Persona AI, the Houston-based humanoid robotics startup that recently closed $25 million in pre-seed funding, is significantly expanding its operations at the Ion, the Houston innovation hub powered by Rice University, in June. The fast-growing company, co-founded by former NASA roboticists Nicolaus Radford and Jide Akinyode, along with Jerry Pratt — former leader at IHMC Robotics and former CTO of Figure AI — will establish a state-of-the-art development center in the prominent corner suite on the first floor.
This move reinforces the Ion District’s continued focus on emerging tech and aligns closely with Rice’s Momentous 10-year strategic plan, which prioritizes the development and integration of ethical and responsible artificial intelligence (AI) solutions. Persona AI joins other AI-forward activities in the Ion District, including the recently announced RAVA — the Rice Nexus plus Google Public Sector AI accelerator.
“We chose the Ion because it’s more than just a building — it’s a thriving innovation ecosystem,” said Nicolaus Radford, co-founder and CEO of Persona AI. “This is where Houston’s tech future is being built. It’s a convergence point for the people, energy, and ideas that power our mission to redefine human-machine collaboration. For an industrial, AI-driven robotics company, there’s no better place to scale than in the heart of Houston.”
“Persona AI’s expansion at the Ion is a clear market signal of the high-tech surge Rice is helping power in Houston. As more breakthrough companies choose to grow in the Ion District, it’s proof that our innovation ecosystem is accelerating — and Rice is at the center of it,” said Paul Cherukuri, vice president for innovation and chief innovation officer at Rice University.
Persona AI’s new development center will be located in the suite currently utilized by the Ion Prototyping Lab, which is managed by TXRX Labs. The IPL will transition its operations to the expanded TXRX facility in the East End Maker Hub and will enable a network of facilities between the Ion and East End Maker Hub that better supports the growing demand for maker services and the growing pipeline of startups and creators citywide.
“TXRX has seen a significant increase in demand for fabrication and prototyping across industries,” said Roland von Kurnatowski, founder and president of TXRX Labs. “This move allows us to grow our team at our main facility, where we have an influx of projects that need more localized support. The current TXRX staff at the Ion will transition to our location in the East End, and existing IPL members will have access to these facilities. We will continue to be a strategic partner to the Ion District, creating a bridge across the city as we support the startup and maker community in the region.”
The Ion District will maintain some prototyping and maker support within the current Greentown Labs Prototyping Lab for certain specialized programs. This follows last year’s announcement of Rice’s continued investment in Greentown Labs and energy innovation, reinforcing the university’s commitment to scaling up high-impact infrastructure across the Ion District.