University of Arizona Center for Innovation - Summer 2023

SPECIAL REPORT 2023

THE REGION’S BUSINESS MAGAZINE

UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

CENTER FOR INNOVATION

TWO DECADES OF FUELING THE STARTUP ECOSYSTEM IN ARIZONA

Leading with University Leaders Drive University of Arizona Center for Innovation Success

By Romi Carrell Wittman University of Arizona President Dr. Robert C. Robbins sums up the relationship between one of the world’s premier research universities and the University of Arizona Center for Innovation in a sentence: “As a land-grant university, our mission is to serve our state, and we work to build the conditions for economic prosperity. UACI is a critical part of how we pursue that mission.”

Elizabeth “Betsy” Cantwell Senior Vice President Research & Innovation University of Arizona

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And build economic prosperity it has.

Since its founding in 2003, UACI has assisted more than 1,000 entrepreneurs via workshops and training, and directly supported 255 startups. UACI has also assisted their startup companies in obtaining 66 science- and tech-focused patents and attracted more than $105 million in capital, with $47.4 million of that funding in the form of grants.

Carol Stewart Vice President Tech Parks Arizona University of Arizona

UArizona Senior VP for Research and Innovation Elizabeth “Betsy” Cantwell shared, “It’s longevity and consistent track record of success is what makes UACI so distinct. “The UACI network, programming and facilities are a highly effective support mechanism for entrepreneurial activities that advance technology in Arizona and beyond.”

Robbins said the world-class research and innovation

Eric Smith Executive Director University of Arizona Center for Innovation

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emanating from UArizona has ignited a bustling startup scene. “It’s an example of how we extend beyond our campus to engage our community, empowering entrepreneurs to grow businesses that create jobs, and improve lives with their innovations,” he expressed.

He’s no stranger to creating such a culture. Robbins joined UArizona in 2017 after serving as the president and CEO of Texas Medical Center for five years. While there, he introduced five cross-institutional research initiatives.

Prior to that, he was a professor and chairman of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

Like Robbins, Cantwell boasts an impressive career of fostering growth and creativity. Before joining UArizona in 2019, she was VP of research development at Arizona State University. Her resume has included leadership roles at the nation’s most prominent labs and institutions, including the Los Alamos National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and NASA headquarters. In her four years at UArizona, Cantwell has managed the Office of Research, Innovation and Impact which is responsible for bringing discoveries to market via technology licensing and new company creation. She was recently selected as the 17th president of Utah State University and begins her new role in August.

Cantwell said UACI also wants to attract businesses from outside the region and aid entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds. To date, UACI has assisted 25 international companies from 17 www.BizTucson.com

countries. “We now have a comprehensive international program and support businesses seeking U.S. market entry through an accredited Soft Landings program,” she said.

UACI carries the official Soft Landings designation from the International Business Innovation Association, certifying its abilities to provide best practices when accommodating the necessary resources and programming international companies require for a smooth entry into the country.

“Running a fast-growing tech company is extremely challenging, so UACI allows us to decrease the barriers and burden of global market expansion,” Cantwell said.

Robbins added, “We are just beginning to see the results of UACI’s sophisticated approach to international startup support.”

There has been great interest for UACI to duplicate its success at outpost locations. To that end, communities including Nogales, Yuma, Prescott, Douglas, Maricopa and Sierra Vista have banded together to create a rural incubator network with UACI at its core.

As VP of Tech Parks Arizona, Carol Stewart is on the front lines serving as the president of UACI and directing its mission to grow scalable science and technology startup ventures that fuel Arizona’s economy. She has more than 20 years’ experience of university-based economic de-

velopment, leading research parks and advancing technology by bringing tech ideas to the marketplace. Under her leadership, UACI has thrived and continues to grow.

“Homegrown economic development is a powerful strategy for any municipality to invest in,” Stewart expressed. “All these efforts build a strong UArizona innovation brand and I propose that UACI will be recognized as a top 10 incubator globally in less than a decade if we continue at this rate of impact.”

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CarbeniumTec enables the green-energy future by developing a new all-organic battery for long-duration energy storage that will provide utility companies a solution to the urgent and growing need for electricity storage without the environmental impacts from mining and refining lithium or other metals.

From left – Thomas Gianetti, Co-founder & CEO Jules Moutet, Co-founder & Chief Technology Officer Phil Lacovara, Co-founder & COO

The startup, stemming from research developed from the UArizona College of Science, has gained support from both Tech Launch Arizona and UACI. “The services provided by UACI, from infrastructure to support on the business side of a company, has been a key asset in our early success and our ability to transition from a university research-based venture to an independent startup.” − Thomas Gianetti, Co-founder & CEO

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TG RECYCLING TG Recycling is a tech startup with innovative technologies to recover valuable and toxic metals from renewable energy waste including solar panels, wind turbines and electric vehicles. By combining mechanical and chemical technology to recycle solar panels, the startup is capable of recovering all the inorganic materials. The technology employs circular chemistry to regenerate and reuse one of the two chemicals repeatedly used in the recycling process.

