Houston schools lead rankings for best entrepreneurship programs for 6th consecutive year

top of class

Rice University and the University of Houston have maintained their top spots for entrepreneurship studies across graduate and undergraduate rankings, respectively. Photo via Getty Images

Rice University and the University of Houston have once again topped The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur’s lists of the best graduate and undergraduate schools for entrepreneurship studies.

Rice ranks first in the graduate category for the sixth consecutive year, and UH ranks first in the undergraduate category for the sixth consecutive year.

“At Rice Business, our students learn both inside and outside the classroom, drawing on our strong industry and community connections in Houston and beyond,” says Peter Rodriguez, dean of Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business. “With small class sizes and tailored programs, we aim to equip our students with the skills to create new ventures and excel in a fast-changing business landscape.”

UH President Renu Khator praises the ranking as recognition for the impact of the Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship at the C.T. Bauer College of Business.

“This program is a tremendous asset not only to the University of Houston and the Bauer College of Business, but also to the city of Houston, where entrepreneurship fuels both socioeconomic mobility and economic growth,” Khator says. “We are proud to see the impact of this program reverberate throughout our community.”

Rankings for The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur’s 2025 lists were based on a survey of administrators at nearly 300 schools in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Europe that offer entrepreneurship studies. Among the more than 40 factors used for the rankings were academic programs, faculty credentials, mentorship opportunities, and alumni entrepreneurship ventures.

The top 10 schools on the list of the 50 best undergraduate schools for entrepreneurship studies are:

  1. University of Houston
  2. University of Texas at Austin
  3. Babson College
  4. University of Washington
  5. Washington University in St. Louis
  6. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
  7. University of Maryland-College Park
  8. Miami University of Ohio
  9. Tecnológico de Monterrey in Mexico
  10. Northeastern University

The top 10 schools on the list of the 50 best graduate schools for entrepreneurship studies are:

  1. Rice University
  2. University of California-Los Angeles
  3. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
  4. Washington University in St. Louis
  5. Babson College
  6. University of Washington
  7. University of Texas at Austin
  8. University of Virginia
  9. Erasmus University Rotterdam in the Netherlands
  10. University of South Florida
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UH President Renu Khator (right) and Principal, Vice-Chancellor and Professor of HWU Richard A. Williams signed the memorandum earlier this month. Photo via UH.edu

UH inks international partnership for energy transition innovation

teaming up

The University of Houston and Heriot-Watt University in Scotland signed a memorandum of understanding earlier this month that celebrates an official partnership between the schools in education, research, and innovation for the energy transition.

The universities will particularly focus on hydrogen energy solutions, according to a statement from UH.

"I am thrilled to witness the official celebration of our shared commitment to advancing transformative energy solutions,” Ramanan Krishnamoorti, vice president for energy and innovation at UH, says in a statement. “Through this partnership, we aim to harness our collective expertise to address pressing energy challenges and drive sustainable innovation on a global scale."

UH President Renu Khator and Principal, Vice-Chancellor and Professor of HWU Richard A. Williams signed the memorandum on April 11. Faculty members from UH and HWU then held a two-day technology workshop in Houston where the teams discussed areas of collaboration and future projects.

Through the partnership, the schools aim to offer more opportunities for students and faculty via interdisciplinary research, student exchange programs, joint degree offerings and industry partnerships around the world. HWU, for instance, has five campuses throughout Scotland, the UAE and Malaysia.

“This agreement represents a pivotal milestone in the international development of our global research institutes, forging a new partnership to address the most pressing societal challenges that lie ahead,” Gillian Murray, deputy principal of business and enterprise at HWU who attended the signing, adds in the statement.

Houston has been a hub for notable partnerships focused on the energy transition in recent months.

The Greater Houston Partnership and the Houston Energy Transition Initiative announced last month during CERAWeek that they had signed a memorandum of understanding with Argonne National Laboratory, a federally-funded research and development facility in Illinois owned by the United States Department of Energy and run by UChicago Argonne LLC of the University of Chicago.

The partnership aims to spur the development of commercial-scale energy transition solutions.

