NOVATION THE HEART OF INN
FY 2024 ANNUAL REPORT
INNOVATION
THE HEART OVATION THE
Our story is one of working with the faculty, researchers, staff, and students at the University of Arizona to nurture world-changing ideas, inventions, and entrepreneurial ventures.
Founded in 2012, Tech Launch Arizona surrounds innovators with resources and experts to move inventions and new businesses into the marketplace where they can generate lasting social and economic impact.
Since that time, we have taken in over 3,000 invention disclosures, executed over 600 licenses and options, and launched more than 140 startups. We have had more than 700 patents issued on U of A inventions, and generated over $67 million in royalties.
The heart of innovation at the U of A is our incredible ecosystem. From our team at TLA, to the University of Arizona inventors with whom we have the honor of working, to every engaged member of our commercialization network, we all share that heart of innovation: that deep passion for creating impact from inventions and entrepreneurial drive. As you read on, I hope you feel that heart beating – that core drive – in the stories and profiles of the inventors, entrepreneurs, and champions we have been so fortunate to work with throughout the past year.
And while the year has presented its challenges, we’ve experienced great successes. Not only did we surpass our previous record for invention disclosures; an analysis of the FY2023 AUTM peer data (normalized) – those with medical schools and over $500M in research expenditures – showed that we rank second in invention disclosures. In patents issued, we also rank number two. In both total agreements and startups launched, we came in fifth.
We’re excited to share all this with you. Please share the stories with your friends, your colleagues and your networks. And if you share our heart of innovation and want to get more involved in this work, please connect with us. We look forward to working with you.
DOUG HOCKSTAD
Assoc. Vice President, Tech Launch Arizona
year we set a new record for inventions received, topping the previous record of 303 set in 2022
BECAUSE CONTEXT MATTERS:
HOW DO WE
Among peers with a medical school and over $500M in research expenditures
Inventions
Among land-grant peers with a medical school and over $500M in research expenditures
CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE: HONORS & ACCOLADES
National Academy of Inventors Inductees
Every year, more U of A faculty are recognized with this honor. The number and diversity of researchers honored is a clear indicator that not only are we a leader in cutting-edge research, but that we have a growing institutional focus on generating impact from and recognizing those discoveries and achievements.
–Doug Hockstad, Assoc. Vice President, Tech Launch Arizona
In FY2024, the University of Arizona added five more Senior Members to the list of those recognized by the National Academy of Inventors, bringing the totals to 24 Senior Members and 17 Fellows
24 Senior Members
17 Fellows
Biotech for Your Brain
Roberta Diaz Brinton, Regents Professor of Pharmacology and Neurology and Director of the University of Arizona Center for Innovation in Brain Science, University of Arizona Health Sciences, BIO5 Institute.
U of A alum, Brinton returned to the University of Arizona in 2016 as the founding director of the Arizona Center for Innovation in Brain Science (CIBS) to investigate and develop the innovations of the future in brain science and bring them to the world. Going beyond traditional academic models, Brinton has set up a hybrid research environment bridging academia and biotech focused on developing cures for Alzheimer’s, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s and ALS. That dedication has delivered results. Her research has been continuously funded for over 30 years through the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and multiple foundations and private donors. She has six granted patents to her name and others pending. Under her leadership, the CIBS team has generated 26 patents, enabled 48 invention disclosures and generated $109 million in grants. Building on CIBS discoveries, she has co-founded a startup, NeuTherapeutics, to advance the development of
allopregnanolone as a regenerative therapeutic for Alzheimer’s disease patients and their healthcare teams. The company is also bringing to market a formulation of three estrogenic plant compounds called PhytoSERMs to promote both brain and breast health for menopausal women.
