UA Center for Innovation Takes Home the Tucson Metro Copper Cactus Award for Innovation

It was a night of celebration as businesses from all across Tucson gathered for the Tucson Metro Chamber Copper Cactus Awards presented by Wells Fargo. The University of Arizona Center for Innovation (UACI) is honored to have received the Nextrio Copper Cactus for Innovation. We are proud to be a leader in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, serving the region's strong and vibrant community of innovators for almost two decades. UACI supports scalable science and technology companies at any stage of development coming from the University of Arizona, the general Tucson community, and internationally. Congratulations to all the finalists and the robust business community and support organization in the Tucson community!

Countdown to TENWEST

TENWEST Impact Festival is just around the corner. This year's conference is five-fun filled days co-led by Startup Tucson and the University of Arizona Center for Innovation, presented by the Arizona Commerce Authority. Engage with immersive exhibitions, talks and interactive experiences that will inspire ideas and facilitate connections. This year marks the 25th anniversary of IdeaFunding, Southern Arizona's largest and longest running pitch competition. The final round of the pitch competition will commence on the third day of TENWEST, with $25,000 of prize money awarded. Have you gotten your tickets yet? Don't miss the excitement, purchase your pass today!

Judges' Choice for Innovation

The University of Arizona Center for Innovation (UACI) and Tech Parks Arizona are bringing home the Judges' Choice Award for Innovation from the University Economic Development Association (UEDA) Summit for our Global Advantage-Soft Landings Program. This project represents an outstanding practice initiative in university-based economic development and is a leading-edge national example of regional transformation for economic prosperity. This project has been recognized by peers nationwide as an original, scalable and sustainable solution which should be replicated.

International Fellows

The University of Arizona Center for Innovation (UACI) welcomed Erida Curraj and Helga Sallaku after their 30-hour journey from Albania to Tucson. They are joining the UACI team for a six-month exchange program through the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) in partnership through the Albanian-American Development Foundation. CIEE is a non-profit organization promoting mutual international education and exchange for both the hosts and exchange fellows.

AZ Innovation Challenge Semi-Finalists

The 2022 Arizona Innovation Challenge (AIC) semi-finalists have been announced and include three UACI startups with university connections. Homer Farms, Inc., developed by ASU grad, Zhihao Chen, and Paramium Technologies LLC and uPetsia, Inc. which are technologies founded at the University of Arizona and licensed through Tech Launch Arizona. The challenge, hosted by Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA), grants up to ten Arizona entrepreneurs up to $150,000. The AIC has been serving the Arizona ecosystem since 2011, resulting in more than 2,500 applications and 120 awarded companies. Good luck, UACI startups, in progressing forward, we're all rooting for you!

Power Connecting Renewable Energy at RE+

UA Center for Innovation (UACI) team members traveled to Anaheim, California for the RE+ Conference, the largest energy trade show in North America. We would like to extend a huge congratulations to the American-Made Challenges (AMC) Solar Prize Round 5 winners for their hard work and accomplishments in solar solutions. UACI is proud to be one of six U.S. Department of Energy Power Connectors across the nation, supporting Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah and Southern California as the Southwestern Region Power Connector.

Startup Spotlight:

Starling Roofing for Solar (RFS)

Starling Roofing for Solar (RFS) showcased their product at the largest energy trade show in North America, RE+ Conference! The startup is focused on modernizing the roofing industry to produce Photovoltaics (PV) energy. Their mission is to make solar roofs the best choice by creating appealing, sustainable, durable and affordable roofing.

Arizona Tech Council Tech + Business Expo

The Arizona Technology Council (AZTC) and the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) proudly present the Tenth Annual Arizona Tech + Business Expo on October 19, 2022 from 12-6 PM at the Tucson Convention Center. Network in person with over 400 business and tech leaders and learn what's new and trending across Southern Arizona's tech industries including transportation, automation, optics, biotech, mining, aerospace, defense, logistics, robotics, space exploration, IT and more.

TENWEST Impact Festival & IdeaFunding

TENWEST Impact Festival brings the curious and the impassioned together through immersive exhibitions, talks and interactive experiences, national experts and local community members will inspire the ideas and facilitate the connections that will make an impact in Tucson. IdeaFunding, Southern Arizona's largest and longest entrepreneurial conference and pitch competition, is celebrating its 25th anniversary with $25,000 in prizes and is part of the larger event. TENWEST Festival is presented by the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and co-lead by Startup Tucson and the University of Arizona Center for Innovation.

2022 Governor's Celebration of Innovation

Join the Arizona Technology Council (AZTC) in partnership with the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) to honor technology leaders and innovators from across the state with the Governor's Celebration of Innovation Awards on November 8, 2022, from 4:00 to 8:30 PM at the Phoenix Convention Center. The Event will consist of a Tech Showcase followed by a theatre-style awards program.

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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.