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This article originally ran on EnergyCapital.

The 75,000-square-foot building is slated to feature wet and dry labs, classrooms, computer labs, conference spaces, lounge areas and student advising spaces. Photo courtesy of UH

University of Houston doubles down on Sugar Land tech campus with $65M building

coming soon

The University of Houston broke ground earlier this month on a new $65 million instructional building that will allow the college to move its entire Technology Division to Sugar Land.

The 75,000-square-foot building, known as Technology Building-Sugar Land Academic Building 2, is slated to feature wet and dry labs, classrooms, computer labs, conference spaces, lounge areas and student advising spaces, according to an announcement from UH. It will be situated next door to the current Technology Building on UH at Sugar Land's campus, which opened in 2019.

The new building, nicknamed SAB2, was designed by SmithGroup and built by Vaughn Construction.

"We are grateful for the collaboration of supporters in the region and state whose investment in UH will result in a new generation of engineering and technology professionals," Renu Khator, president UH, said in a statement. "The growth of our Technology Division and our Sugar Land instructional site supports our vision of building a top 50 public university that provides a top tier educational experience and creates impactful research.”

Photo courtesy of UH

According to UH, the college will move its Technology Division to UH Sugar Land by 2025. The transition of the division has been ongoing since 2022.

“We are excited to usher in this next chapter of growth and impact for the University and for our Fort Bend County region,” Jay Neal, associate vice president of academic affairs and chief operating officer for UH at Sugar Land, said in a statement. “The addition of this new building will allow us to accommodate all Technology Division classes and programs that have been transitioning from the main campus to Sugar Land for the last several months.”

UH at Sugar Land is already home to two innovative labs.

The first, dubbed the Artificial Intelligence Industry Incubator and Digital Oilfield Lab, launched in 2020. It aims to help faculty, students, and energy professionals to develop technologies and solutions to increase efficiency and boost oil field safety through machine learning.

About a year later, the campus also welcomed its new AI Retail Innovation Lab. The cloud-based lab allows students, faculty, and industry professionals from across the U.S. to sift through in-store and online shopper data and then come up with new technology for the retail sector.

In other UH news, the

university announced last week that a new $5 million grant will expand opportunities for entrepreneurship for all students.

Photo courtesy of UH

The $63.5 million contract aims to support UH in developing analytical modeling and simulation platforms that help the U.S. Army make timely and effective decisions. Photo via uhsystem.edu

University of Houston lands $63.5M contract with DOD to develop tech for the 'future battlefield'

ready to innovate

The University of Houston was recently awarded its largest grant in history—this time, from the U.S. Department of Defense.

The $63.5 million contract aims to support UH in developing analytical modeling and simulation platforms that help the U.S. Army make timely and effective decisions, according to a release from UH.

Craig Glennie, professor of civil and environmental engineering and director of engineering defense research initiatives at the UH Cullen College of Engineering, who is leading the project, says the team's work will focus on creating tools for the time period before conflict begins.

“We are not looking at what happens once bullets start flying. We are looking at what happens during the competition and crisis phases, the buildup and the posturing and the projection of forces before you actually get to the point of armed conflict,” he says in a statement. “The Army needs tools to understand how they can effectively position themselves and project their force towards the adversary in such a manner that they can avoid armed conflict, or if that is not possible, be prepared for the onset of armed conflict.”

The team, which also includes members from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, New Mexico State University and other organizations, will work closely with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Analysis Center, known as DAC. They've been commissioned to help build realistic modeling, analysis and simulation tools that the Army can use in the "future battlefield."

DAC has named several high priority issues for the team including quantum technology, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.

“For example, we will look at the electromagnetic spectrum, at owning the airspace, and projecting that we have the radio frequency technology that is capable of jamming a neighbor’s signals," Glennie adds.

UH president Renu Khator says the university is honored to revive the contract.

“We understand the significance of this project in enhancing the Army’s decision-making capabilities, and we are proud to contribute to our nation’s security and strategic competitiveness," she said in a statement. "We look forward to the remarkable contributions that will emerge from this collaboration, strengthening the University of Houston’s commitment to driving innovation that matters.”

