UA News

The Arizona Center for Innovation will host Dinah Adkins and Dr. Joel Wiggins from the National Business Incubation Association (NBIA), September 13-14. The visit will promote the importance of incubation and entrepreneurship and the role communities play in the success of start-up companies.

On Thursday, Sept. 13, The University of Arizona Office of Economic Development and Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities (TREO) will co-host a luncheon, How Communities Make or Break a Start-up. The topic presented by Ms. Adkins and Dr. Wiggins, will provide insight in to how community-based support programs boost the success of start-up companies and develop an entrepreneurial community. The luncheon is from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Arizona Inn.

Friday, Sept. 14, Ms. Adkins and Dr. Wiggins will meet with the Board of Advisors for the Arizona Center for Innovation. In this session, they will provide an overview of best practices for incubator advisory boards and how to develop and promote activities that nurture and grow existing and new incubator clients.

Dinah Adkins has been the president and CEO of the National Incubation Association since 1988. She oversees all the activities of the 1,725 member organization, which represents 49 nations. A pioneer in incubation, Ms. Adkins managed one of the earliest university incubators, which opened in 1982. Active in her field, Ms. Adkins serves on the advisory boards for the St. Louis Life Sciences Incubator and the National Center for Entrepreneurship in Rural America.

Wiggins is CEO and President of the Enterprise Center of Johnson County (ECJC), Kansas. The Center provides business assistance to nearly 20 clients in the high-tech, biotech and service industries. Prior to ECJC, Dr. Wiggins served as director of the Austin Technology Incubator of the IC² Institute at the University of Texas, Austin. He has conducted workshops internationally on technology commercialization and incubation training. He is Chairman of the National Business Incubator Association.

The Luncheon on Thursday, Sept. 13 is at the Arizona Inn, 2200 E. Elm Street. The cost is $35 per person. To RSVP, contact Anita Bell at 520-382-3260 or at anitab@azinnovation.com.

There will be a media availability at the Arizona Inn, prior to the luncheon on Sept. 13 at 11:00 a.m. in the Tucson Room.

The Arizona Center for Innovation is a non-profit, high tech business incubator located at the UA Science and Technology Park. The incubator promotes the development of high technology companies in Southern Arizona through a disciplined program of business development. Interested companies should contact the Center at 520-382-3260.