John Egan
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Content marketer, author of The Stripped-Down Guide to Content Marketing, Austinite, world traveler, lover of laughter, lover of words. Proud KU grad.
Articles by John Egan
U.S. Data Center Construction Starts Still Soaring Despite Some Bumps in the Road
Industrial Manufacturing News reports about data centers being delayed or cancelled, or states and municipalities enacting or considering moratoria on data-center construction, are real, but are not the whole story, according to Industrial Info Resources data tracking.
Dallas-Fort Worth ranks among top 25 metros for new home construction
Living in one of the state's biggest and busiest metropolitan areas comes with its own benefits, but it can feel a lot more freeing to escape to the countryside with acres of land to call your own. For North Texas residents who want to make the leap, four sprawling equestrian estates have just hit the market, all within a short drive of Fort Worth. The four separate properties are located in four directions of DFW — Murchison, Wills Point, Alvarado, and Cross Roads.
Dallas-Fort Worth ranks among top 25 metros for new home construction
Dallas-Fort Worth has a lot of new home construction. | Photo by Ryan Stephens/ Pexels As the population of the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area continues to grow, so does the need for housing. One of the primary ways to address this: Build more homes. As the population of the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area continues to grow, so does the need for housing. One of the primary ways to address this: Build more homes. The region appears to be on the right track for addressing the booming demand.
ENERGYCAPITALHTX EMAILS ARE AWESOME
Two Rice University spinouts, Coflux Purification and DexMat, appear on a new list of the world’s 50 cleantech companies to watch.
Malls Show Signs of Strength, $224M in Grocery-Anchored Retail Deals, 3 Canadian Restaurant Chains Target U.S. Growth and More
Jump to … The American Mall Is Alive and Well, 3 New Reports Indicate Grocery-Anchored Retail Keeps Drawing Investment, With $224M in New Deals 3 Canadian Restaurant Chains Set Sights on U.S. Expansion EQT Will Acquire Stockbridge for Up to $550M Leadership Changes at JLL and TSCG The American Mall Is Alive and Well, 3 New Reports Indicate Colliers highlights a drop in mall vacancy, Placer.ai predicts enclosed malls will enjoy a holly-jolly holiday season and Cushman & Wakefield says the...
Hunt Energy Spinout Watter Puts AI Computing in Hyatt Regency Dallas, Turns Server Heat Into Hot Water
Dallas-based AI infrastructure startup Watter just rolled out a waste-heat-to-water platform for commercial buildings. Its first customer: Hyatt Regency Dallas at Reunion Tower. Watter’s hardware captures heat from computer servers inside a commercial building and converts it to hot water for the building. A server emits almost all of the energy it uses. Most servers operate at roughly 5% to 15% capacity but run in full-power mode.
No Wheel, No Pedals, No Mirrors: Tesla’s Autonomous Cybercab Revs Up for Dallas Debut Original
Tesla’s autonomous ride-hailing Cybercabs — which aren’t equipped with a steering wheel, accelerator pedal, brake pedal or rearview mirrors — will soon hit the streets of Dallas. In an Oct. 10 post on the X social media platform, Tesla’s vice president of AI software, Ashok Elluswamy, said Cybercabs are coming soon to Dallas. He didn’t provide a launch date.
Italian aerospace company touches down at Houston Spaceport
Como, Italy-based aerospace company Involve Space recently made the Houston Spaceport the site of its first U.S. office. Involve Space develops high-altitude balloon platforms for Earth observation, scientific research and hardware testing. The balloons carry instruments into the stratosphere (a layer of the upper atmosphere) to collect images and data, conduct experiments and test technology.
How Could the Supreme Court Rule in Landmark Climate Change Case?
Written by John Egan for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas) Summary On October 5, the U.S. Supreme Court heard a case that looked like the ultimate "all or nothing" lawsuit, where the decision could either potentially bankrupt an entire industry or decisively shut the door on this type of climate-change litigation.
American Airlines Goes Full Speed Ahead With Starlink Wi-Fi Service
Fort Worth-based American Airlines will start equipping its entire mainline fleet with high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi service in early 2027. The full-fleet rollout builds on American’s May announcement that it would install Starlink on more than 500 Airbus aircraft starting next year. Under the new plan, SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service will be added to more than 1,000 American mainline jets — Airbus and Boeing narrowbody and widebody aircraft.
