The University of Arizona Center for Innovation Welcomes New Cohort of Startups as Part of the Pilot Program with Arizona FORGE

Three startups will advance their ventures through a new pilot program developed by the University of Arizona Center for Innovation (UACI) and Arizona FORGE to create support services for a seamless startup continuum. The first cohort participating in the pilot program includes startups Metfora, Obánj and Dive. The three companies will advance to the UACI, having just completed the Arizona FORGE Advanced Entrepreneur Program (AEP), an eight-week program that provides early-stage entrepreneurs with accelerated education about general startup venture concepts and the tools needed to initiate a startup. UACI works with multi-stage startups, immersing them with support centered around a 27-point roadmap, and is the next sequential step where people, programming and places help entrepreneurs launch their startup, grow and scale.

Stackhouse, a UACI Startup, Gets Accepted into Techstars

Congratulations to UACI startup Stackhouse, a movable container real estate startup, for being accepted into the 2021 class of Techstars Anywhere Accelerator program. Stackhouse will remotely tap into a world-class network with like-minded founders who share the same creativity and resilience and have developed business that adapts to this new remote-first world. 

UA Wins Funding to Support Renewable Energy Innovation

The University of Arizona Center for Innovation recently received an award of up to $300,000 from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to support the U.S. technology innovators competing in the Department of Energy’s American-Made Challenges program. With the new award, UACI will be supporting teams competing for Groundbreaking Hydro Prize, the Ocean Observing Prize, and the Geothermal Manufacturing Prize.

UACI Noontime Knowledge with Elizabeth Parsons

Elizabeth Parsons visited UACI's Noontime Knowledge to discuss why it makes sense for many startups to form as LLCs but convert later to corporations. She discussed governance issues and the big issues that drive startups to convert from LLCs to corporations. Elizabeth Parsons specializes in representing startups across a range of legal issues including formation, governance, equity incentives, fundraising, commercial agreements and exit events. With experience working with large firms, she is now practicing on her own to provide more focused service to her clients. 

University-Based Technology Improves Environment

Auxilium Technologies has brought together multiple inventions from University of Arizona mining and geological engineers that improve the output of mines while reducing their environmental impact. Under the leadership of Auxilium CEO Abraham Jalbout, the company will develop inventions, which make ore leaching processes more efficient and less toxic, contribute to water conservation and reduce energy consumption. Auxilium has utilized its resources working with Tech Launch Arizona, the UA office that commercializes inventions stemming from research. Auxilium also was awarded sponsored entry into UACI from the generous support of the Town of Sahuarita and Freeport-McMoRan.

Be a Part of the Team

UACI has long served the region’s strong and vibrant community of innovators. With exponential growing demand from the startup community, we are hiring more team members to increase our support capacity. Do you enjoy working in a fast-paced environment alongside entrepreneurs? You have the opportunity to directly support multi-stage science and technology companies on their journey to success. UACI is hiring a mentor in residence and a program manager. Interested candidates should apply today!

Black History Month 2021

In celebration of Black History Month, UACI is highlighting Black entrepreneurs who make major contributions to our mission of moving innovation forward. The four entrepreneurs being highlighted are Junnis Hugger III (co-founder of Cell Work, LLC), Janelle Leann Briggs, Ph.D (CEO of Stackhouse), Mark A. Nelson, Ph.D (co-founder and CEO of Precision Epigenomics) and Dr. Patrick K. Gbele (founder and CEO of US Air Tech DBA USAT). 

National Entrepreneurship Week 2021

UACI would like to wish everyone in the entrepreneur ecosystem a Happy National Entrepreneurship Week. It’s a pleasure providing access to people, programming and places that help innovative minds take their startup from idea to market. During this week, we will present a SBIR/STTR workshop on 2/17 and also continue contributing to knowledge sharing, through the Noontime Knowledge series where business professionals share their expertise each week on our YouTube Channel. 

UACI Hosts "Got Pitch"

Raising money is one of the major tasks a growth-oriented entrepreneur, founder or startup CEO is confronted with. Becoming an “Investment-Ready Entrepreneur” is key and this UACI #NoontimeKnowledge, guest speaker and UACI Director Anita Bell utilizes the “pitch” format to step through the process of setting up your company, your team and your communication in the right direction for any type of funding: equity, grants, strategic partners and other resources.

DEPT of Energy SBIR/STTR Workshop Series -

Time Keeping and Record Keeping

Join us on Wednesday, February 17, 2021, from 11 am - 12 pm MT for our eighth and final workshop focused on time keeping and record keeping. Participants will learn how to best plan remaining time, red line strategies and develop letters of support.

IDEAFUNDING: Celebrating Innovation in all its Forms

UACI is proud to be a sponsor of Startup Tucson’s IDEAFUNDING on April 15, a day-long digital entrepreneurial experience including Southern Arizona's largest pitch competition, inspirational community Resiliency Awards, and powerful thought-leaders. In addition to a classic pitch competition, the day will include community prizes and awards for exceptional innovation, grit, creativity, and impact. Tune in all day, or pop in to check out each category. Join in for a live pitch competition and live judges panel at that end of the day as their grand finale. UACI will be handling all the pitch training and the winner of the competition will receive a sponsored year’s admission into our incubator.

#ReturnStronger

We are stronger together. Please know that the University of Arizona Center for Innovation and Tech Parks Arizona stands with you.



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The University of Arizona Center for Innovation (UACI) is a key component of Tech Parks Arizona which brings together university, industry and community to advance technology innovation. UACI is the University of Arizona's startup incubator network with outposts across the Southern Arizona region with a mission to grow scalable startup ventures that fuel the Arizona ecosystem.