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Infrastructure behind innovation

The University operates two powerhouse programs that transform ideas into businesses. The University of Arizona Center for Innovation (UACI) maintains 70-80 startups in its program at any given time, according to President Carol Stewart. Meanwhile, Tech Launch Arizona (TLA) specializes in commercializing technology invented by faculty, staff, and graduate students.

The numbers tell a compelling story. Since 1984, the university has helped launch 164 startups — with more than 90 emerging since Tech Launch Arizona launched in 2012 alone.

A case study in success: Mo Ehsani

Meet Mo Ehsani, whose journey from professor to global entrepreneur perfectly illustrates UA’s entrepreneurial incubator in action. During his 27-year tenure as a professor of structural engineering (1982-2009), Ehsani didn’t just teach — he innovated.

As an internationally recognized expert in fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) products, Ehsani saw opportunity where others saw problems. Introduced in the 1980s, FRP is a revolutionary material applied like wallpaper that reaches 2-3 times the strength of steel within 24 hours. In a world of crumbling infrastructure, Ehsani recognized FRP’s transformative potential.

From classroom to commercialization

In 1994, while still teaching, Ehsani founded QuakeWrap to deliver stronger, more economical FRP-based solutions to the construction industry. For 15 years, he balanced academia with entrepreneurship — teaching the next generation while steadily building his company’s innovative infrastructure solutions.

The turning point came in 2010 when Ehsani left academia to focus entirely on QuakeWrap. The results speak for themselves: a comprehensive suite of solutions that outperform traditional methods while reducing costs.

QuakeWrap spans the globe, showcases versatility:

Strengthening concrete and masonry walls

Increasing roof and dome strength

Repairing seawalls and marine structures

Reconstructing columns, poles, beams, and pipes

Manufacturing continuous, lightweight pipelines

A global project portfolio:

Blast-proofing U.N. headquarters in Beirut

Strengthening mile-long pipelines in Costa Rica’s mountains

Repairing corroded underwater structures for Nigeria’s National Petroleum Corporation.

Evidence-backed innovation

QuakeWrap’s success rests on solid intellectual property and proven results. The company holds over 25 patents on innovative materials and designs, with more than 100 published articles and reports documenting FRP systems’ effectiveness.

The University of Arizona itself needed to repair an underground utility tunnel. Here’s what they had to say:

“Fixing the tunnel from the inside with QuakeWrap not only saves us money, but is minimally invasive to our busy campus. We think it’s a green solution, too,� said Peter Dourlein, UA assistant vice president for planning, design and construction

When QuakeWrap was inducted into the Congressional Record in 2014, the U.S. Congress made the following notation: “A small business that has grown by being a leader in state-of-the-art technology and by embracing exporting as key to its growth strategy.�

Measuring economic impact

QuakeWrap represents just one success story from UA’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. A Rounds Consulting Group report analyzing Tech Launch Arizona’s economic impact from fiscal years 2017-21 reveals impressive numbers:

Through 2021, TLA activities generated:

• $1.61 billion in economic output
• $561 million in labor income
• $59 million in tax revenues

Projected through 2031:

• Over 3,500 new jobs
• $4.7 billion in economic output
• $1.6 billion in labor income
• $172 million in tax revenues

Building tomorrow’s economy today

Ehsani’s transformation from structural engineering professor to global infrastructure innovator evidences the crossroads of academic expertise and entrepreneurial support.

The University of Arizona Center for Innovation and Tech Launch Arizona shows the school doesn’t just educate, it incubates the businesses that drive economic growth.

The beneficiary: Tucson and Southern Arizona’s entrepreneurial infrastructure.

It isn’t just strong — it’s thriving, creating jobs, generating revenue and solving global challenges one innovation at a time.