Global partnerships are no longer just a public-sector initiative or a trade mission objective. For corporations in fast-moving, system-level industries, it has become a strategic lever for innovation, supply chain resilience and early visibility into emerging technologies. The most effective models link startups, established industry, universities and government into a coordinated system that moves talent, capital and technology across borders with purpose — and creates tangible value for corporate partners.
Arizona’s expanding role in advanced technology offers a clear example. The state has attracted major semiconductor and advanced manufacturing investment in recent years. But large facilities alone do not create durable innovation advantage. What turns capital projects into long-term regional strength is the surrounding ecosystem: startups building enabling technologies, universities generating research and talent, investors funding commercialization, and public partners aligning infrastructure and workforce policy. For corporate limited partners (LPs) and strategic partners, that ecosystem becomes an extended innovation network that complements internal R&D and long-term planning.
Tesoro Venture Capital has positioned itself as a connective layer in that system, operating across the U.S., Europe and Asia, particularly Taiwan and Korea. Tesoro is an Arizona-based platform focused on accelerating and funding startups that build enabling technologies for the AI and semiconductor ecosystem. Through its integrated accelerator, Tesoro Global Design Center and early-stage fund, Tesoro connects founders with industry partners, universities and government stakeholders to turn cross-border collaboration into locally anchored innovation and jobs — while giving corporate partners structured access to emerging technologies and talent.
The accelerator serves as the front door. Designed for startups working at the intersection of artificial intelligence and semiconductors, it attracts founders from the U.S., Asia and Europe. Many of these companies are not building end-user products. Instead, they develop enabling technologies that influence how future systems are designed, manufactured and deployed.
Examples of accelerator companies include startups developing next-generation system-on-chip architectures designed to improve performance and energy efficiency for AI and data center workloads. Others are exploring space-based and extreme-environment computing platforms, addressing how future data infrastructure may become more distributed, resilient and globally interconnected. Additional teams focus on AI agents that optimize factory operations, chiplet-based system integration, advanced materials for semiconductor manufacturing, and simulation platforms that allow complex hardware systems to be designed and tested virtually before fabrication. For corporate partners, these companies provide early insight into where compute, infrastructure and advanced manufacturing are converging.
By bringing these teams into a structured Arizona-based program, the accelerator introduces founders to enterprise customers, manufacturing partners and research institutions while helping them adapt their technology for the U.S. market. Corporate partners benefit from curated engagement with startups aligned to real industrial needs rather than broad, unfocused deal flow.
Asia provides a strong example of how cross-border value flows. Taiwanese startups and technology partners gain a landing zone in the United States while Arizona-based founders gain exposure to one of the world’s most advanced semiconductor supply chains. Korean startups contribute strengths in advanced electronics, materials and manufacturing technologies while European partners add depth in research and advanced engineering. For corporate LPs, these ties create visibility into multiple global innovation pipelines and emerging technical approaches.
Supporting the accelerator is the Tesoro Global Design Center in Phoenix. The center focuses on system-level design, advanced packaging and chiplet integration — areas where collaboration across companies and countries is essential. Located near universities and major manufacturing investments, it anchors technical work that might otherwise remain overseas. For corporate partners, it offers a neutral, engineering-driven environment to explore pre-competitive challenges, evaluate new tools and engage with startups in a practical context.
Universities play an important role in this model. Research feeds into startup formation, and students gain exposure to real-world design challenges and industry tools. Joint projects between academic labs and companies accelerate technology transfer while strengthening the talent pipeline — a meaningful advantage for corporate LPs facing long-term workforce constraints.
The third pillar, Tesoro’s early-stage fund, provides the capital layer that ties these activities together. By investing in companies that participate in the accelerator and engage with the Tesoro Global Design Center, the fund helps ensure promising technologies remain connected to Arizona as they scale. Its international relationships attract co-investors and strategic partners from Asia and Europe, reflecting the global nature of the semiconductor and AI value chain and offering corporate LPs both financial participation and strategic visibility.
Government involvement completes the picture. State and city leaders support workforce programs, infrastructure planning and international partnerships that make it easier for startups and global firms to operate in Arizona. Late last year, this alignment was formalized through the Taiwan–Phoenix AI and semiconductor partnership, uniting Tesoro, the City of Phoenix, ITRI, Startup Island Taiwan and GPEC to accelerate cross-border startup development, industrial collaboration and technology commercialization. When public partners, universities, investors and companies share a common strategy, cross-border collaboration moves from ad hoc introductions to sustained economic development.
The result is an integrated platform where startups can enter through the accelerator, collaborate through the Tesoro Global Design Center, raise capital from the fund and hire from local workforce pipelines. Corporate partners gain structured access to early-stage innovation, cross-border technology flows and emerging talent within a region becoming central to advanced manufacturing. In this model, ecosystem development becomes part of corporate strategy — helping companies see around corners in an increasingly interconnected technology landscape.
What Corporate Partners Gain
- Early visibility into emerging AI and semiconductor technologies.
- Structured engagement with startups aligned to real industry needs.
- Access to cross-border innovation networks in the U.S., Asia and Europe.
- Stronger links to university research and future technical talent pipelines.
Andy Lombard is the founder and managing partner of Tesoro Venture Capital, an AI + Semiconductor accelerator and venture fund. A six-time venture-backed founder and former executive with Motorola Asia and Motorola Ventures, he also created the Arizona Innovation Challenge and Venture Ready Accelerator and led the $87-million Arizona Venture Development Corporation.
Did You Know: A growing number of deep-tech startups are designing products for global supply chains from day one, working across countries on chips, packaging, software and manufacturing. Regions that plug into those cross-border networks often become hubs for future industry growth.