“UACI has helped us achieve so much through mentorship, resources, and networking opportunities. By establishing a supportive community of fellow entrepreneurs, we learn from one another and are inspired by the work others accomplish because of this collaborative environment.” www.BizTucson.com

− Araceli Hernández-Granados Senior Engineer

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For Two Decades Business Incubator Drives Economic Growth

By Romi Carrell Wittman

Whether it’s for babies or business, an incubator provides a nurturing ecosystem with ample resources and support to ensure long-term growth and success. The University of Arizona Center for Innovation – or UACI – is the university’s startup incubator network and has been fueling southern Arizona’s economy by nurturing scalable startup businesses for two decades.

Since its inception in 2003, UACI has supported some 255 startups with a focus on science and tech ventures in the fields of biotechnology, environmental science, aerospace, renewable energy and more. UACI helps entrepreneurs with the building blocks of launching a business by providing direct access to people, programming and places that help entrepreneurs take their companies from idea to market. Many startup founders share common challenges and UACI bridges the gap with centralized resources to accelerate inventions and scale business operations.

Companies from within the region, across the nation and around the world must apply and be accepted by UACI. If accepted, they go through a highly structured, yet customizable, educational program featuring skilled mentors, advisors and community collaborators. In addition, UACI provides startups with a host of resources, including physical offices, wet and dry labs, a prowww.BizTucson.com

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Over the course of the next 30 years, UACI will create an estimated 18,875 jobs, generate over $600 million in wages, produce $1.5 billion in economic activity, and create nearly $85 million in state and local tax revenues.

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– Eric Smith Executive Director University of Arizona Center for Innovation

totyping center, meeting spaces as well as administrative support.

In 2021, UACI’s work with startups resulted in $35.3 million in economic impact to Southern Arizona plus $2 million in tax revenue. Of additional importance, 26% of the incubator’s startups are women-owned, compared to just 6% nationwide; 60% of its startups are minority owned; and 46% have a connection to UArizona either through technology licensed by the university or founders that are alumni or graduate students. Over the last 20 years, UACI startups have managed to fundraise over $105 million dollars in equity investment, federal grants and other awards.

“Over the course of the next 30 years, UACI will create an estimated 18,875 jobs, generate over $600 million in wages, produce $1.5 billion in economic activity, and create nearly $85 million in state and local tax revenues,” noted Eric Smith, UACI’s executive director.

“UACI has done an incredible job helping startups from the university and tech community realize their commercial market potential,” said Elizabeth “Betsy” Cantwell, UArizona’s senior vice president of research and innovation. “It’s how we ensure that our work reaches far beyond the university and continued on page 76 >>> Summer 2023 > > > BizTucson 75

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continued from page 75 translates into benefits for real people.”

Smith has been UACI’s executive director since 2019. When asked what he loves most about his job, Smith didn’t hesitate. “We get to look into the future.

All the tech and the companies the marketplace won’t see for many years, we get to see now,” Smith shared.

“We’re an incubator, meaning we don’t have the 3-to-6-month sprints that an accelerator does,” he said. “Our companies are early- to mid-stage startups and come from within the community and across the world. Some come from our collaborators such as Tech Launch Arizona locally and the U.S. State Department on the international front.”

UACI focuses exclusively on scalable science and tech businesses. “We look for something new or novel,” Smith emphasized. “That typically requires some investment to validate the technology. These types of companies are typically acquired or have some kind of exit within five years.”

Companies are onboarded into UACI year-round. Each business completes a baseline assessment to determine where the company needs support along the UACI 27-point program roadmap, a 76 BizTucson < < < Summer 2023

program they formalized in 2020.

“We benchmarked what we were doing against all the best incubators in the world and that’s how we came up with the roadmap,” Smith added. “The map represents about two years of work and most companies stay with us the full two years.”

UACI, which is part of the Tech Parks Arizona family, is headquartered at the UA Tech Park at Rita Road, and has several other outposts throughout the state, including Oro Valley, Biosphere 2, Town of Sahuarita, and Vail, with new locations coming to the UA Tech Park at The Bridges and Sierra Vista. UACI is completely self-supported through revenues generated by Tech Parks Arizona, a separate 501(c)(3) established to grow, attract and retain technology companies in alignment with the goals of the University of Arizona.

UACI is a leader in the entrepreneurial ecosystem and has long served the region’s strong and vibrant community of innovators. Carol Stewart, VP of Tech Parks Arizona, added that UACI serves as a foundational building block for startups and the economy. “The UACI incubator network facilitates the growth of startups thus expanding in-

dustry through innovation. We develop dynamic, interactive communities where innovators and business leaders unite creating a technology sandbox,” Stewart said. “The synergy between emerging companies and technology giants when they work side-by-side is electric.”

