Houston energy tech company scores spot on Deloitte's list of fast-growing businesses

by the numbers

A Houston energy tech company makes the list of fast-growing businesses. Photo via Getty Images

Deloitte’s annual North America Technology Fast 500 list includes a Houston energy tech company boasting 407 percent growth.

NatGas Hub LLC landed at No. 286 on the list, which is an annual ranking of the fastest-growing North American companies in technology, energy tech sectors, telecommunications, life sciences, media, and fintech. It marks an improvement for the company, which provides an automation software for natural gas nominations and scheduling services. In 2023, the company ranked No. 356 with 364 percent growth.

Direct Digital Holdings Inc. took the highest-ranking spot for Houston companys, coming in at No. 101 (up from 108 previous year) with 1,184 percent growth. Additional Houston companies on the list include Liongard (No. 437, 246 percent growth) and Stratus Medical LLC (No. 483, 212 percent growth).

"Houston continues to demonstrate its prowess in fostering growth and technological advancement and I’m incredibly proud to see some of our local companies making significant strides and earning their well-deserved spots on the 2024 Deloitte Technology Fast 500 list,” Houston managing partner at Deloitte Melinda Yee says in a news release.

Award winners were selected based on fiscal year revenue growth from 2019 to 2022.

The companies achieved revenue growth ranging from 201 percent to 153,625 percent over the three-year time frame with an average growth rate of 1,981 percent and a median growth rate of 460 percent, according to a news release. Texas accounts for 6 percent of the winning companies with 73 percent of the companies from Texas are in the software sector.

“These companies exemplify the entrepreneurial spirit and innovative mindset that define Houston's dynamic business ecosystem,” Yee adds.

In 2023, the Houston representation looked similar. Direct Digital Holdings again topped the Houston rankings at No. 108, with Liongard, NatGasHub.com, and P97 Networks also showing substantial growth. As a state, Texas had 30 companies that made the list of the 541 ranked. In 2022, just one Houston company was recognized, as at No. 372 Onit reported revenue increase of 369 percent.

Biopharmaceutical company TG Therapeutics, Inc. was the No.1 spot in 2024 with a growth rate of 153,625 percent from 2020 to 2023. See the full list here.

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This article originally ran on InnovationMap.

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8 Houston companies earn CleanTech Breakthrough Awards

winner, winners

Eight cleantech companies with Houston headquarters were recognized in this year’s CleanTech Breakthrough Awards program.

CleanTech Breakthrough, part of market intelligence platform Tech Breakthrough, honors innovative and influential energy, climate, and cleantech companies, products and services.

This year’s winners from Houston are:

CleanTech Analytics Company of the Year: Amperon, a provider of AI-powered energy forecasting software
Overall Hydrogen Solution of the Year: Eclipse Energy, which converts maxed-out oilfields into low-cost sources of hydrogen
Energy Production Company of the Year: Fervo Energy, a provider of geothermal power
Production Solution of the Year: Quaise Energy, a developer of a drilling system for converting traditional power stations into geothermal energy plants
Green Materials Solution of the Year: Solidec, which uses air, water, and electricity to produce chemicals
Hydrogen Production Solution of the Year: VEMA Hydrogen, a producer of renewable hydrogen
CleanTech Analytics Innovation Award: Finland-based Wärtsilä, a provider of advanced energy storage systems and services, which maintains its U.S. headquarters in Houston
Energy Production Platform of the Year: France-based energy giant TotalEnergies, which maintains its U.S. headquarters in Houston

Other Texas companies made the list, including Austin-headquartered Base Power, founded by Justin Lopas and Zach Dell. Zach Dell is the son of Austin billionaire and Houston native Michael Dell, chairman and CEO of Dell Technologies. The company recently started servicing Houston and established an office in Katy.

CleanTech Breakthrough says its annual awards program honors “the visionaries and leaders accelerating the transition to a cleaner, more sustainable future.”

“In a world increasingly focused on sustainability and environmental responsibility, innovation in clean technology has never been more critical,” said Bryan Vaughn, managing director of CleanTech Breakthrough. “This year’s winners represent the very best in ingenuity and execution, delivering solutions that not only reduce environmental impact but also drive efficiency, scalability and real-world results.”

