxtaposition of Dib and Gaines’ natural plants versus fabricated reality symbolize the individuality of innovation The Ion celebrates.

Gaines is an architect, artist, and industrial designer that manifests the hidden properties of nature through the use of technology, with the intention of learning and re-establishing our connection to the Earth. His immersive botanical installations and furniture designs raise fundamental questions about collective experience and imagine radical possibilities for the future of art and design.

Dib is a multidisciplinary artist and anthropologist. Her installations and compositions range from the experimental to the ethnographic and investigate socio-technical and ecological change. Her work has been supported by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Canada’s Social Science and Humanities Research Council, the Union of Concerned Scientists, AMIDA’s European training program, and the City of Houston among others.

The rotating art exhibition will open applications for its Fall 2022 exhibition later this Spring. Applications will be open to all artists and artist-teams over 18 years of age residing and working in the Greater Houston Area. The Ion and Ion District are committed to providing opportunities that advance Houston’s economy by not only seeking to involve local businesses, but also those who are racially and ethnically underrepresented. Creatives and artists are a vital part of this complete community, and it is The Ion and Ion District’s goal to foster inclusivity and diversity with all its partners. For preliminary information on the Spring 2022 application process, artists can contact Piper Faust at piper@piperfaustpublicart.com.

About the Ion

About Ion District: The Ion District is an intentionally accessible, walkable and integrated urban community. It spans 12 city blocks (16 acres) in Houston’s Midtown, where people, ideas, and businesses thrive. Initiated by Rice University, the Ion District energizes a more sustainable, resilient, and inclusive future. At actively programmed events and spontaneous everyday moments, the Ion District invites residents, startups, corporate, academic, and civic leaders to unite, explore, and create opportunity together. For more information, visit https://iondistrict.com.

The Ion Launches the Innovator in Residence Program

Posted on February 1, 2022May 8, 2023 by Taylor Odum

The Ion is thrilled to announce the launch of its Innovator in Residence program! This is a unique opportunity for an individual interested in learning more about entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology to work alongside The Ion team. The Ion’s Innovator(s) in Residence will engage entrepreneurs, workforce development participants, and members of The Ion’s Academic Network, gaining exposure in the innovation ecosystem.

As our Innovator in Residence, you’ll work alongside members of The Ion team on initiatives and programs, helping feature Houston’s talent and increasing engagement in our technology ecosystem. You’ll discover and develop your entrepreneurial skills at Houston’s innovation hub–a critical part of Houston’s innovation infrastructure. In addition, the Innovator in Residence will support The Ion’s Prototyping Lab, Investor Studio, and Accelerator Hub.

So who is our ideal Innovator in Residence? This person will immerse themselves in a fast-paced environment, bringing ideas to life, assisting The Ion team in executing its vision and mission, and developing a diverse, inclusive, and robust technology ecosystem. Great minds and doers come from a range of backgrounds. Whether you are taking your first career steps, seeking a career change, or looking for a gateway into Houston’s innovation ecosystem, you are encouraged to apply. We will be selecting up to two Innovators to participate in our six-month-long residency program. To apply, please submit the following:

● A 1-page, double-spaced cover letter indicating your relevant experiences and interests in this role, as well as your resume, OR

● A 3-5 minute video showcasing your expertise and interest, OR

● A digital portfolio of your work that positions you as an ideal candidate for this position ● One letter of recommendation from a colleague or supervisor

● A link to your LinkedIn profile

This role is paid, non-benefits eligible, part-time opportunity (minimum of 15 hours per week, and not more than 30 hours, working on project-based assignments to support The Ion team) for an individual who is at least 18 years old and is legally authorized to work in the United States. A college degree is not required for the Innovator in Residence position. Please send your application to the following email: Info@ionhouston.com by March 4, 2022, with a subject line stating, Innovator in Residence Application. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. The Innovator in Residence position will start April 6 – October 31, 2022.

We would like to thank our Founding Partners of The Ion, including Microsoft, Chevron, and Baker Botts, for supporting this opportunity.

About the Ion

TXRX Labs Named Partner and Operator of The Ion Prototyping Lab

Posted on January 31, 2022May 8, 2023 by Taylor Odum

The Ion, a 266,000 square-foot innovation hub, today announced TXRX Labs, a Houston-based non-profit ideation, innovation, and training provider, will serve as the operator of The Ion Prototyping Lab. Officially named The Ion Prototyping Lab (IPL) powered by TXRX, the IPL is an innovation center that will allow startups and entrepreneurs of all backgrounds and industries access to equipment and technical support. Officially open today, it is the only space of this type in Houston that provides physical innovation capabilities in a collaborative and centralized hub open to the public.