UACI has some of the most exceptional infrastructure and programming for startups in Southern Arizona and that is why it now has the largest concentration of startups anywhere in the state.

“UACI is having unprecedented success and it is our mandate to share our expertise across the state,” Stewart expressed.

Cantwell agrees.

“As a top public research university and the state’s designated land grant institution, it is integral to our mission to translate our work into community and economic impact,” Cantwell said. “Leveraging the strength of our research enterprise to support startups and the innovation ecosystem in Tucson is where we excel.”

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Paramium Technologies is developing a better solution to connect Earth and space using advanced manufacturing methods to meet the radio communications industry’s 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 Steward Observatory, Wyant College of Optical Sciences, the Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering department, and the Systems and Industrial Engineering department.

From Left – Emily Van Houtem, Office Manager Roslyn Norman, COO Christian Davila, Co-founder Justin Hyatt, Co-founder

Paramium Technologies commercialized and licensed its technology with Tech Launch Arizona before joining UACI to advance its business by developing a prototype and production of its revolutionary business at the UA Tech Park. Paramium Technologies is a recipient of UACI Sponsored Launch Fueled by R&A CPAs.

PHOTOS BY BRENT G. MATHIS

NYMBUS MEDIA The patented Nymbus Smart Concert platform enables musicians and live-music brand sponsors to transform one-time audience interactions into long-term relationships. In combination with data-tracking software, Nymbus Media wristband SMART Bracelets create interactive audience experiences with venue-wide lightshows and clap-to-post technology instantly uploading concert exclusive content to attendees’ social feeds, boosting critical social engagement metrics.

Nymbus Media is completing product development at UACI and is proudly mass-producing LED bracelets in the USA. The startup showcased their tech at the TENWEST Impact Festival concert after party, bringing data and science to life with innovative light up wristbands.

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The UACI team from left – Back row, Amanda Buchanan, Sonia Vohnout, Iselda Mendez, Eric Smith, Steve Wood, Carol Stewart Front row, Casey Carrillo, Devon Underwood, Anita Bell – Not pictured: Susan Garber, Shefali Patel, Jody Yarbrough

A Powerful Collection of Startup Experts

By Romi Carrell Wittman The University of Arizona Center for Innovation has assembled a team of world-class business experts. UACI offers its tech startups access to mentorsin-residence, subject matter experts, program staff, and a network of community partners, which are essential for the success of each startup. Entrepreneurs meet with the team on a regular cadence to work through the incubator program. The frequency of those conversations varies depending on the entrepreneurs’ needs.

Mentors-in-Residence UACI’s mentors-in-residence are experienced business professionals who connect with startup founders to guide them through the challenging process of building and scaling a successful startup. Mentors-in-residence offer guidance on everything from market research and product development to fundraising and sales strategies, helping entrepreneurs navigate the many challenges of starting and growing a business. They act as a primary guide for entrepreneurs moving their way 80 BizTucson < < < Summer 2023

through the UACI program.

The mentors-in-residence are a significant part of the UACI team, helping companies pull everything together for fast and effective growth.

Subject-Matter Experts In addition to the mentors-in-residence, UACI entrepreneurs also have access to subject-matter experts who provide advanced expertise in a variety of fields.

To enhance UACI’s offerings, subject-matter experts are part of the robust team. They specialize in core business areas like accounting and finance, marketing and branding, team and board development, and federal contract management. These experts help with the functional aspects of developing a company through their deep understanding of the business process and marketplace.

Program Team A diverse team manages all aspects of the programing and operations of UACI which includes an executive di-

rector, director, assistant director, program manager, and client services coordinator. This lineup of experienced professionals offers direct support to startups by facilitating connections, supporting startups as they secure funding and developing entrepreneurial education workshops.

Furthermore, the parent organization, Tech Parks Arizona, manages communications, marketing, finance, IT and facility operations. The integration of the organizations’ expertise ensures a streamlined approach that has resulted in significant strategic growth.

“Connecting UACI startups directly to a robust network of people with a wide range of background, insight and expertise, is helping startup founders accelerate the growth and success of their companies,” said UACI Director Anita Bell. She has worked for UACI since it was established in 2003 and has been instrumental in building and expanding key collaborations and network relationships for two decades.

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LabPair is a web application that creates a two-sided marketplace where researchers who have unused resources are paired with the researchers in need. Through publication-driven matchmaking, researchers can obtain valuable information saving time and money. LabPair utilizes two major problems in research – the pressure to “publish or perish” and the vast amounts of unpublished data and unused samples – to create an efficient solution to the issue.

“UACI is helping LabPair move from concept to launch. As we face challenges when scaling the business, the excitement for our product as well as the ongoing enthusiastic support from the UACI team keeps us going.”

