Ion, Houston’s innovation hub, today announced the addition of its newest corporate partners: Occidental (Oxy), an international energy company providing reliable energy solutions and products for a lower-carbon world, United Airlines Ventures (UAV), the venture fund of United Airlines focused on sustainability, and Woodside Energy (Woodside), a global energy company providing affordable, reliable, and lower-carbon energy to support a successful energy transition. 

UAV, Oxy, and Woodside will share expertise and industry leadership in support of Ion’s mission to transform Houston into a global innovation ecosystem and further empower the city’s workforce. The partners will participate in Ion programming and engage with its network of corporations, academics, and entrepreneurs to help develop and commercialize solutions to emerging issues in their respective industries. Additionally, industry leaders from UAV, Oxy, and Woodside will serve on the Ion Leadership Advisory Roundtable. 

“Welcoming our newest partners into Ion’s ecosystem is a further testament to our momentum in the aerospace and energy transition,” said Jan E. Odegard, Executive Director of the Ion. “Each organization brings their own culture of innovation that aligns with what we are doing at the Ion. We’re excited for the relationships and advancements they will bring to our community.” 

For more than 100 years, Houston-based Oxy has developed assets, infrastructure, and technology in the energy industry. It now leverages its resources, innovative technologies and 50+ year legacy of carbon management to accelerate its pathway to net zero and help others do the same. With Ion, Oxy has a unique opportunity to cultivate ideas, foster relationships, inspire employee engagement, and uncover a breadth of innovation and thought leadership.

“A partnership with Ion is a natural fit for Oxy in many ways,” says Jeff Simmons, Senior Vice President, Chief Petrotechnical Officer for Oxy. “As Oxy innovates for a lower-carbon future, we look to partner with communities and organizations that are similarly focused on technology and climate-related goals.” 

Founded in 2021, UAV is committed to improving the travel experience for customers by investing in companies and technologies that can decarbonize air travel. The team is excited to meet and collaborate with corporations across industries to accelerate research and production, and prioritize new technologies, particularly those associated with sustainable aviation fuel. 

“As a company deeply committed to both innovation and the city of Houston, United shares the Ion’s vision to inspire collaboration and creativity and is proud to join the Ion’s network of entrepreneurs,” said United Airlines Ventures President Michael Leskinen. “We believe the Ion will be the epicenter for Houston’s rapidly growing innovation community – a one-stop-shop to share ideas, foster startups, and to develop relationships with Houston’s brightest companies and academia.”

With over 65 years of experience, Woodside provides energy the world needs to heat and cool homes, keep lights on, and support industry. By partnering with the Ion, Woodside is opening doors to new innovations that will drive a successful energy transition in Houston and beyond.

“Woodside was founded with a spirit of innovation and determination,” said Woodside Executive Vice President Technical Services and Chief Technology Officer Daniel Kalms. “The same ideals drive the Ion, and we’re excited to exchange ideas, find creative solutions, and explore new ways to forge a better future as part of a like-minded community.”

As partners, UAV, Oxy, and Woodside will not only have access to Ion’s dynamic spaces, cutting-edge amenities, and educational resources, they will also have immediate opportunities to meet and collaborate with leaders and innovators from all industries and backgrounds to advance their own corporate goals. 

UAV, Oxy, and Woodside join Ion’s current roster of corporate partners, which includes Chevron, Microsoft, Baker Botts, Aramco Americas, ExxonMobil, BP, Intel, Transocean, and Global Custom Commerce (GCC). The close proximity to these industry players across aerospace, energy and energy transition, technology, and innovation, and up-and-coming startups and founders within the Ion is what distinguishes the Ion from other buildings in the region.

About the Ion:

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. 

About Occidental:

Occidental is an international energy company with assets primarily in the United States, the Middle East and North Africa. We are one of the largest oil producers in the U.S., including a leading producer in the Permian and DJ basins, and offshore Gulf of Mexico. Our midstream and marketing segment provides flow assurance and maximizes the value of our oil and gas. Our chemical subsidiary OxyChem manufactures the building blocks for life-enhancing products. Our Oxy Low Carbon Ventures subsidiary is advancing leading-edge technologies and business solutions that economically grow our business while reducing emissions. We are committed to using our global leadership in carbon management to advance a lower-carbon world. Visit oxy.com for more information.

About United:

United’s shared purpose is “Connecting People. Uniting the World.” From our U.S. hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates the most comprehensive global route network among North American carriers. United is bringing back our customers’ favorite destinations and adding new ones on its way to becoming the world’s best airline. For more about how to join the United team, please visit www.united.com/careers and more information about the company is at www.united.com. United Airlines Holdings, Inc., the parent company of United Airlines, Inc., is traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol “UAL”. For further information about our environmental impact, review United’s Corporate Responsibility Report and Annual Report on Form 10-K, available at crreport.united.com and ir.united.com.

