A grant from the university's Provost Investment Fund helped establish the pilot program for Yaqui-Tech Innovation Lab. The monthlong program took 10 Pascua Yaqui entrepreneurs through a series of workshops, which Gomez and Howell led, to learn fundamental web design skills and tools. Other workshops covered digital marketing and artificial intelligence. By the end of the month, each entrepreneur had a basic website for their business or idea.

On Thursday, June 27th, twenty-four University of Arizona students will present their original venture concepts at the FORGE Student Startup Residency Demo Day.  The Demo Day will be presented both live and virtually.  Space is limited.  Please RSVP here for tickets to attend. 

FORGE (Finding Opportunities and Resources to Grow Entrepreneurs) seeks input from University of Arizona alumni to better understand their experiences with entrepreneurship. This important project will identify factors contributing to student development of an "entrepreneurial mindset" and launching ventures. Take the survey here to help shape the experiences of future University of Arizona students.

This article originally appeared in the University of Arizona News.

Wildcat creativity will be on display like never before when Student-Made Arizona launches in the fall. A partnership between Arizona FORGE and Student-Made, the online marketplace will provide students with a place to promote and sell their products and services to the community.

At the heart of the University of Arizona's entrepreneurial ecosystem are talented student innovators working to shape the future through new ideas and dedication. FORGE extends our warmest congratulations to the twenty-four remarkable students selected as the 2024 Student Startup Residents. Starting May 13th, these students will begin an intensive 8-week program with regular director check-ins, mentor sessions, weekly guest speakers, industry talks, and regular team meetings. The students receive stipends upon completing milestones, and the program culminates in a live pitch to a panel of angel investors and V.C.s, where they will gain insights and experiences.

FORGE Student Venture Pathways Fellow Benjamin Lemon reflects on his experiences at the University of Arizona and what FORGE taught him about entrepreneurial mindset. He will graduate at the end of the 2023-24 school year from the Honors College and the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Arizona with a B.A. in Philosophy, Politics, Economics, and Law with a minor in Psychology.

In a vibrant celebration of Hispanic food entrepreneurs, the University of Arizona FORGE, in collaboration with Local First Arizona and Tucson City of Gastronomy, launched "Sabor De La Comunidad" on April 11th. The event, held at FORGE at Roy Place in downtown Tucson, brought together flavor, music, and entrepreneurial spirit, highlighting the rich heritage of Tucson’s Hispanic food entrepreneurs.

As the academic year comes to an end, we are proud to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of FORGE's graduating student employees. These individuals have played an integral role in our team, bringing their skills, passion, and dedication to the core of our endeavors. Hear from our FORGE student staff about their experiences and their post-graduation plans.

The arrival of summer signifies the start of summer internships nationwide. University of Arizona students in the FORGE Impact Cats program are ready to take on summer challenges with exceptional problem-solving skills. The Impact Cats program is a yearlong experiential learning program focused on entrepreneurial mindset and venture exploration for first-generation undergraduate students.

Join University of Arizona FORGE, Local First Arizona and Tucson City of Gastronomy to celebrate Tucson's culinary diversity at Sabor De La Comunidad. This celebration of Hispanic food entrepreneurs takes place on April 11th from 3:00 PM to 5:30 PM at FORGE at Roy Place, in the heart of downtown Tucson at 44 N Stone Ave. RSVP to join us on April 11th as we come together to celebrate the flavors, cultures, and entrepreneurial spirit that make Tucson truly special.