TXRX’s services at the IPL will provide the Houston community with support, equipment, and hands-on training to jumpstart the activity of entrepreneurs, corporations, and researchers, such as scaling ideas or developing a physical model of a product. TXRX’s workforce development training and classes will focus on makers, equipment operation, and CAD/CAM. TXRX also offers ideation services, which include coaching, consulting, and prototyping to address startups’ challenges. Technical support and engineering resources will be provided through a staff of ideation, engineering, and fabrication experts.

Current programming guided by TXRX includes:

● Hands-on training classes in critical digital and manual skills such as SolidWorks, Mastercam, soldering, and embedded development.

● A Lunch and Learn event series that touches on emerging technologies like additive manufacturing, generative design, and IoT development.

● An internship program connecting startups and entrepreneurs with emerging engineering talent from Houston’s many universities.

“The Houston community’s growing need for these services has led to our growth from a small community organization to a partnership with Houston’s leading center for innovation, The Ion,” said Roland von Kurnatowski, President of TXRX Labs. “With our presence at The Ion and in its Prototyping Lab, we are able to join together innovative ideas and technology to create a social and collaborative space to support tomorrow’s entrepreneurs’ needs and challenges. You think it, we make it.”

The IPL’s 6,500 square-foot space was designed by the Houston office of global architecture and design firm Gensler, and is the largest open corporate and startup-aligned prototyping space in Houston. The IPL’s equipment and engineering resources are provided by TXRX and The Ion, which includes prototyping and small-batch manufacturing tools, such as laser cutters, CNC mills and lathes, electronics assembly equipment, and 3D printers. The space also has onsite access to engineers and advanced technicians in industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, software engineering, additive manufacturing, welding, machining, and laser cutting.

“As part of Gensler’s contributions to the development of The Ion, we strategically designed the Prototyping Lab to function as a dedicated space for innovators and entrepreneurs to collaborate,” said Vincent Flickinger, Senior Associate and Design Director of Gensler Houston. “The Ion Prototyping Lab is equipped with tools for prototyping robotics and other energy-focused innovations and cultivates an entirely new way of doing business in a reimagined, historic building and with one of Houston’s fastest-growing innovators, TXRX. We look forward to introducing the IPL’s offerings to the public.”

“With every step forward, with each new partner added and ongoing input from the community, we are solidifying Houston’s position as the epicenter for innovation and technology,’ said Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner. “There is a growing need for these services among Houston’s startup community. Having ideas is one thing. Being able to execute them is far more difficult, especially if you are a small organization without the financial resources of big corporations and research labs. With The Ion Prototyping Lab powered by TXRX, we are breaking down the barriers that too often prevent entrepreneurs from taking their discoveries from the drawing board to reality.’

“This is another big step forward in realizing the vision for The Ion. The addition of The Ion Prototyping Lab to the Ion District will further drive highly productive collaborations between entrepreneurs, corporations, academics, and the greater Houston community,” said David Leebron, President of Rice University. “We’re thrilled to be opening the IPL in The Ion as these collaborations will not only strengthen Houston’s economic resiliency and competitiveness but attract and retain innovative talent, companies, and institutions.”

With a low-cost membership, participants will be able to access the IPL. For individuals who may need financial assistance, the IPL also provides grant opportunities. Before using the space and its equipment, participants will need to complete a safety and skills training course. Open hours for the IPL are from 9 am to 5 pm CST.

About the Ion

About TXRX Labs: Established in 2008, TXRX Labs is a non-profit innovation and job training provider for the greater Houston area. Housed in the East End District, TXRX offers engineering and fabrication services along with job training programs for in-demand careers, along with courses in and access to its rapid prototyping labs, woodshop, machine shop, electronics lab, and a wide variety of other tools for the public. Its goal is to make Houston the 21st-century manufacturing Hub of the United States to ensure a vibrant and equitable economy for all Houstonians.

About Gensler: Gensler is a global architecture, design, and planning firm with 49 locations across Asia, Europe, Australia, the Middle East, and the Americas. Founded in 1965, the firm serves more than 3,500 active clients in virtually every industry. Gensler designers strive to make the places people live, work, and play more inspiring, more resilient, and more impactful.

