The Greater Houston Partnership celebrates our members making important announcements and sharing news about their operations and impact in our region. Learn more about some of those announcements over the last month below. Business Moves (breaking ground, expansion, business’ moving to Houston) Corebridge Financial debuts on the Fortune 500 list at No. 224, with $18.78 billion in 2024 revenue, joining 25 other Houston corporations including Exxon Mobil and Chevron.  Fervo Energy, a Houston-based company now valued at over $1 billion, secures fifth on LexisNexis's 10 Most Innovative Startups in Texas report. The company recently fully contracted its 500-megawatt Cape Station geothermal development, which is expected to begin delivering electricity in 2026. Fervo Energy secures $206 million in new financing to support its flagship 500-megawatt Cape Station geothermal project in Utah. Greentown Labs and MassChallenge form a strategic partnership to support early-stage climatetech startups, leveraging their combined expertise and networks. This collaboration aims to strengthen the ecosystem for these companies by providing mentorship, support, and broader commercialization opportunities.  Hilcorp Energy plans a $4.5 million renovation of the 13th floor at its 1111 Travis St. headquarters. This is the latest in a series of renovations for the 24-story tower, which Hilcorp has occupied since 2016.  Houston Dynamo FC adds International Money Express as a new partner, continuing its sponsorship growth. The company will have the naming rights to Shell Energy Stadium's northeast gate, which will be renamed Intermex Gate. Landry’s Inc. plans to convert the two-story, 5,650-square-foot former Joe's Crab Shack at 7 Kemah Boardwalk Waterfront Drive into an entrance building for a new water park. The estimated $435,000 project is slated to start in July and finish by the end of next March. Memorial Hermann Cypress Hospital will begin its third expansion this fall, a $277.5 million privately funded project. This expansion will add two new buildings, including a six-story Patient Bed Tower that will house TIRR Memorial Hermann inpatient rehab and increase the hospital's licensed bed count to 201.  Sueba USA breaks ground on a 346-unit apartment complex, "Missouri City 1," in Fort Bend Town Center in Missouri City, with completion expected by fall 2026. The development, located near a Metro Park and Ride, will offer studio to three-bedroom units ranging from 496 to 2,088 square feet. The Signorelli Co. secures two new large tenants for its 240-acre Valley Ranch Town Center mixed-use development: Books-A-Million will occupy a 12,000-square-foot space, and Havertys Furniture will open a 41,500-square-foot showroom, with both scheduled to open this fall.  Education Harmony Public Schools is set to open its first STEM-focused campus at City Place on August 13 for the 2025-26 school year, serving students from pre-K through sixth grade. This campus is part of a larger development that will eventually include middle and high schools on a 28.9-acre site.  Rice University's Owl Spark and the University of Houston's RED Labs launch their summer 2025 accelerators, featuring a total of 20 student ventures focused on various sectors like technology and healthcare. These programs will culminate in The Bayou Startup Showcase in July.  University of Houston launches the Centennial Construction Project, a $43 million initiative aiming to transform the campus core, creating more pedestrian-friendly spaces, including a new Centennial Plaza and enhancements to Wilhelmina's Grove. University of Houston-Downtown has relocated its Career Center Annex, Office of Alumni Relations, and Office of Continuing Education to "The Launchpad" at 1801 Main St. to enhance post-degree success and career mobility. Additionally, UHD is establishing the Center for Crime, Urban Research and Education (C-CURE) at The Launchpad, aiming to provide technical assistance and foster research-driven solutions for complex challenges in the greater Houston area. Health Care Houston Methodist holds first place among large health systems in Premier's 15 Top Health Systems in the United States, an annual ranking based on clinical outcomes, operational efficiency, and patient experience. Several of its individual hospitals also received high rankings in various categories within Premier's Top 100 Hospitals list, alongside HCA Houston Healthcare facilities.  Innovation  Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital introduces a new robotic bronchoscopy system for early lung cancer detection, marking the first time this minimally invasive technology is available in Fort Bend County.  Rice University's student-led Rice Wind Energy team secured second place overall at the U.S. Department of Energy's 2025 Collegiate Wind Competition. The competition, which challenges students to design and build wind turbines, develop projects, and engage in public outreach, saw over 40 teams compete with only 12 reaching the finals.  Syzygy Plasmonics begins developing NovaSAF 1 in Uruguay, the world's first electrified facility designed to convert biogas into over 350,000 gallons of sustainable aviation fuel annually. University of Houston's BRAIN Center and TIRR Memorial Hermann develop MyoStep, a soft, lightweight exoskeleton designed to help children with cerebral palsy improve motor function. This innovative device includes a wireless sensor network for real-time data collection and safety features, offering a discreet solution for motor impairments.  Transportation  Houston ISD undergoes the first steps for a free METRO bus pass partnership for its roughly 50,000 high school students. This agreement will allow eligible HISD students to use Metro's existing transit system at a negotiated rate. Southwest Airlines is finalizing its first transpacific partnership with Taiwan-based China Airlines, allowing for single-ticket itineraries between their services. The partnership is set to launch in early 2026, with routes becoming available for purchase later this year.  If you are a member and want us to help communicate news about your organization, please send a press release or information about the announcement to member.engagement@houston.org and we will share it with our content team for possible inclusion in an upcoming roundup. Learn more about Partnership membership.

