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University of Arizona to help tech startups launch in Sahuarita

Town of Sahuarita
Posted at 6:40 AM, Sep 06, 2021
and last updated 2021-09-06 09:40:37-04

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — More than 30,000 people live in the Town of Sahuarita and the community is growing.

"Everybody knows about Sahuarita. We're a great community to live and to raise a family," said Town of Sahuarita Economic Development Director, Victor Gonzalez.

In the future, the town wants to be more than that. Gonzalez said they want to be a hub for innovation and technology.

"Over the years we've seen a handful of entrepreneurs that have started a tech venture of some sort. What we want to do is fuel that type of growth even more so," said Gonzalez.

With help with the University of Arizona Center for Innovation (UACI), that dream could become reality. UACI has offered to support and guide three tech startup ideas that hope to operate out of Sahuarita.

"The goal of that is to provide those companies with the programming and support that we provide to our companies normally at a cost that is free to them," said University of Arizona Center for Innovation Executive Director, Eric Smith.

The startup ideas will be selected through a competitive application process.

"What we are looking for is a motivated team that is working on some novel or new type of technology. For this particular competition, it's a team that has some connection to the Town of Sahuarita," said Smith.

Gonzalez sees the town's partnership with UACI as an opportunity to eventually bring new jobs to the community.

"Hopefully those tech startups become our major employers in the future," said Gonzalez.

UACI is accepting applications from tech startups through September 17. The chosen winners will begin working to launch their idea in October. For more information on the launch program, click here.
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