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IdeaFunding Returns to TENWEST Impact Festival for its 27th Year Showcasing Innovation and Entrepreneurship - Applications are Live for Pitch Competition with over $50,000 in Prizes
December 10, 2024 (Tucson, Ariz.) - Applications for the 2025 IdeaFunding pitch competition are now live. Entrepreneurs will need to submit applications before January 15, 2025. IdeaFunding is Southern Arizona’s largest and longest entrepreneurial conference and pitch competition, where this year over $50,000 in prizes will be awarded to Arizona-based companies on March 27, 2025, as part of the 2025 TENWEST Festival. IdeaFunding is co-led by Startup Tucson and the University of Arizona Center for Innovation (UACI) and presented by the Arizona Commerce Authority.
Founded in 2015, TENWEST is celebrating 10 years in Tucson. The festival showcases the connectivity between technology, entrepreneurship, creativity, culture and impact, uniting attendees to gain the knowledge and inspiration needed to innovate their careers and communities. Startup Tucson hosts the 2025 TENWEST Impact Festival and co-leads IdeaFunding in partnership with UACI.
“IdeaFunding has been a pillar for the entrepreneurial community in Southern Arizona providing years of funding to numerous startups. In celebration of TENWEST’s 10th year, we’ll be hosting the pitch competition at the historic Rialto Theatre and showcasing Arizona entrepreneurs on an even larger stage. We are thrilled to bring the pitch competition and TENWEST Festival together in celebration of the impact prior winners and the event have had on Tucson over the years,” said Liz Pocock, CEO, Startup Tucson.
UACI plays a pivotal role in IdeaFunding, guiding participants through multiple competitive rounds with expert mentorship and robust pitch training. Entrepreneurs who are selected to advance in the competition benefit from personalized coaching and the opportunity to refine their business pitches with UACI mentors and staff. “IdeaFunding truly showcases Arizona’s entrepreneurial community. Not only is it an opportunity for startups in our community to receive prize funds, but it also highlights the importance of fostering mentorship, collaboration, and innovation to drive our community forward,” said Casey Carrillo, Executive Director, UACI.
This year’s pitch competition will support startups with a wide variety of available prizes valued from $1,000 to $25,000 which include a mix of cash and services. Main-stage first and second-place prize winners will receive a sponsored year in the UACI incubator program, a prize valued at $10,000. There will also be four vertical stages, each awarding prizes, along with specialty prizes like the Adelante Arizona prize for diverse founders sponsored by Community Investment Corporation.
Within TENWEST, the pitch competition will occur alongside a variety of other events designed specifically for the growing Arizona startup community including a full professional development conference day as well as a keynote show at the University of Arizona’s Centennial Hall with Guy Raz, host of the How I Built This Podcast.
IdeaFunding competition applications are open to early-stage Arizona companies. Companies that have less than $500,000 in funds raised or received in the form of a loan/grant and fewer than 10 full-time employees qualify as early-stage companies for the competition. Pitch applications are due January 15, 2025. Other opportunities to participate in TENWEST are also now open, including a call for speakers and partners that also closes on January 15, 2025.
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About Startup Tucson
Startup Tucson is 501(c)(3) nonprofit working to transform our region’s economy through entrepreneurship and education. Startup Tucson executes this mission by providing education and culture building programs and events to grow a high-impact entrepreneurial and innovative ecosystem. You can find information about the organization and upcoming opportunities to engage atwww.startuptucson.com. For questions or comments, please reach out to Liz Pocock directly at liz@startuptucson.com
About the UA Center for Innovation
The University of Arizona Center for Innovation (UACI) is a startup incubator network with outposts across the Southern Arizona region. For over two decades, the program has directly served 300 companies, impacting thousands of entrepreneurs who have attracted $105.8M in capital. This is done by providing access to people, programming, and places that help entrepreneurs take their companies from idea to market. With the mission to fuel the Arizona economy, UACI works to help scale science and tech-based startups under the scope of Tech Parks Arizona creating university-based economic impact. Tech Parks Arizona directs the UA Tech Park, the UA Tech Park at The Bridges and the University of Arizona Center for Innovation.