I am honored to be selected as a Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors, which will advance the national and global impact of our inventions to prevent and treat Alzheimer’s and age-associated neurodegenerative diseases. Our inventions are the result of decades of innovative research by exceptional teams of scientists who will continue to boldly innovate at the University of Arizona to bring innovations of the future to those who need a cure today. —Roberta Diaz Brinton
Assistant Professor of Chemistry in 1981. Since then, she has risen through the academic ranks in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, becoming a professor in 1992, the John and Helen Schaefer Professor of Chemistry in 2001, and a Regents Professor of Chemistry in 2005. Pemberton’s most significant inventions center on the development of new functional materials based on sugar-containing molecules. These materials – called glycolipid surfactants – are more environmentally friendly than the competing technologies, exhibiting excellent biodegradability, biocompatibility, and low to no toxicity. They are used in products like cosmetics and cosmeceuticals, and in solutions for cleaning and bioremediation. The first two patents issued with her as an inventor led her to co-found GlycoSurf, Inc., a startup formed to bring these materials to market and further develop related technologies. To date, GlycoSurf has raised over $5 million in funding and has eight employees.
New Therapies for Breast Cancer
Joyce Schroeder, Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Cancer Biology and Genetics, College of Science, BIO5 Institute, Arizona Cancer
Center
Schroeder is an inventor on four issued U.S. patents and seven international patents and has an application in process. Her patent work has focused on metastatic breast cancer and the role of the oncogene EGFR in driving therapeutic resistance and metastasis. Her investigations in molecular and cellular biology have yielded three therapies that block the protein-protein interactions that drive this kind of cancer. She has shown how the peptides that make up these therapies are effective in treating breast cancer in the laboratory, and she has done the pre-clinical experiments to move them toward impact through FDA approvals and clinical trials.
Through its Asset Development Program, TLA funded experiments to allow Schroeder to address questions that came from potential licensees regarding the possible toxicity of the peptides she developed. The experiments showed that
exposure to levels up to 10 times the effective dose of the compound had no observable toxic effects. She also discovered that immune cells had been activated around the tumors, leading to additional intellectual property.
Schroeder has garnered over $4 million in federal funding, and has employed dozens of researchers, postdoctoral fellows and students in her lab.
It is an honor to have our work highlighted by the Academy of Inventors by being named as a Senior Member, as it represents years of work by both myself and many talented students in my lab. I feel very privileged to have worked with the exceptional scientists and students at U of A and am grateful for the continued support of our community.
Entrepreneurship in Advanced Antimicrobials
Sadhana Ravishankar, Professor, Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences, BIO5 Institute
As chair of the University’s Applied Biosciences Graduate Interdisciplinary Program and the Food Safety Consortium, Ravishankar’s research focuses on applied food safety. She works to solve problems around foodborne bacteria in food production and processing environments, while controlling these bacteria using naturally occurring substances and sustainable, ecologically sound principles. She has received research funding from the USDA-NIFA, the Arizona Department of Agriculture, and the International Life Sciences Institute. A dedicated inventor, Ravishankar has published 74 peer-reviewed manuscripts and filed 18 invention disclosures, which have resulted in six provisional patent applications and three U.S. utility patent applications. Her issued patents are “Synergy of plant antimicrobials with silver,” and “Plant antimicrobial compositions including an emulsifier and/or ozone and methods of use,” the latter of which has been licensed to her startup, PhytoCentric Solutions LLC.
discoveries in food safety for public health protection; and personally this encourages me to give back to society by educating the younger generation especially female and minority students to become inventors and achieve high. I am very thankful to TLA for teaching me everything regarding intellectual property protection, innovation and entrepreneurship, and without their support, I could not have reached this far! —Sadhana Ravishankar
I am extremely delighted to be named as a Senior Member of the NAI; professionally this motivates me to pursue my passion for additional
Applying Real-World Quantum Communications
Saikat Guha, Former Professor of Optical Sciences, Wyant College of Optical Sciences, NSF Engineering Research Center for Quantum Networks
As a leader in fields like quantum communications and networking, quantum imaging and sensing and quantum information, Guha’s work is at the vanguard of applied science. As Director and PI of the NSF Engineering Research Center for Quantum Networks (CQN), he oversees a $51 million, 10-year project that aims to develop the technology stack for the quantum internet of tomorrow. He founded the university’s Arizona Quantum Initiative, working to bring quality education, advanced research, productive partnerships and the world’s top talent to bear on the development of this industry in the state.
Guha is an inventor on 17 patents in the quantum technology field, and he has influenced the development of other intellectual property among his colleagues. His research on quantumlimited super-resolution imaging has led to the launch of the startup SensorQ Technologies, Inc., which is working to apply these technologies to bioimaging, astronomical imaging, and space domain awareness. He also advised the team that launched Quantum Network Technologies (QuNett), a company founded to commercialize space-based quantum communications technologies developed at the CQN.