The Ion Taps Hyper Local Craft Beer Concept– Second Draught – To Round Out Dynamic Roster of Food and Beverage Offerings at Houston’s Innovation Community Hub

Posted on October 6, 2021May 8, 2023 by Taylor Odum

The Ion announced today that it will add another hyper-local concept to its already robust food & beverage offerings at the newly opened innovation hub in the iconic former SEARS building in Midtown. Second Draught *– a 2,000-square-foot taproom from the creators of neighborhood brewpub Baileson Brewing Company – will serve up a noteworthy selection of pours from Houston’s 70+ craft breweries when it opens in its high-profile street-level space in Q1 2022.

Second Draught is the latest addition to the Ion’s diverse dining options, which include Late August – a new concept by celebrated Chef Chris Williams of Lucille’s fame in partnership with Top Chef finalist Chef Dawn Burrell; The Lymbar, a neighborhood craft cocktail bar and restaurant with Latin and Mediterranean flavors from Chef David Cordúa; Common Bond – the newest on-the-go iteration of the popular bistro and bakery; and STUFF’d Wings – the first brick-and-mortar location of Jarrod Rector’s popular food truck (within the broader Ion District).

“We are excited to join the Ion as a communal space for building tenants, partners, and visitors to grab a pint of beer and exchange ideas,” noted Sarah Pope, Co-Founder of Second Draught. She added, “We will showcase the great beer being made right here in Houston and give smaller operators the chance to be tasted in the city’s most prominent setting for innovation and entrepreneurship.”

Adam Cryer, Pope’s husband and Co-Founder at Baileson Brewing Company, said the opportunity to help fledgling local craft brewers gain a wider following was a big part of the appeal of becoming the Ion’s taproom operator. “This environment is all about incubating start-ups and giving creators the support to succeed. We want to do the same for Houston’s craft beer scene. Call us the incuBrewer,” he quipped.

Pope and Cryer plan to foster a welcoming and cozy space that becomes part of the neighborhood fabric. “We hope to be another community gathering place where people can meet, connect, drink beer, and brainstorm,” said Pope. She added, “The next technology breakthrough idea could very well happen on a napkin in our bar, so we want to make sure it’s a place where people want to be.”

Burdette Huffman of The Blue Ox Group represented Rice Management Company in the leasing transaction for Second Draught.

*noun. draught /draft”

1. British spelling of draft

adjective: draught

1. denoting beer or other drink that is kept in and served from a barrel or tank rather than from a bottle or can.

“draft beer”

About the Ion

Chef David Cordúa to open The Lymbar at The Ion

Posted on August 1, 2021May 8, 2023 by Taylor Odum

Chef David Cordúa will open The Lymbar, a neighborhood craft cocktail bar and restaurant with Latin and Mediterranean flavors, this fall at The Ion (4201 Main St.) – the technology and community hub that will anchor a 16-acre innovation district in Houston’s Midtown. The restaurant will be housed in the building’s street level “jewel-box” corner suite and will contain approximately 120 seats in over 4,000 SF of indoor and outdoor dining space, with an emphasis on barrel-aged spirits, small plates and a vertical rotisserie in a theater-style open kitchen.

Gin Braverman of Houston-based Gin Design Group, a longtime Cordúa family friend, is designing the space. The concept is named after Lymbar Drive, the tight knit, ethnically diverse community where Cordúa grew up in Southwest Houston.

The Lymbar joins three other recently announced innovation district restaurants: Late August – a new concept by chef partners Chris Williams of Lucille’s and Dawn Burrell, the James Beard Award-winning semifinalist and current Top Chef contestant; STUFF’d Wings – the first brick-and-mortar version of the acclaimed Third Ward-area food truck; and Common Bond Café – a new on-the-go iteration of the perennially popular bistro and bakery. Collectively, the hyperlocal concepts will establish a culinary nucleus that will help pave the way for a vibrant and bustling district when they begin opening this summer in the epicenter of Houston’s innovation ecosystem.

Cordúa, the former executive chef/owner at Américas and Churrascos, is partnering with his father, Michael Cordúa, on the project. The Lymbar is the first concept from the beloved father-son duo since their departure from Cordúa Restaurants. Michael Cordúa – a native of Nicaragua — founded Churrascos in 1988, introducing a new wave of Latin cuisine to Houston and earning rave reviews from Food & Wine, Esquire and more.

David Cordúa – who was born in Houston and graduated from Strake Jesuit College Preparatory — earned his culinary diploma from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. He spent more than a decade with his family’s restaurant group from 2007-18, helping to oversee award-winning concepts Américas, Churrascos, Artista and Amazón Grill.

The Lymbar will continue that storied culinary tradition, but with the inclusion of global influences from afar, presented in a manner that showcases David Cordúa’s roots in French cooking. With a menu that represents an evolution of the father-son duo’s renowned culinary creativity, the concept is “a lifetime in the making,” says David.