Emma Bowers, Founder, CEO

− Emma Bowers, Founder & CEO

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DESERT PEARL MUSHROOMS Desert Pearl Mushrooms is a medicinal and gourmet Sonoran Desert mushroom farm dedicated to developing low-water sustainable agriculture for the benefit of the arid American Southwest. In addition to a variety of fresh specialty mushrooms, the product line includes dried, ground or powdered mushrooms, extract tinctures and an assortment of growing supplies and materials.

“UACI has been an excellent source of knowledge, coaching and mentorship. Starting a business has had its challenges, but within four years of going through the program, we’ve quadrupled the number of fresh mushrooms we sell to the greater Tucson area, both retail and wholesale. And we have plans to launch an online subscription service.” − Kristopher Savage Co-owner & Chief Technology Officer www.BizTucson.com

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It Takes a Village Community Collaborators Further Success at University of Arizona Center for Innovation

By Romi Carrell Wittman

Together, we can achieve more.

It’s a simple phrase at the heart of the University of Arizona Center for Innovation. The number of partners that UACI works with is too great to list, but every contributor adds to the success of a startup. UACI is part of the Tucson Innovation Partnership, a group of leaders that serve the entrepreneurship and innovation communities, work collaboratively and represent the very best in small business support.

UACI has worked with a number of organizations over the past two decades as the ecosystem has evolved streamlining how organizations come together to raise startups as a community.

Arizona Technology Council Established in 2002 and grown to a membership of 750 professionals, the Arizona Technology Council is the state’s principal advocate for science and technology-based companies.

AZTC hosts events, educational forums and business conferences that bring together visionaries, leaders and innovators to further advance the technology industry in Arizona. It’s marked several key achievements over the past 20 years, including the restoration of career and technical education funding, pro-technology legislation and the founding of the SciTech Institute, which strengthens Arizona’s science and technology ecosystem.

UACI’s connection with Arizona Technology Council provides entrepreneurs with a vast network covering 82 BizTucson < < < Summer 2023

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By combining the leading incubator network with the premier tech association, the collaboration empowers entrepreneurs to thrive and has accelerated the growth of Arizona’s tech sector.

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– Karla Bernal Morales VP, Arizona Technology Council Southern Arizona Regional Office

the entire tech industry spectrum plus business support organizations needed for growth. In a rapidly evolving tech world, the synergistic relationship between AZTC and UACI enhances opportunities for startups by complementing each other’s strengths and sharing insight into tech market trends.

“We are unlocking the full potential of the tech ecosystem through a culture of knowledge sharing, where expertise flows freely from established giants to aspiring startups,” said Karla Bernal Morales, VP of Arizona Technology Council’s Southern Arizona Regional Office. “In this interconnected landscape, the collective wisdom propels innovation, drives progress, and equips the next generation of disruptors. Fueling tech growth is at the heart of what both organizations do. By combining the leading incubator network with the premier tech association, the collaboration empowers entrepreneurs to thrive and has accelerated the growth of Arizona’s tech sector.”

Desert Angels Desert Angels, which launched in 2000, is a nonprofit organization of accredited angel investors who invest money in early-stage, scalable companies across multiple industries nationwide. Desert Angels is currently ranked No. 1 in the Southwest region and No. 4 in the U.S. based on number of deals, according to the Angel Resource Institute HALO Report. Desert Angels continued on page 84 >>> www.BizTucson.com

MindReady provides sport psychology coaching and education for athletes and parents because every athlete deserves an environment that nurtures, enhances, and develops their mental performance.

Through the UACI program, MindReady expanded its network with new markets, potential clients. UACI coached the startup for the IdeaFunding competition where it was selected as one of five main stage finalists. MindReady won two separate Sponsored Launch competitions with IdeaFunding and Startup Tucson.

Jeremy Wolf, Co-founder

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US AIR TECH CORP. US Air Tech Corp. is a research and development company developing a novel type of antenna named STELLA − Satcom Technology of Elaborate Luneburg Lens Antenna. This innovative technology for low-Earth orbit satellite communications provides cost-effective and reliable global internet connectivity, data and communications.

“We are excited to be a champion for global connection, removing barriers and bringing communities together.

We share this pride with UACI which supports our vision.” − Dr. Patrick Gbele, Founder & CEO From left – Richard Garber, Advisory Board Member Patrick Gbele, Founder & CEO Sonia Vohnout, Advisory Board Member

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UACI and the Desert Angels have commonly worked together orchestrating events like IdeaFunding, Arizona’s largest and longest running competition that provides startups with the opportunity to pitch their businesses on a major stage and win thousands of dollars in cash prizes.

