Page 20 - NBIZ October 2021

Since last May, when the economy began to reopen, most innovative science and technology clusters based on
metro Houston has recouped 221,500 of the 361,400 jobs two main criteria: patent filings and scientific research
lost in the early stages of the pandemic. This puts the region publications. Houston ranked 16th among the top 100 Sci-
well beyond the halfway point in the recovery. Houston had ence and Technology Clusters, falling just behind London
recouped 61.3 percent of the jobs lost in March and April and ahead of Amsterdam, Munich, and Singapore.
of ’20. However, Houston remains well behind the nation, Among U.S. metros, Houston had the seventh-highest
which has recouped 76.2 percent. ranking on the list, beating Seattle (#17), Chicago (#23),
and Philadelphia (#30). Houston had the highest ranking
METRO HOUSTON RECOVERY, AS OF AUGUST ‘21 of the three Texas Metros on the list, beating both Dallas
(#65) and Austin (#88).
The report considered five years of research and patent
filings. From '15 to '19, Houston inventors filed 1,973
international patent applications per 1 million residents,
6th most in the U.S. During the same period, Houston
researchers published 8,679 scientific papers per 1 million
residents, 9th most in the U.S.
The index named Tokyo the most innovative metro in
the world, accounting for 10.8 percent of international
pat ents considered in the report. By comparison, San Jose-
San Francisco, the top-ranked U.S. metro, accounted for
3.7 per cent. Houston accounted for 1.0 percent of pat ents,
Dallas for 0.49 percent and Austin for 0.35 percent.

’21 GLOBAL INNOVATION INDEX

Through the first eight months of this year, the region
has created 56,600 jobs. In a robust economy, Houston
might create 50,000 to 60,000 jobs September through
October. In a weak economy, 20,000 to 40,000. Given the
impact the Delta variant is having, Houston is likely to
finish the year in the lower range, with a net gain of 75,000
to 100,000 jobs in ’21. That’s above the long-term range of
60,000 to 70,000, but it would still leave the region at least
100,000 jobs below pre-pandemic employment levels.

HOUSTON IS NEAR THE TOP FOR GLOBAL
INNOVATION
Houston ranks among the top science and technology Patrick Jankowski is the senior vice-president of research
clusters in the world, according to a new report on global at Greater Houston Partnership. Mr. Jankowski can be
innovation. reached via email at pjankowski@houston.org. October
The 2021 Global Innovation Index, published by the 2021 Economy at a Glance ©2021, Greater Houston
World Intellectual Property Organization, ranks the 100 Partnership.

20 NBIZ ■ October 2021