Member News: August 2019
The University of Arizona is rolling out a new cybersecurity degree program, the Biodesign Institute receives $1.5 million to develop early-warning system for flu outbreaks, a new Maricopa IT Institute to open at Phoenix College, Tucson-based QuakeWrap earns EPA research funding, Tucson-based Paragon Space Development Corporation wins $5M in government contracts, and more.
University of Arizona is rolling out a new cybersecurity degree program
According to a recent report from Cybersecurity Ventures, there will be 3.5 million unfilled jobs in the cyber sector by 2021. As the need for skilled workers who know the ins and outs of cybersecurity ramps up, the University of Arizona is rolling out a new degree program at its Chandler campus and setting up a partnership with high schools to help meet that demand. Chandler is the fastest-growing location for the program, which has attracted 60-plus students during the past year-and-a-half. The university also is establishing a partnership with the Chandler Unified School District and Chandler-Gilbert Community College to provide a pathway to cyber careers for high schoolers. Read more how the University of Arizona’s cybersecurity degree program is helping to build a robust, educated workforce.
Biodesign Institute to develop early-warning system for flu outbreaks
With $1.53 million in support from the National Library of Medicine, three research teams from Arizona State University’s Biodesign Institute are bringing their distinct areas of expertise to answer the question, “How can we improve our ability to predict viral outbreaks?” The teams will track the presence of viruses at wastewater plants and medical clinics. The database will characterize the viruses they find, identify new viruses and provide information that shows infectious trends for humans, animals, plants and bacteria. Read more how these researchers at the Biodesign Institute will combine their scientific skills for the greater good.
New Maricopa IT Institute to open at Phoenix College
Phoenix College and Maricopa County Community College District are unveiling plans to create a Maricopa IT Institute at Phoenix College, utilizing a currently vacant building located in the heart of downtown Phoenix. The institute will prepare students for high-demand careers and help meet labor market demands within the field of information technology. This IT institute will serve as a collaborative space for all students in computer information systems (CIS) classes, in addition to any course with the Cisco Networking Technologies (CNT), Microsoft Server Technologies (MST), and Information Technology Security (ITS) classes. The site will also serve as convening location for cybersecurity workshops, industry advisory groups, meetups and networking functions. Learn more Maricopa IT Institute;s vision for cybersecurity collaboration.
Tucson-based QuakeWrap earns EPA research funding
An infrastructure innovation coming out of the research labs of Arizona-based QuakeWrap, Inc., and promising to help solve a major problem in city drinking water systems, has received federal funding from the research arm of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). The proposal, “Trenchless Water Main Point Repairs with SuperLaminate,” will explore the use of specialized fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) laminates for repair of water main leaks that cost cities and counties millions of dollars a year in drinking water loss. Learn more about QuakeWrap’s innovative technologies.
Are you 5G ready? Benchmark’s 5G foundational technology capabilities
Becoming 5G-ready starts now. To be a technology leader in the face of so much opportunity and uncertainty, companies need partners with exceptional breadth and depth of expertise. Benchmark has made significant investments in technology building blocks to be prepared to provide 5G-enabled solutions to its customers today, for the networks of tomorrow. Listen to Benchmark leaders for strategies to overcome technology challenges and excel in the 5G era.
ASU students make waves in international robotics competition
Desert WAVE, the all-female underwater robotics team of Arizona State University students in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, recently made a splash in San Diego. The Women in Autonomous Vehicle Engineering team won third place in the 2019 International RoboSub Competition — a major feat for the first-time competitors. Desert WAVE was created by a partnership between The Polytechnic School, one the six Fulton Schools and Si Se Puede Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing resources for underserved communities. Desert WAVE is also sponsored by Blue Robotics and MakerBot. Learn more about this partnership that provides young women engineers with the opportunity to work together on engineering projects.
Flexential: The next generation of data center
Flexential is harnessing the power of people in a technical world. CEO Chris Downie discusses the key differentiators putting Flexential ahead of the competition as a flexible and essential data center partner with a company-wide focus on customer success. Having been at the heart of the data center industry for more than 10 years, Downie has seen firsthand how customer success has become a vital component of modern business. Read more about Flexential’s ability to go beyond the traditional expectations of a data center operator.
Scottsdale software firm secures $200M Singapore investment
Indecomm Digital Services Inc., a Scottsdale-based software firm, has announced a $200 million investment from a global private equity firm focused on growth investing. The money is from Capital Square Partners in Singapore, an affiliate of New York-based Warburg Pincus. Indecomm Digital provides digital engineering, product engineering and other services to global technology and software companies. The investment from Warburg Pincus will allow Indecomm to expand its presence, strengthen its R&D capabilities and scale the business as they continue to deliver industry-leading growth to the full benefit of its global customers. Read more from Indecomm Digital Co-Founder & CEO Venu Raghavan.
