Arizona-based investment groups and resources have been expanding significantly in recent years, including very active angel groups, which are essential to the success of startups.
Ready to join Arizona’s investor community? Need to know more about Arizona’s bioscience landscape? Start here.
- Investor Groups
Arizona Tech Investors | Arizona-based investors supporting capital needs of early-stage, high-growth, technology-driven companies within Arizona.
BlueCross BlueShield Venture Partners | Corporate venture-fund program investing in promising emerging companies of strategic relevance to Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield plans.
Bluestone Venture Partners | Tucson-based life-sciences venture-capital fund focused on companies in southwestern U.S.
Canyon Angels | Nonprofit affiliated with Grand Canyon University focused on funding highly scalable startups.
Desert Angels | Angel investment group located in Tucson.
Golden Seeds | Arizona chapter of national group of investors funding women-led businesses.
Grayhawk Capital | Provides venture capital to early-and growth-stage companies, including those in healthcare IT.
invisionAZ | Phoenix-based investment fund to help grow Arizona-based technology startups.
UAVenture Capital| Venture-capital fund designed to commercialize University of Arizona science, technology, services, and products.
- Investment Conferences
Unmet Conference | Conference designed to attract and coalesce investment in companies located in under-served regions, structured to enable networking with investors and peers to foster development and collaboration.
Venture Madness | Arizona Commerce Authority and Invest Southwest live pitch contest.
White Hat Investor Conference | Two-day life-sciences investor conference in Phoenix for innovators from the Rocky Mountain Southwest Region.
- Networking
Arizona Bioscience Industry Organization (AZBio) | Trade association supporting and advocating for Arizona bioscience companies.
Arizona Technology Council | Trade association supporting and advocating for Arizona technology companies.
AZBio LinkedIn Group | Open to all, facilitating discussion among AZBio members and the broader Arizona bioscience community.
BioIndustry Organization of Southern Arizona (BIOSA) | Representing bioscience firms in southern Arizona.
- Funding Competitions
Arizona Innovation Challenge | Grants up to 10 awardees up to $150,000, enrollment into the ACA’s premier mentor-led accelerator, Venture Ready, as well as exposure to investors, business executives and successful startup CEOs and media. Offered in fall and spring.
Flinn Foundation Bioscience Entrepreneurship Program | Helps early-stage firms develop into successful and sustainable businesses through grant and services.
Idea Funding Pitch Competition | Arizona’s second-largest pitch competition giving more than $100,000 of non-dilutive funds and services to startups each year.
Venture Madness | Arizona Commerce Authority and Invest Southwest live pitch contest.
- University Tech Commercialization
NAU Innovations | Facilitates the transfer of inventions generated through NAU research to the private sector, transforming discoveries into solutions that have local and global impact. Partners with top science and technology companies in Arizona and beyond, licensing patent rights for commercial development and sale.
SkySong – ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center | Offers opportunities for companies whose business objectives would benefit from a strong connection with ASU entrepreneurial and research-based initiatives in diverse markets, including IT, education and health care.
UA Tech Launch Arizona | A resource for commercializing UA-created knowledge and bringing the University’s inventions to the public for economic and social benefit. Works to bring the faculty, administration, students and alumni of the University of Arizona, its tech parks, and the technology and business community together to significantly enhance the impact of UA research, intellectual property, and technological innovation.
- Incubators and Accelerators
ASU HEALab | First-ever accelerator for students, faculty, and the community at ASU to launch initiatives that focus entirely on health and healthcare solutions.
ASU Mayo MedTech Accelerator: Provides medical device and healthcare IT early stage companies with personalized business development plans to collaborate with Mayo Clinic and ASU and accelerate go-to-market and investment opportunities.
AZ Disruptors | Incubator services for software companies.
AZ TechCelerator | Business incubator in the city of Surprise for technology and bioscience firms.
Center for Entrepreneurial Innovation | Full-service business incubator that houses a vibrant community of entrepreneurs who are working on industry-changing technologies.
Chandler Innovations | An entrepreneur incubation development program sponsored by the City of Chandler and powered by Moonshot at NACET. Offers community events open to all entrepreneurs and signature cohort-style incubator programs for new and growing tech-based Chandler businesses.
City of Mesa LaunchPoint | Mesa’s Technology Accelerator provides entrepreneurs and small companies flexible space, business development assistance, and networking and training opportunities.
Founder Institute Tucson | Tucson chapter of world’s largest pre-seed startup accelerator.
Moonshot by NACET | Full-service business incubator that helps entrepreneurs start and scale companies.
Oro Valley Innovation Labs | A full-service incubator focused on the generation and success of life science technology companies by integrating the efforts of academic and anchor industry partners.
SeedSpot Incubator | Offers programs for adult and youth entrepreneurs and provides access to resources, mentors, business fundamentals, capital sources, and community partners they need to succeed.
The Armory Incubator | Incubator services for veteran-owned businesses.
UA Center for Innovation | Full-service business incubator that fosters technology start-ups, emerging and mature companies develop their ideas, inventions and next evolution of product.
- Programs and Services for Entrepreneurs
Arizona Angel Tax Credit Information | Information on a tax credit for investors designed to expand early-stage investment in Arizona small businesses.
Arizona Commerce Authority | State’s leading economic development organization with a streamlined mission to grow and strengthen Arizona’s economy. Offers answers and tools to help startups navigate the many stages of their business.
Arizona R&D Tax Credit Information | Information on a tax credit to incent increased research and development activities conducted in Arizona and at the state universities.
- Events
AZBio Events Calendar | Arizona bioscience events.
International Research Center | Monthly digest of Arizona life-science/tech events (Request email subscription).
Phoenix Startup Week | A six-day event providing education, connection, and support to entrepreneurs. Includes over 50 sessions, daily happy hours and countless networking opportunities.
TENWEST Impact Festival | A ten-day festival that helps the curious and the impassioned solve the great challenges facing the community by inspiring ideas and facilitating connections that empower them to act. Includes day dedicated to entrepreneurs – IdeaFunding.
