A Texas energy giant has joined The Ion as a founding partner, the innovation hub announced recently.

ExxonMobil, which announced its new Houston HQ move from Irving, Texas, earlier this year, celebrated the announcement at the Ion Activation Festival last month. The partnership is effective immediately, according to a June 13 news release.

“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,” says Linda DuCharme, president of ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company, in the release. “Our partnership with The Ion will enable us to tap into the extraordinary talent in Houston.”

ExxonMobil joins existing Ion founding partners Aramco, Chevron Technology Ventures, Baker Botts, and Microsoft, as well as affiliate partners bp and Intel. The company joins the Ion "to help develop solutions for the world’s emerging energy issues," per the release.

“To have one of the strongest brands in oil and gas globally join us is a testament to the Ion’s momentum and mission,” says Jan E. Odegard, executive director of the 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 a 266,000-square-foot building developed and managed by Rice Management Company and anchors the 16-acre Innovation District in Midtown.