See the full list of the 2026 winners here.

HETI's new executive director takes the helm

new leader

The Houston Energy Transition Initiative has a new executive director.

Sophia Cunningham assumed the position this month, succeeding the organization's founding executive director, Jane Stricker.

"Four years ago, I could never have imagined the opportunities, experiences and relationships this role has enabled," Strickler wrote in an address earlier this year. "I am truly grateful for the support and engagement of Houston’s business and community leaders, the visionary leadership of Bobby Tudor, Scott Nyquist, HETI Members, and the Greater Houston Partnership in creating this initiative at exactly the right moment in time. I am incredibly proud of the HETI and the Partnership team members who have delivered with purpose and passion, and I greatly appreciate Houston’s energy and climate leaders and champions who have supported my agenda, challenged my thinking, broadened my perspectives, and worked with HETI to demonstrate the power of partnership in developing, innovating and advancing the ideas and technologies needed to meet this challenge for our region and the world."

Stricker shared on LinkedIn that she has joined the advisory board of FluxPoint Energy, which launched last month during CERAWeek, in addition to her other roles at Greentown Labs, Prana Low Carbon Economy Investments and UNC Kenan-Flagler Energy Center.

Cunningham previously served as vice president at HETI, where she was responsible for efforts related to carbon capture, use and storage; methane management; community engagement and stakeholder activation. Before joining HETI, she was director of public policy at The Greater Houston Partnership.

She earned her master's in Energy Management and Systems Technology from Texas A&M University and holds a bachelor's degree from Davidson College.

“I’m honored to step into the role of Executive Director of the Houston Energy Transition Initiative at such a pivotal moment for our industry," Cunningham said over email. "Houston has the talent, infrastructure, and leadership to meet growing global energy demand while reducing emissions, and I’m excited to work alongside our members and partners to accelerate solutions that are reliable, affordable, and scalable.”

The Greater Houston Partnership launched HETI in June 2021 to "meet a Dual Challenge of producing more energy that the world needs with less emissions," according to its website.

Pattern Energy expands clean energy portfolio with acquisition of Canadian producer

acquisition closed

Clean energy and transmission infrastructure company Pattern Energy completed the acquisition of Canadian independent power producer Cordelio Power this month.

Pattern Energy, which is headquartered in San Francisco and has major operations in Houston, will now own one of the largest independent clean energy infrastructure platforms in North America, according to a release.

Pattern Energy will add approximately 1,550 megawatts of operating and in-construction assets, including 16 wind, solar and energy storage projects across the United States and Canada, as part of the deal. In addition, they have also acquired the majority of Cordelio’s development pipeline in key U.S. markets and members of Cordelio’s team.

“Closing this transaction marks a significant milestone for Pattern Energy as we continue to scale our platform to meet North America’s growing energy needs,” Hunter Armistead, CEO of Pattern Energy, said in the release. “Cordelio brings a highly complementary portfolio of quality assets and a talented team. Together, we are even better positioned to power the future.”

Currently, Pattern Energy’s portfolio includes wind, solar and energy storage projects in over 40 facilities in North America. Pattern Energy had 12,000 megawatts of operating and in-construction capacity before the deal.

The acquisition was first announced Jan. 6, 2025.

“Pattern and Cordelio share a commitment to responsible development and the communities in which we work,” Chris Hind, CEO of Cordelio Power, said in a news release. “We look forward to joining with Pattern Energy to deliver high-quality projects with expanded product offerings to support customers across more markets.”

Pattern Energy doubled down on its Houston commercial space in 2023, moving the company's development, meteorological, transmission and energy trading teams to a new office in the Montrose Collective. The company's Operations Control Center is also based in Houston.

Its Houston-based development team was assigned to work on Pattern's SunZia Transmission and Wind project in New Mexico and Arizona, expected to be one of the largest clean energy infrastructure projects in U.S. The project is targeting commercial operations this year, according to Pattern Energy's website.

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