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In this issue:
- XLR8 PBC Applications Are Now Open
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Stroke Patient Is First In AZ To Receive A New Treatment
- NovaWave & ACA Launch New AI Venture Studio In AZ
- NIH Visit Focuses On ASU’s Health Research, Education
- UA COMP's Sriram Iyengar, PhD, Named Fellow of AMIA
- ASU Expert Praises New Autistic Barbie Doll
- C-Path’s Translational Therapeutics Accelerator Announces 2026 Proposal Request
- Forbes Opens Nominations For 2026 Forbes 30 Under 30 Local Arizona List
- Flinn Bio Capital Conference In Phoenix Is The Place To Be on March 5
- Scottsdale Welcomes Global Life Sciences Powerhouse Hummingbird Biomedical
- HonorHealth’s Commitment To Nursing Care Earns National Recognition
- NAU Studying New Way To Measure The Progression of Alzheimer's Disease
- Ohio-Based Health Tech Startup Opens Pharmacy In East Valley
Upcoming events and opportunities:
- XLR8 PBC Applications Are Now Open
- TRxA Funding Opportunities 2026
- Helios Scholars at TGen
- TGen Bioscience Leadership Academy
- Pitch In- Elevating Entrepreneurs Across The Valley
- UA COMP: Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Congenital Syphilis
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Flinn Foundation 2026 Bio Capital Conference
- Arizona Tech Week Is On The Horizon!
- Venture Café: Thursday Night Networking
| | 🤳 Use the hashtag #PHXisBIO on social media to share any news about the Core. | | XLR8 PBC Applications Are Now Open | | XLR8 PBC applications are now open! XLR8 PBC is Arizona’s premier program for scale-ready health tech companies, hosted at the Phoenix Bioscience Core. As a founder/CEO, you will get out of working IN your business and start working ON your business, backed by Arizona’s scale-up hub—a uniquely neutral platform that assembles the state’s diverse clinical assets and investor networks into a single, unified engine for your growth. Join one of the three info sessions to learn about the program and the application process. | Stroke Patient Is First In AZ To Receive A New Treatment | | HonorHealth Research Institute has become the only site in Arizona to offer BB-031, a first-in-class investigational stroke drug in nearly 30 years that targets platelets rather than traditional clotting proteins to help reopen blocked brain vessels. As part of the national RAISE clinical trial, the therapy aims to expand treatment options for ischemic stroke patients who are ineligible for current standard interventions. Researchers hope this novel approach could extend treatment windows and improve outcomes for more patients. | | NovaWave & ACA Launch New AI Venture Studio In AZ | | NovaWave Capital, in collaboration with the Arizona Commerce Authority and anchor partner LG Electronics, has launched WaveX, a new AI venture studio aimed at accelerating innovation in healthcare, energy, sports, and media across Arizona. The initiative is supported by the NovaWave Fund and welcomes new investors, AZ Venture Capital Inc., and Sunny Day Sports, strengthening Arizona’s growing AI and innovation ecosystem. WaveX will bridge Silicon Valley venture-building expertise with regional talent to help AI-first startups validate, scale, and deliver real-world impact. | | Hummingbird Biomedical & DEMCON Life Sciences Launch Advanced Manufacturing Lab & U.S. Headquarters | | Hummingbird Biomedical, in partnership with DEMCON Life Sciences and Mayo Clinic, has launched a new U.S. headquarters and advanced manufacturing lab in Scottsdale. Creating a venture studio and “landing lab” designed to support Dutch and international medtech startups entering the U.S. market they will focus on regenerative medicine, biologics, and advanced medical device manufacturing. The initiative strengthens Arizona’s position as a global soft-landing destination for health innovation and complements programs like XLR8 PBC by expanding pathways for international startups to scale, commercialize, and connect with industry partners in the region. | | NIH Visit Focuses On ASU’s Health Research, Education | | Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, director of the National Institutes of Health, visited ASU Health to meet with university leadership and faculty and tour innovative programs focused on translating research into real-world health outcomes. He praised ASU’s integrated, community-centered approach to health—including medicine, engineering, public health, nursing, data science, and “food is medicine” initiatives—as closely aligned with the NIH mission to improve population health. The visit highlighted ASU’s reimagined model for medical education, workforce development, and health innovation aimed at improving outcomes in Arizona and beyond. | UA COMP's Sriram Iyengar, PhD, Named Fellow of AMIA | Sriram Iyengar, PhD, associate research professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, has been named a 2026 Fellow of the American Medical Informatics Association for his impactful contributions to clinical informatics, resilience research, and mentorship. His work spans AI- and data-driven approaches to improving clinical decision-making, expanding access to care through innovative informatics tools, and pioneering the emerging field of Resilience Informatics. The honor recognizes his leadership in advancing ethical, people-centered informatics to improve health outcomes for patients and communities. | |
XLR8 PBC Applications Are Now Open!
📍 XLR8 PBC is Arizona’s premier program for scale-ready health tech companies, hosted at the Phoenix Bioscience Core
As a founder/CEO in this program, you will get out of working IN your business and start working ON your business, providing clarity and direction, access to professionals and investors, and a place in the greater Phoenix ecosystem.
Questions?
📅 Register for one of our information sessions to learn more about the application process and how to stand out among the many applications.
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Monday, January 26th: 8 AM MST
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Wednesday, February 4th: 5 PM MST
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Friday, February 13th: 12 PM MST
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TRxA Funding Opportunities 2026
C-Path’s Translational Therapeutics Accelerator (TRxA) unveils the 2026 global Request for Proposals (RFP).
