HealthTech Arkansas and a group of 12 healthcare providers, including 5 from NWA, are hosting a virtual event to introduce select startup companies to accelerate and advance cardiovascular innovation and cardiac care. 

• Compatibility: Representatives from the 12 Arkansas healthcare providers interviewed the original pool of startup applicants to determine if the technology presented would benefit their respective organizations. 
• Partners: After the virtual event, each company will receive seed investment for their pilot projects and have total access to clinicians and administrators during their trials.

For more info about the partnership, click HERE. 

Siloam Springs received a Bioeconomy Development Opportunity (BDO) Zone designation, making it the first NWA city to receive the title.

• The right place: The poultry litter supply in Siloam Springs earned an ‘A’ BDO Zone rating, meaning the area is one of the best for “low-risk bio-economy project development.” With this designation, a bio-based market has potential to grow out of the small community.
• What this means: The BDO Zone designation will potentially attract investments in green technologies, create clean jobs, and clean energy. The BDO Zone Initiative has a goal of 1000 Zone designations in 4 years.

Read more about the distinction HERE. 

The U.S. Forest Service awarded the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design at the University of Arkansas the Wood Innovations Grant, which will be used to establish a Housing Innovation Center (HIC) at the University. 

• The epicenter: The HIC is part of a “bold project” to address the need for affordable and sustainable housing in Arkansas. The center will foster the development of mass timber housing throughout the state with all wood sourced from Arkansas. 
• In process: The new center will be located in the U of A’s Windgate Art and Design District and is slated to open in 2023. 

For the full U of A article on the HIC, click HERE. 

Mountain bikers and trail advocates carved the foundation for the mountain bike community over 30 years ago, with compounding interest over the past several years. 

• Count: The latest calculation of mountain bike trails in Arkansas is 1073.74, and that number is constantly growing. Over the past 5 years, trail systems like OZ Trails, Monument Trails, and the Northwoods have created a world class collection. 
• Economic Impact: Coming to Bentonville spring 2022, a mountain biking school called Bike School Bentonville will offer mountain biking education and skills development to locals and visitors.

Learn more about the history of trails and the community growing around the network HERE

Local biotech company Namida Lab has a mission to develop breast cancer diagnostics, and the researchers need your tears to do it. 

• Tear crawl: The proteins in tears are invaluable for breast cancer research. But unlike blood samples, tears cannot be purchased, so Namida Lab is conducting the ‘Tears On Tap Tour,’ partnering with, and setting up in over 13 breweries for the month of October. 
• Crying for science and beer: For a tear sampling, which takes about 5 minutes, the lab is offering to cover the cost of one beer from the brewery’s selection. The next location in the line-up is Bentonville Brewing tonight from 5:30-8:30p.

For more information and the tour schedule, click HERE.