Guha is currently the Clark Distinguished Chair Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Maryland.
I-SQUARED
AWARDS: RECOGNIZING GREAT CONTRIBUTIONS
RECOGNIZING CONTRIBUTIONS
As we celebrated our annual I2 Expo & Awards event on the evening of September 25, 2024, we honored not only the expertise and contributions of each of our honorees, but we also felt the heart and passion that drives each to contribute to a better world.
INVENTOR OF THE YEAR
Hong Hua,
James C. Wyant College of Optical Sciences
The Inventor of the Year award honors a U of A innovator who has demonstrated a significant commitment to commercialization throughout their career, with a focus on activity in the past year.
This year, Hong Hua, a professor at the James C. Wyant College of Optical Sciences, received a great honor at the national level, as she was featured in the Bayh-Dole Coalition’s 2024 “Faces of American Innovation” report and recognized along with four other innovators from across the nation at a special ceremony in Washington, D.C. on September 18.
Hua’s initial research into virtual and augmented reality, funded by a National Science Foundation grant, led to her creation of a compact, wearable eye-tracking device for late-stage ALS patients. The U of A patented the innovation, and that work attracted the attention of eSight Corporation. Building on her foundational work, Hua partnered
with eSight to develop people with central vision loss greatly improved eyesight and independence. Since launching the product in 2017, eSight has helped thousands of people with central vision loss to see.
This award really means a great deal to me. It’s not only an award for what I have done in the past … But it’s more an inspiration for me to reflect and think more about what I can do for people around me, for the community, and for society and develop technology that can help people. —Hong Hua
Watch the video about our Inventor of the Year honoree.
THIS AWARD… IT’S MORE AN INSPIRATION FOR ME TO REFLECT AND THINK MORE ABOUT WHAT I CAN DO FOR PEOPLE AROUND ME , FOR THE COMMUNITY , FOR SOCIETY, AND DEVELOP TECHNOLOGY THAT CAN HELP PEOPLE .”
STARTUP OF THE YEAR
Anivive
Lifesciences
The Startup of the Year award is given to the startup that has, in the past year, had the most impact or significant activity.
In 2021, a U of A College of Medicine – Tucsonled study showed that two doses of a vaccine candidate developed at the college provided dogs with a high level of protection against Coccidioides posadasii, a fungus that causes valley fever. Marc Orbach, plant sciences professor at the College of Agriculture, Environmental and Life Sciences, along with Lisa Shubitz, a researcher and veterinarian at the Valley Fever Center for Excellence founded by John Galgiani, M.D., led the development of the vaccine. The study was a collaboration between the University of Arizona, Colorado State University, and U of A startup Anivive Lifesciences.
This past fiscal year, Anivive was awarded a contract by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a division of the NIH, with first-year funding of $4.8 million and additional funding of up to $33 million to adapt the canine vaccine candidate for humans. The funding, some of which will be earmarked for the U of A to support research and consulting services, will address
Watch the video about our Startup of the Year honoree.
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s manufacturing, formulation and safety testing requirements and support a Phase 1 human clinical trial.
“In Arizona it’s estimated that pet owners spend about $60 million a year treating valley fever for their dogs,” Orbach said. “And if we can provide a vaccine for those dogs, there will be none of that treatment required.”
The impact becomes amplified in the case of humans; many patients can need life-long care costing millions of dollars per person. “So a vaccine that prevents – even if it just prevented the worst effects – valley fever still accounts for maybe a half a billion to almost $1 billion in cost savings to the medical care system.”
We’re approaching something that’s commercializable and also something that really improves the health of humans and animals. It shows the strength of collaboration between the departments within a university and also between the university and enterprises within the community. —Lisa Shubitz
STUDENT INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR
Sara Sheikhlary
The Student Innovator of the Year award is reserved for the student who over the last year has shown excellence in commercialization and intellectual property, with a focus on entrepreneurship.
This year’s honoree, Sara Sheikhlary, is a Ph.D. student in biomedical engineering with a minor in pharmaceutical science.
