Business became lively, trade became important again, and crafts developed significantly. In 1765, elementary and secondary education was begun by the Piarist order supported by Lajos Batthyány, palatine of Hungary. The first business school of Transdanubia was opened in Nagykanizsa, and in 1895 it was made into a college.
Many people who had attended its schools became famous: Benedek Virág, Pál Király, Ferenc Deák, Károly Kaán, Sándor Hevesi and Ferenc Mező all studied in the ancient buildings of Nagykanizsa's "almae matres".
Nagykanizsa started a new phase of large-scale development in the 1860s. The railway connecting Nagykanizsa with Vienna, Budapest and Rijeka was constructed at that time. There was rapid development in industry as well. This industrial and business development resulted in the foundation of banks. Besides the four local banks, an Austro-Hungarian and an Anglo-Hungarian bank also opened branch offices in town. Telephone lines were established and the town was connected with a long-distance system in 1895. At the same time a 70-bed hospital was opened.
During World War I, military barracks were built in the town. This necessitated the construction of a municipal water network. Kanizsa became a modern town; drainage system construction and paving of streets began. World War I caused grave consequences. Kanizsa became isolated and lost its markets in the south and west. Oil helped the town to survive. After successful exploration by the American corporation Eurogasco, Hungarian-American Oil Inc. was formed. Nagykanizsa became the centre of the Hungarian oil industry.
Beer brewed in Kanizsa Brewery regained its reputation as one of the best Hungarian beers, carrying off the palm at more and more international competitions — at the beginning of the century the brewery was closed as demand for beer fell drastically. Kanizsa Trend Ltd. grew out of the company, with its furniture products