UH has inked a number of grants and contracts in recent months that are pushing innovative initiatives forward at the university.

Last month, UH received a $100,000 grant from the Baker Hughes Foundation to go toward workforce development programs, and environmental justice research at its Energy Transition Institute. The ETI was launched last year through a $10 million grant from Shell USA Inc. and Shell Global Solutions (US) Inc.

And earlier this month, Houston-based The Welch Foundation awarded its inaugural $5 million Catalyst for Discovery Program Grant to a new initiative led by Jeffrey Rimer, UH's Abraham E. Dukler Professor of Chemical Engineering. The grant launched the Welch Center for Advanced Bioactive Materials Crystallization, which will build upon Rimer's work relating to the use of crystals to help treat malaria and kidney stones.

Craig Glennie, professor of civil and environmental engineering and director of engineering defense research initiatives at the UH Cullen College of Engineering, is leading the project. Photo via uh.edu

Coogs' house is getting ready for a remodel. Rendering courtesy of UH

University of Houston reveals $35M campus transformation ahead of centennial

go coogs

As the University of Houston gets ready for its centennial in 2027, the school is launching a major transformation to its urban campus. The $35 million project aims to transform several prominent areas of the university grounds and create a stronger first impression of the school — and stir up pride for students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

To achieve this transformation of the Coogs’ lair, the university hired Houston-based urban design firm OJB, which will develop a new multi-purpose gathering space — dubbed Centennial Plaza —at the heart of the campus. Harking to great university and collegiate gathering spaces, Centennial Plaza will be constructed in the original — and familiar — campus quad. Plans call for an “awe-inspiring” public destination for game day and students events and official ceremonies,

Meanwhile, UH's’ main entrance on University Drive will be reimagined and redefined, meant to create a memorable arrival experience. A new gateway monument will be installed at Spur 5, according to press materials. In a push to assist with campus walkability, a new, continuous line of trees will form a shaded central pathway from the gateway to Cullen Performance Hall.

Rendering courtesy of UH

Other aspects of the project include the addition of monument gateways at several university entrances. Sustainable landscaping and storm water management will be also be added across campus.

The design process is currently underway with construction expected to commence next summer.

“Our centennial plan is a transformative project,” University of Houston President Renu Khator says in a press release announcing the initiative. “The University of Houston is a crucial part of the fourth largest city in the country, and having a welcoming campus that everyone can be proud of is paramount. This reimagination will create a sense of place, community and learning, while also promoting health and well-being not only for our students, but for all Houstonians.”

Additional areas targeted for landscaping improvements are Lynn Eusan Park, Cougar Woods, Butler Plaza, and the campus woodland from the Science and Research 1 building to the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design.

The campus enhancements are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2026 to help kick off the school's centennial celebrations.

Current and past Coogs should take heart in OJB’s design resume — especially with institutes of higher learning. Locally and in Texas, the award-winning, prolific firm has designed Aggie Park at Texas A&M University and the popular Klyde Warren Park in Dallas. Statewide it has overseen campus improvements for Rice, Baylor, and Texas Tech universities. Nationally, OBJ has spearheaded improvements at prestigious institutions such as Harvard and Stanford.

“So much of the student and campus experience is found in the spaces in between buildings: its landscape and open spaces,” Chip Trageser, partner in charge for OJB, notes in a press statement. “We know that spending time outdoors is beneficial for social connection, as well as improved mental and physical health. Creating inclusive spaces for people to come together is at the core of innovation. The Centennial Plan strengthens these experiences, not only from a physical point of view, but also as an expression of the University of Houston’s values and mission.”

Earlier this year, UH also revealed details on its central hub for innovation on campus. The building, which is slated to open in 2025 next to the M.D. Anderson Library on UH's main campus, will be around 70,000 square feet and will house a makerspace, the Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship, the Energy Transition Institute, innovation programs, and Presidential Frontier Faculty labs and offices.

In short, big changes and updates are coming to the Coogs House.

Rendering courtesy of UH

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Steven Devadanam contributed to this article, which originally ran on CultureMap.

