Partnership Members Making News in March

Business Moves

• The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo set multiple new records at its 2026 auctions, with millions raised through livestock and student art sales to support youth scholarships. A Grand Champion steer selling for a record $1.5 million and a lamb reaching $1 million, reflect the intense bidding from Houston-area businesses and donors. The auctions have already generated millions in proceeds, continuing the rodeo’s long-standing role as a major fundraiser for education across Texas.
• Amegy Bank has significantly expanded its Small Business Administration (SBA) lending efforts, more than doubling its loan volume after launching a new program aimed at small businesses. The growth is driven by a more streamlined process, quicker approvals, and targeted outreach to entrepreneurs who may have struggled to access traditional financing. The expansion highlights rising demand for small-business funding and positions Amegy as a key player in helping entrepreneurs scale and succeed.
• Cornerstone Capital Bank has completed its acquisition of Peoples Bank, marking a key step in its expansion strategy across Texas. The deal creates a combined organization with more than $3.4 billion in assets, significantly increasing its scale and ability to serve businesses, homeowners, and communities.
• Yetter Coleman LLP is relocating its Houston headquarters to a much larger office in the JPMorgan Chase Tower at 600 Travis Street downtown, nearly doubling its footprint to about 44,000 square feet to accommodate growth and provide contiguous space. This relocation reflects continued demand for high‑quality downtown office space despite broader market challenges and supports the firm’s plans to grow its operations and client services in Houston’s central business district.

Education

• Rice University is launching two new space research centers backed by $22.3 million in funding, positioning itself as a growing leader in space innovation. One center, supported by the Texas Space Commission, will explore cutting-edge technologies like converting lunar soil into useful materials while advancing robotics, AI, and workforce training. The second, funded by the United States Space Force, will focus on improving space monitoring systems to better track debris and potential threats in orbit.
• Texas A&M University is preparing to open its new $200 million Texas A&M Space Institute this fall in Houston next to NASA’s Johnson Space Center, aiming to make Texas a central hub for space exploration for decades to come. The facility will feature the world’s largest indoor moon and Marscapes, providing realistic terrain for testing, simulation, and research that could support future lunar and Martian missions. The project reflects Texas A&M’s broader commitment to advancing space science, training the next generation of engineers and researchers, and strengthening the state’s role in the growing space economy.
• UTHealth Houston’s McGovern Medical School and the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston are launching a new dual MD/MBA program starting in Fall 2026. The program lets medical students spend about one additional year earning a Master of Business Administration alongside their medical training, cutting down the total time to complete both degrees compared with doing them separately.

Energy 

• Fervo Energy has secured millions in financing to build the first phase of its flagship Cape Station geothermal project, marking a major milestone for next-generation clean energy. The funding will cover remaining construction costs and reflects growing investor confidence in enhanced geothermal systems, which use advanced drilling techniques to generate carbon-free power. The deal signals strong momentum for geothermal energy as a reliable, around-the-clock power source amid rising demand from data centers and electrification.
• Entergy is seeing major growth opportunities across Texas and Louisiana as rising population, industrial expansion, and data center demand drive up electricity needs. The company is investing heavily in new power plants, transmission lines, and grid upgrades to support this surge while improving reliability and resilience. In both states, large-scale projects—especially in manufacturing and tech—are creating long-term demand for consistent, around-the-clock power.
• Woodside Energy is partnering with Texas Entrepreneurship Exchange for Energy and Climate Entrepreneurship to build a stronger talent pipeline for Houston’s energy sector through new internship and early-career programs. The initiative focuses on connecting students with hands-on opportunities, including summer internships, fellowships, and graduate development roles designed to prepare them for careers in energy. By working closely with universities and innovation hubs, the program creates a structured pathway from education into industry.
• NRG Energy has hired a former Google executive as the new Chief Growth and Policy Officer, a newly created role aimed at steering strategic expansion and policy leadership at the company. In this role, they hope to see a drive in NRG’s key growth initiatives, including expanding data center energy contracts and residential virtual power plant programs, as well as leading government and regulatory affairs to support the company’s evolving business strategy. This expertise will help strengthen the company’s ability to deliver reliable, affordable energy solutions as demand continues to rise.

Health Care

• Texas Medical Center, in partnership with Ochsner Health and MD Anderson Cancer Center, plans to expand access to cancer care across Louisiana through a fully integrated cancer program. The collaboration brings MD Anderson’s treatment standards, clinical expertise, and research capabilities directly into Ochsner’s network, allowing patients to receive top-tier care closer to home. Physicians across the system follow the same protocols used in Houston and gain access to clinical trials and advanced therapies. The expansion reflects a broader push to improve cancer outcomes in the region while making cutting-edge treatment more accessible without requiring patients to travel out of state.
• Researchers at the University of Houston are part of a $3.2 million collaborative initiative to develop a promising new drug for triple‑negative breast cancer (TNBC), a particularly aggressive and difficult‑to‑treat form of the disease. The project brings together experts from UH and partner institutions to explore innovative treatment approaches, conduct laboratory testing, and evaluate how well the drug works in models that reflect human cancer.
• The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) is taking a central role in a new partnership with the Blue Zones Project to improve health and longevity in Galveston. The initiative focuses on simple, community-wide changes like better nutrition, more movement, and stronger social connections. UTMB will lead research and track outcomes, helping guide the program’s impact.

Innovation

• NASA has revamped its Artemis moon exploration program to more closely follow the methodical approach used during the Apollo era, pacing missions so astronauts gain experience before attempting a lunar landing. Under the new plan, the forthcoming Artemis II crewed mission will include an additional practice mission focused on lunar fly‑around and orbital operations, helping reduce risk before landing on the Moon’s surface. This updated strategy is designed to build momentum, improve safety, and ensure a sustainable long‑term presence on the Moon as part of broader plans to explore deeper into space.
• University of Houston researchers have achieved a new superconductivity temperature record under normal pressure, marking a major step toward more practical energy technology. The discovery could pave the way for more efficient power grids and next-generation energy systems by reducing energy loss during transmission.

Transportation

• Houston’s new $1.3 billion Ship Channel Bridge, which marks a major investment in regional infrastructure and connectivity, has been named after Rice University professor, recognizing their lasting contributions to engineering and education. Designed to improve traffic flow and support economic growth, the bridge will play a critical role in freight movement along the Houston Ship Channel. Once completed, it will stand as both a functional landmark and a tribute to innovation in the region.