Italian aerospace company touches down at Houston Spaceport
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Italian aerospace company touches down at Houston Spaceport Original
Como, Italy-based aerospace company Involve Space recently made the Houston Spaceport the site of its first U.S. office. Involve Space develops high-altitude balloon platforms for Earth observation, scientific research and hardware testing. The balloons carry instruments into the stratosphere (a layer of the upper atmosphere) to collect images and data, conduct experiments and test technology.
Dallas Cybersecurity Company Elisity Agrees to $1.3B Acquisition by Quantum Computing Company IonQ Original
College Park, Maryland-based quantum computing company IonQ agreed to buy Dallas-based cybersecurity company Elisity in an all-stock deal valued at up to $1.3 billion. Publicly traded IonQ said the acquisition of privately held Elisity would create a broader cybersecurity platform for detecting and combating AI and quantum threats. Elisity’s software improves network security by segmenting network access based on identity, content and organization-wide policies.
DFW Airport Creates New Role to Lead AI Push
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport is looking for a tech wizard to pilot its AI program — a significant hire in the airport’s quest to further embrace AI. A job posting on DFW Airport’s website said the full-time principal AI lead, a newly created job, will be the airport-wide “strategic and technical authority” on this quickly evolving technology. The job posting is no longer live.
DFW Airport Creates New Role to Lead AI Push
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport is looking for a tech wizard to pilot its AI program — a significant hire in the airport’s quest to further embrace AI. A job posting on DFW Airport’s website said the full-time principal AI lead, a newly created job, will be the airport-wide “strategic and technical authority” on this quickly evolving technology. The job posting is no longer live.
Tesla’s driverless Cybercabs are preparing to hit the roads in Dallas Original
Tesla’s self-driving Cybercabs, already on the roads of Austin, will be roaming the streets of Dallas in the near future. In an October 10 post on the X social media platform, Tesla’s vice president of AI software, Ashok Elluswamy, said Cybercabs are coming “soon” to Dallas. He offered no timeline. Both autonomous electric vehicles are manufactured in Austin, where Tesla is based. The Robotaxi Tracker website shows 319 Cybercabs and 420 Robotaxis are registered in Texas today.
Hertha Metals breaks ground on $100M high-purity iron factory in Conroe
Hertha Metals has broken ground on its new iron and steel “innovation complex." Photos courtesy Hertha Metals iron factoryground breakingbreaking groundhigh-purity ironchalyxpi100laureen merouehhertha metals The company plans to grow its Houston workforce to 100 employees by the end of 2028. Photo courtesy BlueSpark Energy houston officehouston headquartershouston hqkahina abdeli-galinierenergy corridorzach wilburmatt mohajerpulsed-power technologybluespark energy
INNOVATIONMAP EMAILS ARE AWESOME
Como, Italy-based aerospace company Involve Space recently made the Houston Spaceport the site of its first U.S. office. Involve Space develops high-altitude balloon platforms for Earth observation, scientific research and hardware testing. The balloons carry instruments into the stratosphere (a layer of the upper atmosphere) to collect images and data, conduct experiments and test technology.
Health, safety and welfare: A continuous journey, not a destination
John Egan, CIF Executive for Safety, Health & Skills, highlights the importance of the annual CIF Construction Safety Campaign and the vital role it plays in reinforcing a strong culture of construction safety, health and welfare The Construction Industry Federation’s (CIF) annual Construction Safety Campaign returns this year from October 12-23, incorporating the European Week for Safety and Health at Work from October 19-24.
Houston investor acquires Bishop Arts mixed-use portfolio in $170M deal Original
A Houston investor has snapped up a mixed-use portfolio of nine buildings in the Bishop Arts District, the second Bishop Arts property acquisition since August. Hines Global Income Trust told CultureMap it paid more than $170 million for a mixed-use complex with 539 apartments and 49,000 square feet of high-end shops. The Bishop Arts Portfolio, as Hines refers to the real estate package on its website, sits on almost seven acres.
Energy AI company opens first U.S. office in Houston after Halliburton deal
The new Houston office will be located within the Ion. Photo courtesy of the Ion houston office the ion halliburton rice alliance for technology and entrepreneurship rice alliance caio sene modec modec spinoff halliburton partnership energy ai shape digital Michael Wortley, Joulent's new CFO, and Corey Grindal, the company's new COO.