About Woodside Energy: Woodside is a global energy company, with oil and gas assets and interests in Australia, the US, Mexico, the Caribbean, Senegal and Timor-Leste. Woodside aims to thrive through the global energy transition with a low-cost, lower-carbon, profitable, resilient and diversified portfolio. In addition to its LNG, natural gas and oil assets, Woodside has a growing portfolio of carbon services (offsets, carbon capture and storage, carbon capture and utilisation), hydrogen, ammonia and renewable power opportunities in Australia and internationally. Our new energy opportunities include the proposed H2OK hydrogen project in Oklahoma and the H2Perth and H2TAS opportunities in Australia. For more information, visit www.woodside.com

Ion District, Houston’s 16-acre innovation district, alongside its developer Rice University, recently released an update detailing the first year of implementing its Community Benefits Agreement (CBA). 

The legally binding Ion District CBA was approved by Houston’s City Council in late 2021 and committed $15.3 million in direct investments and millions more in project-based opportunities over several years. It was designed to ensure Ion District development, including its innovation hub, Ion, benefits all Houstonians. This transformative agreement focuses on expanding tech sector job training and upskilling, preserving affordable housing, and creating more pathways for minority- and women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs) to be involved in Ion District. 

In tandem with the release of the report, Ion District also announced another achievement of the CBA with Ion’s selection of Per Scholas as its workforce development partner. Per Scholas is a nationally recognized nonprofit that advances economic equity through technology skills training. Its proven, evidence-based training unlocks potential for individuals, companies, and communities. 

“Per Scholas is thrilled to join the Ion District and offer our tuition-free tech skills training in Houston,” said Plinio Ayala, President and CEO of Per Scholas. “There is such synergy in our approach to innovation and equity. I’m confident that together, we’ll increase opportunity and unlock potential for both individuals and companies that call Houston home. We’re grateful for the warm welcome.” 

In addition to Per Scholas, Ion District has facilitated contracting opportunities for Ion District Garage worth $16.9 million to 19 MWBE, among other milestones highlighted below.

 “The Ion District offers technology and connections that are unmatched to anywhere else in Houston,” added Milton Thibodeaux, President – Greater Houston Business Procurement Forum, a community organization dedicated to convening small and minority businesses seeking opportunities. “It’s generating more excitement and enthusiasm from new agencies, especially prime contractors and MWBEs. It’s also connecting us to the right people, which leads to contracts, financing, and ultimately success stories.”

Other accomplishments of the Ion District CBA detailed in the report include: 

• Escrowing $5 million at Unity National Bank, the only certified Minority Depository Institution (MDI) in Texas which has allowed an increase in small business lending to help MWBE firms gain access to capital. 
• Investing in women and minority tech accelerator and innovation programs, which included three DivInc accelerator cohorts, startups, and founders.
• Commencing first year of funding for selected housing counseling providers which were: Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corporation, Houston Area Urban League and Tejano Center for Community Concerns, to serve the Third Ward, Kashmere Gardens, and Magnolia Park neighborhoods.
• Opening multiple local restaurants at the Ion and in the Ion District, owned and operated by MWBE chefs and operators. 
• Selecting a consulting firm to recommend strategic pathways to achieve MWBE objectives; conducting 10 public outreach events with over 500 MWBE firms attending. 
• Hosting over 130 community-focused events, including Activation Festival, BlackStreet, and additional monthly programming and events accessible to the community. 

“I am enthusiastic about the benefits this unique agreement is creating in Houston, especially in areas of inclusive hiring, contracting and upskilling for those who have been historically overlooked and marginalized,” said Mike Pittman II, Chairman of the Ion District CBA Advisory Committee. “The matching of art and science, as it relates to community benefits, in a rapidly changing built environment is a difficult and important undertaking. The thoughtful engagement that drove the CBA’s development is helping strengthen Houston’s position as a place where ideas can grow no matter who you are or where you are from.”

More Community Investment Ahead

While the development is still in progress, Ion District is already a thriving innovation district helping to move Houston’s economy forward. Today, Ion District is home to more than 300 businesses, including corporations, small businesses, and startups. 

In the coming year, Rice University will continue to implement the commitments set by the Ion District CBA including inclusive hiring, community capacity building, housing affordability and MWBE opportunities. This includes launching Per Scholas training, partnering with additional accelerators to support underrepresented founders and promoting contracting opportunities for the next phase of development. 

“We’re committed to making Ion District and Ion a catalyst for opportunity, not just for the tech community but city-wide,” said Sam Dike, who oversees the CBA’s implementation. “We are proud of the progress thus far. It’s a testament to the community stakeholders who came together to recommend the greatest areas of impact and need. However, this is just the beginning.”

The full version of the community investment report can be accessed here via Ion District’s community-focused website where the community can track the continued implementation of the CBA and stay engaged with upcoming opportunities.

About the Ion District

Houston’s new innovation district takes our city’s talent and sprawl and connects it all, harnessing Houston’s potential to emerge and endure as a tech hub, a thought leader, a cultural core, and a global economic force. Twelve blocks built to encourage serendipitous collisions across all sectors and skill levels, and promote equitable businesses, products, and jobs in our image: ones that reflect our city’s diversity of ethnicities and enduring individualism, our big-hearted tenacity and wildcatting audacity, our gumption and resilience come hell or high water. An invitation to build the world we want to see.

About the Ion

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. 

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

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/.

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

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.