Nearly $190,000 Investment Accelerates Two Arizona-Built Technologies to Market

Partnership for Economic Innovation’s Applied Research Centers Awards Funding to Hi Vis Technology and Power-Fabric

PHOENIX, AZ, UNITED STATES, October 21, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Partnership for Economic Innovation (PEI), a passionate collective of business and community leaders dedicated to accelerating Arizona's economic opportunities, has funded two new applied research projects through its Applied Research Centers initiative. The recipients are Hi Vis Technology, Inc. for a haptic motorcycle helmet designed to reduce rider fatalities and Power-Fabric, Inc. for an enterprise-ready platform that electric utilities can use to effectively manage rapidly growing AI data center loads on the grid.

Both projects address industry problems with technology invented and built in Arizona. Each project requires matching private investment from the recipient company, which brings the combined project value to nearly $379,000 and moves each solution closer to commercial launch. The funding also shortens research and development timelines that early-stage startups typically face when moving from prototype to market, giving Arizona founders a faster path to customers, investors and hiring. Both companies are partnering with Arizona State University researchers to complete lab testing before moving to field pilots.

"These projects represent exactly the kind of bold, solutions-driven thinking that Arizona's applied research program was built to support," said Kathleen Lee, Director of Applied Research, Partnership for Economic Innovation. "Hi Vis Technology and Power-Fabric are tackling real problems that affect real people, and this funding accelerates their ability to bring those solutions to market faster than they could on their own."

Hi Vis Technology holds a U.S. patent for its Advanced Rider Assistance System (ARAS), which delivers tactile alerts for blind spots, forward collisions and lane departures directly inside the helmet without diverting the motorcyclist's eyes from the road.

"Motorcyclists account for roughly 3% of registered vehicles but nearly 16% of all traffic fatalities in the United States, and that gap exists largely because the safety technology available to car drivers has never been adapted for riders," said Lynne Nethken, Chief Operating Officer, Hi Vis Technology, Inc. "This funding gives us the resources to change that, bringing Advanced Rider Assistance Systems to the people who need them most and putting Arizona at the center of that innovation."

Power-Fabric is developing a large-load management system (LLMS) for electric utilities to plan and operate the grid with flexibility and real-time situational awareness, filling a gap in the utility toolbox as compute demand grows faster than the grid can adapt. The platform capabilities will enable faster speed-to-power for data centers while saving rate payers from costly infrastructure upgrades to serve peak load. Power-Fabric has successfully demonstrated the platform at ASU working closely with an Arizona-based utility, and the grant funding will accelerate its development from proof-of-concept to market readiness.

"The world around AI data centers is evolving quickly, and Power-Fabric is developing tools and workflows for utilities to effectively serve their AI customers while ensuring the grid is reliable and affordable to all rate payers," said Jeff Guldner, retired President of APS and CEO of Pinnacle West Capital Corporation.

"The support from PEI's Applied Research Centers gives Power-Fabric the foundation to prove our solution is ready for the grid, " said Abhishek Jaiswal, PhD, Founder and CEO, Power-Fabric, Inc.

Applied research funding creates a ripple effect across the state, from new engineering hires and student research opportunities at Arizona State University to fresh venture capital interest in Arizona-based startups. Continued state investment in the Applied Research Centers program allows PEI to grow the pipeline of commercial-ready technology developed within Arizona and reinforces the state's position as a home for innovation across sectors including motor safety technology, utility software and AI infrastructure.

To learn more about PEI’s Applied Research Centers, visit azweartech.org.

Rachael Clifford
10 to 1 Public Relations
rachael@10to1pr.com