Intelligent Investment

Houston Market

Global Life Sciences Atlas

April 11, 2025 5 Minute Read

commercial-real-estate-Houston

Overview

  • The Houston life sciences cluster benefits from world-class healthcare institutions and research universities as well as a significant depth of talent.
  • Houston has 2.6 million sq. ft. of multi-tenanted life sciences lab/research and development (R&D) space, as well as roughly 400,000 sq. ft. of owner-occupied space.
  • Houston life sciences companies secured roughly $1.7 billion in venture capital funding between 2019-2024.
  • Houston’s life sciences ecosystem is supported by world-renowned universities (Rice University, University of Houston) and leading healthcare institutions (Baylor College of Medicine, MD Anderson Cancer, etc.).
  • In FY 2024 the National Institutes of Health (NIH) allocated more than $937 million to organizations in Houston for healthcare and life sciences initiatives.

Submarkets

Houston-Submarket-Map

Industry Presence

  • More than 36,000 people work in the region’s industry, the nation’s 14th-largest life sciences workforce.
  • Houston has more than 15,000 people in life sciences R&D roles, the ninth-largest contingent of these researchers in the U.S.
  • Houston life sciences companies secured $304 million of venture capital funding last year, almost double 2023’s tally of $154 million.

Life Sciences Venture Capital Investment Trends

Figure 1: Life Sciences Venture Capital Funding

Source: CBRE Research, Q4 2024.

Life Sciences Market Stats

Figure 2: Market Overview

Source: CBRE Research, Q4 2024.

Development Pipeline or Activity

Figure 2: Lab/R&D Space Under Construction

Source: CBRE Research, Q4 2024.

Key Trends/Big News

  • Six life science companies headquartered in Houston were deemed to have the most promising technologies at the Texas Life Science Forum.
  • RBL, a biotech incubator by Rice University, has secured 11,000 sq. ft. at Dynamic One to support early-stage companies in achieving clinical success.
  • Institutional growth and collaboration are actively progressing, as both MD Anderson’s research facility and the UTHealth Science Center plan to construct bridges that will connect their respective buildings to Helix Park.
  • Bio Nova Scientific
  • Cellipont
  • Healgen Scientific
  • Baylor College of Medicine
  • MD Anderson Cancer
  • Rice University
  • University of Houston
  • University of Texas Health Sciences Center
  • University of Texas Health Systems

Global Life Science Markets

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