Sponsored Launch Fueled by Startup Tucson

UACI has teamed up with Startup Tucson to sponsor one promising startup team with resources, facilities, services, and expert guidance to grow their business. The year-long program will also foster networking opportunities for its participants. 

The application window for submissions opened on May 16, 2022, and will close on June 3, 2022. After a review and interview process, the winning teams will be announced on June 22, 2022. The selected team will receive a year of sponsorship at the incubator and office space. The total prize package is valued at $10,000. 

Startup Tucson is a community-oriented nonprofit, committed to supporting the dreamers, builders, and makers that fuel the economic future of our vibrant city. 

Red Sea Farms Raised $18.5 Million for Sustainable Agtech

Red Sea Farms is a UACI at Biosphere 2 client working with UArizona on a prototype. Red Sea Farms is a Saudi Arabia company and UAE AgTech business whose one-of-a-kind technology enables commercial farming using low energy, zero freshwater sustainable climate control, announces an $18.5 million strategic fundraising. The earnings will support the startup’s global and regional expansion plans. Red Sea Farms is reducing the carbon and water footprint of our food sector by designing, developing, and delivering sustainable agriculture technologies for harsh environments. 

UACI Welcomes 2 Soft-Landing Companies from Columbia

We are thrilled to welcome TBBC and Innovati from Colombia to Tucson as part of our Soft Landings Program! In partnership with Créame Incubadora de Empresas, these companies will be immersed in our ecosystem in the next two weeks. TBBC helps businesses ideate, strategize, iterate, and launch their mobile and web apps while meeting cost and timeline objectives. 

BizBites Features UACI Startup

The city of Tucson featured UACI client, Reglagene in the YouTube series, BizBites. Reglagene is a Tucson startup that is developing a first-in-class orally available blood-brain barrier penetrant medicine to fight brain cancer. Their technology is based on research from the University of Arizona and licensed by Tech Launch Arizona. 

UArizona President Speaks on the University's Economic Impact

The University of Arizona President, Dr. Robert Robbins spoke on how UArizona contributes to economic development. Eric Smith, UACI's executive director, moderated this discussion for the Arizona Economic Development Conference hosted by Arizona Association for Economic Development (AAED). The mission of AAED is to serve as Arizona’s unified voice advocating for responsible economic development through an effective program of professional education, public policy, and collaboration.

UACI Startup, SunMoksha Named Microgrid Greater Good Finalist

Congratulations to current UACI startup, SunMoksha, for being named one of the eight finalists for this year’s Microgrid Greater Good Awards celebrating microgrids that fulfill a clear societal need and show how microgrids improve the human condition. From the eight finalists, four winners will be selected and announced at Microgrid 2022, which will be held June 1-2 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Sunmoksha is developing a microgrid controller and software to take the microgrids mainstream.

Homer Farms Inc. Earns EmergeAZ II Fast Grant 

This grant is designed to catalyze growth and opportunities for Arizona's most promising startups. In partnership with Governor Doug Ducey, $1.5 million had been allocated to the EmergeAZ Fast II Grant to provide resources to Arizona entrepreneurs and startups with emerging technologies designed to address current and future economic, health, or societal challenges. One of the awardees is UACI client and cleantech company, Homer Farms efficiently transfers water/energy/nutrient from organic waste to fresh produce with sustainable environmental impact.  

American Made Solar Prize Announces Round 4 Winners 

Last month, the U.S. Department of Energy announced the 20 finalist teams moving forward in the American-Made Solar Prize Round 5, including UACI startups, Portable Solar, RCAM Technologies, and CleanFI. After pitching their concepts for solar innovation during Set! During Demo Day events, 10 hardware-focused and 10 software-focused teams were named finalists and awarded cash prizes.  

Startup Spotlight: auXcar

auXcar delivers extremely fast & affordable roadside assistance with our mobile app by offering a network of local repair drivers who provide mobile battery jumpstarts, flat tire repair, emergency fuel delivery and more. 

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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.