While current radiation therapies can be effective for treating cancer, they also have many negative side effects, one of which is actually – and ironically – causing cancer. Sheikhlary developed an herbal-based, extended-release drug called Herbostroiodine, which protects the body against
cancer-causing radioactive elements. She worked with TLA to evaluate the market potential for the invention and file a patent for the drug. She has also been working with the TLA Student Ventures team to develop and perfect her product pitch with the aim of bringing the drug to market.
Sheikhlary envisions the drug not only being used for cancer patients going through radiation treatment, but also for other situations where people can be exposed to radioactive elements, such as those who work in industries like nuclear medicine and nuclear power production.
This award means a lot to me because it motivates me to research more, to be a better scientist, to invent and become a better inventor. —Sara Sheikhlary
Watch the video about our Student Innovator of the Year honoree.
TIMESTEP
The Campus Collaboration award honors a person or entity within the U of A whose contributions to commercialization have demonstrated great impact, with emphasis on the last year.
This year’s honoree is TIMESTEP, a multifaceted program that helps often socio-economically disadvantaged students graduate from STEM disciplines, primarily physics and astronomy.
In recent years, TLA has worked with TIMESTEP to develop and support the TLA Summer Startup Experience, a program that matches students with U of A startups for paid summer internships. The startups benefit from getting additional help to advance their earlystage development, and the students gain experience working in and contributing to a real-world entrepreneurial environment.
Rebecca Lipson, program manager for TIMESTEP said that this award is particularly meaningful for their team.
Watch the video about our Campus Collaboration award recipient.
We’ve been working really hard to make sure that we have a presence within the University of Arizona, so receiving this type of acknowledgment of our efforts and partnership with TLA is extremely important for establishing the program and ensuring that it continues from here. —Rebecca Lipson
ECOSYSTEM IMPACT
Thomas R. Brown Foundations
This award is reserved for a person or entity outside the U of A who has, and continues to, support TLA and our mission to create impact from university innovation, and whose contributions have generated maximum success for university inventions and startups over the last year and over time.
This year’s recipient is the Thomas R. Brown Foundations, led by President Sara Smallhouse. The foundation is a legacy of Burr-Brown Corporation, an electronics manufacturer that was started in Tucson, Arizona and grew to a worldwide precision electronics company.
This year, the Brown Foundations made a gift of $500,000 to the Wildcat Philanthropic Seed Fund. In addition, the Foundation committed to match new gifts up to another $500,000, representing a potential $1.5 million impact.
Created in January 2024, the fund was seeded with a $1 million gift from an anonymous donor who wanted to support ecosystem growth, early-stage university startups and student
engagement. Contributions to the fund are taxdeductible and proceeds from positive events such as acquisitions will be reinvested so the fund can continue to make investments in the future. The goal is to grow the fund beyond $5 million.
Early, early in the history of BurrBrown, it was the University of Arizona researchers and engineers that really helped organize the company and design the first products and the first marketing plans. It’s a success story we hope can be repeated in the future, and we think investing in research and technology and innovation and people who are at the university is a good way to make that a more probable thing. —Sara Smallhouse
Watch the video about our Ecosystem Impact award recipient.
DAVID N. ALLEN AWARD FOR LEADERSHIP & VISION
Thomas Grogan
The David N. Allen (DNA) Award for Leadership & Vision is given to an individual who has exhibited a lifetime of contribution and dedicated themselves to improving the innovation ecosystem in Tucson and shown focused resolve to use their knowledge and success to support others in achieving success. Professor Emeritus Thomas Grogan, M.D., is the recipient of this year’s DNA Award.
Dr. Grogan began teaching at the U of A College of Medicine in 1979, specializing in hematopathology. Leveraging his expertise in cancer and diagnostics, he developed and patented automated processes for tissue staining techniques for cancer diagnosis. In Grogan’s words, “the instrumentation takes essentially elaborate by-hand chemistry and turns it into an automatic hands-off process.”
He founded Ventana Medical Systems to commercialize the invention in 1985. Roche subsequently purchased the company in 2008 for $3.4 billion, and Grogan continued to serve as the chairman of Ventana from 1985 to 1995.
Watch the video about our DNA Award recipient.
