Japanese energy tech manufacturer moves U.S. headquarters to Houston

HQ HOU

TMEIC Corporation Americas has moved its U.S. headquarters to Houston. Photo via tmeic.com

TMEIC Corporation Americas has officially relocated its headquarters from Roanoke, Virginia, to Houston.

TMEIC Corporation Americas, a group company of Japan-based TMEIC Corporation Japan, recently inaugurated its new space in the Energy Corridor, according to a news release. The new HQ occupies the 10th floor at 1080 Eldridge Parkway, according to ConnectCRE. The company first announced the move last summer.

TMEIC Corporation Americas specializes in photovoltaic inverters and energy storage systems. It employs approximately 500 people in the Houston area, and has plans to grow its workforce in the city in the coming year as part of its overall U.S. expansion.

"We are thrilled to be part of the vibrant Greater Houston community and look forward to expanding our business in North America's energy hub," Manmeet S. Bhatia, president and CEO of TMEIC Corporation Americas, said in the release.

The TMEIC group will maintain its office in Roanoke, which will focus on advanced automation systems, large AC motors and variable frequency drive systems for the industrial sector, according to the release.

TMEIC Corporation Americas also began operations at its new 144,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility in Brookshire, which is dedicated to manufacturing utility-scale PV inverters, earlier this year. The company also broke ground on its 267,000-square-foot manufacturing facility—its third in the U.S. and 13th globally—this spring, also in Waller County. It's scheduled for completion in May 2026.

"With the global momentum toward decarbonization, electrification, and domestic manufacturing resurgence, we are well-positioned for continued growth," Bhatia added in the release. "Together, we will continue to drive industry and uphold our legacy as a global leader in energy and industrial solutions."

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This article originally appeared on EnergyCapitalHTX.com.

Healgen Scientific opened its new headquarters in Houston last week. Photo courtesy of Healgen

Global diagnostics manufacturer opens new Houston facility, headquarters

moving in

A global health care company has cut the ribbon on its new facility and headquarters in Houston.

Healgen Scientific, which manufacturers diagnostic products for infectious diseases, toxicology, oncology, and more, opened the facility last week. Operating as the company's new headquarters, the location is the first manufacturing facility in Houston for Healgen. The company currently has around 120 employees in the U.S. and is expected to create over 200 new jobs in the next three years

“This new facility in Houston uses very innovative technology that will precisely diagnose viruses or diseases so people can be confident in the results they are receiving,” Bingliang Fang, CEO of Healgen Scientific, says in a release. “Here, Healgen is able to produce quality tests on a very large scale—nearly a half million per day. We are proud to provide made in the USA products with a commitment to using local materials, employing local residents and being an integral part of the community.”

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Healgen Scientific teamed up with Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc. on a Rapid COVID-19 Antigen Self-Test. Today, over 2 billion Rapid COVID-19 Antigen Self-Test Kits have been used worldwide.

With 325 automated production lines around the world, Healgen's facilities have a daily production capacity of more than 22 million health care tests. Recently, the company moved 15 of these production lines to the U.S., investing over $100 million in three large-scale manufacturing and warehouse facilities in New York, New Jersey, and Texas. The facility in Houston will also produce RSV tests later in the year.

“We welcome you to our great city,” says Chris Hollins, city controller, City of Houston Controller’s Office. “This is a city, and a state, of business and of commerce. We’re excited that hundreds of jobs are on the way because of the investment of Healgen and the Fang family, and we’re grateful for your presence. On behalf of more than 2 million Houstonians, we applaud Healgen Scientific LLC on bringing world-class innovation and disease management to the United States.”

Healgen cut the ribbon on its newest facility last week. Photo courtesy of Healgen

Elon Musk announced that both SpaceX and X will relocate headquarters to two Texas cities. Photo via Getty Images

Elon Musk says he's moving SpaceX, X headquarters from California to Texas

cha-cha-changes

Billionaire Elon Musk says he's moving the headquarters of SpaceX and social media company X to Texas from California.

Musk posted on X Tuesday that he plans on moving SpaceX from Hawthorne, California, to the company's rocket launch site dubbed Starbase in Texas. X will move to Austin from San Francisco.

He called a new law signed Monday by California Gov. Gavin Newsom that bars school districts from requiring staff to notify parents of their child’s gender identification change the “final straw.”