Tucson space contractor wins $5M in government contracts
Tucson-based Paragon Space Development Corporation recently received more than $5 million in contracts to help solve key technology problems for NASA and the U.S. Navy. The 26-year-old company solves tech problems on thermal control and life support systems used in outer space and terrestrial environments. This includes keeping people at the right temperature or keeping them breathing, said Grant Anderson, Paragon’s president and CEO. Paragon also won a $1.5 million NASA SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) II award for COSMIC (Condensate Separator for Microgravity Conditions) technology in July. Read more about this out-of-this-world company.
UPS takes minority stake in self-driving truck startup TuSimple
UPS has taken a minority stake in self-driving truck startup TuSimple, just months after the two companies began testing the use of autonomous trucks in Arizona. UPS initially tapped TuSimple to help it better understand how Level 4 autonomous trucking might function within its network. That relationship expanded in May when the companies began using self-driving tractor trailers to carry freight on a freight route between Tucson and Phoenix to test if service and efficiency in the UPS network can be improved. This testing is ongoing. All of TuSimple’s self-driving trucks operating in the U.S. have a safety driver and an engineer in the cab. Read more here.
Camacho appointed to Department of Commerce advisory council
Chris Camacho, president and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, is one of 25 people appointed to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Investment Advisory Council. Camacho will join 18 other leaders from across the United States who will serve as advisors on how best to support U.S. economic growth through the attraction and retention of foreign direct investment. Learn more about the U.S. Investment Advisory Council.
“I am greatly looking forward to joining this incredibly talented and diverse group of regional and national business leaders on the U.S. Investment Advisory Council,” said Camacho. “I want to thank Secretary Pritzker and SelectUSA for gathering this council to advise on strategies around foreign direct investment, a critical component in this global economy.”
2019 Small Business Awards finalists
Congratulations to Keyser, Spirit Electronics and STEM Sports! Presented by the Phoenix Business Journal and Pacific Premier Bank, these awards recognize excellence among entrepreneurs and small businesses in Phoenix. Honorees are selected based on a number of factors, including financial performance, historical achievements, contributions to industry, contributions to the local economy and potential to shape Phoenix business community. The awards event is Thursday, September 19 at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa At Gainey Ranch.
Celebrating 25 years: The University of Arizona
Twenty-five years ago, The University of Arizona took the bold step of acquiring an industrial park in southeastern Pima County and transforming it into a university research park. At its inception, the UA Tech Park housed two companies with slightly more than 800 employees. Today, it is home to more than 40 high-tech companies and business organizations with 6,000 knowledge workers and was voted best workplace both for innovation and culture through the Arizona Daily Star Reader’s Choice Awards in 2018. The celebration not only commemorates our past success, but especially focuses on the future. Visit https://uanews.arizona.edu to read how this student-centered university collaborates to solve critical problems and make the world a better place.
Changing the equation: Tucson-based tech accelerator expands into Phoenix
Go For Vertical, a Tucson-based tech startup accelerator, is expanding into Phoenix with its first local program starting in September. Edward Cruz, founder and CEO of Go For Vertical, wanted to grow the accelerator in Phoenix because of the larger tech startup market. Cruz is targeting 10 early-stage startups for the Climb courses scheduled to start Sept. 9 and Oct. 7. At the end of each 12-week course, each startup will have a blueprint to create its product and receive help with a pitch deck. Tech startups with advanced ideas can attend a separate six-week Summit course. At the end of the course, startups will get the actual blueprint for what they need to build their product. Read more how Go For Vertical’s partnership with Co+Hoots is filling the gap to provide access to tech startups and underserved entrepreneurs.
Compliance, engagement and collaboration workshop with iSolved
Take your organization to the next level! Collaboration, compliance, and engagement are some of the most important topics in the HR world, and your organization simply can’t afford to ignore them. Join iSolved HCM on September 12 to hear from several HR industry experts provide insights into maintaining compliance, boosting employee engagement and making sure your teams are collaborative and cooperative. Register here to attend this informative workshop.