In this webinar, we will cover:
- An overview of the RFP, encompassing both large and small molecules;
- Detailed information about the types of projects eligible for funding, including those for novel protein-based therapeutics, gene-based therapies, and small molecule lead optimization, through IND-enabling studies;
- Eligibility criteria and application procedures for this funding opportunity;
- Insights into how TRxA supports projects through the drug development valley of death to enhance licensing prospects.
The session will include a live Q&A to address your questions and provide further clarity on how to make the most of this unique opportunity.
Don't miss this chance to learn how TRxA’s 2026 RFP can support your innovative research and propel it towards impactful therapeutic solutions.
Tuesday, January 27th
8:00 am
Virtual
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Helios Scholars at TGen
Helios Scholars at TGen is a paid, eight-week summer internship program in biomedical research open to incoming and continuing undergraduate, graduate, and medical school students who have studied at an Arizona high school, college, or university.
Interns work full-time on a research project under the mentorship of a TGen scientist. Interns participate at TGen headquarters in Phoenix to unravel the genetic components of diabetes, neurological disease, and cancer, or at TGen North in Flagstaff, where they focus their summer research on public health and pathogens such as Valley Fever and antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
As a part of the comprehensive program, Helios Scholars also attend educational seminars to boost their professional skills, learn about bioscience career options, practice scientific writing, present their research, attend social networking events, and create a scientific poster.
Applications close on Wednesday, February 4th!
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TGen Bioscience Leadership Academy
Want to know what it takes to be a leader in the world of biomedical research?
TGen Bioscience Leadership Academy is a two-week bioscience program serving 20 Arizona high school students every summer. The intensive education and leadership program focuses on elevating students' understanding of the biosciences and precision medicine.
TGen scientists and staff share their research expertise and expose students to technical skill basics, lab shadowing, clinical trials, bioethics, experimental design, clinical application of genomic medicine and the translational process, a diversity of careers, and topics in neurological disease, cancer, diabetes, and infectious disease.
The program also includes a leadership component focused on STEM professional skills such as science communication, public speaking, interdisciplinary and collaborative workplace skills, and networking.
Applications close on Wednesday, February 4th!
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Pitch In- Elevating Entrepreneurs Across The Valley
We’re excited to kick off another inspiring year of Pitch In, a hybrid event series hosted by the J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute at ASU. Whether you join us in person or virtually, Pitch In is your opportunity to connect, collaborate, and contribute to Arizona’s thriving entrepreneurial community.
Each event features two dynamic presenters, each sharing a compelling 6-minute story about their entrepreneurial journey. Afterward, the audience engages in a 20-minute Q&A, helping connect each founder with the insights, connections, and resources they need to thrive. Every session begins with the powerful question: “What can the Pitch In community do for you?”—a reflection of our commitment to support and collaboration.
Join us virtually or in-person for this hybrid event powered by the J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute at ASU!
Wednesday, January 28th
9:00 am - 10:00 am
In Person or Virtual
850 N 5th St, Phoenix, AZ, 85004
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UA COMP: Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Congenital Syphilis
This training will focus on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of congenital syphilis, including transmission risks during pregnancy, clinical manifestations, and public health strategies to address the growing burden of congenital syphilis.
By the end of the program, participants will be able to:
- Describe risk of transmission of Treponema pallidum during pregnancy.
- Describe the manifestations of congenital syphilis.
- Describe opportunities to prevent congenital syphilis.
- Describe the treatment of congenital syphilis.
- Describe the public health approach to address and prevent congenital syphilis.
Wednesday, February 4th
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Virtual
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Flinn Foundation 2026 Bio Capital Conference
The Flinn Foundation Bio Capital Conference returns in 2026 to the Creighton University Health Sciences Campus at Park Central in Midtown Phoenix.
The Flinn Foundation hosts this event in collaboration with the Risk Capital Project Team of Arizona’s Bioscience Roadmap Steering Committee.
Find additional information at https://www.flinn.org/bioconference.
Thursday, March 5th
7:30 am - 6:30 pm
In Person
3100 North Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85012
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Arizona Tech Week Is On The Horizon!
Arizona’s first statewide decentralized tech conference
Arizona’s startup and investment community is experiencing remarkable growth, and there's a palpable sense of enthusiasm among founders, startups, and venture capitalists. Together, we're all driven by a shared goal: to elevate Arizona’s profile as a leading state in the tech industry.
To bring this vision to life, we’re thrilled to announce Arizona Tech Week, powered by the Arizona Commerce Authority. This decentralized conference is set to be an extraordinary event that unites our vibrant tech community. We'll have the chance to showcase Arizona’s standout tech businesses and the incredible people behind them through a series of events taking place across the state.
April 6 - 12, 2026
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Venture Café: Thursday Night Networking
Where Innovation Meets Community
Venture Café Phoenix is in full swing this season, convening innovators, entrepreneurs, academics, clinical, and industry leaders every Thursday night at the PBC.
Each week spotlights new themes, fresh collaborations, and opportunities to connect with the people shaping Arizona’s future in science, health, and technology. Whether you’re looking to learn, pitch, or simply be inspired, there’s always something happening at Venture Café—because innovation starts with connection.
Upcoming Sessions:
Jan. 29: Navigating Your Exit
February 5: Leading Beyond Borders - ft. Tokyo Global Gathering
February 12: Connections That Click
February 19: Bringing a Medical Device to Life
Every Thursday
4:30 pm - 7:00 pm
In Person
850 N 5th St, Phoenix, AZ, 85004
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