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Tech Launch Arizona, part of UA’s Office of Research and Partnerships, is the office that moves academic inventions from the laboratory to the public marketplace.

Its $459.7 million economic output per year includes $229 million in direct impact, $107 million in indirect impact and $122 million in induced impact, says  by Rounds Consulting Group, Inc. 

Direct impacts are the immediate first-round consequences of a specific project, indirect impacts are business-to-business transactions that occur in the local supply chain, and induced impacts are related to household spending by employees, it says.

Along with Tech Launch Arizona's linked activities, it generated $159.8 million in labor income and $16.8 million in state, county and municipal tax revenues in fiscal year 2025, according to the report.

“In general, the types of government taxes analyzed include sales taxes, excise taxes, lease taxes, income taxes and property taxes,” the report says. “The activities subject to these taxes include payroll, retail sales, utility use, leases, and construction, among others. Fiscal impacts are categorized similarly to economic impacts and are classified as direct, indirect and induced.”

The report measured not only jobs and revenue generated directly through commercialization, but also broader ripple effects across Arizona’s economy, the UA said in a news release Thursday.

“At the University of Arizona, we measure the success of our billion-dollar research enterprise not just by the discoveries made in our labs, but by the tangible benefits that translating those discoveries into innovations bring to the people of Arizona,” said Tomás Díaz de la Rubia, UA senior vice president for research and partnerships.

“This report confirms that our commitment to innovation and partnerships is a powerful economic driver. By translating world-class research into new companies and high-wage jobs, we are ensuring that Arizona remains a leader in the global innovation economy,” he said in the news release.

In comparison to fiscal year 2021, Tech Launch Arizona’s economic impact grew by approximately 20% across all measured categories, including jobs, labor income, economic output and tax revenue, the report found.

Tech Launch Arizona works with faculty, staff and researchers to protect intellectual property, license technologies to industry partners, and launch startups that bring university innovations to the market, ranging from medical devices and cancer therapies to optics, cybersecurity and advanced software.

Doug Hockstad, associate vice president of Tech Launch Arizona, said the ultimate goal is to make the UA one of the top universities in the nation when it comes to technology commercialization or “tech transfer,” where it can “impact economies and improve lives,” the release said.

“Achieving that takes a strong and connected ecosystem that brings together university innovators, a community of technology and business experts, and entrepreneurs and investors to help us map out the best pathway forward for each invention,” Hockstad said.

The report also found that in the last nine years, Tech Launch Arizona generated $3.3 billion in economic input, $1.2 billion in labor income and $122.2 million in tax revenues.

In the next five years, the projected numbers are $2.46 billion in economic output, $855.5 million in labor income and $90 million in tax revenues.