TGI Fridays’ First U.S. Franchise Deal in Over a Decade, 5 More Franchise Updates, 3.5M SF of Retail Real Estate Activity and More
Jump to … 6 Franchise Updates: TGI Fridays, Burger King, McDonald’s and More 3.5M SF of Retail Acquisitions, Refinancing and Development Grocery, Big-Box and Discount Stores Lead Halloween Shopping Plans Mars Says AI Shopping Assistants Could Boost Experiential Retail Adam Hines Will Join His Sister as Hines Co-CEO 6 Franchise Updates: TGI Fridays, Burger King, McDonald’s and More TGI Fridays made its return to franchising in the U.S., and Burger King is ramping up its franchising strategy, too.
Capex Plan for Arizona Utility Shows Broadening of State's Economy
Power Arizona Public Service has boosted spending in its latest four-year capital program. Released Monday, October 12, 2026 Written by John Egan for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas) Summary Data centers are a potent source of economic growth in Arizona, as they are elsewhere. But in a recent presentation to investors, officials from Arizona Public Service Company, the state's largest electric utility, have highlighted other sectors that are poised to drive the state's economy forward.
DFW Venture Capital Rebounds in Q3, but 2026 Total Still Trails Last Year Original
Dallas-Fort Worth’s venture capital haul in the first nine months of 2026 fell almost 10% short of the same period last year, a new report shows. On a positive note, though, the third quarter of this year was the fifth-best recorded in PitchBook-NVCA Venture Monitor’s dataset, which dates back to 2016. DFW startups raised $962.5 million across 52 VC deals in this year’s third quarter, the latest PitchBook-NVCA report shows.
Houston energy startup names former Cheniere execs to C-suite
Michael Wortley, Joulent's new CFO, and Corey Grindal, the company's new COO. Photos courtesy Joulent energy infrastructure startup cheniere energy c-suite cfo coo michael wortley corey grindal chris james national grid ventures ge vernova engine no. 1 project kilby microsoft energy forge one chevron joulent A rendering of the Stardust Power's planned lithium refinery in Muskogee, Oklahoma.
DFW Beats NYC, Boston and Austin to Claim No. 2 Spot for Value of First-Half Expansion-Stage Exits Original
The San Francisco Bay Area, the world’s startup capital, dominated expansion-stage exits by value in the first half of 2026. But Dallas-Fort Worth — not traditional startup hubs like New York City, Boston and Austin — claimed the No. 2 spot. A new report from professional services firm Deloitte showed 24 expansion-stage exits in DFW during the first half of this year yielded $55.9 billion. That compares with 54 expansion-stage exits in all of 2025 that generated $10.9 billion.
Dallas Market Center Launches AI Training Program for Independent Retailers Original
Dallas Market Center, the 5 million-square-foot B2B trading hub and wholesale marketplace northwest of downtown Dallas, just introduced an AI training program for a sizable chunk of its customer base: independent retailers. The market center said its Retail Ready program is the first B2B marketplace to create an AI education program for independent retailers. Independent retailers operate nearly 57% of stores in Texas, Capital One Shopping data shows.
2 Dallas neighbors top list of safest cities for new homeowners
Roughly 15 miles separate two fast-growing Dallas-Fort Worth suburbs, McKinney and Frisco. Yet they share highly coveted territory in the safety department. Home security system company Vivint has put McKinney at No. 2 and Frisco at No. 4 in its ranking of the safest U.S. cities for new homeowners. Vivint analyzed 93 U.S. cities based on 2025 property crime rates, share of homeowners under 35, share of recent movers, and employment of security and fire alarm installers.
2 Dallas neighbors top list of safest cities for new homeowners
McKinney and Frisco are rated among the five safest on the list. | Getty Images Roughly 15 miles separate two fast-growing Dallas-Fort Worth suburbs, McKinney and Frisco. Yet they share highly coveted territory in the safety department. Home security system company Vivint has put McKinney at No. 2 and Frisco at No. 4 in its ranking of the safest U.S. cities for new homeowners.
Australian Defense and Aerospace Contractor Advanced Composite Structures Picks Arlington for U.S. HQ Original
Australia-based Advanced Composite Structures — a manufacturer of advanced composite materials for defense and aerospace companies — will establish its U.S. headquarters in Arlington. ACS will occupy roughly 40,000 square feet at a facility recently built near Arlington Municipal Airport. Its Arlington presence will comprise headquarters offices and manufacturing operations.