“I can look back now to when this process started. And at the time, there wasn’t much appreciation of taking this risk and, being daring,” he said. “It’s now a company with 1,200 employees. It now produces instruments that travel all over the world and affect the lives of millions of people. And I feel like it’s because I was at the University of Arizona. It was because I had the colleagues and the alliances that I did that this thing has made it as a global company.”
The innovation is now in more than 110 countries and helps diagnose and direct treatment for over 30 million people each year.
There were cancers, which 40 years ago you had no chance, and today are eminently curable because of this technology. And honestly, from my point of view, we’re only a 10th of the way to what we are capable of doing. —Thomas Grogan
Watch the video about our #MADEITHAPPEN recipient.
James E. Rogers College of Law #MADEITHAPPEN
The #MadeItHappen award is a special honor that TLA gives to highlight and acknowledge special achievements made by an individual or company.
This year, the #MadeItHappen award went to the James E. Rogers College of Law for its work expanding the impact of the JD-Next program. Dean Marc Miller and program principal investigator Jess Findley accepted the award for the college.
The Law School developed the JD-Next course to empower students with the skills and knowledge to excel in law school. Along with the course, the program includes a test that assesses how successful students might be in their law school education, evaluating their future potential, not judging their past.
The testing standard for getting into law schools has been the LSAT, and more recently the GRE. While representing a standard measure, the LSAT has been shown to have some implicit biases that impact student performance on the test. Alternatively, JD-Next has been shown to resolve those issues and provide a more equitable measure of potential success.
This past June, the American Bar Association approved JD-Next as an alternative measure to use in admissions processes. Through TLA, the U of A has licensed JD-Next to Aspen Publishing, which is taking it forward to expand its use and impact. As of now, it has been implemented in about 40 law schools around the country and has benefited over 2,000 students.
Experience the I-Squared Expo & Awards
Check out the photo and video recap of our September 25 celebration.
A YEAR OF SUCCESS STORIES
https://bit.ly/tla2024-ancerix
bit.ly/tla2024-neutherapeutics
Student-faculty team of inventors spin out tools to remove stuck orthopedic screws
A team of faculty and students developed a set of new medical instruments to address common challenges faced by orthopedic surgeons. Now, those innovations are on their way to market via startup Ancerix.
Startup NeuTherapeutics wins $2.5M grant for clinical trial
NeuTherapeutics received a $2.5M Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant to conduct a Phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate the impact of a new dietary supplement, PhytoSERM, on menopausal hot flashes in women.
Company acquires exclusive license from University of Arizona to administer new law school admissions test
With help from TLA, Aspen Publishing secured an exclusive license to a new law school admissions test that took the College of Law five years to develop. The project has participation from more than 40 law schools, colleges and universities and thousands of students across the country.
Faculty startup acquired for predictive AI and machine learning capabilities
A startup that grew out of innovations developed at the NSF Center for Cloud and Autonomic Computing was acquired by LOCH Technologies. Developed in the College of Engineering, Avirtek’s autonomic cybersecurity technology benefitted from over $10 million in SBIR and STTR funding.
Startup targets 0.1% of human genetics for personalized, precisionbased therapies
Adam Grant, while a U of A doctoral student, developed a system that, based on a patient’s set of symptoms, can be used to figure out the probability that they have a given disease, and even determine the ideal treatment option. The technology is now the foundation of UGenome, the startup taking it forward.
https://bit.ly/tla2024-jd-next
https://bit.ly/tla2024-avirtek
https://bit.ly/TLA2024-ugenome
WHAT’S NEXT FOR FY2025
More Resources for Entrepreneurs and Early Startups: The Wildcat Philanthropic Seed Fund
As described earlier, this fund was created in January 2024 to support ecosystem growth, earlystage university startups and student engagement. Donations to date bring the fund to well over its $2 million threshold to begin making investments. The ultimate goal is to grow the fund to over $5 million.
Contributions to the Wildcat Philanthropic Seed Fund are tax-deductible and proceeds from positive events such as acquisitions will be reinvested to grow the fund for future investments. This “evergreen” fund will help young companies get through the “valley of death,” the period of time soon after a new venture begins when the risk of failure is high due to lack of early-stage financial support.
$5M Pre-Seed/Seed Investment Fund for U of A-related Startups
What’s next?