“I did make it clear to Governor Newsom about a year ago that laws of this nature would force families and companies to leave California to protect their children,” Musk wrote.

Tesla, where Musk is CEO, moved its corporate headquarters to Austin from Palo Alto, California in 2021.

Musk has also said that he has moved his residence from California to Texas, where there is no state personal income tax.

SpaceX builds and launches its massive Starship rockets from the southern tip of Texas at Boca Chica Beach, near the Mexican border at a site called Starbase. The company’s smaller Falcon 9 rockets take off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, and Southern California.

It’s just below South Padre Island, and about 20 miles from Brownsville.

Omair Tariq of Cart.com joins the Houston Innovators Podcast to share his confidence in Houston as the right place to scale his unicorn. Photo via Cart.com

Houston innovator bets on Bayou City to scale fast-growing unicorn tech co.

HOUSTON INNOVATORS PODCAST EPISODE 223

Last November, Houston-founded logistics tech company Cart.com announced that it would be returning its headquarters to Houston after spending the last two years growing in Austin. But Co-Founder and CEO Omair Tariq says that while the corporate address may have changed, he actually never left.

"I've been in Houston now forever — and I don't think I'm planning on leaving anytime soon. I love Houston — this city has given me everything I have," Tariq says on the Houston Innovators Podcast. "I even love the traffic and everything people hate about Houston."

Tariq, who was born in Pakistan and grew up in Dubai before relocating as a teen to Houston, shared his entrepreneurial journey on the show, which included starting a jewelry business and being an early employee at Blinds.com before it was acquired in 2014 by Home Depot.

"For me to build something here was always a priority," Tariq says. He founded Cart.com in 2020.

He explains that the initial HQ relocation to Austin in 2021 was more of a co-location between the two Texas cities that was motivated by an increase in Austin activity for investors and potential customers for Cart.com.

"Austin was doing a really good job of branding itself as being the city in Texas to come to when you think about innovation or technology," Tariq says. "What we learned was that as we were building our own brand of being a technology company and being a company that wanted to gain global and at least national credibility, we thought that if we're closer to the action happening in Austin, we would get there faster."

Since the relocation, Cart.com raised a $60 million series C and grown its customer base to over 6,000 users. After making several acquisitions, the company also operates 14 fulfillment centers nationwide.

"I think Austin served its purpose. It certainly allowed us to be in the limelight in all the right ways, and I'm grateful for it," Tariq says. "But once we got to a point, once we closed our series C round and became a unicorn ... I think we're now at a scale where the infrastructure that Houston provides is probably something that will be more attractive and useful for us in the long term."

And Tariq adds on the show that he feels confident that he knows Houston well, and knows it is the right place to continue Cart.com's growth, which he says hopes includes 10 times the brands supported, a global footprint, and potentially an IPO.

Axiom Space's new Houston Spaceport facility is now open. Photo courtesy of Houston Airports

Space tech unicorn opens new 22-acre HQ in the Houston Spaceport

ribbon cutting

The Houston Spaceport has officially celebrated the opening of another facility from a fast-growing space tech company.

Axiom Space has opened its new Assembly Integration and Test Building, which will be the new headquarters for the Houston-based aerospace company at a new 22-acre campus at the Houston Spaceport at Ellington Airport in Southeast Houston. The building will include employee offices, facilities for astronaut training and mission control, testing labs and a high bay production facility to house Axiom Space Station modules currently under construction.

Axiom Space partnered with Jacobs, Turner Construction Company, Savills, and Griffin Partners to expand the company’s headquarters with the Houston spaceport building, which is the tenth spaceport in the nation.

For the first time in Houston’s history, the Space City is now home to the development of human-rated spacecraft with the Axiom Stations modules. Houston Spaceport has laboratory office space like technology incubator space and large-scale hardware production facilities, and is the world’s first urban commercial spaceport.

“These are historically exciting times for us all,” Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner says in a news release. “As the city that helped put men on the moon, Houston continues to lead the way in technology and innovation. Axiom Space has set itself apart from others in the private space industry. Our city – Space City — is leading this second space race. And the work being done in our city will return humanity to the moon in a sustainable way.”