“If Churrascos and Américas were our family story in Central America, The Lymbar is our first opportunity to tell our family story in Houston,” David Cordúa said. “We’re really excited to be a place where people meet, think, eat and drink in The Ion, and we look forward to being a part of the heartbeat of Houston’s new innovation district.”

Among the Cordúas’ neighbors on Lymbar Drive were Braverman; the Droubi family, owners of Droubi’s Bakery & Delicatessen; and the Garcia-Prat family, owners of Finca Tres Robles Farm. Each of their influences will be reflected at The Lymbar: Braverman through her design, the Droubi family through Lebanese and Mediterranean menu items, and the Garcia-Prats through local produce sourced from their farm.

The Lymbar will be the first bar-forward concept from the Cordúas, centered around a craft cocktail program with an emphasis on barrel-aged spirits. The bar’s core identity will feel classic and vintage, mirroring the food menu with cocktails that pay homage to Latin, South American and Mediterranean influences. The bar itself will be a glowing presence, located in front of the stunning floor-to-ceiling bay windows of the space.

Burdette Huffman with Blue Ox represented the Rice Management Company, and Emily Durham with Waterman Steele represented Cordúa. The Lymbar will serve lunch, dinner, and drinks seven days a week. Brunch and happy hour will be added in the future.

About The Lymbar The Lymbar is a bar-forward concept with Latin and Mediterranean flavors from chef David Cordúa, located at 4201 Main St. at The Ion in Midtown Houston. It is slated to open in Fall 2021. Stay tuned for more information on The Lymbar’s opening date.

About the Ion

Baker Botts Joins The Ion as a Founding Partner to Uplift Houston’s Innovation Ecosystem

Posted on March 16, 2021May 8, 2023 by Taylor Odum

The Ion, Houston’s new innovation hub, today announced world-renowned law firm Baker Botts L.L.P. joins The Ion as a Founding Partner, alongside previously announced partners Microsoft and Chevron Technology Ventures.

Baker Botts, a Houston headquartered leading international energy, technology and life sciences law firm, has supported The Ion since its inception and has provided programming in its temporary space and virtually for the past few years. The firm will also have a presence at The Ion when it opens its 266,000-square-foot mixed-use structure later this year. The space is designed to become the epicenter for Houston’s innovation ecosystem focusing on quality collaborations between entrepreneurs, incubators, accelerators, corporations, academics, and the Houston community.

“Today’s announcement not only solidifies Baker Botts’ investment in The Ion and the programs we are activating but is a commitment to growing Houston’s innovation ecosystem,” said Dr. Jan E. Odegard, Interim Executive Director of The Ion. “Baker Botts’ work with The Ion has already helped countless entrepreneurs get their work off the ground, and we are excited for their support as we continue to accelerate innovation and connect communities to build sustainable and inclusive economic growth in Houston.”

About Our Efforts:

The firm’s space at The Ion will enable attorneys to more easily provide programming to Houston’s tech community, support initiatives for the diverse entrepreneurs The Ion serves as part of its Accelerator Hub and mentor new emerging companies. Together, Baker Botts and The Ion will work together to:

● Provide in-kind services to this year’s Houston Startup Showcase Winner

● Offer on-site presence to support The Ion’s various community members and provide substantive programming to startups

● Host legal programming and workshops for The Ion’s Accelerator Hub members

● Expand gateway events, including The Ion’s Family Tech Night and Plaza Tec series

“Given our market-leading strengths in Houston, this is an exciting opportunity for the firm,” said John Martin, Managing Partner of Baker Botts. “Our participation with The Ion brings together lawyers across our corporate venture capital, energy tech, IP, and other practices to work closely with a range of cutting-edge companies at the heart of the Texas startup ecosystem.”

Baker Botts’ new sponsorship also signifies both organizations’ commitment to supporting the clean energy transition. The firm has also announced it will become a founding supporter of the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship (Rice Alliance) and its new Clean Energy Accelerator. The Accelerator will be based out of The Ion, and together The Ion and Alliance will work together to increase the likelihood of success for early-stage energy startups building solutions for a cleaner, more efficient, and sustainable future.

About the Ion

About Baker Botts L.L.P.: Baker Botts is an international law firm of approximately 725 lawyers practicing throughout a network of 13 offices around the globe. Based on our experience and knowledge of our clients’ industries, we are recognized as a leading firm in the technology and energy sectors. Since 1840, we have provided creative and effective legal solutions for our clients while demonstrating an unrelenting commitment to excellence. For more information, please visit bakerbotts.com.