ASU’s ScaleU, an Edtech Accelerator With a University Behind It

When Dana Stephenson began to court Arizona State University two years ago, he was looking for a higher ed client for his education technology startup. Instead the university wound up as one of his most important investors. What began with faculty interest in Stephenson’s Canadian company, Riipen, which connects students with class projects offered by […]

UAVenture Capital Fund Invests in Sleep Apnea Treatment Technology

UAVenture Capital Fund (UAVC), a Tucson-based venture capital fund dedicated to the commercialization of University of Arizona discoveries, products, technologies and services, today announced its thirteenth investment. The Fund has invested in StimAire, Inc. where breakthrough technology may revolutionize the treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). StimAire replaces today’s surgically implanted neural stimulation devices with a small wearable and […]

University of Arizona venture fund backs local laser startups

UAVC, the University of Arizona’s in-house venture capital fund, has invested in three new laser companies recently spun out of the Tucson institution. Between them the three companies to win backing – DeUVe Photonics, CThru Lasers, and Wavelength Unlimited Technologies – are looking to cover almost the entire breadth of the optical spectrum. DeUVe is […]

U Arizona Venture Capital Fund Invests in New High Power Laser Technologies

UAVenture Capital Fund (UAVC), a Tucson-based venture capital fund dedicated to the commercialization of University of Arizona discoveries, products, technologies and services, today announced its tenth, eleventh and twelfth investments. The Fund has invested in DeUVe Photonics, Inc. whose deep-ultra-violet short-wave-length technology will address an unmet need in the 230-400 nanometer wavelength range with unmatched performance in power, […]

UA Fueling Rapid Tucson Tech Growth

Tucson tech and talent have hit the map, as low unemployment and high demand for talent have tech companies turning to smaller communities to fill their pipelines, according to a new report that says Tucson is the leading emerging market in the United States. In its 2019 Scoring Tech Talent report, global commercial real estate services […]

ASU launches new accelerator 

Arizona State University and SparkLabs Group, a network of accelerators and venture capital funds, has launched a new startup accelerator program for students and alumni. SparkLabs Frontier-ASU will provide training, mentors and investment funding for participants in the university’s schools and programs, including the engineering, business and global management schools. “SparkLabs Frontier-ASU’s mission is to identify, […]

UA-focused venture capital fund raising another $100M

The founders of a venture capital fund formed to invest in companies spawned from the University of Arizona have launched a second fund with a goal of raising $100 million. Founded in 2017 by local businessman Fletcher McCusker, UAVenture Capital raised $20 million for its first fund and invested in six startup companies based on […]

ASU startup wins Arizona Innovation Challenge 

Breezing, a spinout company that was the result of discoveries made at Arizona State University’s Biodesign Institute, was recently named an Arizona Innovation Challenge winner by the Arizona Commerce Authority. The startup, founded by NJ Tao, director of the Biodesign Center for Bioelectronics and Biosensors, and Erica Forzani, a researcher in the center and an associate […]

Five student ventures progress to compete for $100,000 prize in 2019 ASU Innovation Open | ASU Now: Access, Excellence, Impact

Last Friday, five student-led teams each won $5,000 and moved one step closer to potentially earning the $100,000 grand prize to fund their startups in the ASU Innovation Open pitch competition. Excitement and expectation reverberated throughout the presentation room at ASU’s SkySong campus as the early-stage entrepreneurs representing the top 15 ventures presented five-minute pitches […]

U Arizona-focused venture fund invests in alum’s job-matching company 

A venture-capital fund focused on University of Arizona spinoffs has announced its fourth investment since its founding last year, backing a Phoenix-based startup with an online platform to help hotels and restaurants quickly find temporary workers. UA Venture Capital Fund LLC participated in funding a seed round of growth capital for Qwick Inc., which was […]