Tech Parks Arizona  Celebrates 30 Years

$2 Billion Annual Economic Impact on the Region

By Romi Carrell Wittman

In the shadow of the Rincon Mountains on the outskirts of Tucson sits a sprawling 1,267-acre campus that has become one of the most dynamic hubs of innovation in the Southwest. 

The UA Tech Park (Rita Road), the University of Arizona’s flagship Tech Park location, may appear simple at first glance, but what is driving behind the scenes is something extraordinary. For the past 30 years, the site where IBM first called home in Tucson has been at the forefront of groundbreaking research, technological advancement, and economic development.

As Tech Parks Arizona celebrates its 30th anniversary, it has grown far beyond its initial UA Tech Park (Rita Road) site to encompass multiple locations and programs that are shaping the future of Tucson, the UA and the world. From solar energy innovations to defense systems to artificial intelligence, the work happening at Tech Parks Arizona touches nearly every cutting-edge field of technology and research. By connecting academic researchers with industry, innovative new products and technology are born. 

“Everything we do is very purposeful,” said Carol Stewart, VP, University of Arizona, Tech Parks Arizona. “We create spaces, programming and opportunities where that collision of academia, startups and industry happens. That’s the magic of what we do. It’s the magic of the mashup.”

Elliott Cheu, a distinguished professor of physics and UA’s interim senior VP of research and innovation, said the Tech Parks are closely aligned with the university’s research mission. “With $955 million in annual research activity, the UA is leading the way in tackling the most pressing and complex challenges of our time,” he said. “The Tech Parks are a critical convergence of research and impact as well as the path to take UA research and innovations to the larger world.” 

Tech Parks Arizona Defined 

The “magic of the mashup” began in 1994 when the UA made the visionary decision to purchase IBM’s tech campus on the Tucson’s southeast side for $112 million. The move occurred as universities across the country were establishing research, technology and science parks to bridge the academic and business worlds. 

While the UA Tech Park (Rita Road) is a key location and the most well known, Tech Parks Arizona encompasses three distinct entities: the UA Tech Park (Rita Road), the University of Arizona Center for Innovation, and the UA Tech Park at The Bridges. 

UA Tech Park at Rita Road

The UA Tech Park (Rita Road) houses over 100 companies employing 6,000 knowledge workers in 15 different industries. It contributes a staggering $2 billion annually to the Southern Arizona economy and contributes an estimated $52.8 million in tax revenue for the state, city and county. UA Tech Park companies also contributes $359 million in direct wages. 

It also provides a strong infrastructure for the businesses that call the UA Tech Park (Rita Road) home. Calline Sanchez, VP of IBM global TSS planning and premium support and the Arizona and New Mexico state leader, has worked alongside Tech Parks Arizona for many years. “The UA Tech Park at Rita provides a home for IBM Tucson that is one of the company’s major innovation hubs in data storage, cloud computing, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence,” she said. “Our partnership enables innovation incubation.” 

The Solar Zone

The UA Tech Park (Rita Road) location is also home to the Solar Zone, a 223-acre living laboratory devoted to testing and developing solar technologies. Launched in 2010, it’s the largest multi-technology solar demonstration site at the grid level in the United States.. The space enables solar and energy companies to operate side-by-side and research various technologies in identical conditions. The site integrates research and development, power generation and distribution, and product development. The site generates 25 megawatts of power, enough to power nearly 5,000 homes. 

New Tenants

Immersion Labs, a leading-edge tech company in the fields of spatial computing and artificial intelligence, expanded operations to UA Tech Park in 2024. In a release announcing the expansion, Immersion Labs’ Project Manager Dylan Cota-Robles said, “This move marks a significant milestone in our journey to revolutionize spatial computing and AI. The UA Tech Park offers unparalleled opportunities for collaboration with academic researchers, industry leaders, and fellow innovators.”

UA Center for Innovation

Established in 2003, the UA Center for Innovation is the longest running  incubator with the highest concentration of science and tech startups in the state of Arizona. UACI has supported 300 business start-ups by providing direct access to people, programming and place to help entrepreneurs take their ideas to market. With centralized resources to accelerate inventions and scale business operations, UACI helps founders overcome common start-up challenges. Last fall, UACI was assisting a record 70 start-ups. 

“We have the highest concentration of startups in Arizona,” Stewart said. “It adds to the brand of the University of Arizona as an R1 research institution.”

Many of those startups have roots in university research that are being commercialized through Tech Launch Arizona, the UA’s technology transfer arm. For example, Paramium Technologies LLC, a startup based on UA research, specializes in Ground Station as a Service (GSaaS). They develop low-cost ground stations and manufacture precision satellite reflectors using a unique molding method. They received a $1 million NSF SBIR grant to advance their technology and scale production. Since joining UACI, they have expanded lab space and are testing their technology with Steward Observatory at the UA Tech Park off Rita.

