We are excited to announce the startup teams selected to participate in our F20 Advanced Entrepreneur Program. We have a diverse and motivated group of startups that showcase innovation across the region, and the University of Arizona in particular. 

"In my experience, there is a lack of awareness and understanding within the startup founder and investor communities regarding available sources of pre-seed/seed funding and consequences of these choices." FORGE founder Brian shares his thoughts, as well as the introduction on a white paper he co-authored with an abundance of entrepreneurs. 

FORGE at UA is proud to partner with the Dean of Students Office and the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health to present an exciting opportunity for students this fall: the #BearDownMaskUp Challenge!
 

Dear Students, While you were away this summer, at FORGE we were busy (very busy!) getting things ready for your return.  We worked on lining up a year full of entrepreneurial activities for you.

On August 8th, FORGE celebrated the graduation of the second cohort from our signature Summer 2020 Accelerated Entry Program (S20 AEP).  During S20 AEP teams met for 8 weeks, with over 40 hours of rigorous business development programming, featuring over 30 guest speakers, mentors and ecosystem leaders, including Fletcher McCusker, Barry Glick, Barbara Russell, many more! From this group, three teams were selected for FORGE at Roy Place and will receive customized support services to guide their entrepreneurial journey

Today, we'd like to announce our first two Executives in Residence, Olga Bartnicki and Stephen Fleming. The Executives in Residence (XiR) will provide vital support to the FORGE entrepreneurs.

Today, we take a moment to update you on some exciting changes in how FORGE has grown, in people and programs, over the last few months.

This month, for Volume 3 of our Straight from the Hearth series, we are doing something a little different. Read below for some thoughts on the development of the series from FORGE Director, Brian Ellerman.

We're excited to share the startup teams selected to participate in our S20 Accelerated Entry Program! The companies were selected for their innovative approaches to problems most closely aligned with the University of Arizona’s Research and FORGE’s strengths in digital health and community/environmental resilience: “novel nanoparticles for radioisotope detection in advanced research laboratories”; “community-based pandemic preparedness”; “data integration for use in natural resources”; “shipping containers converted into farms located in food deserted areas."

This week, for Volume 2 of our Straight from the Hearth series, FORGE Director, Brian Ellerman takes aim at federal pandemic relief (or lack thereof) and the missing social safety net for entrepreneurs.