Axiom operates end-to-end missions to the International Space Station. They are also developing its successor, Axiom Station, and building next-generation spacesuits for the moon, low-Earth orbit, and other missions. The company describes itself as “the leading provider of human spaceflight services and developer of human-rated space infrastructure.”

Axiom joins Collins Aerospace and Intuitive Machines as the three tenants of the Houston Spaceport, which is an FAA-licensed, urban commercial spaceport for the aerospace community. Intuitive Machines supports NASA’s $93 billion Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the moon by 2024 and eventually send humans to Mars.

“Today’s celebration is the culmination of teamwork and tenacity, and it underscores a year of historic milestones for Houston Airports,” Mario Diaz, director of Aviation for Houston Airports, says in a news release. “It’s not enough that we operate world-class airports, Houston Airports must also endeavor to progress humanity’s reach out into space. Axiom space solidifies this unique urban center for collaboration and ideation. A place where the brightest minds in the world work closely together to lead us beyond the next frontier of space exploration.”

The Houston Spaceport Development Corp. received $5 million from funds administered by the Governor's Office of Economic Development and Tourism. Axiom Space is valued at $1 billion as of earlier this year, according to Bloomberg. Axiom joins Intuitive Machines, which opened its new Houston Spaceport headquarters earlier this year.

Last week, Axiom Space cut the ribbon on the new facility. Photo courtesy of Houston Airports

Last year, London-based Octopus Energy established its U.S. headquarters in Houston. Image via octopus.energy

Energy software company picks Houston as U.S. HQ

home sweet houston

Kraken Technologies, the software licensing arm of Octopus Energy Group, has picked Houston for its U.S. headquarters and aims to eventually employ hundreds of people here.

Within the first year, Kraken will create at least 50 new jobs in Houston, the company says. Employees here will work on rolling out the Kraken offering across the U.S.

“The decision to make Houston the [U.S.] home of Kraken recognizes this city’s growing reputation as a tech center,” Richard Hyde, British consul general in Houston, says in an Octopus Energy news release.

Last year, London-based Octopus Energy established its U.S. headquarters in Houston.

The Kraken platform, which launched three years ago, helps customers manage the entire energy supply chain, such as understanding customers’ energy consumption in real time and optimizing alternative energy sources. The platform hopes to reach 100 million customer accounts by 2027.

Octopus Energy explains that Kraken, based on advanced data and machine learning, helps create a “decentralized, decarbonized energy system.”

“Energy is one of the few global sectors still undisrupted by tech – Kraken changes that. It is essentially a big robot that eliminates all the inefficiencies that energy companies have built up over the decades, automating repetitive tasks, allowing humans to do what they are best at, and unlocking smart products,” says Greg Jackson, founder and CEO of Octopus Energy.

Octopus Energy supplies green energy to more than 3 million retail customers around the world. It entered the U.S. market in 2020. The company is valued at nearly $5 billion.

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8+ can't-miss Houston business and innovation events in January

where to be

Editor's note: Kick off 2026 by hearing insightful talks and making meaningful connections in Houston's innovation scene. From networking workshops to presentations from major industry leaders, here's what not to miss and how to register. Please note: this article may be updated to include additional event listings.

Jan. 13 – Financing the Future

Hear from James Blake, head of capital markets at Fervo Energy, in this informative talk. Blake will cover the current investment landscape for geothermal power, how geothermal projects are structured and the role of policy incentives and innovative financing models in moving the industry forward. A small reception follows.

This event is Tuesday, Jan. 13, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Ion. Register here.

Jan. 13 – Your Path to the Boardroom

Visit Sesh Coworking to hear from Keith Dorsey, an executive advisor and author of The Boardroom Journey, as he shares insights and lessons from hundreds of corporate board members and presents an actionable roadmap for women at every stage of their careers. Dorsey will speak on what "optimal diversity” means in the boardroom, how purpose-driven leaders sustain resilience under relentless pressure and why inclusive leadership is non-negotiable for growth and innovation.

This event is Tuesday, Jan. 13, from 6-8 p.m. at Sesh Coworking. Register here.

Jan. 14 — A Conversation with Dr. Wayne J. Riley on Leading Through Healthcare Transformation

Rice Business Partners will host Dr. Wayne J. Riley, president of SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, for a moderated discussion with Dean Peter Rodriguez. Riley will share insights on leading complex healthcare organizations in an era of unprecedented industry challenges and reflect on his time at the Jones Graduate School of Business.

