JULY 2021

American Made Challenge Reaches Round 5

Round 5 of the American Made Solar Prize Challenge is officially launched! Rounds 1 through 4 of the Solar Prize focused on solar manufacturing and hardware components. Solar Prize Round 5 is structured with two tracks that focus separately on hardware and software components to allow more entrepreneurs to compete in the solar innovation space. Both tracks have three contests, "Ready!," "Set!," and "Go!" As a Power Connector, UACI is prepared to support contestants through this challenging round.

Round 5 of the American-Made Solar Prize is accepting submissions through Oct. 5. If you have an idea that could shape the future of solar hardware or software components, we want to help make it happen. UACI is hosting an informational webinar to share more information about Round 5 of the challenge. This webinar will also feature Verify Energy, a Round 3 finalist, who will share their American-Made Challenge experience with participants. Join us on Wednesday, August 4, 2021, from 11 am-12 pm PT to learn more about the application process for Round 5, how Power Connectors can support your submission, and learn from past participants.

 

Students Visit UACI to Learn about Engineering for Startups

The University of Arizona's ENGAGED (ENGineering Access, Greater Equity, and Diversity) program for engineering undergraduates has established an industry partnership with the UACI as a part of its Summer TRACK curriculum. The students have already worked with TEP, Bayer Crop Science, Sundt Construction, IBM, and Raytheon to learn about engineering opportunities in Tucson. Most recently, the students have visited UACI to learn what it is like to be an engineer in a startup environment.

 

Meet the Founder: Abraham Jalbout

Meet the founder of UACI startup, Auxilium Technology Group: Abraham Jalbout. Jalbout has an impressive academic background with earning his Ph.D. in Chemical Physics at the age of 19 and being published in several scientific journals. He expressed, "Being selected as a winner of the Sponsored Launch Program between UACI, Freeport-McMoRan and the Town of Sahuarita was a great honor for us.” 

 

SBIR Success Workshop

The Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) has partnered with the UACI to offer an SBIR Success Workshop. This workshop will teach attendants how to successfully utilize opportunities offered by SBIR. The workshop will include a fireside chat highlighting the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant and showcase previous winners and their success stories, such as the UACI startup, SGNT. SGNT was awarded a $749,000 grant through the National Science Foundation.

 

Noontime Knowledge - The Directors & Officers Risk and Insurance

In this Noontime Knowledge, Collin Krickl brings to light a different way startups should view insurance. He discusses litigation risks for startups with regards to board diversity, and misrepresentations to investors. Collin Krickl is a dedicated risk professional who focuses on Directors & Officers, Cyber, and Professional Liability Coverage for businesses that range from startup through post IPO.

 

Arizona Innovation Challenge Applications Open

The Arizona Innovation Challenge is approaching. This competition is a part of the Arizona Commerce Authority's (ACA) mission to "advance companies from startup status to market domination." This year, the ACA has committed to giving $3 million to deserving startups through individual $150,000 prizes to winning startups. The application process opens on July 26, 2021. UACI works with its startups to ensure their applications are well prepared and poised to win. Don’t delay, submissions are due August 22, 2021.

 

Startup Spotlight: Desert Pearl Mushrooms

Desert Pearl Mushrooms is a gourmet and medicinal mushroom farm, that is dedicated to developing low water sustainable agriculture to the arid American Southwest. You can find Desert Pearl selling their mushrooms around town at various farmers' markets. Desert Pearl Mushrooms has been with the UACI since 2020. 

 

New Summer Intern, Emily Vo

Meet Emily Vo, a sophomore student attending the University of Texas. She is interning with Tech Parks Arizona and UACI over the summer and is working with each department to learn the many facets of a university tech park. She brings her passion for learning to each project. Emily is cataloging past and present startups. She enjoys learning about the different companies, especially seeing companies that have succeeded or why some companies have not. She is particularly fond of UACI's focus on clean technology and supporting startups related to sustainability as it is one of her passions. She enjoys being introduced to the world of entrepreneurship and learning about the incubator. Observing startup companies and the different hurdles they face has been quite insightful.

 
 
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LEARN MORE about our startup opportunities and mentorship programs below.

 

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.