After 20 years of operation, the University of Arizona’s Center for Innovation has become home to four Ukrainian tech startups. The center has been instrumental in fostering the innovation environment in southern Arizona through its business incubator.
In 2003, Tech Parks Arizona built an incubator to support startups that leverage its network and facilities to “provide an effective support mechanism for new entrepreneurial endeavors that drive technological innovation locally and globally,” according to UACI’s website. They provide the resources, environment and connections entrepreneurs need to succeed in the marketplace.
UACI Executive Director Eric Smith described the incubator network as “economic development through startup growth”.
“Our job is to provide them with programs, places, and the people who run those programs,” Smith said.
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In November 2022, four Ukrainian tech startups were selected by the US Department of State’s Global Innovation Through Science and Technology initiative to come to the University of Arizona Tech Park. The four companies are EQ Production, Noty.ai, SorbiForce and Zeely.
EQ Production is an Emotional Intelligence app developer that aims to help users maximize sustained emotional abilities. Noty.ai is an artificial intelligence based assistant to transcribe Zoom and Google Meet calls. SorbiForce is the creator of a sustainable and cost-effective carbon battery. Zeely is a webshop and ad builder that aims to help small businesses sell online.
Through a 27-point roadmap program, these companies advance their development in key areas such as business formation, customer discovery, and competitive analysis, to name a few.
These initiatives “ensure that when these innovations are placed back in Ukraine, they can help boost the economy there,” Smith said.
Specifically for international businesses, “we guide them through a process that helps them engage with potential customers, not in a way that sells the products, but in a way that helps them ask the right questions to make sure that they’re bringing the product here, it’s market-ready,” Smith said.
Although these companies are adapting to the US market, UACI is working with them to adapt to this new environment.
“They have access to our community, our community leaders, housing, transportation and social life. Part of the reason we do this work is not just to make sure the startups thrive, but to make sure people have a soft landing in our region,” Smith said. “Our job is to show them that southern Arizona is a place where they can enter the US market.”
Tucson’s strategic location gives these companies access to West Coast markets with lower living standards.
“When these types of companies come into our community, they have access to our community leaders, our corporate leaders, our university leaders and all of these individuals who help our businesses thrive,” Smith said.
UACI believes it takes a whole village to build a startup. Those interested in UACI’s work or wanting to connect with startups can contact UACI through their website to connect with these companies.
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