October was a milestone month for Arizona’s bioscience and innovation community, marked by international partnerships, statewide recognition, and a powerful display of collaboration across academia, industry, and government. From the signing of a new Taiwan–Arizona collaboration in digital health to a strong Arizona presence at SEMICON West to a full slate of events during AZBio Week 2025, the ecosystem came together to celebrate progress, showcase innovation, and advance the future of health and technology. The momentum continued with the XLR8 PBC F25 Open, where entrepreneurs, experts, and students united at the Phoenix Bioscience Core (PBC) to spur innovation and growth in health tech.
Taiwan Delegation
The Arizona Commerce Authority, Arizona State University, and the City of Phoenix have signed a Declaration of Collaboration with the Taiwan Digital Health Industry Development Association to launch the Taiwan AI Smart Health Showcase Center, supporting Taiwan-based healthcare companies that are expanding into the U.S.
Semicon West
Held October 7–9, SEMICON West was the premier destination for innovation in smart-data AI, smart manufacturing, med-tech, mobility, EHS and sustainability, workforce development, and technology exchange. The event featured a sold-out expo floor with more than 1,500 booths, showcasing the cutting-edge and the future of the microelectronics supply chain.
XLR8 PBC Highlights:
XLR8 PBC kicked off the F25 Open week from October 14–16, bringing together five visionary founder/CEOs from Canada and Phoenix for three days of immersive learning, collaboration, and connection. Supported by five expert mentors and ten ASU interns, the cohort experienced firsthand why Arizona is rapidly emerging as a global hub for innovation and entrepreneurship in the biosciences and beyond.
Day 1 Participants were welcomed by Scarlett Spring, Executive Director of the Phoenix Bioscience Core, and XLR8 PBC Executive Director Brian Ellerman, followed by a presentation from Matt Likens on Culture and Value. Then the cohort heard remarks from Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, who emphasized the city’s commitment to nurturing innovation, setting the tone for an inspiring week ahead. The F25 cohort connected with members of the Circle of Advisors during an informal meet and greet, building bridges with local experts and industry executives.
On Day 2, the cohort attended the ASU Diagnostics Conference, exploring advancements in clinical innovation and technology. A peer case study session flipped the script and put the founder/CEOs in the mentor seat to advise a would-be startup CEO. The day culminated at the 2025 AZBio Awards, where participants joined in celebrating the achievements driving Arizona’s growing life science ecosystem.
The final day, Day 3, began with Coffee with the Cohort, a lively networking event that brought together more than 45 attendees—including mentors, advisors, and ecosystem partners—for conversations and connections. Followed by a presentation by Dr. Hahn Soe-Lin, who spoke about the Knowledge Donor Program. In the afternoon, Startup-Investor Connect™ placed founder/CEOs in live 1:1 conversations with actual investors that sparked several promising follow-up discussions.
Through these three dynamic days, XLR8 PBC showcased the power of collaboration, the strength of Arizona’s bioscience ecosystem, and the boundless potential of the entrepreneurs and innovators shaping the future of health technology.
AZBio Week Highlights:
A week-long showcase of Arizona’s growing bioscience ecosystem — bringing together innovators, researchers, institutions, and industry professionals to explore health-technology breakthroughs, collaboration opportunities, and talent development.
Featured events included the kick-off event at 850 PBC – Leading Women: Biotech & Beyond, bringing out over 100 people to hear speakers including Holly Lisanby, MD, DLFAPA, Dean of the John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering, XLR8 Mentor Noreen Sheu, Sowmya Arunkumar, SVP, Regulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance, CND Life Sciences, Inc., Mia Chorney, DNP, FNPBC, MSCP, and Melissa M. Herbst-Kralovetz, PhD, Professor, Director, Women’s Health Research Program, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix.
Events around the city included the Arizona Center for Drug Discovery & Development Summit, ASU National Diagnostics Summit 2025, 21st annual AZBio Awards, AZAdvances Health Innovation Summit, and the Voice of the Patient.
AZBio Week underscores Arizona’s commitment to advancing biotechnology, med-tech, diagnostics, and related sectors. Offering networking, visibility, and collaborative opportunities for companies, academia, and investors, it offers the industry time to connect out of the office and with the community.
This year’s AZBio Award Winners include:
AZBio Pioneer Award for Lifetime Achievement
Eric Reiman, MD, CEO, Banner Alzheimer’s Institute
Professor of Psychiatry, University of Arizona
University Professor of Neuroscience, Arizona State University
Senior Scientist, Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen)
Director, Arizona Alzheimer’s Consortium
Arizona Bioscience Company of the Year
Roche Tissue Diagnostics
Jon W. McGarity, Arizona Bioscience Leader of the Year
David Dexter, General Manager, Joint Ventures, Quest Diagnostics (Arizona)
President & CEO, Sonora Quest Laboratories, LLC
President & CEO, Laboratory Sciences of Arizona, LLC
AZBio Public Service Award
Regent Fred DuVal, Arizona Board of Regents
Arizona Bioscience Researcher of the Year
Melissa Herbst-Kralovetz, PhD
Professor, College of Medicine–Phoenix, University of Arizona
Director, Translational Women’s Health Research Program
Michael A. Cusanovich Bioscience Educator of the Year
Kim Rodgers
Biomedical Science Instructor, Mountain Ridge High School
Deer Valley Unified School District
AZBio Fast Lane Award Honorees
Life365, LifeSpan Digital Health, Reference Medicine
About the Phoenix Bioscience Core
The Phoenix Bioscience Core (PBC) is a 30-acre life sciences innovation district located in downtown Phoenix. It hosts Arizona’s three public research universities—Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, and the University of Arizona—as well as leading genomics pioneers like the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), part of the City of Hope, and the International Genomics Consortium. The PBC also collaborates with major healthcare systems, including Banner Health, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Dignity Health, HonorHealth, Phoenix VA, and Valleywise Health, alongside a growing number of emerging life science companies. This unique concentration of research scientists and healthcare professionals fosters unprecedented collaborations, advancing precision medicine from discovery to delivery. To learn more, please visit phoenixbiosciencecore.com.
By: Madisson Simental | October 24, 2025