Applications are open for Arizona Commerce Authority's 2021 Arizona Innovation Challenge.
Each year, around 100 or so small businesses apply to the Arizona Innovation Challenge in the hopes of raising capital and gaining valuable guidance for their companies’ next steps.
“Now in its 10th year, the Arizona Innovation Challenge continues to enrich Arizona’s vibrant entrepreneurship ecosystem while serving as a model for the rest of the country,” said Sandra Watson, president and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority, in a statement. “We are proud to host this year’s competition and the Venture Ready Accelerator to support Arizona’s next generation of tech entrepreneurs. We’ve seen previous awardees go on to make a name for themself on the world stage and look forward to reviewing this year’s exciting entries.”
Upon completion of the competition, up to 10 companies will be added to the AIC portfolio and will participate in the ACA’s Venture Ready Accelerator, which connects companies with serial entrepreneurs, high-level executives and subject matter experts.
In 2020, the 10 winners were:
- Custom Club Inc. a Scottsdale-based manufacturer that uses 3-D scans from orthodontists and dentists, and provides a 3-D printed retainers and mouthguards to customers in a home delivered subscription service.
- Sylvan Source Inc., a Green Valley-based renewable energy company that provides breakthrough water treatment and thermal energy management technologies. They focus on energy efficiency, capital costs, production costs and process efficiencies.
- Delta Thermal Inc., a Tucson-based renewable energy company that develops and manufactures thermal infrared IoT devices, systems and software for predictive and preventative maintenance in electrical utilities, mines and other energy intensive industries.
- EnPower Inc, a Phoenix-based renewable energy company that provides engineering-based battery technology that unlocks the full potential of lithium-ion, disabling critical barriers for electric vehicles. EnPower’s technology allows three times faster charging, 70% higher power and no degradation of service life.
- EscrowTab Inc. a Tempe-based IT company that provides a patented mortgage technology platform which culminates in an end-to-end solution for the digital loan process.
- Journeyage, a Phoenix-based IT company that partners with businesses to design a modern, personalized learning experience for employees. Unlike Learning Management Systems (LMS), Journeyage’s Learning Experience Personalization (LXP) is an integrated, easy-to-use, customizable, singular platform to deliver personalized training at scale on any device.
- NeoLight, a Phoenix-based medical device company that focuses on empathy-driven technologies for the newborn care market. NeoLight is focused on therapy and diagnosis for Jaundice, a condition that occurs in 60% of infants worldwide.
- RVnGO, a Scottsdale-based tech company that provides a platform for RV owners to rent out the nearly 9 million RVs that sit unused for 95% of the year in the United States.
- Schola Inc., a Phoenix-based tech company that provides a powerful automated student recruitment system for PK-12 schools. The comprehensive recruitment platform provides schools with campaign analyses and ROI metrics to establish marketing budgets.
- Sentinel Monitoring Systems Inc., a Tucson-based biodesign company that provides rapid and real-time microbial monitoring and internal process analysis of raw materials, drug products and finished goods for biopharma, personal care products, dialysis and other life sciences applications.
The competition is typically twice a year, but in 2020 the competition only had one cohort of awardees due to Covid.
History of the Arizona Innovation Challenge
Since 2011, the ACA has selected 110 AIC awardees from over 2,000 applicants. AIC awardees span industries such as clean and renewable energy, IT and software, bio and life sciences and advanced manufacturing.
The awardees complete a series of panels and workshops. Over nine months, they learn how to refine their business plans, improve go-to-market execution strategies and increase investor confidence.
The application process is complex and competitive. Virtual workshops are being held free of charge to provide more information about the competition, application process, eligibility and guidelines.
Applications will be accepted beginning July 26 through Aug. 27 at 5 p.m. Applications can be submitted here.
