Ahead of BioHive Premieres on October 8 at SLC Megaplex, University of Utah venture development director Kyrsten Woolstenhulme explains how the university connects researchers with business talent, funding and partners to launch new startups.

Utah broke ground on Convergence Point, a $50 million-supported hub designed to connect university research, students, entrepreneurs, industry and investors statewide and accelerate ideas toward commercialization and impact.

Tekton Design (Orem, UT) has built a following for high-end speakers. Now founder Eric Alexander says a new patented technology called IRL can change how recorded sound is captured, reproduced and experienced.

Joby Aviation (Santa Cruz, CA) demonstrated operational maturity by completing a coast-to-coast autonomous flight in a Cessna Caravan without pilot intervention. Backed by Utah’s 47G coalition and UDOT’s uFLY framework, the technology reimagines remote logistics, defense, and emergency aviation.

Backcountry’s acquisition of Velofix (Vancouver, BC) adds a 96-technician mobile service network as the Utah retailer works to transform online bike purchases into ready-to-ride customer experiences and broader outdoor services.

Walk Farm (Smithfield, UT) is a privacy-focused mobile game for iOS and Android that converts real-world step tracking into in-game energy, replacing screen-addictive monetization loops with healthy, step-powered cozy farming gameplay.

NestSTEPS (Provo, UT) addresses housing affordability by converting home savings into an enterprise benefit. Co-founder Larry Salazar explains how employer-matched contributions, financial coaching, and PEO partnerships drive workforce retention.

Autonomous Solutions Inc. (Mendon, UT) secured a $225 million SoftBank investment and formed a separately capitalized joint venture to accelerate autonomous construction technology across large infrastructure projects.