This event is Wednesday, Jan. 14, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at McNair Hall on Rice University's campus. Register here.

Jan. 14 — VDW: Igniting Connections for Startup Success

Entrepreneurial communications instructor Diana Massaro will lead Lilie's latest Venture Development Workshop, focused on soft skills like clear communication, active listening and compelling introductions. Attendees will gain a personalized networking game plan and communication tools to turn casual encounters into meaningful relationships to support their ventures or careers.

This event is Wednesday, Jan. 14, from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship on Rice University's campus. Register here.

Jan. 21 — Upstream: Digital Tech Meetup

This month's Upstream: Digital Tech Meetup will explore how AI and real-time monitoring are being applied in safety-critical offshore environments, what’s working today, where the biggest gaps remain going into 2026 and how operators and service companies are approaching adoption. Expect to hear from leaders at NOV, Incom Solutions, Timbergrove and others.

This event is Wednesday, Jan. 21, from 8:30-10:30 a.m. at the Ion. Find more information here.

Jan. 22 — HEAD AND HEART: Leading Technology with Humanity While Everything Changes

Hear from Chris Hyams, former CEO of Indeed, at the latest installment of Rice's Master of Engineering Management & Leadership Seminar Series. Hyams will present on the intersection of technology, humanity and change—and how AI is reshaping all three.

This event is Thursday, Jan. 22, at 6 p.m. at Duncan Hall on Rice University's campus. Find more information here.

Jan. 22 – NASA Tech Talk

This month's NASA Tech Talks will feature a special delegation from the UK Science and Technology Network. Expect to hear from a panel of UK space experts, followed by a fireside chat featuring David Alexander, head of the Rice Space Institute, and Meganne Christian, ESA reserve astronaut and senior exploration manager.

This event is Thursday, Jan. 22, from 6-7 p.m. at the Ion. Find more information here.

Jan. 29 – Ignition Hub Startup Career Fair

Lilie will host the Ignition Hub Startup Career Fair this month in partnership with Rice University’s Center for Career Development and Career Development Office. The fair will bring together some of the most innovative, high-growth companies to offer Rice students exciting opportunities. Startups can apply to be considered for the fair. The event is open to Rice University undergraduate, graduate, MBA, and PhD students.

This event is Thursday, Jan. 29, at Grand Hall on Rice University's campus. Find more information here.

Jan. 29 – Health Policy Symposium: Value-Based Care & the Health Care Workforce

The Humana Integrated Health Systems Science Institute at the University of Houston will host its latest Health Policy Symposium this month, focused on the evolving landscape of value-based care and the importance of preparing and strengthening the health care workforce. Hear keynote addresses from leaders at Humana, UH, the American Medical Association and Houston Health Department.

This event is Thursday, Jan. 29, from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine on Rice University's campus. Find more information here.

Jan. 30 — GHP Annual Meeting

The Greater Houston Partnership's premier event will highlight the region’s progress, honor visionary leadership and set the tone for the year ahead. Hear reflections from outgoing board chair, Gretchen Watkins (former -president of Shell USA); welcome incoming board chair, Armando Perez (EVP of H-E-B Houston); and more

This event is Friday, Jan. 30, from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at Hilton Americas. Find more information here.

CPRIT CEO: Houston’s $2B in funding is transforming cancer research and prevention

fighting cancer

With its plethora of prestigious health care organizations like the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, UTHealth Houston, and the Baylor College of Medicine, Houston sits at the heart of cancer research and prevention in Texas.

Of course, it takes piles of cash to support Houston’s status as the state’s hub for cancer research and prevention. Much of that money comes from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT).

Data supplied by CPRIT shows organizations in Harris County gained $2.3 billion in institute funding from 2009 through 2025, or nearly $145 million per year. That represents almost 60 percent of the roughly $4 billion that CPRIT has granted to Texas institutions over a 16-year period.

“The life sciences ecosystem that has developed and changed in Houston is phenomenal,” Kristen Doyle, who became the agency’s CEO in July 2024, tells InnovationMap. “In the next decade, we will look back and see a great transformation.”

