Ion District

The Ion District, Ion Innovation District, or Rice Innovation District, is a technology park and innovation district in Midtown Houston which was established as a joint initiative between Rice University and the City of Houston. It has also been called the South Main Innovation District. The district's central hub and first building is the Ion, which opened in 2021 after owner Rice Management Company (RMC) converted it from a former Sears store. The building houses coworking and office spaces, business incubators and accelerators, classrooms, a prototyping lab, investor studio, and restaurants. Current tenants include Chevron Technology Ventures and Microsoft. The district also includes Greentown Labs Houston, a business incubator focused on climate technology and sustainable energy, and a large outdoor plaza.

RMC, a division of Rice University, is leading development of the project. Local students and community members, concerned about , have expressed a range of concerns about the project including housing affordability, food accessibility, employment, and the potential gentrification of the nearby Third Ward, a predominantly African-American community. The Ion is located in what was originally Third Ward.