Desert Angels’ long-lasting relationship with UACI is noteworthy. “Desert Angels was formed just after Tucson Tech Incubator opened at the UA Tech Park,” Joann MacMaster, CEO of Desert Angels said. “Desert Angels formed a partnership with TTI, and together they established a new foundation to support early-stage companies in Southern Arizona. TTI, as you may have guessed, was the precursor to today’s UACI.” Today, Carol Stewart, VP of Tech Parks Arizona, serves on the board of Desert Angels and several of its members act as mentors for UACI startups.

“Roughly 10% of our portfolio of invested companies are UACI graduates, but over 80% of that portfolio are based in Arizona and likely have had some support, mentoring, or program access provided by UACI,” MacMaster noted.

Startup Tucson Startup Tucson’s mission aligns closely with UACI’s: To foster the growth of local startup businesses via educational tools, mentorship, networking events and workshops.

Founded in 2012, the non-profit serves more than 3,000 entrepreneurs each year and its alumni have brought in more than $44 million in investment along with 400 new jobs.

These organizations collaborate to execute the annual IdeaFunding pitch competition as part of the TENWEST Impact Festival. Both events elevate local startups to the community and connect founders with a large network in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

“Working collaboratively with UACI enhances the startup support system here in Tucson,” said Startup Tucson CEO Liz Pocock. “Both Startup Tucson and UACI share a common vision of Tucson serving as an innovation hub where entrepreneurs nationwide see our region as the ideal place to grow a business.”

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Tech Launch Arizona Doug Hockstad, associate VP of Tech Launch Arizona, describes TLA and UACI as two sides of the same coin. “TLA gets new technologies and inventions rooted in University research off the ground,” Hockstad emphasized, “We have a dedicated venture development team that supports the early stages of startup development, from idea through formation and launch. That said, after launch, most of these young university-based tech companies still need more support to grow and scale.

UACI helps those startups incubate and accelerate to become successful and sustainable businesses.”

Formed in 2012, TLA facilitates the movement of inventions and intellectual property derived in labs and sup-

“

Roughly 10% of our portfolio of invested companies are UACI graduates, but over 80% of that portfolio are based in Arizona and likely have had some support, mentoring, or program access provided by UACI.

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– Joann MacMaster CEO Desert Angels

port units at the University of Arizona into the marketplace. “UArizona is a top-tier research institution,” Hockstad proclaimed. “TLA commercializes the results of that research.”

TLA serves as one of multiple sources of startups that feed into UACI. The bridge between organizations is fortified by the fact that UACI Executive Director Eric Smith worked at TLA prior to this role.

“It’s seamless,” Hockstad said. “Eric understands the technology development, licensing and venture development side from his work at TLA. Now with UACI, he’s helping accelerate those nascent startups by providing tools and resources to take them to the next level.”

TLA and UACI share another commonality, mentor-in-residence Steve Wood, who provides his expertise.

Through his work, he guides startup founders through the commercialization and business development process, helping the budding businesses at the foundational level to scale effectively.

Regional, National & International Collaborators In addition to the collaborators mentioned, UACI has well-established connections with industry associations including the Bioindustry Organization of Southern Arizona and the Arizona Bioindustry Association and regional groups including City of Tucson, Pima County and the Arizona Commerce Authority. Plus, numerous national organizations including U.S. Small Business Administration, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of State, and Wells Fargo Bank. UACI is also connected with the International Business Innovation Association, which certified UACI with the Soft Landings designation in 2020.

“Collaboration is key to supporting the success of startups,” said Casey Carrillo, assistant director for UACI. She is the program lead for UACI and its role as one of six Power Connectors with the U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory, “While working together toward a common goal, we learn an exceptional amount from each other. Sharing our collective knowledge with entrepreneurs makes a huge impact in their ability to leverage greater resources and efficiently bring new tech to market.”

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A Signature Path to Success UACI’s 27-Point Roadmap Program

By Romi Carrell Wittman

Launching a startup business is no different than embarking on a road trip. Without a map – and resources to help you along the way – you won’t get very far.

Crafting a clear plan – a roadmap – for startups to find their footing was the impetus behind the creation of University of Arizona Center for Innovation’s 27-point roadmap of customized business support. The map assists entrepreneurs with everything from problem identification to writing a business plan to acquiring funding and pitch preparation.

UACI developed the comprehensive roadmap through an exhaustive process of benchmarking all the best incubators in the world. The result is a program that improves how UACI serves its clients, by outlining a continuum of activities and major buckets of work needed for success.

The brilliance of UACI’s 27-point roadmap lies in its simplicity and its ability to track progress. As an alternative to running cohorts, when companies join the incubator network, they take a baseline assessment, which offers keen insight into where they are along the startup journey.

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Thus, UACI can adjust to the unique needs of its startups.

“Currently, we have 75 companies and they’re all over the map, literally. The roadmap provides the tactical direction for us to meet them exactly where they’re at,” said UACI executive director Eric Smith.

