Nvidia Exec and Wife Donate $100M to University of Texas

Tench Coxe and Simone Otus Coxe, a new megadonor couple fueled by AI wealth, make one of the largest gifts in UT's history.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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Tench Coxe, a longtime board member of leading AI chipmaker Nvidia, and his wife Simone Otus Coxe have donated $100 million to the University of Texas at Austin. The gift, one of the largest in the university's history, will help create a new medical center to support both academic research and patient care for the Central Texas region.

Why it matters

The Coxes' donation highlights the growing influence of AI wealth in philanthropy, as the technology has created dozens of new billionaires. The gift will also help address a critical need in the Austin area, where up to 25% of residents with serious medical issues have had to travel out of the region for treatment.

The details

Tench Coxe, who spent 30 years as a managing director with Silicon Valley hedge fund Sutter Hill Ventures, has served on the board of Nvidia since 1993. His involvement with the leading AI chipmaker has helped him amass an estimated $7.6 billion fortune. The Coxes say part of the inspiration for their gift is to ensure that residents of the Austin region have local access to care for cancer and other serious diseases.

  • The Coxes recently relocated to the Austin area after decades as California residents.
  • Tench Coxe left Sutter Hill Ventures, where he had been managing director for 30 years, in 2020.
  • The new medical center is expected to open in 2030.

The players

Tench Coxe

A longtime board member of leading AI chipmaker Nvidia, where he has amassed an estimated $7.6 billion fortune.

Simone Otus Coxe

The wife of Tench Coxe, who was the CEO of a public relations firm specializing in technology clients and is deeply involved in nonprofit media coverage of government and politics.

University of Texas at Austin

The recipient of the Coxes' $100 million donation, one of the largest gifts in the university's history.

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What they’re saying

“We believe in the value of UT Medical Center, both in terms of delivering services to Austin citizens and also changing the model for healthcare.”

— Simone Otus Coxe (University of Texas at Austin)

What’s next

The new medical center is expected to open in 2030, integrating the university's academic and research capabilities through its Dell Medical School and UT's MD Anderson Cancer Center.

The takeaway

The Coxes' donation highlights the growing influence of AI wealth in philanthropy, as the technology has created dozens of new billionaires. Their gift will help address a critical need in the Austin area by establishing a new medical center to support both academic research and patient care.