U of A I-Squared event honors inventors, startups and those creating real-world impact

Every year, the University of Arizona takes a moment to shine the spotlight on those inventions, startups, and most importantly, people who are generating impact through their work at or with the university. On October 8, the university community will gather with members of the local innovation and startup ecosystem to honor this year’s Invention to Impact, or I-Squared, award recipients.

The I-Squared Awards and Expo, an annual celebration the university has held for over a decade, is hosted by Tech Launch Arizona, the unit of the Office for Research and Partnerships that works to fulfill the U of A land-grant mission of creating societal and economic impact by commercializing inventions stemming from university research and innovation. Being held at the Health Sciences Innovation Building, the evening will begin with a fireside chat from 4:00 pm until 5:00 pm with Gregg Scoresby of PHX Ventures, this year’s recipient of the David N. Allan Award for Leadership and Vision, highlighting his journey through entrepreneurship. The talk will be followed by a strolling technology and startup expo, a brief welcome from Senior Vice President for Research and Partnerships Tomás Díaz de la Rubia and the presentation of awards.  

“With I-Squared we gather people together from all across the southern Arizona innovation ecosystem to honor their hard work and showcase the outcomes of that work,” said TLA Associate Vice President Douglas Hockstad and emcee for the evening. “But we also use the moment to bring together these researchers, inventors, entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers to create what I call ‘positive collisions’ – opportunities for people to meet, to network, and to start collaborations that can generate even more impactful opportunities in the future.”

Creating those kinds of connections is also a strategic priority for Senior Vice President for Research and Partnerships Tomás Díaz de la Rubia. In his welcome letter in the TLA fiscal year 2025 annual report, he writes, “Looking ahead, we are focused on expanding our ability to translate more discoveries into practical applications for Arizona, the nation and beyond. Our goal is to empower more U of A innovators to connect their research with societal needs and make Arizona a national leader in research-driven public impact.”

In its FY2025 annual report, the office reports that it registered a record-breaking 324 invention disclosures for the fiscal year, in addition to having 94 patents issued, 86 licenses and options executed, 13 startups launched and $12.1 million in revenue from royalties and other income. Along with all of the metrics for the year, the report also shines the spotlight on this year’s I-Squared honorees, each of whom has demonstrated significant impact for their work related to university commercialization and entrepreneurship. 

Inventor of the Year: Roberta Diaz Brinton

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Roberta Diaz Brinton, PhD, began her career as a graduate student at the U of A, where she first explored how the brain encodes information. Her early insights led her to a lifelong pursuit of understanding and treating neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Her breakthrough came when she discovered that the molecule allopregnanolone could regenerate nerve cells, an observation made in a Petri dish that launched decades of research. That discovery became the foundation for a new therapeutic approach targeting neural stem cells to restore brain function. She has since founded NeuTherapeutics, a startup hoping to bridge the gap between lab and patient. Her approach to innovation is purpose-driven, grounded in the belief that science must serve those who are counting on it.

Startup of the Year: Precision Epigenomics

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Co-founded by researcher and professor of pathology and laboratory medicine Mark Nelson, PhD, Precision Epigenomics, Inc., is transforming cancer diagnostics through its groundbreaking molecular technology platform. The company's analysis platform has led to the commercial launch of its first product, the EPISEEK^® Multi Cancer Early Detection test, capable of identifying over 60 cancer types from a simple blood draw. 

With support from the TLA and Flinn BioEntrepreneurship programs, the company refined its business model and built a robust intellectual property strategy. Now backed by a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Cancer Institute and initial funding from investors, the company is poised to expand its domestic and global footprint. 

Award for Campus Collaboration: College of Science

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Under the leadership of Dean Carmala “Carmie” Garzione, PhD, the College of Science has become a model of collaboration and innovation, fostering a culture where basic research is not only celebrated but actively translated into real-world impact. With a deep belief in the power of discovery science to improve lives and the planet, Garzione has championed efforts to connect faculty with TLA, helping them see the broader applications of their work.

Through intentional engagement, the College has lowered barriers to commercialization and empowered researchers to pursue the highest impact for their discoveries. Garzione emphasizes that commercialization is not just about technology transfer; it’s about honoring public investment in research by ensuring it reaches the people it’s meant to serve.

Award for Ecosystem Impact: Jim Laugharn

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Jim Laugharn is a serial entrepreneur, scientist, and investor whose career has been defined by a relentless focus on impact. From his early days as a student researcher at the U of A to founding a biotech company that set the gold standard in genetic oncology diagnostics, he has consistently turned ideas into products that improve lives. His company, Covaris, grew from a single concept into a globally adopted technology, remaining profitable for over two decades.

Now retired from day-to-day operations, Laugharn has turned his attention to strengthening the innovation ecosystem in Southern Arizona. Drawing on his experience in Boston’s vibrant biotech scene, he’s become a champion for early-stage commercialization at the U of A. His support for the Wildcat Philanthropic Seed Fund reflects his belief in nurturing bold ideas—not for financial return, but for the future of innovation and entrepreneurship in the region.

Student Innovators of the Year: Nicolas Deshler and Itay Ozer

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Nicolas Deshler and Itay Ozer, PhD students in optical sciences, are being honored for their groundbreaking invention of a quantum optimal coronagraph that pushes the boundaries of imaging and exoplanet discovery. Developed through a collaboration that began during an internship and flourished at the U of A, their device uses spatial mode sorting to null starlight and reveal dimmer objects like exoplanets with unprecedented precision. Their innovation reaches the quantum limits of information extraction, offering transformative potential for astronomy, microscopy, and telecommunications.

The duo’s complementary strengths, Nicolas in theory and simulation, Itay in experimental optics, enabled them to rapidly prototype and validate the technology. With support from their advisors and funding from Raytheon, they worked with TLA to secure a patent. Their invention not only advances scientific understanding but also opens doors to commercialization, with applications ranging from space-based observatories to high-bandwidth satellite communications.

David N. Allen Award for Leadership & Vision: Gregg Scoresby

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Gregg Scoresby, founder of CampusLogic and PHX Ventures, has been a driving force in advancing Arizona’s innovation economy. His leadership helped transform Scholarship Universe, a U of A-developed platform, into the nation’s leading scholarship matching software, ultimately contributing to CampusLogic’s acquisition by Ellucian.

Through PHX Ventures, Scoresby has invested in 20 Arizona software startups since 2020, with a goal of reaching 30 by 2030. His commitment goes beyond funding—he’s built a support ecosystem through PHX Forward, a nonprofit offering workshops, peer-led masterminds, and the Fast Forward accelerator to help founders scale and raise capital. Scoresby’s vision for Arizona centers on closing the “venture deficit” by increasing company formation, capital velocity, and community vibrancy.