In an interview celebrating UACI’s 20th anniversary, Executive Director Casey Carrillo emphasized the organization’s unique insight into the future of scalable and sustainable businesses. “We have a front-row seat to tomorrow’s innovations. The leading-edge technologies and companies that are just emerging… we get to see them first,” Carrillo said. 

To date, UACI startups have raised more than $105.8 million in funding leading to successful enterprises, spin-off businesses and skilled, local jobs. Looking ahead to the next 30 years, UACI is forecasted to create 18,875 jobs and more than $600 million in wages, $1.5 billion in economic activity, as well as nearly $85 million in state and local tax revenue.

To meet innovators where they are, the UACI has several outposts. These include headquarters at UA Tech Park (Rita Road), as well as the UA Tech Park at The Bridges, Biosphere 2, Oro Valley, Vail and Sahuarita.

“Over the last 5½ years, the university has viewed Tech Parks as a resource to get really difficult projects off the ground. We are advancing the University of Arizona’s mission by fostering innovation and providing a bridge between academic research and industry.” 

UACI also offers the Global Advantage program to assist international companies in establishing a U.S. presence. across North America as well as internationally. Businesses are provided with tools, including access to an impressive network of partners with expertise in international business. 

UA Tech Park at The Bridges 

Strategically located just three miles south of the UA’s main campus, UA Tech Park occupies 65 acres of the larger 350-acre mixed-use site known as “The Bridges”. 

Located in an Opportunity Zone, the long-term vision for UA Tech Park at The Bridges will encompass approximately 1.2 million square feet of developed office and laboratory space that could support 5,000 knowledge workers. 

The UA Tech Park at The Bridges is anchored by “The Refinery,” a four-story, 120,000-square-foot building that symbolizes the cultivation of talent and innovation from the University of Arizona. The multi-tenant building serves as the ideal place for businesses looking to co-locate with the University of Arizona expertise allowing them to recruit top talent, develop research partnerships and drive innovation through university-industry collaborations. The Cat Tran program provides transportation to and from, giving students easy access to internships, real-world research, and career-building opportunities.

The Refinery is home to UA Online, the university’s highly ranked online degree programs, underscoring its importance as a hub for learning, business, and community growth. Plus, Tech Launch Arizona the commercialization arm of the university, UA Applied Research Corporation and Raytheon. 

Since opening The Refinery in April 2022, the UA Tech Park at The Bridges has quickly gained momentum. Adjacent to The Refinery, SpringHill Suites by Marriott operates a 126-all-suite hotel with various meeting and conference areas. 

In December 2022, the University of Arizona’s Mission Integration Lab opened at the UA Tech Parks at the Bridges. This cutting-edge facility allows researchers and students to develop and test high-altitude balloon technology, driving innovation in aerospace.

Coming soon to the park is the new, state-of-the-art facility for the Arizona Public Media operations. The 61,500-square-foot building is designed to meet current and future technical and broadcast requirements. The new Paul & Alice Baker Center for Public Media studio will provide upgraded production and broadcast technology, improved community engagement and new opportunities for increased original local content. 

“Tech Parks serve as an extension beyond the main campus,” Cheu said. “It creates a perfect interface environment for university researchers and students to work directly with companies, building their professional resumes.”

Where Talent Meets Opportunity

Stewart said this particular mashup tackles the top priority for CEOs − the workforce and talent pipeline. “The No. 1 thing that keeps CEOs awake at night is securing qualified talent,” Stewart said. “We help these companies navigate to the best and brightest minds coming out of the university.”

The university’s talented workforce and extensive resources have been a major draw for companies of all sizes. At any given moment, approximately 100 student interns are working at the companies located within the Tech Parks, gaining invaluable practical experience. About two-thirds of the employees at the Tech Park are graduates of the University of Arizona.

Expanding and Adapting 

As Tech Parks Arizona charts its course for the next 30 years, flexibility and adaptability remain key. Stewart sees continued value in the “mashup” enabled by physical proximity at the Tech Parks. 

In August 2024, Tech Park Arizona announced two major projects at the UA Tech Park (Rita Road) − workforce housing in the form of a 315-unit apartment complex as well as the development of an on-site daycare. There also is a plan for 100 townhomes to be built in a later phase. 

Matt Jensen, partner with The Boyer Company, Tech Parks Arizona’s development partner, said, “Tech parks across the country are hubs where businesses thrive and employees are supported. We have ambitious plans to enhance and elevate the live-learn-work-play-stay experience, building on the success of Tech Parks Arizona to create an even more dynamic ecosystem for innovation and growth.”

Cheu said that Tech Parks Arizona benefits the entire university community, not to mention the entire region. “It provides connections and value to everyone on campus,” he said. “Tech Parks serve as an extension beyond main campus. Together, we are leading the way in tackling the most pressing and complex issues of our time.

“The ecosystem that we have created, including the tech parks, it’s an amazing opportunity for us to bring together companies from outside, have them collaborate with the University of Arizona and then bring those ideas to fruition.”