Stevie Ibarra

Utah Valley University’s Sandbox Demo Day showcased 25 student startups applying AI and SaaS models across industries, highlighting rapid execution, early traction, and the program’s emergence as a serious startup pipeline.

At BYU’s 2026 SMB | ETA Conference, entrepreneurs and AI experts shared lessons on faith-driven business growth, transformative AI strategies, and practical steps for small and medium businesses to stay competitive.

Founded in 2025, AbilityArc (Orem, UT) embeds durable skills training into technical education, and uses AI-driven simulations to strengthen communication, critical thinking, and workplace readiness as employers increasingly prioritize human capabilities alongside tech training and certifications.

Arch Nexus’s Salt Lake City headquarters challenges smart-building orthodoxy by empowering humans as active stewards. It uses simple technology to keep humans actively involved in reducing energy use while increasing accountability and resilience.

The 2025 Utah AI Summit panel showcased human-centered AI leadership. Paul Allen, Travis Oliphant, and Andrew Carr shared with moderator Cydni Tetro and the audience insights on iteration, experimentation, and empowering teams, emphasizing culture as the key to AI adoption.

Utah’s 2025 Life Sciences Summit highlighted rapid AI adoption, regulatory shifts, workforce challenges, and new medical training initiatives as leaders outlined the state’s innovation strategy.