UACI Releases Economic Impact Study 

The University of Arizona Center for Innovation (UACI) had an economic output of $664.8 million between 2021 and 2023, according to an analysis completed by Rounds Consulting Group, a public policy and economics advising firm.

Startups that have gone through the UACI program have made a significant economic impact. According to the report, UACI startup clients contributed $19.1 million in state and local taxes from 2021 to 2023 and contributed a total of 886 jobs. Notably, 41% of UACI startups involved U of A alumni, graduate students or technology that originated from university research. 

UACI is Arizona's leading business incubator network, empowers science and technology startups in Southern Arizona and beyond to bring their ideas to market and scale operations globally. Between 2021 to 2023, UACI worked with startups in a variety of industries: 39% in health care, biology and life sciences; 24% in climate technology; 17% in hardware and engineering; 16% in software, artificial intelligence and mobile application development; and 4% in imaging. 

The economic report also highlights the lifetime impact of UACI, which has supported more than 1,500 entrepreneurs through workshops, educational training and assistance with business pitch preparation. With support from UACI programs and resources, more than 300 startups have accumulated $180.6 million in capital investment funding.

IdeaFunding 2025 Finalists Announced

Over the past two months, 130 early-stage startups have undergone training and participated in several rounds of company pitch presentations to secure a spot in the final competition at IdeaFunding, co-led by UACI and Startup Tucson. Twenty-five Arizona-based startups have advanced, with five earning a place on the main stage. Participants have refined their pitches through two competitive rounds, guided by rigorous mentorship provided by UACI. Finalists will pitch their startups live at the Rialto Theatre during the TENWEST Festival on March 27, 2025, competing for over $50,000 in prizes. 

Women of the UA Tech Park

In celebration of Women’s History Month, the UA Tech Park continued its campaign to honor the remarkable women who drive innovation, technology, and business in our community. This year’s honorees included UACI team members: Aliana Campas, Devon Underwood and Sonia Vohnout, along with Jenny Taubert with Micro-Hybrid Electronics, a UACI startup client, and Renée Bidegain with Kitship, a UACI startup alumni. Their dedication and stories inspire us, and we are grateful for their contributions to the UACI and UA Tech Park community.

Flinn Foundation Entrepreneurship Program

Macula Visions Systems, a UACI startup client, received $100,000 from the Flinn Foundation Entrepreneurship Program on March 6 during the Bio Capital Conference. Since 2014, the Flinn Foundation has used this program to foster entrepreneurship and help bioscience founders develop their early-stage companies into successful and sustainable businesses in Arizona. This year, 49 companies applied, and 10 finalists were selected, with two receiving funding. Harmonic Discovery, another UACI startup client, was one of the 10 finalists and will receive a one-year membership to Arizona’s Bioscience Roadmap Steering Committee. We are incredibly proud of Macula and Harmonic Discovery and remain committed to supporting their groundbreaking work. 

SelectUSA Mexico Conference

UACI Executive Director, Casey Carrillo spoke on the panel "Startup Runway: Landing, Scaling, and Thriving in the United State". She highlighted the efforts of Tech Parks Arizona and the UACI Soft Landings program in supporting international companies seeking to expand into the U.S. market. This conference is a part of the federal government program housed within the U.S. Department of Commerce and brought together 35+ economic development organizations, tech startups and industry leaders to network, collaborate and grow. 

Startup Spotlight – Cocoon Body Pillow

A startup client in the UACI program is focused on improving sleep quality, particularly for patients recovering from facial, orthopedic, cardiac, abdominal, and breast surgeries, as well as for pregnant women and individuals with anxiety. The idea came when two skin cancer surgeons were frustrated by the lack of recovery pillows on the market. Their solution was a high-quality, sustainable pillow designed to support optimally positioned sleep by enhancing post-operative and aesthetic outcomes. 

TENWEST Mega Mixer

The TENWEST MEGA Mixer is your opportunity to connect with an inspiring mix of professionals, thinkers, and innovators from across our community. Join for an evening of networking, potential partnerships, and collaborative opportunities as we gear up for TENWEST 2025! Plus, a special pre-event panel discussion "ORIGINATIV: Reclaiming Indigenous Language, Design, and Storytelling" will take place at 4pm at HighWire. Session is included with registration, space limited.  

TechFusion: AI, IT, + Computer Science Conference

Mark your calendars for Arizona Technology Council’s inaugural TechFusion Conference at Grand Canyon University. Attendees will spend the afternoon networking and connecting with industry leaders in artificial intelligence, computer science and information technology. This event is designed for professionals such as software developers, data scientists, and IT managers eager to apply cutting-edge technologies. 

TENWEST Impact Festival 

Join southern Arizona’s largest professional development experience with a six-day festival and three-day conference. Founded in 2015, TENWEST Impact Festival is celebrating their 10th anniversary in Tucson. The festival showcases the connectivity between technology, entrepreneurship, creativity, and impact, uniting attendees to gain the knowledge and inspiration needed to innovate their careers and communities.

Each day will showcase something new with expert speakers, hands-on workshops, and exciting performances. Startup Tucson hosts the 2025 TENWEST Impact Festival and co-leads IdeaFunding in partnership with UACI, where founders of Arizona startups will pitch their companies’ stories competing for over $50,000 in prizes. 

Venture Madness Conference

Attend Arizona’s longest-running capital conference and early-stage pitch event where up-and-coming companies are connected with the region’s most active investors. It is a 2-day conference with networking, ‘Shark Tank’ style pitches, active investor feedback, audience participation, and an EXPO where selected companies get to feature and demo their innovations for attendees. 

STAY CONNECTED WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA and gain insight about the entrepreneurial ecosystem and meet our incredible startups!

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.