Entrepreneurs typically work through the UACI program over the course of two years.

In addition to its signature roadmap, UACI offers several programs to meet the needs of different types of startups, including educational webinar series such as Noontime Knowledge and Sponsored Launch programs which provide scholarships for companies through a competitive process with a sponsor organization, internship programs where paid university students can work side-by-side with UACI entrepreneurs, and the Global Advantage and Soft Landings programs for international companies seeking U.S. market expansion. Biz

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Auxilium repurposes mine tailings to fuel the energy transition and achieve net-zero waste.

The zero waste to zero emissions strategy minimizes the footprint of the mining industry producing carbon negative metals and carbon sequestering building materials.

Auxilium’s modular approach allows for rapid deployment across mine sites and is positioned to be the global benchmark for tailings valorization.

From left – Abraham Jalbout, CEO; Kathy Arnold, Director, Sustainability; Dania Valenzuela, Director, Business Development; Moe Momayez, Director, Advanced Materials; Art Ibrado, Director, Engineering

Auxilium worked with Tech Launch Arizona to commercialize its technology, stemming from UArizona research within the Colleges of Engineering and Science. Auxilium won Sponsored Launch fueled by the Town of Sahuarita & Freeport-McMoRan and worked with the UACI team to build then scale its business and is now a graduate of the incubator program.

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MACULA VISION SYSTEMS Macula Vision Systems is defining a new standard in clinical microscopy through fully automated imaging and interpretation. The startup is developing a low-cost, minimalist, and integrated solution for interpretation of slide mounted microbiology, pathology, and hematology samples leveraging the latest advancements in AI algorithms, providing clinicians with accurate and repeatable results.

Macula Vision is one of the newest startups to join the UACI incubator program. The startup is beginning its journey along the 27-point roadmap supported by the UACI team each step of the way.

From left – Oleg Gusyatim, CEO and Founder Alena Shamsheyeva, Founder www.BizTucson.com

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The UA Center for Innovation welcomes two Canadian startups through its Global Advantage Soft Landings program to explore international expansion opportunities into the United States.

Ukrainian startups join UA Center for Innovation through U.S. Department of State collaboration.

U.S. Point of Entry Soft Landings Program Aids Companies with Global Advantage

By Romi Carrell Wittman University of Arizona Center for Innovation’s successful Soft Landings and Global Advantage programs are designed specifically for expanding international firms to gain footing in the U.S. “Southern Arizona is an ideal place for U.S. market entry because of its strategic location and relatively low business startup costs and high accessibility to major market connections including California, Texas, and Mexico,” said Carol Stewart, VP of Tech Parks Arizona.

UACI earned the Soft Landings accreditation in 2020 from the International Business Innovation Association. In order to receive the designation, UACI demonstrated its ability to meet the high-level, multi-faceted accommodations needed by international companies looking to establish U.S. operations.

The program has had tremendous success, helping 25 international startups hailing from 17 different countries such as Australia, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Great Britain, Kosovo, Mexico, Spain and Ukraine to explore 90 BizTucson < < < Summer 2023

U.S. expansion opportunities by connecting with UACI. International startups can participate in person or virtually and access the same UACI programming, staff, mentors and subject matter experts. This approach ensures that needs are efficiently met as the business explores and scales international operations.

The U.S. Department of State, via its Global Innovation through Science and Technology Initiative, selected UACI to host cohorts of international business executives from emerging economies for six months, providing them with programming and networking opportunities. UACI was just one of 10 sites selected across the United States to serve as an appointed host due to its history of success supporting science and techbased startups, its proximity to Mexico, and strong connection to the University of Arizona.

UACI works with international governments to foster startups around the world for a one-month immersive educational experience that provides travel, lodging and programming paid for by the home country.

UACI and local Global Advantage partners fund inbound exploratory missions and assist startups by fostering opportunities specific to the individual company’s needs. UACI’s business incubation program focuses on scaling operations and identifying market potential by utilizing the international expertise of Global Advantage partners.

Global Advantage partners include: CAID Industries, Farhang & Medcoff, Cushman & Wakefield | PICOR, Tech Parks Arizona, Tetakawi and Tucson Electric Power.

Since 2019, nine companies have moved to Tucson from outside Arizona, four of which are from other countries.

The most recent company, Red Sea Farms from Saudi Arabia, was quite successful and within one month of landing at UACI fundraised $18 million which had significant direct economic benefits to Southern Arizona.

UArizona President Dr. Robert C. Robbins said, “We are just beginning to see the results of UACI’s sophisticated approach to international startup support.”

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SorbiForce develops and produces innovative, sustainable, and non-metal batteries for industrial energy storage applications. The batteries are made from renewable raw materials and offer a cost-effective, environmentally friendly alternative to traditional energy storage solutions.

SorbiForce is a Ukrainian startup that joined the UACI Soft Landings program in a collaboration with the U.S. Department of State’s Global Innovation through Science and Technology program.

