The report finds that Houston’s talent pool has a huge supply of young, tech talent, but that there are obstacles to those people developing their own businesses. Sometimes it’s the issue of visa status; sometimes it’s a lack of capital. All of those things, the report indicates, can be overcome if policy makers, businesses and entrepreneurs work together to help grow Houston as an innovation center. “This is a multi-year journey,” says Richard. “And Houston will be an innovation leader.” Luna agrees. “We can really create an environment and a culture here that says if you want to start a business, we have an ecosystem to support it.”
“We can really create an environment and a culture here that says if you want to start a business, we have an ecosystem to support it.”
—Gina Luna
A CULTURE OF INNOVATION Meanwhile, back at Station Houston, Reale knows he and his team are already growing the ecosystem that will be so vital to the city’s innovation success. Station members are seeing gains in their business connections, as well as in their own growth and goals. But he wants more. Reale wants to see Houston have a thriving innovation district, where start-up entrepreneurs can live and work and interact with each other. As Station Houston hits the end of its first year in the city center, Reale knows the organization might need more or different space. He says Downtown has been a great supporter of his organization and he sees the area’s density as a great strength. That word—strength—is one that comes up a lot as people talk about innovation in Houston. Both Luna and Richards highlighted the city’s strengths in their discussions and recommendations for increasing the innovation economy. They and Reale understand something else, as well: “Jobs are created by new business, not small businesses, even though a vast majority of jobs come from there,” Reale says. Being a place where people want to be to create those jobs will create a domino effect of success, says Accenture’s report. So, fostering innovation and giving start-ups the tools they need to succeed isn’t optional. “If we want the best talent to come here, we need this,” says Richards.
FALL 2017
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