Dallas Startup UpSmith Raises $10M Series A to Put AI to Work for Home-Services Providers Original
Dallas-based UpSmith raised a $10 million Series A round to expand its engineering and sales teams and ramp up partnerships. The startup’s AI platform helps home-services contractors find and act on otherwise missed revenue opportunities. SemperVirens led the round.
Wages grew fastest since 2021 in these Houston-area counties, study finds Original
Bolstered by a thriving manufacturing sector, Waller County—the country’s second-fastest-growing county—leads all Houston-area counties for the growth of pay from 2021 to 2026, according to a new study. The study, conducted by personal finance website SmartAsset, found average pay in Waller County rose 48 percent from 2021 to 2026. The county’s average weekly pay climbed from $891 to $1,323 during that period.
Texas acquires $10M lakeside ranch to become 650-acre state park
Austin travelers with a soft spot for the arts will have an easy time planning a weekend getaway with all of the music festivals, art fairs, and other cultural showcases happening around Texas this month. October is a busy month for Austin residents and visitors with back-to-back weekends of Austin City Limits Music Festival, Hot Luck Festival, and the Formula 1 U.S. Grand Prix — but there's plenty to do across the state if you're avoiding the frenetic festival vibes.
Hertha Metals raises $133M Series A round, plans high-purity iron plant
The funding will support the construction of the Hertha Chalyx plant. Photo courtesy Hertha Metals series a pentagon federal funding khosla ventures doerr capital department of defense laureen meroueh chalyx hertha chalyx industrial base analysis and sustainment high-purity iron steel-grade iron hertha metals greentown labs greentown go make exxonmobil activate activate houston rice innovation fellows liu idea lab lillie cohorts houston accelerators
Energy AI company opens first U.S. office at Houston’s the Ion
Building on its partnership with Houston-based oilfield services provider Halliburton, energy-sector AI company Shape Digital recently opened an office at The Ion. It’s the company’s first U.S. location. Shape Digital’s workforce in Houston includes employees specializing in tech support, business development and client services. The company’s local hiring projections and headcount weren’t available. The new office will be located within Industrious at the Ion, according to Rice Alliance.
650-acre ranch near Tyler to become Texas' newest state park Original
East Texas is gaining a new state park at Lake Palestine that will include amenities like hike-and-bike trails, campsites, and lakefront access. The park will be located about a five-hour drive from San Antonio near Tyler. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation has paid more than $10 million for a 650-acre ranch at Lake Palestine that will be converted into a state park, the agency says. If the park opened today, it would be the 90th state park in Texas.
New 650-acre state park coming to Lake Palestine in East Texas
East Texas is gaining a new state park at Lake Palestine that will include amenities like hike-and-bike trails, campsites, and lakefront access. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation has paid more than $10 million for a 650-acre ranch at Lake Palestine that will be converted into a state park, the agency says. If the park opened today, it would be the 90th state park in Texas. The ranch, roughly 100 miles southeast of Dallas, had been on the market for a little less than $10 million.
New 650-acre state park coming to Lake Palestine in East Texas
Lake Palestine will be the site of a new state park. | Photo courtesy of Texas Land East Texas is gaining a new state park atLake Palestine that will include amenities like hike-and-bike trails, campsites, and lakefront access. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation has paid more than $10 million for a 650-acre ranch at Lake Palestine that will be converted into a state park, the agency says. If the park opened today, it would be the 90th state park in Texas.
INNOVATIONMAP EMAILS ARE AWESOME
Bolstered by a thriving manufacturing sector, Waller County—the country’s second-fastest-growing county—leads all Houston-area counties for the growth of pay from 2021 to 2026, according to a new study. The study, conducted by personal finance website SmartAsset, found average pay in Waller County rose 48 percent from 2021 to 2026. The county’s average weekly pay climbed from $891 to $1,323 during that period.
$4.5B in Grocery-Anchored Retail Moves, a $1B Credit Package, a $508M Property Sale and More
Jump to … 5 Major Grocery-Anchored Retail Moves Represent $4.5B CTO Closes Revised $1B Credit Package To Aid Portfolio Expansion Federal Buys 870K-SF Alabama Center for $508M Some Buyers Aren’t Backing Off Small Retail Properties Despite Fed Hike, Says Marcus & Millichap’s Hessam Nadji Family Dollar Sells 47 Stores in $74.7M Sale-Leaseback Joann Tops List of Former Tenants at Spirit Halloween Stores 5 Major Grocery-Anchored Retail Moves Represent $4.5B Placer.ai research director Elizabeth...