From left – Oleg Shermeta, Co-Founder, Chief Business Development Officer; Serhiy Kaminsky, Co-Founder, Chief Technology Officer Kevin Drolet, Sorbiforce Consultant

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UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA CENTER FOR INNOVATION – COMPANY SPOTLIGHTS

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PHOTO BY CHRIS MOONEY

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Destination: Innovation University of Arizona Center for Innovation Headquarters & Regional Outposts

By Romi Carrell Wittman The UArizona Center for Innovation is not an island. Rather, it’s a well-developed incubator network supported

by Tech Parks Arizona. There are several UACI outposts located throughout Southern Arizona, each designed to foster innovation specific to the region.

All of UACI’s startup companies participate in their programming, some do so from one of these locations, while others participate virtually.

Like the primary location at the UA Tech Park at Rita Road, UACI’s various hubs provide resources and handson support to both entrepreneurs and their communities, while immersing them in a culture of creativity, comradery and scholarship.

These outposts aren’t merely ancillary offices. They are integral to UACI and its mission. Tech Parks Arizona VP Carol Stewart said UACI and its outposts are an extension of the purposebuilt environments we create. “UACI is part of Tech Parks Arizona. It is the heart of our community of innovation,” she said.

“We build dynamic, interactive communities where emerging companies and technology giants work side by side.

These innovative campuses provide the ideal environment to bump into likeminded colleagues where they can discuss challenges and new opportunities on the horizon,” added Stewart.

UACI at UA Tech Park Located on Tucson’s east side, the UA Tech Park was “born” in 1994 when University of Arizona purchased IBM’s campus and transformed it into an R&D tech mecca. The powerful connection with the University of Arizona allows companies to immediately plug into the talent and research expertise of the university. In 2001, the UA Tech Park was named the top university research park in North America by the Association of University Research Parks and has since been commonly referred to as “Technology’s Best Address”.

Today, the nearly 1,300-acre site is host to more than 100 tenants and is the continued on page 96 >>>

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REPARVI is a synthetic biology company working to address challenges to preserving, editing and repairing cells. The startup is developing Cell Repair EngineeringTM technologies that address the damage commonly accompanying engineered cell therapies, and can be utilized from cell storage and preservation through gene delivery. The early-stage company has technology applications throughout the cell engineering workflow with ongoing development in gene delivery.

From left – Lisa Jensen-Long, Co-founder, COO Deepak Agrawal, Co-Founder, Head of Discovery and Development

REPARVI is based in the UACI at Oro Valley outpost, where it is closely connected to a thriving biotech community working on its business in the wet lab supported by UACI programming.

PHOTOS BY BRENT G. MATHIS

DIMENSIONAL ENERGY Dimensional Energy gives carbon dioxide new life as a cost-effective building block for industrial fuels and consumer products traditionally made from fossil carbon. Until now, carbon dioxide has been defined as waste − it is what’s left over when all the energy is burned off energy-dense fuels, warming our planet and categorized as a byproduct impossible to utilize cost effectively.

With Dimensional Energy’s carbon utilization platform, carbon-intensive industries can chart a course to carbon neutral or zero emissions operations.

The Dimensional Energy Tucson Technology Center, located in the Solar Zone at the UA Tech Park, produces fossil-free wax derived from emissions that can close the loop on humanity’s industrial carbon cycle.

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From left – Paul Miller, Principal Mechanical Engineer Angelina Farrar, Facility Coordinator & Plant Operator Brad Brennan, VP Research and Development Adrienne Lee, Project Manager & Site Engineer Jason Salfi, CEO Summer 2023 > > > BizTucson 95

UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA CENTER FOR INNOVATION – COMPANY SPOTLIGHTS

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continued from page 94 headquarters of UACI. Businesses are drawn to the UA Tech Park for its culture and state-of-the art facilities, which include offices, R&D space and laboratories as well as numerous amenities.

The laboratories offered here represent a best practices environment, having adopted the Good Laboratory Practices – or GLP. The UA Tech Park’s official GLP-certified laboratory facilities ensure that the lab standards and equipment are at the highest caliber for non-clinical research, essential for those seeking FDA approval. The UACI’s wet and dry laboratory spaces give early and mid-stage companies the ideal platform for product development. The “renta-bench” program cannot be found anywhere else in Southern Arizona for startups, allowing companies the flexibility to expand their laboratory space while ramping up their operations to support the company’s growth. Therefore, companies who “rent a bench” have a solid foundation and can easily build their business using shared equipment, lab space and research documentation templates.

