Skip to main content

TMC3 Collaborative Building Ushers New Era for Houston's Life Sciences Ecosystem

Published Oct 26, 2023 by Brina Morales

TMC3 Collaborative Building

TMC3 Collaborative Building

From a parking lot into a groundbreaking epicenter poised to revolutionize Houston’s life sciences ecosystem, the Texas Medical Center celebrated a monumental milestone with the grand opening of the TMC3 Collaborative Building at Helix Park.

The Texas Medical Center convened state, city and industry leaders to showcase the first phase of the 37-acre campus. The 250,000-square-foot TMC3 Collaborative Building will house research initiatives for the four founding institutions: The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and TMC. 

The collaborative space is located at the heart of Helix Park and aims to serve as a new hub of innovation, bringing together academic institutions, industry partners and researchers. It also includes access to wet laboratories and office/co-working space. 

“The opening of the TMC3 Collaborative Building represents yet another pivotal moment in the evolution of the greater Houston region's life sciences and biotechnology ecosystem,” Partnership President and CEO Bob Harvey said. “The building is only the first phase of the vision to have TMC Helix Park be the catalyst for the Houston life sciences industry, bridging groundbreaking research and companies to bring life-saving therapies to market.”

The campus will also include additional research and industry buildings, a hotel, a residential tower and retail. Six public green spaces are complete and open to the public.  

During Thursday’s ceremony, Mayor Sylvester Turner said the campus will serve as an “economic engine” for the region and the state as it attracts top talent and companies from around the world. Turner also highlighted how a new Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) for the TMC and Hermann Park area will generate cash for infrastructure projects. 

Portal Innovations, a Chicago-based life sciences venture capital firm, announced earlier this year it was opening an office at the collaborative building to nurture and invest in early-stage biotech and medtech startups. TMC President and CEO Bill McKeon said housing this type of firm will ensure that innovations and technologies remain in Houston.

Upon completion, Helix Park is expected to add more than 26,000 jobs and generate an additional $5.4 billion in economic activity each year, according to Governor Greg Abbott.

Learn more about Houston's thriving life sciences and biotech industry.
 

Related News

Economic Development

Houston Region Asserts Biotech Excellence at BIO International Convention

6/25/25
The Greater Houston Partnership and regional partners showcased Houston’s thriving life sciences and biotechnology ecosystem at the 2025 BIO International Convention in Boston. As the premier annual biotechnology conference in the United States, BIO 2025 drew nearly 20,000 global attendees, offering a powerful platform to highlight the region’s momentum, innovation, and growing opportunities in the sector.    BioHouston, Galveston EDP, Partnership Lake Houston, Pearland EDC, the Sugar Land Office of Economic Development and Tourism and The Woodlands EDP presented the many assets and unique benefits the region offers to biotechnology companies from startup to full-scale, including 8 million square feet of life sciences space, strategic workforce and educational initiatives, as well as an overall favorable approach to incentives and permitting.    "Working alongside the different members of our region and telling the story of the amazing product that Greater Houston has to offer is invigorating," Galveston EDP Executive Director Joshua Owens said. "Being able to showcase our ecosystem to a worldwide audience is an exceptional step toward creating opportunities for the people of Houston."    Recent wins, such as Bionova Scientific's move to The Woodlands and United Therapeutics’ move to Generation Park, serve as testaments to the variety of options for life science businesses in our region. With pronounced capabilities in research and development, manufacturing and innovation, life sciences companies of all kinds can find a welcoming home in the Houston region.    To learn more about our life sciences and biotechnology ecosystem, visit our life sciences page. 
Read More
Digital Technology

Houston Advances Global Growth Strategy at VivaTech 2025

6/17/25
As Houston continues to expand its role as a global center for innovation and investment, the Greater Houston Partnership and Rice University led a strategic trade mission to Paris, France, to elevate the region’s presence at Viva Technology (VivaTech) 2025, the largest technology and innovation summit in Europe.  With 180,000 international attendees, VivaTech offered direct access to global business leaders, policymakers and investors exploring high-growth markets. Houston’s activation sparked opportunities for potential partnerships and drew attention from notable leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Vanessa Wyche, Acting Administrator of NASA.   “They see Houston as one of the cities of the future, and they’re backing that up with their resources and attention,” stated John Cypher, the Partnership’s Vice President of International Investment and Trade. “We saw a lot of potential for partnerships that could bring more international startups to Houston and connect founders to new European markets.”  Beyond VivaTech, the delegation met with key players in France’s innovation and finance sectors, including Banque Publique d’Investissement France, Mouvement des Entreprises de France, and Station F.   The week-long trade mission also highlighted Houston’s global academic leadership with a guided visit to Rice University’s Global Paris Center, the university’s first international campus. “It’s a remarkable moment where Rice shows the world that we are an entrepreneurial-, science- and engineering-based tech accelerator,” said Caroline Levander, Rice’s Vice President for Global Strategy. The center represents a broader vision to connect Houston’s educational and entrepreneurial resources to Europe’s innovation ecosystem. The mission culminated with a reception at the former embassy of the Republic of Texas, celebrating the enduring ties between Texas and France and reinforcing a shared commitment to innovation and growth.   Houston’s role at VivaTech 2025 highlights the city’s innovation and role as a major hub for foreign direct investment. Strengthening international business ties remains a significant part of our growing economy and a way to spur further investment and advance innovation for our region.   Learn more about Houston’s growing role in the global economy.  
Read More

Related Events

Executive Partners