The University of Arizona incubator network collaborates with Oro Valley to sponsor startup success
University of Arizona Center for Innovation
The University of Arizona Center for Innovation (UACI), which serves as the science and technology startup incubator network of Tech Parks Arizona, is pleased to announce the open call for the UACI Sponsored Launch Fueled by the Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce and Town of Oro Valley competition. The winning startup will receive sponsored entry into UACI at Oro Valley, the prestigious bioscience-focused incubator, along with resources , specialized facilities, services and expert guidance to grow their business.
In alignment with its mission to grow scalable startup ventures that fuel the Arizona economy, UACI has teamed up with Oro Valley leaders to support science and technology early-stage companies. The launch of the competition is part of a growing collaboration between UACI, the Town of Oro Valley and Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce over the past four years which has supported several startups in Oro Valley through previous Sponsored Launch programs. Building on the momentum and great interest of entrepreneurs who live in the region, the three organizations are making the sponsored entry available once again.
The winning startup will receive one sponsored year of admission at UACI which includes a structured incubation program, customized business mentoring and the ability to work alongside other startups in a fast-paced environment. UACI provides the people, programming and place needed to successfully launch and scale a business. The program provides wet and dry laboratory space, meeting rooms, and assistance through a 28-point roadmap that helps them with everything from refining their business model to obtaining funding.
Application submissions are open now and close on Friday, April 26, 2024. Applicants must meet certain qualifications including having a startup team that lives or operates in the Town of Oro Valley and is looking to make a significant difference in the local and global community through innovation. Specific application information can be found by visiting the UACI website.
In addition to one-year sponsored entry into UACI, the winning startup will receive membership in the Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce. This membership grants access to events, exclusive deals, and connections to a network of businesses in Oro Valley. Moreover, the municipal support from the Town of Oro Valley empowers UACI to drive economic development in the region. The combined value of this package, totaling $10,000, is generously funded by the Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Oro Valley.
As a region, Southern Arizona has recently experienced an increased interest in entrepreneurship, and the business ecosystem is ripe with educational offerings and promising locations for startup ventures. Oro Valley’s steady population growth, booming bioscience sector and potential for geographic expansion make it particularly attractive to scalable ventures and innovative technologies.
About the UA Center for Innovation
The University of Arizona Center for Innovation (UACI) is a startup incubator network with outposts across the Southern Arizona region. For two decades, the program has directly served over 300 companies, impacting thousands of entrepreneurs who have attracted $105.8M in external capital. This is done by providing access to people, programming, and places that help entrepreneurs take their companies from idea to market. With the mission to fuel the Arizona economy, UACI works to help scale science and tech-based startups under the scope of Tech Parks Arizona creating university-based economic impact.
About the Town of Oro Valley
The Town of Oro Valley is located approximately 6 miles north of Tucson, Arizona cradled at the foot of the magnificent Santa Catalina Mountains with hiking trails through Catalina State Park, hiking and bicycle trails throughout the Town, and world class golf courses. Formed in 1974, the Town of Oro Valley is a community of 46,000 residents that is a modern, progressive, clean, safe community with robust employment opportunities and a bustling bioscience sector. The town has been recognized as a Best Places to Live in Arizona, Best Towns for Families, Best Places in America to Live and Launch a Small Business, and the Upscale Tech Mecca of Southern Arizona.
About Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce
The Greater Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce was formed in the fall of 1992 to support the growth of and business interests in the community. It became the Northern Pima County Chamber of Commerce in 1998, when Northwest Tucson was entering a period of major growth. Then, in 2011, directors went back to the organization’s roots, and adopted once more the name Greater Oro Valley Chamber of Commerce. The Oro Valley Chamber’s mission is to cultivate a vibrant economic region by empowering and uniting the Greater Oro Valley business community.