Houston is in the running to receive millions from a program from the National Science Foundation. Photo via Getty Images

Houston named semifinalist for major energy transition funding opportunity

making moves

The National Science Foundation announced 34 semifinalists for a regional innovation program that will deploy up to $160 million in federal funding over the next 10 years. Among the list of potential regions to receive this influx of capital is Houston.

The Greater Houston Partnership and the Houston Energy Transition Initiative developed the application for the NSF Regional Innovation Engine competition in collaboration with economic, civic, and educational leaders from across the city and five regional universities, including the University of Houston, The University of Texas at Austin, Texas Southern University, Rice University, and Texas A&M University.

The proposed project for Houston — called the Accelerating Carbon-Neutral Technologies and Policies for Energy Transition, or ACT, Engine — emphasizes developing sustainable and equitable opportunities for innovators and entrepreneurs while also pursuing sustainable and equitable energy access for all.

“The ACT Engine will leverage our diverse energy innovation ecosystem and talent, creating a true competitive advantage for existing and new energy companies across our region," says Jane Stricker, senior vice president of energy transition and executive director for HETI, in a statement. "Texas is leading the way in nearly every energy and energy transition solution, and this Engine can catalyze our region’s continued growth in low-carbon technology development and deployment."

If Houston's proposal is selected as a finalist, it could receive up to $160 million over 10 years. The final list of NSF Engines awards is expected this fall, and, according to a release, each awardee will initially receiving about $15 million for the first two years.

"Each of these NSF Engines semifinalists represents an emerging hub of innovation and lends their talents and resources to form the fabric of NSF's vision to create opportunities everywhere and enable innovation anywhere," NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan says in a news release. "These teams will spring ideas, talent, pathways and resources to create vibrant innovation ecosystems all across our nation."

The NSF selected its 34 semifinalists from 188 original applicants, and the next step for Houston is a virtual site visit that will assess competitive advantages, budget and resource plans for R&D and workforce development, and the proposed leadership’s ability to mobilize plans into action over the first two years.

"Houston is poised, like no other city, to lead the energy transition. The ACT Engine presents a remarkable opportunity to not only leverage the region's unparalleled energy resources and expertise but also harness our can-do spirit. Houston has a proven track record of embracing challenges and finding innovative solutions,” says Renu Khator, president of the University of Houston, in the statement. “Through the collaborative efforts facilitated by the ACT Engine, I am confident that we can make significant strides towards creating a sustainable future that harmonizes economic growth, environmental protection and social equity."

NSF Engines will announce awards this fall after a round of in-person interviews of finalists named in July. With Houston's track record for building thriving industry hubs in energy, health care, aerospace, and the culinary arts, the region is eager to establish the next generation of leaders and dreamers responding to some of the greatest economic and societal challenges ever seen in America.

“Our energy innovation ecosystem is inclusive, dynamic, and fast growing," says Barbara Burger, energy transition adviser and former Chevron executive, in the release. "The ACT Engine has the potential to increase the amount of innovation coming into the ecosystem and the capabilities available to scale technologies needed in the energy transition. I am confident that the members of the ecosystem — incubators, accelerators, investors, universities, and corporates — are ready for the challenge that the ACT Engine will provide."

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This article originally ran on EnergyCapital.

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Oxy's $1.3B Texas carbon capture facility on track to​ launch this year

gearing up

Houston-based Occidental Petroleum is gearing up to start removing CO2 from the atmosphere at its $1.3 billion direct air capture (DAC) project in the Midland-Odessa area.

Vicki Hollub, president and CEO of Occidental, said during the company’s recent second-quarter earnings call that the Stratos project — being developed by carbon capture and sequestration subsidiary 1PointFive — is on track to begin capturing CO2 later this year.

“We are immensely proud of the achievements to date and the exceptional record of safety performance as we advance towards commercial startup,” Hollub said of Stratos.

Carbon dioxide captured by Stratos will be stored underground or be used for enhanced oil recovery.