Kyndryl Opens First U.S. AI Lab in Frisco, With Up to 300 Jobs on the Horizon
IBM spinoff Kyndryl, a provider of enterprise-level IT infrastructure services, opened an AI innovation lab in Frisco Oct. 1. It is the company’s first AI lab in the U.S. The lab, at 5844 John Hickman Parkway, could create up to 300 jobs in AI, tech consulting and design engineering over the next four years, Kyndryl said. The Frisco facility joins New York City-based Kyndryl’s global network of AI labs, including locations in the United Kingdom and Luxembourg.
Texas College Students Shy Away From AI-Exposed Majors, Dallas Fed Study Finds
For years, high school students and their parents thought majoring in computer science in college was a solid plan for a well-paying career. Now, Texas college students are turning away from it and other AI-exposed majors, new research from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas finds. In the study, Dallas Fed economists Samuel Dodini and Tucker Smith examined enrollment at Texas public universities.
DFW Airport lands No. 1 ranking as America's most stressful airport
A farm near Corpus Christi is giving a larger-than-life salute to Dolly Parton. Rockin’ K Farms, in Robstown, Texas, has built a massive corn maze in tribute to the country music icon, who passed away in late August. The maze is one of 20 U.S. attractions designed by Utah-based The MAiZE Inc. The corn maize consulting company has gone viral in recent years for its campaigns honoring some of Nashville’s biggest stars, including Reba McEntire in 2023, Luke Bryan in 2024, and Lainey Wilson in 2025.
New CAFE Rule Not Likely to Ease Near-Term Affordability Challenges
Written by John Egan for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas) Summary Automakers are unlikely to get any clarity, and consumers will reap no short-term benefits, from the Trump administration's recent roll-back of a vehicle mileage-efficiency rule.
SMU Historian Ariel Ron Wins $800K MacArthur Fellowship
Southern Methodist University historian Ariel Ron just made some history of his own: He joined the elite club of MacArthur Fellows. On Tuesday, Ron received a five-year $800,000 “genius grant” from the MacArthur Foundation. He and 19 others in the U.S. got the foundation’s prestigious fellowship this year. Since 1981, the foundation has named roughly 1,200 fellows. The annual no-strings-attached fellowships go to scholars, writers, scientists, artists, entrepreneurs and others.
ENERGYCAPITALHTX EMAILS ARE AWESOME
Sage Geosystems has selected a site for its next major geothermal facility. Photo via sagegeosystems.com project vector geothermal energy geothermal project enhanced geothermal system egs rmat technologies’ blue mountain ormat technologies jason peart cindy taff smeci facility sage geosystems The geothermal projects are among 21 selected to receive a total of $99 million in DOE funding.
N.C. Decision Could Point to Regulatory Hurdles for Data Centers
Industrial Manufacturing North Carolina utility regulators this month denied a request by Duke Energy to add a gas-fired combustion turbine unit at a power plant Released Thursday, October 01, 2026 Written by John Egan for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas) Summary North Carolina utility regulators this month denied a request by Duke Energy to add a gas-fired combustion turbine unit at a power plant, saying the utility did not provide enough information for the commission to issue a...
Morgan Stanley Picks Dallas. What Comes Next for Y’all Street? Original
New York City-based Morgan Stanley officially announced plans to establish a U.S. hub in Dallas on Monday, marking the latest addition to the growing Y’all Street financial services corridor. The hub, backed by more than $62 million in state and city funding, will bring 1,500 jobs to Dallas by 2031 and more than 3,800 jobs by 2035, Morgan Stanley said.
Chip and Joanna Gaines finally sell $2.7M Fixer Upper castle in Waco
Texas' king and queen of home renovations, Chip and Joanna Gaines, are done lording over their 136-year-old castle in Waco. The stars of TV’s Fixer Upper have found a buyer for Cottonland Castle, Mansion Global reported. The sale is pending. The Gaineses listed the 6,176-square-foot castle, in Waco's historic and affluent Castle Heights neighborhood, at nearly $2.7 million. They bought the property in 2019, when it carried a $425,000 price tag.
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