Highlights

RELIVE THE MOMENTS FROM TENWEST 2026

TENWEST 2026: A Week of Big Ideas, Bold Conversations & Community

News

May 14

10 WEEKS OF TENWEST: WEEK FOUR

Hey TENWESTERS! If you've been keeping up, Week 4 is here. This week, we’re celebrating something that sits at the heart of everything we do: connection. Connections Aren’t Accidental — They’re Transformative Now more than ever, people need to connect. We at TENWEST aren't about domination or control. It's about growing your business and your pursuits — on your terms. That's why we're intentionally designing spaces to build meaningful relationships. From our Mega Mixer k

Ten Weeks of TENWEST

Apr 21

FROM PITCH TO PRIZE: OVER $50,000 AWAREDED TO ARIZONA STARTUPS AT IDEAFUNDING 2026

March 30, 2026   (Tucson, Ariz,)—  On March 26, Southern Arizona’s largest and longest continuously running pitch competition, IdeaFunding, awarded over $50,000 to Arizona-based startups. Co-led by Startup Tucson and the University of Arizona Center for Innovation (UACI), this year’s competition featured two distinct tracks designed to support a broader range of innovators: the Creative and Innovation Community Track, sponsored by Arizona Arts, and the Tech Track, sponsored b

News

Mar 30

10 WEEKS OF TENWEST: WEEK SIX

Hi TENWESTERs, We’re thrilled to introduce TENWEST EDU, a brand-new professional learning experience launching at TENWEST 2026! EDU Day is all about hands-on training, industry intensives, and practical workshops designed to help you grow your skills, deepen your expertise, and walk away with tools you can use right away. Whether you’re a founder seeking new strategies, a creative eager to sharpen your craft, or a professional exploring career growth, TENWEST EDU will give

Feb 18

10 REASONS TO TENWEST

Ever leave an event thinking, “I met my people”? Yeah, that’s TENWEST! We’re giving you 10 reasons why you shouldn't miss this year's fest: 1. You’ll have space to ask real questions This isn’t “sit back and take notes” learning. TENWEST is built for lifelong learners who want frameworks, clarity, and room to dig deeper. 2. We talk about tech, but we’re not a tech conference Innovation is bigger than buzzwords. We focus on how technology, creativity, and community actually sh

News

Feb 5

10 WEEKS OF TENWEST: WEEK FIVE

You’ve done the work. Built the skills. Put in the years… And now, whether by choice, chance, or perhaps a well-timed nudge from the universe, you’re standing at the edge of something new. Welcome to Week 5 (we're halfway there already?!) of our Ten Weeks of TENWEST, this week we're looking at you second-career founders and entrepreneurs. You're turning decades of experience into what's next. If you’ve ever thought: “I know my craft but how does entrepreneurship actua

Feb 3

10 WEEKS OF TENWEST: WEEK THREE

Welcome to Week #3 of 10 Weeks of TENWEST ! As March draws closer, we're excited to share our first wave of confirmed speakers, ticket updates, and ways for you to be part of TENWEST as a session speaker or pitch company at IdeaFunding. But you need to hurry because deadlines for our call for proposals and IdeaFunding pitch application are coming up fast! We’re thrilled to introduce some of the nationally recognized voices and regional leaders headed to TENWEST 2026 — re

Ten Weeks of TENWEST

Jan 21

10 WEEKS OF TENWEST: WEEK TWO

Ready to thrive in our changing world? TENWEST is calling all Founders, Creators, Culinary Innovators, Second Career Entrepreneurs, Community Builders, Intrapreneurs & Big Dreamers. And for the next ten weeks, we're giving you a front-row seat to everything that makes this year worth the hype before our decentralized model takes over Downtown Tucson, March 24-29, 2026. Here are 10 very good reasons to attend TENWEST: 1. You’ll have space to ask real questions This isn’t

Ten Weeks of TENWEST

Jan 13

ARIZONA'S LEADING EARLY-STAGE PITCH COMPETITION IS BACK WITH A NEW STRUCTURE & JASON FEIFER AS SHOWCASE JUDGE

January 9, 2026 (Tucson, Ariz.) - A flagship event of TENWEST, IdeaFunding continues to give early-stage companies across Arizona the opportunity to gain mentorship and pitch training and to compete for cash prizes and awards. Applications are now open for businesses across the state to join the competition, including a chance to pitch to Jason Feifer, Editor-in-Chief of Entrepreneur Magazine, who will be one of the Main Stage Showcase judges. IdeaFunding is co-led by Startup

Jan 9

10 WEEKS OF TENWEST: WEEK ONE

Welcome to Ten Weeks of TENWEST! Consider this your official countdown to the most electric week in Tucson (at least we think so)! Our decentralized model takes over downtown from March 24–29, 2026. And for the next ten weeks, we’re giving you a front-row seat to everything that makes this year worth the hype. So… What’s Coming Over the Next 10 Weeks? We’re breaking it all down, one week at a time: 10 reasons you don’t want to miss TENWEST (spoiler: networking is only o

Ten Weeks of TENWEST

Jan 9

11th Annual TENWEST Fest Fueled By Hustl

TENWEST WELCOMES HUSTL AS TITLE SPONSOR FOR 2026 FESTIVAL IN DOWNTOWN TUCSON

Startup Tucson is proud to announce that HUSTL, a digital credit union designed for freelancers, solopreneurs, gig workers, and entrepreneurs — and a division of Vantage West Credit Union — has joined as the title sponsor of the 11th annual TENWEST Festival.

News

Sep 9, 2025

TENWEST 2025: A WEEK TO REMEMBER

That’s a wrap on TENWEST 2025! From unforgettable speakers to buzzing connections, this year’s festival brought the energy, ideas, and inspiration that keep Southern Arizona’s innovation ecosystem thriving. We’ve pulled together the highlights for you to relive the week, including our official wrap video and a slide deck filled with stats, stories, and standout moments.

Highlights

Sep 2, 2025