The 223-acre Solar Zone, serves as a living laboratory for startups to test and demonstrate new renewable energy technology with the ability to directly connect to the Tucson Electric Power grid. The Solar Zone is designed to provide university and industry researchers with the ability to evaluate various 96 BizTucson < < < Summer 2023

technologies as they perform side by side. Testing various technologies under identical operating conditions allows developers to determine when systems are most efficient and economical. The Solar Zone has grown to be one of the largest multi-technology solar demonstration sites in the United States.

UACI at The Bridges The UA Tech Park at The Bridges is the newest star in the Tech Parks Arizona galaxy. Located just 3½ miles south of the UArizona main campus in central Tucson, the UA Tech Park at The Bridges is a 65-acre innovation hub that’s home to a diverse and vibrant array of university organizations and tech companies.

The UA Tech Park at The Bridges is part of a larger 350-acre mixed use development that includes both residential and retail development, known as The Bridges. This campus falls within an Opportunity Zone, meaning those who invest can receive substantial tax benefits. Development plans forecast that the location will offer 1.2 million square feet of office and laboratory space when fully built out.

The first building opened at the site is named The Refinery, a nod to its proximity to the talent and innovation mined from the university. The 120,000 square-foot, four-story building serves as Arizona’s innovation and commercialization hub, creating a centralized location that bridges resources and ac-

celerates the most promising inventions.

The Refinery houses several UArizona entities such as Tech Launch Arizona; UArizona Online, Distance, and Continuing Education; UArizona Applied Research Corporation; College of Applied Science & Technology; faculty/ student innovation space aligned with the UArizona Office of Research, Innovation and Impact; and coming soon, an additional regional incubator outpost of UACI. The Refinery is also home to corporate clients including Raytheon Missiles & Defense. In addition to The Refinery, the UA Tech Park at The Bridges is home to the UArizona Mission Integration Lab and development plans are in process for the new Arizona Public Media complex.

UACI at Biosphere 2 In 2022, UACI opened an incubator outpost at Biosphere 2, located in Oracle, north of Tucson. Its focus is climate sustainability, renewable energy and sustainable tech.

Biosphere 2 gained notoriety in the 1990s for its closed-system experiment involving a human crew of seven. UArizona purchased the site in 2011.

Uniting the one-of-a-kind research facility with the university’s incubator network provides the ideal partnership to translate research into real-world impact. UACI at Biosphere 2 was launched with four startups, each going through UACI’s 27-point roadmap continued on page 98 >>> www.BizTucson.com

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BizMILESTONE continued from page 96 program. Entrepreneurs use various physical spaces at Biosphere 2 to test and demonstrate their tech in one of many specific environments supplying a unique advantage for innovators in this field.

Behind the glass, visitors can see UACI startups at the Biosphere 2 outpost working on businesses that address sustainable agriculture, high-efficiency solar power, and simulations of closed ecosystems to prepare for human habitation on the moon or Mars. By purposefully interconnecting resources to foster innovation, business can rapidly test, demonstrate and deploy new technology. Potential expansion plans include the creation of a tech park that will enable private businesses to directly participate in the ongoing research and innovation endeavors at Biosphere 2.

During the grand opening of the UACI outpost, UArizona President Dr. Robert C. Robbins said, “The research expertise at the University of Arizona contributes to the worldwide effort to develop a more sustainable future. This future-focused environment, dedicated

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to moving innovations forward, provides the ideal platform for technology advancements and business growth.”

UACI at Oro Valley Opened in 2019, the UACI at Oro Valley site is an incubator focused on supporting bioscience discoveries and helping entrepreneurs translate them into marketable technologies.

Located northwest of Tucson, the Town of Oro Valley is a bioscience epicenter growing from UArizona tech startup Ventana Medical Systems that was acquired by pharmaceutical giant Roche. UACI links UArizona’s innovation ecosystem directly into the heartbeat of Oro Valley’s thriving bioscience sector.

UACI’s incubator is located in Innovation Park and is poised to help launch and grow new bio and life scienceoriented enterprises with programming and specialized facilities including office, lab space, and shared equipment such as an ultra-low, minus-80-degrees freezer, biosafety cabinets and an inverted fluorescence microscope.

In addition, the Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Bioindustry Or-

ganization of Southern Arizona (BIOSA) sponsor startups specifically for this outpost through the UACI Sponsored Launch program.

UACI at Town of Sahuarita In partnership with UACI, the Town of Sahuarita has established an incubator program for startups based in the Sahuarita and Green Valley communities. The incubator hosts educational opportunities for entrepreneurial expansion, like one-day boot camps, and provides the tools needed to get businesses off the ground. In addition, the Town of Sahuarita, in collaboration with Freeport-McMoRan Inc, sponsor startups annually through the Sponsored Launch program.

UACI at Vail Born out of collaboration, in the Vail Chamber Connection office is a UACI touchdown office space. Conversely, the Vail Chamber has a touchdown office located in UACI’s headquarters. Startup companies, business coaches, Vail businesses, Tech Parks partners and more work from either office, building their businesses and networks.

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