In the coming year, we will continue to raise money, with the ultimate goal of growing the fund to over $5 million. Now that the fund has reached its $2 million threshold, we will implement programs to engage students in assisting with due diligence and participating in investment decisions.
We have had launching a seed fund in our sights for many years. Now that we’ve secured the contributions to get us off the ground, I’m energized to dig in, launch the student programs under TLA’s new Startup Wildcats program that will align with the fund, and start making investments to help these early-stage ventures move forward. —Doug Hockstad, Associate Vice President, Tech Launch Arizona
A Push for Startup-Ready Techs & Teams: The StartupHub
In May 2024, TLA launched the StartupHub to facilitate connections between venture-ready inventions and qualified business leaders. The goal was to match the most promising inventing teams coming out of the university’s offices and laboratories with entrepreneurs outside the university who have the passion, talent and experience to form startups to lead them forward.
The site first launched with 10 curated opportunities and has since added seven more to the catalog with more on the way. Each entry provides a clear and concise story about the market problem, the opportunity and the solution at hand.
17
High-Potential Opportunities
Profiled and Marketed
What’s next?
Now that the StartupHub is populated with innovations, TLA is pushing these opportunities out into the marketplace, getting them in front of targeted audiences of potential co-founders and interested investors.
StartupHub curates and promotes only the best of the best. We’re doing the work to select and share opportunities that our analyses indicate are the right invention with the right team at the right time. And now that we have this flag in the sand, it’s time to really get the word out and show the entrepreneurship and investment world what we’ve put together for them. Bruce Burgess, Director, Venture Development
Learning Opportunities for Early Entrepreneurial Teams: NSF I-Corps
The University of Arizona is one of nine universities partnered together to form the Desert & Pacific Region NSF I-Corps Hub. The partnership, led by Arizona State University, comprises the U of A, along with Northern Arizona University, the University of California San Diego, San Diego State University, the University of Hawai’i, Boise State University, the University of Idaho and the University of Nevada Las Vegas.
The regional Hub model increases capacity for innovation development from universities by expanding upon the conventional geographies of innovation to more disconnected areas that are typically outside of venture development hubs and connecting them to more experienced and resource-rich areas.
What’s next?
TLA will continue to partner with Hub leadership to extend its reach. Along with keeping a focus on teams commercializing U of A IP, it will continue to grow its focus on recruiting more student teams and teams from other universities into the program.
When it comes to ensuring that teams are ready to enter the market, no other effort has been more impactful than the NSF I-Corps program. One of the greatest challenges academic and new entrepreneurs with nascent innovations face is making sure they understand their true market opportunities and who their potential customers actually are. —Doug Hockstad, Associate Vice President, Tech Launch Arizona
Advancing Commercialization in the Colleges: Faculty Innovation Ambassadors
To extend its reach into the campus community, this year TLA launched the Faculty Innovation Ambassadors Program with the goal of improving access to information and assistance related to innovation, inventorship and entrepreneurship. The program places a volunteer Faculty Innovation Ambassador, or “FIA”, who has expertise and experience in commercialization activities such as invention disclosure, intellectual property development, licensing, and startups in key colleges across campus. While TLA has Licensing Managers embedded in colleges across the university, FIAs serve as an additional initial point of contact to answer their colleagues’ questions and point them to helpful resources.
To leverage best practices and target optimal results, the team has been collaborating with universities around the nation to strategize, learn from one another, and share best practices. The working group, which meets quarterly, includes experts from technology commercialization offices including Vanderbilt University, Duke University, the University of Michigan and Baylor University.
What’s next?
Throughout the fall of FY2025, TLA is partnering with each college to hold meetings with graduate students and faculty members to introduce them to their dedicated FIA. Following on this first round of gatherings, TLA will regroup with its university partners to share results and discuss successes and pitfalls, and also gather with the FIAs to get their feedback and suggestions for program improvement.
Thank you to our first cohort of Faculty Innovation Ambassadors!
