On Your Mark, Get Set, PITCH!

IdeaFunding 2023 Applications Now Open

 IdeaFunding is Southern Arizona’s largest and longest entrepreneurial conference and pitch competition, where over $70,000 in prize funding will be awarded to Arizona startup companies. IdeaFunding is co-led by Startup Tucson and the University of Arizona Center for Innovation (UACI) and presented by the Arizona Commerce Authority.  

Applications for IdeaFunding 2023 close August 28 at 10PM Mountain Standard Time. Accepted applicants complete robust pitch training developed by UACI mentors and staff, benefiting from decades of experience. Participants must successfully navigate multiple rounds of pitch presentations, where they are selected to move forward in the competition.

KGUN 9 caught up with IdeaFunding 2022 Main Stage Finalist, Jeremy Wolf from MindReady to get his takeaways from the pitch competition. Wolf shared, “They would come up to me after and go, that's a really good presentation. I really liked how you said this. I didn't like how you said this, that immediate feedback is really valuable. I just want to make sure that every time I speak, I come back to the foundations that I learned from IdeaFunding.” 

Emagine Solutions Tech Wins $1M in NSF Funding

Join us in congratulating UACI startup Emagine Solutions Technology for receiving $1M in SBIR R&D funding! The award money will assist Emagine in furthering the development of proprietary AI models and integrating their systems with the biggest Electronic Health Record (EHR) system in the nation. The system integration will make their product, The Journey Pregnancy App, a more robust tool for patients and medical professionals.

Calling All Solar Innovators!

The American-Made Solar Prize Round 7 is a $4.2 million prize competition designed to energize U.S. solar innovation through a series of contests that accelerate the entrepreneurial process from years to months. As a Power Connector, the University of Arizona Center for Innovation is providing support and resources to applicants such as educational workshops, mentorship and application support. Take the next steps and learn more about the American-Made Solar Prize Round 7 by connecting with our team. 

Tech Parks Arizona Promotes Team Members

Tech Parks Arizona is pleased to announce the internal promotion of two team members. Casey Carrillo will serve as the Director of Strategic Partnerships for the University of Arizona Center for Innovation and Jessa Turner has been promoted to Associate Vice President, Marketing & Communications for Tech Parks Arizona. Carrillo and Turner are part of an extraordinary team supporting university-based economic development activities by building areas of innovation and fostering tech collaborations with industry, government and university. 

Startup Spotlight:

Paramium Technologies

Paramium Technologies is developing a better solution to connect Earth and space using advanced manufacturing methods to meet the need for fast, flexible and accurate fabrication of freeform curved metal reflectors for ground stations and satellites. The startup leveraged multiple technologies developed at the University of Arizona. Paramium Technologies commercialized and licensed its tech with Tech Launch Arizona before joining UACI to advance its business by developing a prototype and further testing and demonstrating their product at the UA Tech Park. 

Copper Cactus Awards

Tucson Metro Chamber will host the annual Copper Cactus Awards September 22, 2023. Celebrate those making an impact in our community in a variety of segments, including the Tech Parks Arizona Startup of the Year. We’re looking forward to celebrating entrepreneurship, leadership and determination alongside other Tucson trendsetters. 

UACI 20th Anniversary Community Celebration

There’s no secret, UACI is commemorating 20 years of driving innovation forward! Save the date, October 19, 2023, for the big 20th Anniversary Community Celebration. The event will be held from 5:30-7:30pm at UACI's headquarters at the UA Tech Park. Join us for a fun night reminiscing on milestones and looking ahead. Learn about new innovations coming to the market through excellent networking opportunities with startup founders. Immerse yourself in a dynamic and inspiring atmosphere that radiates vibrancy and creativity. The celebration is open and free to all, but advanced registration is required.

TENWEST Impact Festival & IdeaFunding

TENWEST Impact Festival is a celebration of the growing innovation, creative and entrepreneurial ecosystems in Southern Arizona. Unique in its cross-industry approach, TENWEST showcases the connectivity between technology, entrepreneurship, creativity, culture and impact for a weeklong event that welcomes thousands of diverse attendees to participate in a multi-day conference, Street Fest and much more.

IdeaFunding, Southern Arizona's longest running pitch competition, will take place on November 9, 2023 as part of the TENWEST activities. This year's early-stage company pitch competition will present more than $70,000 in prizes, with the mainstage winner being awarded a $25,000 cash prize and a sponsored year of incubation at UACI, a prize valued at $10,000. Don't delay, applications for IdeaFunding will be closing August 28. Time share your business idea and get those pitches ready!

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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.