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New Report Ranks Houston Among Top U.S. Metros for Innovation

Published Apr 24, 2024 by Hailea Schultz

Rice University

Rice University

Houston's universities and medical institutions have secured the city a top spot in a recent report ranking it among the top U.S. metropolitan areas for innovation. 

The Engines of Opportunity report, released by the George W. Bush Presidential Center, placed the Bayou City in eighth, surpassing Austin, San Diego and Los Angeles. The report used a composite score consisting of patents issued, technology licenses, licensing income, startup companies formed, citations in researcher’s academic papers and patents and the number of STEM graduates. 

According to the Houston Business Journal, Houston performed highly in licensing income, patents and citations. Attributing to the city’s success, the University of Houston system ranked 60th on the National Academy of Inventors’ list of the Top 100 Universities in the U.S. Granted Utility Patents, boasting 32 patents in 2022 and more than 200 since 2015. The Carnegie-designated Tier One research university is home to UH Technology Bridge, an innovation park for technology commercialization, industrial partnerships and startup development, sparking innovation and life-changing research through its innovation center, incubator labs and other resources.

Rice University boosted Houston’s position through its groundbreaking startup initiatives such as the Rice Alliance program. Dedicated to supporting technology commercialization, entrepreneurship education and the launch of technology companies, the program has earned recognition as the top Graduate Entrepreneurship Program by the Princeton Review and Entrepreneur Magazine for five consecutive years, raising nearly $26 billion in funding since its establishment. 

Additionally, Rice’s STEM graduate degree programs significantly influenced the ranking. The university was recently recognized as the 29th best institution in the nation for its grad schools by U.S. News & World Report

While Houston's innovation corridor and life sciences ecosystem thrive due to the pioneering efforts of its universities and renowned research hubs like the Ion and the Texas Medical Center, the city still trails behind in terms of large-scale innovative activities, according to the report. Cullum Clark, the author of the report, told the Houston Business Journal that "Houston has a commanding position in oil and gas industry innovation and one of the leading positions in the country in life science and medicine, but arguably has a less diversified range of innovative activities than some other Sun Belt metros." 

Houston’s universities are actively working to drive innovation and research through new initiatives, programs and facilities. The University of Houston recently appointed two new leaders to oversee its startup ecosystem and technology licensing, aiming to enhance entrepreneurship and accelerate the commercialization of research discoveries. Meanwhile, Rice University announced plans to launch the Master of Energy Transition and Sustainability, which will equip graduates with the skills needed to overcome challenges in the region’s evolving energy landscape and drive innovation in sustainability across a wide range of domains from technology to economics and policy. 

Baylor College of Medicine also recently began construction on its new health science facility dubbed the Lillie Roy Cullen Tower at the Texas Medical Center’s Helix Park. Slated for completion in 2026, the building will be dedicated to training new health professionals and advancing medical research.   

Learn more about Houston’s innovation ecosystem

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