Hong Hua
Professor of Optical Sciences, James C. Wyant College of Optical Sciences
Julie Ledford
Associate Professor Cellular & Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine – Tucson
Jeff Pyun
Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry, College of Science
Sadhana Ravishankar
Professor, College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences
Gregory Thatcher
Professor of Pharmacology & Toxicology, College of Pharmacy
Joseph Valacich
Professor of Management Information Systems, Eller College of Management
Hao Xin
Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering
Frederic Zenhausern
Professor of Clinical Translational Sciences, Translational Neurosciences, Biomedical Engineering, and Radiation
Oncology, College of Medicine
Phoenix/College of Engineering
Programming to Engage Students in Entrepreneurial Experiences: Startup Wildcats
In July, Arizona FORGE merged into TLA to further integrate student engagement into the university’s innovation ecosystem.
TLA, through Startup Wildcats, is focusing resources and programming on the student entrepreneurial journey, from introducing them to entrepreneurship to launching their own companies.
What’s next?
In the coming year, look for Startup Wildcats to build out and grow its three-teired program to serve students interested in experiencing entrepreneurship. Building upon the idea of “Imagine. Create. Lead.”, TLA will offer programs for everyone from those students interested in having their first, low-risk entrepreneurial experiences to those who may already be in the market, have revenue and are looking to scale.
The launch of Startup Wildcats marks a pivotal step in our mission, offering unparalleled resources, mentorship and support to inspire and equip the next generation of leaders who will make a realworld impact. I’m excited to lead the program with an amazing team. Their expertise and passion will be essential to help our students overcome their challenges, develop smart strategies and achieve
—Derick Maggard, Director of Student Ventures
THANK YOU FOR AN AMAZING FY2024.
Our Advisory Board
We meet regularly with our Advisory Board members to discuss our progress and leverage their expertise to move our mission forward. We are ever grateful for their contributions.
Mara Aspinall Partner, Illumina Ventures
Benjamin Brockwell Partner, AZ-VC
Andy Lombard
Managing Partner, Health Impact Venture Capital
Joann MacMaster Angel Investor
Harry George
Managing General Partner, Solstice Capital Partnership
Robert Griffin
Executive Director, McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship
Fletcher J. McCusker CEO, UAVenture Capital
John-Paul Roczniak
President & Chief Executive Officer, U of A Foundation
Larry Hecker Attorney, Hecker PLLC
Kirsten Leute
Partner, University Relations, Osage University Partners
David Smallhouse
Managing Director, Miramar Ventures
Our Staff
We thank each and every team member for their expertise and dedication. We often say, “technology transfer is a team sport.” We mean it.
Bruce Burgess Director, Venture Development
Rakhi Gibbons Director, Licensing and Intellectual Property
Douglas Hockstad Associate Vice President
Derick Maggard Director, Student Ventures
Grace Ratje Assistant Director, Finance & Administration
Paul Tumarkin Assistant Director, Marketing & Communications
Michelle Albert Patent Docket Clerk
Julie Barbier Bularzik Venture Development Education Coordinator
Tiara Bertram Licensing Compliance Manager
Karen Carrasco Administrative Associate
Ann Chihak Poff Marketing Associate
Sabrina Duarte
Administrative Associate
Garrett Edmunds Licensing Manager, U of A Health Sciences
Carina Enriquez Administrative Associate, Venture Development
Elena Fielder Accounts Payable/Accounts Receivable and Legal Documents Coordinator
Anne Gardner Market Research Manager
Mitch Graffeo
Senior Licensing Manager, College of Medicine - Tucson
Lewis Humphreys
Senior Software & IT Licensing Manager, Eller College Embed
Al Kassam
Mentor-in-Residence
Kelly King
Entrepreneurial Mindset Development Coordinator
Leah Langlais Manager, Venture Development - Life Sciences
Jonathan Larson Senior Licensing Manager, College of Science
Jianling Liu Senior Business Analyst
Cathleen Malia Accountant
Tod McCauley
Assistant Director of Licensing, College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences
Tyler McCusker Coordinator, Commercialization Network
Sarah Moore
Intellectual Property Manager
Peter Nestler Mentor-in-Residence
Linda Portillo Executive Assistant
Paul Valdez Associate Director, Student Ventures
Rich Weite
Senior Licensing Manager, Optical Sciences
Steven Wood Mentor-in-Residence
TJ Yekini Accountant
Scott Zentack
Licensing Manager, College of Engineering
