Houston triumphs in new list of America's top 10 best cities

new report

It's a solid ranking for the Bayou City. Photo via Getty Images

Houston is earning high praise for its prosperity, lovability, and livability in a prestigious new report by Canada-based real estate and tourism marketing advisors Resonance Consultancy.

The annual "America's Best Cities" report ranks the relative qualities of place, cultural diversity, and economic prosperity for America's principal cities with metropolitan populations of 500,000 or more. These top 100 cities are "the engines of their regional and national economies and, importantly, the global economy," according to the report.

Houston ranked No. 10 on the list, with New York City (No. 1), Chicago (No. 2), and Los Angeles (No. 3) claiming the coveted top three spots.

Resonance refers to its 2023 report of the "World's Best Cities" when describing Houston's achievements, specifically reiterating how the city appears as an underdog among Texas' major cities, specifically Austin.

"Austin may get the attention, but the promise of the Lone Star State drawing Californians and New Yorkers is quietly being fulfilled in Houston," the report restated.

Houston's reputation as Space City, combined with its vibrant culture (driven by major events like the WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival and the various Juneteenth celebrations) are two standout qualities in the report.

Of course, you can't forget about Houston's strong economic ties with the oil and gas industry, where over a dozen major employers were recently listed among the best companies to work for by U.S. News and World Report.

"While hometown companies like ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil andPhillips 66 have ensured that 40 percent of Houston’s economy is tied directly or indirectly to oil and gas, the energy talent in the city has made it an unlikely green power destination," the report said. "According to a recent McKinsey report, investment of up to $250 billion may be headed Houston’s way by 2040 to leverage the skilled workforce and existing infrastructure."

Moreover, Houston's dining scene ranked No. 4 in the report's restaurants subcategory, above renowned foodie cities like San Fransisco, Las Vegas, and Miami. Resonance described the city's "underappreciated" culinary field as a three-way amalgamation of "Southern Soul," barbecue, and Mexican influences "that's then seasoned with global cuisine."

For locals and Newstonians looking for restaurant recommendations, the report gives only one: The newly opened Late August, in Midtown, whose talented executive chef Sergio Hidalgo and sommelier/general manager Danny Davis mix "southern Mexican cuisine with West African magic."

Elsewhere in Texas, Austin (No. 15) and Dallas (No. 16) ranked among the top 20 best U.S. cities, with San Antonio coming in at No. 32 nationally. Landing outside the top 50 in the report were El Paso (No. 83) and McAllen (No. 88).

The top 10 best American cities, according to Resonance Consultancy, are:

  • No. 1 – New York, New York
  • No. 2 – Chicago, Illinois
  • No. 3 – Los Angeles, California
  • No. 4 – Miami, Florida
  • No. 5 – Las Vegas, Nevada
  • No. 6 – San Francisco, California
  • No. 7 – Boston, Massachusetts
  • No. 8 – Washington, D.C.
  • No. 9 – Seattle, Washington
  • No. 10 – Houston, Texas

The full list of cities and the report's methodology can be found on worldsbestcities.com.

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This article originally ran on CultureMap.

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Houston Innovation Awards to honor 2 trailblazers with posthumous recognition

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Last month, the Houston innovation community suffered the loss of two business leaders who left a significant impact on the ecosystem. In November, both individuals' careers will be recognized with Trailblazer Legacy Awards.

Every year, the Houston Innovation Awards honors a Trailblazer Award recipient for their past and future dedication to startups in Houston, and this year InnovationMap is doing approaching the award differently in light of recent events. Paul Frison, founder of the Houston Technology Center, and Scott Gale, executive director of Halliburton Labs, will receive the award posthumously. Frison died on September 5, and Gale died on September 24. The award was decided on by the 2024 judges and InnovationMap.

“I am immensely proud to honor these two remarkable individuals with the Trailblazer Award this year. It is fitting, as they represent two generations of building Houston’s ecosystem," 2023 Trailblazer Award recipient Brad Burke, managing director of the Rice Alliance and the associate vice president for industry and new ventures within Rice University's Office of Innovation, tells InnovationMap.

"Paul Frison was a pioneering leader who helped establish the Houston Technology Center and fostered the city’s tech ecosystem during the initial technology boom around the year 2000. Scott Gale, through his work at Halliburton Labs over the past five years, has been instrumental in launching Houston’s energy transition ecosystem," he continues. "Both have played pivotal roles in championing technology innovators.”

A long-time Houston businessman, Frison founded HTC in 1999 and served as its CEO and president. The organization evolved into Houston Exponential several years ago. Frison remained active within Houston innovation until 2020. Prior to HTC, he served in various executive roles at American Hospital Supply, LifeMark, ComputerCraft, and LifeCell, spending the last 50 of his years in Houston. Born in Glendale, California, he served in the Unites States Coast Guard.

"Houston's vibrant technology entrepreneurship ecosystem is the product of Paul Frison's commitment to innovation, integrity, and growth for our community," says Walter Ulrich, former president and CEO of HTC. "He is the father of Houston's tech ecosystem, CEO of one of Houston's first tech Unicorns, founder of the Houston Technology Center ranked as a top ten technology incubator by Forbes, philanthropist, veteran, and family man."

Gale helped to launch Halliburton Labs in 2020. Prior to that role, he lead global strategy initiatives for Halliburton. A Brigham Young University graduate, he received his MBA from Rice University in 2019, where he co-founded the Jones Student Association for Executives. After his graduation, he served on the the Rice Business Alumni Association Board and the Energy Advisory Board for the Rice Alliance Clean Energy Accelerator. He was also a voice actor and the co-host of two podcasts: Rice University's Owl Have You Know Podcast, which shares experiences of Rice's business community, and the Curiosity podcast, which explored optimism and curiosity with guests and co-host Brad Rossacci.

