The Fort Bend Economic Development Council (FBEDC) has reached an agreement with Houston Exponential to expand into Fort Bend County, tapping into the area’s potential for startup companies and the larger innovation community. Houston Exponential (HX) will share office space with the economic development council and institute programming meant to support local founders, makers, and innovators.
“We could not be more thrilled to bring Houston Exponential to Fort Bend County,” said Rachelle Kanak, executive vice president of marketing and operations for the FBEDC. “Our county is ripe for an explosion of innovation and entrepreneurialism, and we are excited HX will help support and grow our innovation community.”
Houston Exponential was formed several years ago after Houston failed to recruit Amazon’s big second headquarters to the region, according to Lawson Gow, the company’s new owner. The organization was initially founded as a nonprofit and helped expand Houston’s reputation as a startup destination.
The Houston region has expanded its innovation footprint and ranked fifth in the world for emerging start up hubs in a recent report. Houston Exponential, once focused primarily on the Houston core, now recognizes the innovative power across the region and is nurturing and growing the talent and innovative passion found in communities like Fort Bend County.
“Fort Bend County is full of families with an entrepreneurial spirit,” Gow said. “Everyday, there are people in Fort Bend County that are driving up to the Cannon’s (a startup, co-working space started by Gow) location at I-10 and the Beltway (in Houston). They’re leaving the county. There is great opportunity here – and the partnership will allow Fort Bend to really hone in on the entrepreneurship mentality and desire that exists within the community, without having to leave the county.”
Fort Bend County leads the Greater Houston region, and is tops in the nation, in population growth, diversity, adult education attainment levels, median household income, and innovation index, ripe for the programming, mentorship, and access to capital HX will provide.
Houston Exponential will slowly ramp up programming in Fort Bend County in coming months, developing a calendar of events for those interested in startups to attend. At its height, Houston Exponential will provide a bevy of resources and contacts needed to expand the county’s startup community.
Learn more about Fort Bend and the emerging innovation sector by visiting our innovation initiatives page.