University of Arizona Turns Research Into $3.3B in New Companies

Scientists dedicate their lives to solving humanity's biggest problems, but groundbreaking research often stays locked in laboratories instead of helping real people.

The University of Arizona faced this frustrating challenge for years. Despite investing billions in research, the gap between discovery and delivery seemed impossible to cross.

In 2013, the university launched Tech Launch Arizona to bridge that divide. The program helps brilliant researchers navigate the complex world of patents, funding, and business development so their inventions can reach the market.

"If we don't commercialize, we don't reach the people we have devoted our life to," said Dr. Roberta Diaz Brinton, Director of the university's Center for Innovation in Brain Science.

The results speak volumes. Over nine years, Tech Launch Arizona has generated $3.3 billion in economic output, $1.2 billion in labor income, and $122.2 million in tax revenues. The University of Arizona now ranks in the top 30 worldwide for patents issued.

The program guides inventors through every step they might not know. Vice President Doug Hockstad and his team help secure financing, file patents, recruit personnel, and develop pitches to investors.

Among the success stories is Thomas Gianetti's CarbeniumTec, which developed a non-toxic, sustainable battery technology for long-duration energy storage. His organic-based Redox Flow Battery could revolutionize how we store renewable energy for homes, businesses, and utilities.

Dr. Brinton's company NeuTheraputics is developing regenerative treatments for devastating neurological diseases. Her research shows that three months of treatment could reverse one year of degeneration in Parkinson's, ALS, and Alzheimer's patients.

Jordan Lancaster founded Avery Therapeutics through the program to advance tissue-engineered treatments for cardiovascular disease. His company is already in clinical trials with therapies that could treat heart failure in ways currently impossible.

The Ripple Effect

These companies aren't just scientific achievements. They represent thousands of future jobs and nearly $2.5 billion in projected economic output over the next five years.

Lancaster plans to build his manufacturing facilities right in Tucson, creating an innovation ecosystem that keeps talent and investment local. Other Tech Launch companies are following suit, transforming southern Arizona into a hub for deep tech startups.

"Our country grows by the startups that are launched in this company, and the ones that really succeed are generally these deep tech companies," Hockstad explained.

For researchers like Brinton, the program unlocked possibilities she never imagined. She credits Tech Launch Arizona with giving her the team and expertise to turn decades of research into real treatments.

"This is where my dreams started, and this is where my dreams kind of come true," she said.