Southern AZ team joins ACA in
workforce-focused visit to Taiwan
Amid rapid economic momentum and record Foreign Direct Investment activity between Arizona and Taiwan, the Arizona Commerce Authority led a delegation of more than 50 Arizona business, academia, and community leaders on an economic trade visit to Taiwan.
Delegation participants from southern Arizona included representatives from Pima County Economic Development, the University of Arizona, and the University of Arizona Center for Innovation.
Video game merch is big business for small Tucson company
Back in 2007, three friends bonded over the video game EarthBound and started a fan site to celebrate it. They discovered others with the same interest, so they started selling four products: two shirts, a pin set, and a mug.
Today that company, Fangamer, has expanded into a 30,000 square foot facility in midtown Tucson, where they sell everything from clothes, books, plushies, albums, home and office goods, pins and more for over 20 video games. They also have offices in Japan and Europe, and ship products all over the world. Around the holidays, they host a pop-up shop at their Speedway Road location.
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New lab brings
real-world experience to UA students
The University of Arizona Norton School of Human Ecology held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Sept. 16, 2025, for its new Financial Planning Lab, which is designed to provide students with real-world experiences.
In partnership with Schwab Advisor Services and the Charles Schwab Foundation, the new lab will offer hands-on opportunities for students to use the applications and tools that are used in professional financial planning companies. Students will learn how to use the programs alongside faculty advisors.
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Mini-grants available for South Tucson businesses
Groundswell Capital is partnering with the City of South Tucson and WaFd Bank to support the Viva South Tucson Mini-grant program.
This program celebrates the stories of the businesses that have shaped South Tucson for generations. Community members can nominate their favorite small business in the City of South Tucson for a $1,000 cash prize through Oct. 15, 2025.
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Help make roads safer
via a survey
Pima County is working to make roads safer and more accessible for everyone — whether someone is driving, biking, walking, or using public transit — through a federal Safe Streets for All (SS4A) grant program.
The grant focuses on reducing crashes and making transportation safer. It also aligns with one of the Pima County’s 2024 Community Health Needs Assessment priorities: Roadway Safety.
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Follow us on LinkedIn
Keep up on the latest economic development news in the region by following the Pima County Economic Development Department on LinkedIn.
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