Advancing Health Innovations
Imagine a future where cutting-edge medical breakthroughs are discovered, developed, and delivered—right here in Arizona.
Where local startups launch life-saving health solutions.
Where our children and neighbors train for high-paying, meaningful careers in healthcare and biotech.
That future is within reach, AZAdvances and the Arizona Health Innovation Trust Fund (AHIT) are how we get there.
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Our Purpose
Too many of us have lost loved ones or watched them struggle with a disease while their doctors search for answers. The answer may be in the lab of a researcher or developing at a local start-up.
AZAdvances works with Arizona researchers and early-stage companies to develop discoveries and advance health innovations by providing mentoring, support, and the seed funding that is needed to accelerate the process while our AZAdvances Talent program creates opportunities for Arizona students to explore careers in this exciting and rewarding field.
AZAdvances is an initiative within the Opportunity Through Entrepreneurship Foundation (OTEF) that is growing thanks to support from our community. OTEF is an Arizona based 501c3 public charity.
In 2022, OTEF was selected by the State of Arizona to be the Arizona nonprofit that will deploy distributions from the Arizona Health Innovation Trust Fund and support our entrepreneurs while developing our future life science workforce.
Driving the Growth of Health Innovations
The Arizona Health Innovation Trust Fund (AHIT) was created by statute in 2022 and established under the Arizona State Treasurer’s Office (ASTO) with the State Treasurer as trustee. The purpose of the Arizona Health Innovation Trust Fund is to help more small, Arizona-based, bioscience companies grow in our great state and to provide more training programs to support the growing workforce needs. With this support, health innovators will create high quality jobs, drive economic growth, and, most importantly, support the development of Arizona discoveries that can become life-enhancing treatments and possibly life-saving cures. Learn more about AHIT.
Advancing Opportunities
For People
Innovations to diagnose disease early when we have the best chance of treating it successfully or treatment options that may slow a disease, stop it or, prevent it all together.
For the Economy
A sustainable way for Arizona to attract, create, and grow life science and health technology companies that create high quality jobs across a broad range of disciplines and skills.
For the World
Helping to reduce the cost of delivering healthcare to a growing, and aging population as new tests, treatments, and cures, improve the standard of care while making life better.