ASU professor named to Fast Company’s ‘Most Creative People in Business 2019’
Arizona State University Biodesign Institute researcher Hao Yan has been named to Fast Company’s list of “Most Creative People in Business 2019” for his work using nanobots to fight cancerous tumors. A pioneer in the field of DNA origami, Yan and his team in the Biodesign Center for Molecular Design and Biomimetics draw their inspiration from nature, seeking to solve complex human problems. Fast Company focused on Yan’s work in building robots that are one-thousandth the width of a strand of hair — and constructed from DNA folded into 3D shapes. The nanorobots are programmed to shrink tumors by finding the source of blood supply to the tumor and stopping that supply. Highly significant in this advance is that it does not affect the healthy cells — a conundrum in the world of cancer care with treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy. This unique form of nanostructure technology has shown promise in initial tests, doubling the survival rate of mice with cancer. Read more about this extraordinary medical breakthrough.
INC Magazine ranks Tiempo Development on its annual list of Americas Fastest Growing Private Companies
For the 7th Time, Tiempo Development appears on the Inc. 5000, ranking No. 2915 with three-year revenue growth of 128%. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy’s most dynamic segment—its independent small businesses. Very few companies ever make the Inc 5000 list once; to have made the list seven times is confirmation that they are doing something special at Tiempo. Tiempo is widely recognized as one of the leading software engineering companies in the US. Putting to work nearshore engineering resources and high-performance teams with a relentless focus on client outcomes, Tiempo designs, builds, and deploys software that makes lives better. Tiempo is headquartered in Tempe, Arizona, with four world-class software development facilities in Mexico. Read more about Tiempo Development and the passion they have for helping improve clients’ business performance.
What’s Shaking in IP: September 19, 2019 | 4 – 6:30 PM
Join Ballard Spahr Thursday Sept. 19 for an in-depth look at the practical and ethical considerations for the Ddefense, enforcement, & licensing of intellectual property. Attendees at this ethics workshop will learn the practical and ethical considerations for common IP scenarios based on recent legal developments. Topics to be covered include avoiding conflicts, using private investigators, maintaining privilege over pre-suit investigations like expert surveys and infringement analysis, deceit and candor in licensing deals, and communicating with adverse parties and in-house personnel. This program is free to attend. For more information, contact Lisa Prickril at [email protected]. Register to attend: https://bit.ly/2KZAYQx
USMCA: Ensuring economic success
The U.S.–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) is essential to ensure that our North American economy and Arizona’s economy can operate at the speed of business and give us the tools we need to continue growing our success. Trade within North America is paramount to our ability to compete with China. This agreement is critical to all of us for generations to come. The USMCA will help Arizona build on this economic success and ensure that North America remains the most competitive region of the world where companies want to invest and grow their business. Learn more and get engaged in the conversation…shared goals make us stronger.
DesTechAZ: Celebrating the entrepreneurial spirit in Arizona tech and innovation
October 16-17, 2019 | Fairmont Scottsdale Princess
In it’s third year, DesTechAZ is designed to showcase all the great things happening in our state and to help foster the collaborative spirit in making Arizona the next technology metropolis. Last year, the dinner program featured Gov. Ducey, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, Pitbull, Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin & Vlad Martynov. It’s a high-profile tech event and this year promises to be another great dinner show with Steve Wozniak returning, a NASA panel, the CEO of Hansen Robotics and more special surprises and big announcements. Day 1 is Collaboration In Motion with round table sessions, a networking lunch, ACA’s Graduation Showcase and Pitch Competition ending with a Tech Innovation Reception with Steve Wozniak that you won’t want to miss. Arizona Technology Council members receive $500 off – use ATCDT19 promo code when inquiring. Email Merissa at [email protected] or visit http://bit.ly/30dBdMR for more details.
Israel Trade Mission: November 17-24
Join the Arizona Israel Technology Alliance (AITA) for an amazing journey that will be purpose-driven and educational. Without a doubt, Israel is at the nexus of innovation and creativity. With the scale of opportunities abounding, AITA is thrilled to be at the forefront of bringing the opportunity for the state of Arizona to open up a trade office in Israel – Arizona’s second international trade office. This trade mission will celebrate this milestone that Gov. Ducey enabled by signing into the state budget earlier this year. Trade mission participants will experience a deep dive into Israel’s technology ecosystem, enjoy a guided tour of Israel’s sites and history, and have the opportunity for customized business meetings for your specific goals. Contact [email protected] for additional info and registration. VIEW THE ITINERARY HERE.
Newborn care startup NeoLight scores $2.5 million from NFL Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
Jaundice is cited as the single largest reason for hospital re-admissions among newborns and a leading cause of infant mortality in developing countries. But, according to NeoLight cofounder and CEO Vivek Kopparthi, this doesn’t have to be the case. Now, with $2.5 million in funding from NFL quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, the company is one step closer to reaching its goal of ensuring that “every baby that’s jaundiced, all over the world, has access to a technology that can treat it and also identify it.” Read more about NeoLight’s FDA-approved technology to make diagnosing and treating jaundice among infants more convenient.