That ecosystem includes more than 1,100 life sciences and biotech companies, according to the Greater Houston Partnership.

Houston plays critical role in clinical trials

Texas voters approved the creation of CPRIT in 2007. Twelve years later, voters agreed to earmark an extra $3 billion for CPRIT, bringing the state agency’s total investment in cancer research and prevention to $6 billion.

To date, CPRIT money has gone toward recruiting 344 cancer researchers to Texas (mainly to Houston) and has supported cancer prevention services for millions of Texans in the state’s 254 counties. CPRIT funding has also helped establish, expand, or relocate 25 cancer-focused companies. In Houston, MD Anderson ranks as the No. 1 recipient of CPRIT funding.

Regarding cancer research, Doyle says Houston plays a critical role in clinical trials.

“[Clinical trials are] something that CPRIT has focused on more and more. Brilliant discoveries are crucial to this whole equation of solving the cancer problem,” Doyle says. “But if those brilliant ideas stay in the labs, then we’ve all failed.”

Researchers conduct more clinical trials in Houston than anywhere else in the U.S., the Greater Houston Partnership says.

Doyle, a 20-year survivor of leukemia, notes that a minority of eligible patients participate in clinical trials for cancer treatments, “and that’s one of the reasons that it takes so long to get a promising drug to market.”

An estimated 7 percent of cancer patients sign up for clinical trials, according to a study published in 2024 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

MD Anderson takes on cancer prevention

Doyle also notes that Houston is leading the charge in cancer prevention.

“We get some national recognition for programs that have been developed in Houston that then can be replicated in other parts of the country,” she says.

Much of the work in Houston focusing on cancer prevention takes place at MD Anderson. The hospital reports that it has received more than $725 million from the CPRIT since 2007, representing approximately 18 percent of CPRIT’s total awards.

“These efforts can have profound impact on the lives of patients and their families, and this funding ensures our exemplary clinicians and scientists can continue working together to drive breakthroughs that advance our mission to end cancer,” Dr. Giulio Draetta, chief scientific officer at MD Anderson, said in a November news release, following the most recent CPRIT award for the hospital totaling more than $29 million.

CPRIT funding for Houston institutions supplements the more than $4.5 billion in federal funding for health and life sciences research and innovations that the Houston area received from 2020 to 2024, according to the Greater Houston Partnership.

“We are curing cancer every single day,” Doyle says of CPRIT. “Every step that we are taking — whether that’s funding great ideas or funding the clinical trials that are bringing promising drugs to Texas and to the world — we are making a difference.”

Houston energy tech co. breaks ground on low-cost hydrogen pilot plant

Coming Soon

Houston’s Lummus Technology and Advanced Ionics have broken ground on their hydrogen pilot plant at Lummus’ R&D facility in Pasadena, Texas.

The plant will support Advanced Ionics’ cutting-edge electrolyzer technology, which aims to deliver high-efficiency hydrogen production with reduced energy requirements.

“By demonstrating Advanced Ionics’ technology at our state-of-the-art R&D facility, we are leveraging the expertise of our scientists and R&D team, plus our proven track record of developing breakthrough technologies,” Leon de Bruyn, president and CEO of Lummus, said in a news release. “This will help us accelerate commercialization of the technology and deliver scalable, cost-effective and sustainable green hydrogen solutions to our customers.”

Advanced Ionics is a Milwaukee-based low-cost green hydrogen technology provider. Its electrolyzer converts process and waste heat into green hydrogen for less than a dollar per kilogram, according to the company. The platform's users include industrial hydrogen producers looking to optimize sustainability at an affordable cost.

Lummus, a global energy technology company, will operate the Advanced Ionics electrolyzer and manage the balance of plant systems.

In 2024, Lummus and Advanced Ionics established their partnership to help advance the production of cost-effective and sustainable hydrogen technology. Lummus Venture Capital also invested an undisclosed amount into Advanced Ionics at the time.

“Our collaboration with Lummus demonstrates the power of partnerships in driving the energy transition forward,” Ignacio Bincaz, CEO of Advanced Ionics, added in the news release. “Lummus serves as a launchpad for technologies like ours, enabling us to validate performance and integration under real-world conditions. This milestone proves that green hydrogen can be practical and economically viable, and it marks another key step toward commercial deployment.”

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