Business owners in the Houston area could receive free business development opportunities in Sugar Land beginning in 2025.

What you need to know

At a Nov. 5 meeting, the Sugar Land Development Corp. unanimously approved a $4.5 million three-year founding anchor agreement with Plug and Play LLC, a venture company, to grow business opportunities in the city and across the region.

The partnership is aligned with the city’s goal of “attracting and incubating the growth of new innovators and entrepreneurs,” said Chandler Molpus, Sugar Land economic development coordinator.

Zooming in


Each year, Plug and Play hosts two cohorts of small business start-ups, providing them with free opportunities to grow through program events, workshops, mentorship and possible investment opportunities, according to agenda documents. The flagship location in Sugar Land would focus on businesses that benefit smart cities, including energy, mobility and health, Molpus said.

The company has over 60 locations worldwide with three in Texas that launched in early 2024 in Cedar Park, Frisco and McKinney, according to agenda documents.

The conditions

During the three-year agreement, Plug and Play must meet several requirements to receive funding from the city, including:
  • Lease space within the city of Sugar Land
  • Cannot have any locations within a 60-mile radius
  • Accelerate two batches of start-ups per year
  • Submit batch and segment reports to the city
  • Allow a city representative to serve on the advisory committee
  • Employ four full-time employees
  • Host required events in the city
  • Allow the city access to Plug and Play proprietary playbook database
Meanwhile, the Sugar Land Development Corp. will provide the $4.5 million investment to help launch this program in the Greater Houston area over the course of three years, Molpus said. The payments will be made three times per year as milestones are met.


The development corporation is funded by a voter-approved $0.25 tax rate to fund business promotion and development and isn’t part of the city’s general fund budget, according to agenda documents.
Quote of note

Although Mayor Joe Zimmerman said he was suspicious at first, he said he believes it is a program that will help Sugar Land grow its business opportunities while supporting the city’s strategic goals.

“We couldn’t do this on our own—this gives us a chance to play in a different arena than we have before,” he said. “I think it’s worth the risk. ... As mayor, I wholeheartedly support this.”

Looking ahead


The program is expected to launch in late February or early March following securing local employees and office space, Molpus said.