The Greater Houston Partnership’s Houston Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs (HYPE) program empowers early- to mid-career professionals to grow as leaders, build meaningful connections, and deepen their engagement in Houston’s business and civic landscape. Through curated events and purposeful programming, HYPE cultivates a pipeline of rising talent ready to take on leadership roles in their companies and communities. The Partnership is committed to fostering the next generation of leaders who will help shape Houston’s future, and HYPE is one way we’re investing in that vision. Hear from a past HYPE Member, Houston City Council Member Tiffany D. Thomas, on how her journey with HYPE helped shape her career, particularly at a HYPE coffee chat.   “When I first joined what was then the Greater Houston Partnership’s Involvement Committee in 2011, now known as HYPE, I saw an opportunity to bridge my work with the Houston Area Urban League, the city’s business community, and my interests.  Though work and civic demands have occasionally pulled me away, I’ve always understood HYPE’s immense value for young professionals, especially those without ready access to mentors or development resources.   My single most memorable HYPE moment took place at a roundtable breakfast at Hotel ZaZa. Dan Bellow facilitated our “table talk” with such openness that I, coming from a family without insider connections, felt empowered to ‘shoot my shot’ and ask the BIG questions.   Dan’s openness to listening, sharing personal insights, and responding with honesty exemplified the kind of relational leadership that HYPE strives to cultivate, authentic, courageous, and deeply human. While I may have dominated the Q&A portion of the breakfast (much to the likely frustration of my tablemates), I knew I couldn’t let the opportunity pass me by. Moments like that aren't guaranteed, and I would have regretted staying silent.  Over the years, what I learned through HYPE involvement led me to board seats, speaking invitations, and collaborative projects with city officials, connections that ultimately helped lay the groundwork for my dual roles in academia and as a Houston City Council member. Serving on HYPE workgroups sharpened my ability to set agendas, mobilize volunteers, and execute strategic initiatives—lessons in “leadership by doing” that continue to guide me today.   My advice for current HYPE members is simple: lean in and bring someone with you. Be involved and attend HYPE programs, ask to shadow a senior leader, and don’t hesitate to reach out for a 15-minute coffee chat. Those small acts of initiative not only expand your network but also build confidence in your own voice.   To the future business and community leaders of Houston, I offer two key pieces of counsel: cultivate genuine curiosity—ask “Why?” before “How?”—and practice servant leadership by elevating others’ contributions as much as your own. Today, you can deepen your impact by serving on local nonprofit boards, participating in city advisory councils, or championing inclusive economic programs in your neighborhood.   These experiences strengthen our region and hone the collaborative, civic-minded skill set that today's leaders will need. I joined HYPE seeking a platform; what I found was a community that champions growth, connection, and possibility. Here’s to the next generation of Houston’s leaders—may you ask big questions, build real relationships, and drive our city forward. I am counting on you.” —Houston City Council Member Tiffany D. Thomas The Houston Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs (HYPE) is a member-based program, to subscribe you must be employed at a current member company. Learn more about HYPE.