Tech Parks Arizona promotes leadership

Tech Parks Arizona announced the internal promotion of two team members. Tech Parks Arizona develops purpose-built environments customized to support businesses and facilitate university-industry interactions creating a dynamic community where startup companies and technology giants work side by side. Casey Carrillo will serve as the Director of Strategic Partnerships for the University of Arizona Center for Innovation. Jessa Turner has also been promoted to Associate Vice President, Marketing & Communications for Tech Parks Arizona. 

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Google announces new commitment to Arizona, breaks ground on $600M data center

Google broke ground on a new $600 million data center in Mesa, and will use state-of-the-art technology to air cool the facility. This will be the company’s first physical presence in the state. Governor Katie Hobbs, Mesa Mayor John Giles, and other community leaders joined Google in celebrating the announcement during an event today in Mesa. Google’s new data operations center means hundreds of high-tech, high-wage jobs for Arizonans

Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce invests in entrepreneurial women with Wells Fargo’s help

In partnership with Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management, the 13-step program helps participants create a business plan, with enhanced modules geared toward financing and expanding a business. The Wells Fargo Foundation funded DreamBuilder with grants totaling $400,000. Financial support from the Wells Fargo Foundation is part of the company’s broader commitment to small businesses as the Bank of Doing. More than 180 women have gone through the program offered by AZHCC, with the help of this support.

Embracing diversity in health care: Banner is unlocking the power of inclusive care for the LGBTQ+ community

Dr. Varun Monga and Dr. Venkata Buddhavarapu, alongside other clinicians in the United States, have co-authored a transformative publication titled “Gender Inclusive Care Toolkit for Hospitals” in The Lancet Regional Health – Americas. This toolkit paves the way for a new era in patient care, setting a gold standard for gender inclusivity in medical practice to address disparities in health care. Through a rigorous examination of care principles and practical applications, Drs. Monga and Buddhavarapu and the collaborative team provide insights and resources that can be adapted across various health care settings.

SRP will see a major expansion of solar power from huge project near Flagstaff

Utility Salt River Project has inked another deal for more solar power with a company operating near Flagstaff. Along with an earlier contract, the two agreements will provide roughly one gigawatt of electricity once operational in 2025 — enough power for about 180,000 average-sized homes. Both contracts, of roughly the same size, are with Clēnera, a subsidiary of Enlight Renewable Energy of Israel. Financial terms were not disclosed. The solar power will come from the CO Bar Solar project, a 1.2 gigawatt solar and storage complex that will occupy up to 2,400 acres on Babbitt Ranches, private land in Coconino County, northwest of Flagstaff. Construction on CO Bar Solar is set to begin in the fourth quarter of 2023 and is expected to reach commercial operation in phases throughout 2025.

GPEC, Startup Island Taiwan ink agreement to foster business collaboration

The Greater Phoenix Economic Council and the office that promotes Taiwan’s startup sector are forming a partnership to spur future business collaboration in emerging tech sectors and help more Taiwanese companies gain a foothold in Arizona. GPEC and Startup Island Taiwan — with support of the National Development Council of Taiwan — inked a memorandum of understanding Aug. 17 in Taipei that recognizes a commitment to expand joint business missions and investment opportunities for Taiwan’s startup community in the Valley.

Phoenix, Grand Canyon University, businesses collaborate to start workforce training program

Phoenix, Grand Canyon University and several businesses are partnering to start a workforce training program. The Park Central Hospitality Training program is bringing together a public-private-university partnership to train workers in the hospitality industry. In addition, developers of Park Central, Plaza Companies, Holualoa Companies and hotel operator Fayth Hospitality are included in the partnership.

Tempe Chamber and Rio Salado College partner on Tempe Workforce Skills Accelerator, presented by Amazon

The Tempe Chamber of Commerce and Rio Salado College have partnered to create the Tempe Workforce Skills Accelerator, which will offer three microcredentials to Tempe businesses to upskill their workforce. Through a partnership with the Tempe Chamber Foundation and Amazon, there will also be 20 scholarships available to underwrite the costs for those employers that would experience financial hardship from enrolling their employees. 

SRP invests more than $2.6M in research and development projects with ASU, NAU and UArizona

As part of ongoing research and development efforts to improve the Valley’s power system and watershed, this school year SRP invested more than $2.6 million in 36 projects with Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University and the University of Arizona. These projects are part of SRP’s commitment to the reliable delivery of power and water, and each project is assessed for further deployment in future.

ASU receives $39.8M federal grant to create microelectronics innovation hub

Arizona State University has landed a $39.8 million federal grant to create a regional network for microelectronics education, research and development in the Southwest. The U.S Department of Defense on Wednesday announced it awarded $238 million in CHIPS Act funding to eight recipients nationwide — including ASU — to establish regional innovation hubs through what’s known as the Microelectronics Commons program. The Southwest Advanced Prototyping Hub — led by ASU — will provide a collaborative forum for regional technology leaders, including Sandia National Laboratories, University of Colorado Boulder, University of New Mexico, and private sector firms, to accelerate and enhance microelectronics research efforts.