HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 21, 2026--
Reliant and the Houston Texans celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Scholarships for Champions program by surprising six high school seniors with $10,000 scholarships. To honor the student-athletes’ incredible academic and athletic accomplishments, the students and their families were treated with a special Houston Texans experience following surprise check presentations.
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“It’s incredible to think of all that our champions have accomplished since the inception of the Reliant and Houston Texans’ Scholarships for Champions program,” said Mark Parsons, senior vice president, Reliant. “For two decades, this program has supported the next generation of leaders. This year saw a record-breaking 300 nominations, and we continue to be blown away by the dedication, tenacity and leadership of these student-athletes. It’s an honor to empower the next step in their journey.”
Over 20 years, nearly 150 Houston-area student athletes have been awarded more than $840,000 in scholarships. Scholarships for Champions honors students who demonstrate excellence in athletics, academics, leadership and community involvement. Nominated by their teachers, coaches and mentors, these young leaders consistently exhibit exceptional dedication and resilience.
“The Houston Texans Foundation strives to leverage the power of sports to strengthen our community, support youth development and break down barriers to fundamental resources,” said Amanda Grosdidier, executive director, Houston Texans Foundation and Community. “We are proud to partner with Reliant for our Scholarships for Champions program to support those efforts.”
Meet the 2026 Class
The 2026 scholarship recipients come from Alief, Houston, Katy, Cypress-Fairbanks and Sheldon ISDs, competing in football, water polo, track, basketball, soccer, baseball, and golf, often multi-sport athletes.
For more information about the program, visit Reliant.com/SFC.
About Reliant, an NRG Company
Reliant makes power personal. Texans trust Reliant as a provider of electricity and a pillar of support across the state. From a best-in-class app to breakthrough innovations, Reliant is recognized nationally for outstanding customer service and as the leader in the evolving energy and smart home space. Reliant is part of NRG Energy, Inc., a Fortune 500 company that delivers innovative natural gas, electricity, and smart home solutions to homes and businesses across North America. Visit reliant.com for more information and connect with us on Facebook at facebook.com/reliantenergy and X or Instagram @reliantenergy. PUCT Certificate #10007.
2026 Reliant and Houston Texans Scholarships for Champions recipients.
SILICON VALLEY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 21, 2026--
Pegasus Tech Ventures, a global venture capital firm focused on startup investments and corporate innovation, today announced the expansion of its corporate venture capital (CVC) fund in partnership with Japanet Holdings Co., Ltd., the leading Japanese home shopping retailer Japanet TAKATA, bringing the total fund size to US$200 million.
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Pegasus is the General Partner of the fund, and Japanet is the sole Limited Partner. With this structure, 100% of the fund is committed to strategic investments for Japanet in leading global mega-ventures as well as next-generation startups with breakthrough technologies in Generative AI, Physical AI, Space Tech, and other frontier innovation sectors.
Japanet and Pegasus have already been collaborating for approximately four years, with Pegasus providing Japanet with access to the startup ecosystems centered in the United States, Europe and Japan. During this period, they have made investments in several mega-startups, including SpaceX, OpenAI, Anthropic, and xAI, all of which have achieved significant growth.
Pegasus also provides Japanet with direct connections to portfolio investments, enabling Japanet to pursue deeper relationships with these companies, frequently including commercial relationships. Through these hands-on efforts, Japanet has steadily achieved both strategic and financial results. Based on this track record, the decision has been made to expand the fund size and advance into a full-scale global investment phase.
Comment from Akito Takata, President & CEO of Japanet Group:
“At Japanet, we value the three-step philosophy of 'Discovering, Polishing, and Communicating.' In the first stage of 'Discovering'—finding hidden gems around the world—our partnership with Pegasus Tech Ventures and their global community has been truly invaluable. Moving forward, we are excited to continue leveraging this fund to seek out the world’s latest technologies and create new value that brings more joy and enrichment to our customers' everyday lives.”
Comment from Anis Uzzaman, Founder & CEO of Pegasus Tech Ventures:
“Over the past four years, we have built a strong relationship of trust with the Japanet Group. Leveraging our firm positioning in the United States and our global access originating from Silicon Valley, we have provided investment opportunities in startups driving the world’s mega-trends. With this US$200 million fund, we will further accelerate investments that are expected to generate both strategic and financial returns in the fields of Generative AI, Physical AI, and Space Tech.”
About Japanet Group
Under its corporate philosophy of “Joy of sharing happy moments”, the Japanet Group operates a mail-order/e-commerce business alongside sports and regional revitalization businesses. The core of its operations lies in “discovering” quality products, services, regional attractions, entertainment, and information that are hidden from the world, “polishing” their appeal, and “communicating” them in an easy-to-understand manner. The Group is committed to enriching the “present” for all those connected to it, addressing a range of social issues not only through “healthy management” practices, but also through “educational support for children around the world” and “disaster relief support.” For more information, please visit: https://corporate.japanet.co.jp/en/
About Pegasus Tech Ventures
Pegasus Tech Ventures is a global venture capital firm headquartered in Silicon Valley, backed by limited partners that include more than 40 major corporations worldwide, making Pegasus the world’s leading provider of CVC management services. Pegasus focuses on supporting corporate innovation and accelerating corporate growth on a global scale. The firm has invested in world-class companies such as SpaceX, OpenAI, Anthropic, Twitter (now X), Airbnb, SoFi, DoorDash, and Coinbase, as well as other prominent startups around the world. To date, Pegasus has invested in more than 290 startups globally, with assets under management totaling over USD $2 billion. For more details, please visit: https://www.pegasustechventures.com
Pegasus Tech Ventures and Japanet Expand Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) Fund to US$200 Million