"We established the Trailblazer Award to recognize the city's innovation leaders, and Scott and Paul both more than deserve to be recognized for their contributions to Houston," Natalie Harms, editor of InnovationMap, says. "My hope is that this year's Trailblazer Legacy Awards pay tribute to their lasting impacts."

The awards will be presented at the November 14 event.

BCM receives $50M for new tower, Houston named a top metro for entrepreneurs, and more trending news

top stories

Editor's note:Let's roundup the most-read Houston innovation news from the week. Trending Houston tech and startup articles from InnovationMap and its daily newsletter included the an ongoing health care tower's new funding, events not to miss for October, and more.

Rising Houston health care tower secures $50M in donations

The tower, set for completion in 2026, will be the new home of the School of Medicine and the School of Health Professions. Rendering courtesy of SLAM Architecture

Houston’s Baylor College of Medicine has received more than $50 million in donations for construction of the Lillie and Roy Cullen Tower.

The tower, originally announced last year and set for completion in 2026, will be the new home of the School of Medicine and the School of Health Professions.

“Thanks to tremendous support from the community, we have raised almost $150 million in philanthropy for the new state-of-the-art home for the School of Medicine and School of Health Professions. Cullen Tower isn’t just an investment in infrastructure, but an investment in the health and well-being of future generations,” Dr. Paul Klotman, president, CEO, and executive dean at the Baylor College of Medicine, says in a news release. Continue reading.

Houston scores top ranking of best cities for entrepreneurs

The Bayou City ranks highly thanks to a high quality-of-living score, lack of a state income tax and state capital gains tax, and a state sales tax rate of 6.25 percent. Photo by Natalie Harms/InnovationMap

Houston joins Dallas and Austin in a new ranking of the 10 best U.S. cities for entrepreneurs to live.

Houston appears at No. 7 on the list, compiled by SumUp, which provides payment and banking services for businesses. In part, Bayou City ranks highly thanks to a high quality-of-living score. Houston also fares well due to the lack of a state income tax and state capital gains tax, and a state sales tax rate of 6.25 percent. Continue reading.

Houston energy, innovation leader dies after hard-fought battle with cancer

Scott Gale, executive director for Halliburton Labs, has died, leaving behind a legacy of innovation, collaboration, and curiosity. Photo via Rice University

Houston energy and innovation leader Scott Gale died on September 24 after a years-long fight with cancer. He was 40 years old.

Gale was the inaugural executive director for Halliburton Labs, which launched in 2020. Prior to that role, he lead global strategy initiatives for Halliburton. A Brigham Young University graduate, he received his MBA from Rice University in 2019, where he co-founded the Jones Student Association for Executives. After his graduation, he served on the the Rice Business Alumni Association Board and the Energy Advisory Board for the Rice Alliance Clean Energy Accelerator.

"Scott made an impact with his incredible kindness, energy, and talent," Dale Winger, managing director at Halliburton Labs, tells InnovationMap. Continue reading.

Houston clean energy company secures $53M series C investment

Utility Global’s technology enables reduction of greenhouse gas emissions along with generation of low-carbon fuels and chemicals. Photo courtesy of Utility Global

Houston-based Utility Global, a maker of decarbonization-focused gas production technology, has raised $53 million in an ongoing series C round.

Among the participants in the round are Canada’s Ontario Power Generation Pension Plan, the XCarb Innovation Fund operated by Luxembourg-based steel company ArcelorMittal, Houston-based investment firm Ara Partners, and Saudi Aramco’s investment arm. Continue reading.

10+ can't-miss Houston business and innovation events for October

Don't miss these October events — from expos and conferences to panels and pitch days. Photo via Getty Images

From networking meetups to pitch competitions, October is lined with opportunities for Houston innovators.

Here's a roundup of events you won't want to miss out on so mark your calendars and register accordingly. Continue reading.

Rice researchers secure $35M federal grant to advance medical device technology

big money

Rice University has secured part of a nearly $35 million federal grant aimed at commercializing a bioelectric implant for treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity.

The federal Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health awarded the $34.9 million grant to Rice and several other universities.

Rice’s Biotech Launch Pad will lead the effort to commercialize the self-contained, implantable Rx On-site Generation Using Electronics (ROGUE) device. ROGUE houses cells that are engineered to produce type 2 diabetes and obesity therapies in response to patients’ needs.

Carnegie Mellon University leads the team of researchers handling development and testing of ROGUE, which acts as a “living pharmacy” designed to make biologic drugs available on demand in a patient’s body.

The ROGUE initiative aims to keep the cost of this treatment significantly below the cost of other biologics-based treatments.

“ROGUE’s innovative design combines efficient biological manufacturing, long-term durability, and patient-friendly features that have the potential to transform the landscape of biologics delivery,” Omid Veiseh, professor of bioengineering and faculty director of the Rice Biotech Launch Pad, says in a news release.

Paul Wotton, an in-house entrepreneur at the university and executive director of the Rice accelerator, is helping guide ROGUE toward becoming an independent company.

“With the Biotech Launch Pad, our goal is venture creation in parallel to the groundbreaking research at Rice and its collaborating institutions,” Wotton says.

Omid Veiseh is professor of bioengineering and faculty director of the Rice Biotech Launch Pad. Photo courtesy Rice University

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