Oxy says Stratos is the world’s largest DAC facility. It’s designed to pull 500,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide from the air and either store it underground or use it for enhanced oil recovery. Enhanced oil recovery extracts oil from unproductive reservoirs.

Most of the carbon credits that’ll be generated by Stratos through 2030 have already been sold to organizations such as Airbus, AT&T, All Nippon Airways, Amazon, the Houston Astros, the Houston Texans, JPMorgan, Microsoft, Palo Alto Networks and TD Bank.

The infrastructure business of investment manager BlackRock has pumped $550 million into Stratos through a joint venture with 1PointFive.

As it gears up to kick off operations at Stratos, Occidental is also in talks with XRG, the energy investment arm of the United Arab Emirates-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., to form a joint venture for the development of a DAC facility in South Texas. Occidental has been awarded up to $650 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to build the South Texas DAC hub.

The South Texas project, to be located on the storied King Ranch, will be close to industrial facilities and energy infrastructure along the Gulf Coast. Initially, the roughly 165-square-mile site is expected to capture 500,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year, with the potential to store up to 3 billion metric tons of CO2 per year.

“We believe that carbon capture and DAC, in particular, will be instrumental in shaping the future energy landscape,” Hollub said.

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This article originally appeared on our sister site, EnergyCapitalHTX.com.

New app by Sports Illustrated grants access to 700 sports courts in Houston

Goal!

A new sports center booking app CatchCorner, powered by Sports Illustrated, enables sports enthusiasts in Houston to seamlessly secure a spot for a quick game without membership fees.

It soft-launched in Houston this spring and, according to co-founder and chief operating officer Maya Azouri, has been a huge success.

"The Houston expansion has been jaw-dropping," she said. "Up until now, CatchCorner’s launch in New York City had been our most successful market, but Houston has launched on par with it."

Within a 30-day period this summer, over 30,000 users join the app, Azouri noted, adding that the app would include 700 unique recreational spaces users can choose from in the city.

"There’s a real sports culture here, with athletes of all levels from casual weekend players to competitive amateurs and even pros. The diversity of the sports community, combined with the number of high-quality facilities across the city, makes it a perfect fit for CatchCorner," she said.

CatchCorner in Houston offers bookings for basketball, volleyball, soccer, pickleball, padel, baseball, badminton, and tennis, with plans to include golf simulators and ice rink sports soon. The Zone Sports, Toros HTX, PAC Gym, and Houston Pickleball Center are among the most popular venues.

Using the app is a snap. Once you pick your sport, venues with available slots are listed including distance from you with the booking schedules in the results so there are no surprises. The slots can go fast, so occasional error messages pop up when trying to book, but it's otherwise a three-click process. CatchCorner also helpfully includes a picture of the facilities while booking.

CatchCorner announced Google integration in June that lets users book through the app directly from searches when they look up specific venues. This is slightly less intuitive to use than the app, but it does ultimately work in both mobile and desktops versions. Either way, it greatly streamlines the booking process for people who just want to schedule a quick pickup game somewhere.

"It’s especially useful for casual players or people who want to organize something on short notice," said Azouri. "Whether it’s a weekend basketball run, a weekday futsal match, or a spontaneous pickleball game with friends, CatchCorner makes it easy to coordinate without the usual logistical headaches.

"Some feedback here has been that we’re like 'Expedia for sports.' It’s because booking a flight online is that easy, booking your next game or workout should be just as simple."

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This article originally appeared on CultureMap.com.

10 Houston billionaires make Forbes' list of richest Americans in 2025

The Rich List

America's wealthiest billionaires are $1.2 trillion richer in 2025, bringing their collective worth to a staggering $6.6 trillion. And Houston's own Richard Kinder has become the richest billionaire in the city, according to the new Forbes 400.

The Kinder Morgan chairman is the 11th richest Texas resident and ranks as the 108th richest American. Kinder also dethroned Tilman Fertitta to claim the title as the wealthiest Houstonian.

The annual Forbes 400 list is a definitive ranking of the wealthiest Americans, using interviews, financial data, and documentation provided by billionaires and their companies.

