TPA eNewsletter

The UA Tech Park was voted Tucson's Most Innovative Workplace and the Best Workplace Culture based on votes from Arizona Daily Star Readers. The Arizona Daily Star organizes the Reader's Choice Awards annually to recognize the "best of" all Tucson businesses and organizations by surveying readership. The Park, one of the largest employment centers in the region, is a dynamic, interactive community where innovators and business leaders meet, and where emerging companies and technology giants work side by side. Employees from every company at the Tech Park, termed Tech Cats, connect with each other to establish a broader sense of community. The Tech Cats come together during the workday to network with each other, share business ideas & challenges, as well as unwind through several of the onsite amenities including fitness classes, pop-up parties, and many special events.

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American-Made Solar Network

The UA Tech Park and the Arizona Center for Innovation were selected by the US Department of Energy and National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to serve as a "connector" for the American-Made Solar Prize, supporting their goal to accelerate and sustain American solar innovation. Entrepreneurs from across the nation are encouraged to submit their ideas and bring their technology into the marketplace with financial support from the program.

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Building Experiential Skilled Student Talent (BESST)

Tech Parks Arizona, in partnership with the Tucson Urban League, hosted the first of nine soft skills BESST workshops on September 6. High School students from the Vail School District, Tucson Unified, and Tombstone school districts were led by industry professional, Teniqua Broughton, Executive Director of The State of Black Arizona, through an interactive and engaging discussion about professionalism and leadership.

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Andrada High School Students Visit the Park

High school chemistry students from Andrada Polytechnic in the Vail School District explored the UA Tech Park on September 10. Highlights of the tour included the Solar Zone, the business incubator Arizona Center for Innovation and laboratories. Industry professionals Mark Rico, Lab Manager, and John Dennis of Optics Valley shared their insight on laboratory best practices and careers in advanced energy and optics.

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Money Workshop

The Arizona Center for Innovation organizes several workshops on-the-go to help entrepreneurs develop their businesses. The next workshop, "Money: The 2nd Most Important Resource" will aid you in answering capital-related questions in your business. This workshop is for you if you want to know what types of funding resources are available, have issues with working capital, and/or are considering business loans and other dilutive financing options. These workshops are taught around town and are coming to an area near you. RSVP today.

Racing the Sun

On September 15, Tech Parks Arizona kicked off the 8th Annual Racing the Sun solar go-kart competition. Nearly 200 students, teachers, and industry professionals from across Arizona participated in workshops covering topics such as How to Use a Solar Panel, Electricity and Electrical Systems, Project Management, and Fundraising. Tech Parks Arizona is proud to partner with the College of Engineering on this initiative and to have teams coming from across Arizona including Tucson, Phoenix, Rio Rico, Sierra Vista, and the Navajo Nation to partake in this real-world workforce readiness STEM program.

Racing the Sun details >

Tech Park Champion

After a 32-year career at the University of Arizona that included the establishment of the UA Tech Park, Associate Vice President Bruce A. Wright is retiring. "Bruce Wright took a new concept for the University of Arizona in 1994 and made the UA Tech Park at Rita Road an economic powerhouse and recognized leader among university research parks," said UA President Robert Robbins.