Italian aerospace company Involve Space has opened its first U.S. office at the Houston Spaceport.
Founded in 2021, the company develops high-altitude balloons that carry scientific equipment into the upper atmosphere to collect data, conduct research and test new technologies. Its new office will serve as a base for North American business development, with plans to launch its first commercial missions from the Spaceport by the end of 2026.
“Houston is the global center of aerospace, and our presence at Houston Spaceport strengthens our international growth trajectory,” said Jonathan Polotto, founder and CEO of Involve Space, in a press release.
Involve joins an established aerospace community at the spaceport that includes NASA, Axiom Space, Venus Aerospace and Intuitive Machines, providing opportunities to collaborate with industry leaders and researchers.
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Involve recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Houston-based Rhodium Scientific, a space biotechnology company, to test scientific experiments using its high-altitude balloons before those experiments are sent into orbit.
From the Ion to the Houston Spaceport
Involve Space’s journey to Houston began in 2023, when it participated in Space IT Up, an aerospace accelerator program organized by the Italian Trade Agency of Houston and Italian Space Agency in collaboration with the Space Foundation.
Hosted at the Ion, Houston’s innovation hub, the program brought six Italian aerospace companies to the region to strengthen international collaboration, foster innovation and support business growth. Through the program, Involve had the opportunity to connect with Houston’s aerospace community, explore the region’s facilities and resources and learn from industry experts.
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Building on those early connections, Involve returned to Houston in 2025 for its first U.S. pilot launch at the Houston Spaceport. During the five-hour mission, its high-altitude balloon reached approximately 85,000 feet and traveled roughly 250 miles across Texas.
Involve’s rapid trajectory from participating in an accelerator program to establishing its first U.S. office and preparing for commercial missions highlights Houston’s ability to support companies at every stage of growth, from startup to commercialization.
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