Kinder's wealth

The publication estimates Kinder's net worth at $10.6 billion, up from $8.1 billion last year. He also appears among Forbes' separate list of the richest billionaires in the world.

"It’s been a year unlike any we’ve seen in the four decades we’ve tracked America’s billionaire class,” said Forbes senior editor Chase Peterson-Withorn in a press release. "The super-rich at the very top are richer than ever — and between the White House and the booming stock market, they’re as powerful as they’ve ever been."

Kinder, 80, co-founded oil and gas pipeline firm Kinder Morgan in 1997, which is now known as one of the largest American energy infrastructure companies. He stepped down as CEO in 2015, though he still chairs the board of directors.

Kinder and his wife, Nancy, also founded Houston-based nonprofit the Kinder Foundation in 1997. The organization provides "major gifts to public causes with the intention of helping people realize healthy and rewarding lives," according to its website.

In May 2025, the Kinders pledged $150 million to Texas Children's Hospital and MD Anderson to create the Kinder Children's Cancer Center.

"Our philanthropic efforts center on supporting transformational projects in Houston, and this initiative exemplifies that mission in every way," said Kinder in a press release. "We were deeply impressed by the extraordinary leadership and unwavering commitment of both UT MD Anderson and Texas Children’s to pursue a bold, collaborative model of care. It is a rare and powerful moment when two leading organizations come together to create something entirely new – something capable of reshaping the future of pediatric cancer care."

The richest Houstonians

In all, 43 Texas billionaires made it on the 2025 Forbes 400 list, and 10 are based in the Houston metro.

Hospitality honcho Fertitta, 68, is the second-richest billionaire in Houston, and his net worth has jumped from $10.1 billion last year to $11 billion in 2025. He owns the Golden Nugget Casinos, the Houston Rockets, Texas-based restaurant and entertainment company Landry's, and also serves as the U.S. Ambassador to Italy.

"Serving as President Trump's ambassador to Italy 'is a real job,' says Fertitta, who personally oversaw the renovation of Villa Taverna, the ambassador's residence in Rome," Forbes wrote in his profile.

Fertitta most recently put his ritzy 250-foot-long superyacht on the market for about $192 million, with Forbes saying he "has a bigger one on order."

Here's how the rest of Houston's billionaires fared on this year's list:

  • Oil tycoon Jeffery Hildebrand ties for No. 123 nationally with an estimated net worth of $10 billion. Last year: $7.6 billion.
  • Toyota mega-dealer Dan Friedkin ranks 128th nationally with an estimated net worth of $9.7 billion. Last year: $7.6 billion.
  • Houston pipeline heir Randa Duncan Williams ranks 130th with an estimated net worth of $9.5 billion. Fellow pipeline heirs Dannine Avara and Milane Frantz tie for 135th nationally. Each has an estimated net worth of $9.4 billion. Scott Duncan ranks No. 141 with a $9.2 billion estimated net worth.
  • Houston Texans owner Janice McNair ranks 201st nationally with an estimated net worth of $7.3 billion. Last year: $6.2 billion.
  • Energy exploration chief exec George Bishop of The Woodlands ranks No. 325 with an estimated net worth of $4.7 billion. Last year: $5 billion.

Richest billionaires elsewhere in Texas

The richest person in America in 2025 is none other than Austin-based Elon Musk. Musk, 54, saw his net worth skyrocket to $428 billion this year, or $184 billion more than his 2024 net worth. He claimed the No. 1 spot for the fourth time.

Walmart heiress Alice Walton of Fort Worth was dubbed the wealthiest woman in America for 2025. Walton, 75, simultaneously holds the title as the richest woman in the world. Forbes estimates Walton's net worth at $106 billion (up from $89.2 billion last year) and proclaims her as the first female centibillionaire (a person with a 12-digit fortune) in America. Now that's wealth.

"Tariffs. Inflation. Slowing employment. None of it has hit the fortunes of America’s billionaires," Forbes said. "A decade ago, when it took $1.7 billion to make The Forbes 400, a net worth of $3.8 billion was comfortably within the top half of the ranking — now that lofty sum is the minimum required."

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This article originally appeared on CultureMap.com.

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