Hidalga Technologies LLC, a client of the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center at the University of Arkansas (ASBTDC, UA), has been awarded a National Science Foundation SBIR Phase 1 grant of $304,935. The funding will support development of an AI-driven platform that automates prior authorization and optimizes workflow in oncology specialty healthcare.

Joshua Upshaw, Ph.D., CEO and founder of Hidalga Technologies, will use this non-dilutive funding for research and development to demonstrate technical feasibility over the next six to 12 months.

Upshaw's journey with Hidalga Technologies began with a deeply personal experience: his stepfather's delayed cancer treatment due to healthcare inefficiencies. What started as an individual mission has evolved into a team effort supported by world-class partners, advisers and accelerator programs, including Lab2Launch, VentureWell E-teams, Builders and Backers, and the Arkansas Conductor 10x Accelerator.

"The process has taught us the value of asking questions early, listening to clinic pain points and building solutions alongside the people who will use them," Upshaw explained.

Hidalga Technologies previously participated in the ASBTDC Lab2Launch Accelerator, a program offering step-by-step assistance with SBIR/STTR proposals. Catherine Corley, ASBTDC business and innovation consultant, provided crucial guidance on technology commercialization throughout the project's development.

"I began working with Joshua when he was part of a team working on the technology in the New Venture Development program at University of Arkansas (OEI)," Corley said. "After the program, the rest of the team left to pursue other opportunities. However, Joshua persevered with a passion for reducing inefficiencies in the healthcare system that cause delays in treatment for cancer patients."

Upshaw credited Corley's mentorship as instrumental to his success: "Catherine's guidance has been instrumental in my entrepreneurial journey long before Hidalga. Recently she's helped us navigate SBIR funding strategies, refine our business model, understand market dynamics in our space and connect us with the right mentors at critical moments. Her support gave us the confidence to take bold next steps, from NSF I-Corps to our current NIH/NSF SBIR projects."

Corley praised Upshaw's dedication to leveraging available resources: "He is always prepared for meetings, open to feedback and gracious for the support he's received. He eagerly accepts every resource that could help him receive advice and funding to continue developing the technology."

Hidalga Technologies is actively seeking early clinical partners, particularly community oncology clinics, to help shape and pilot their AI-powered prior authorization workflow support tools. These collaborations are essential to ensuring the technology creates measurable impact in both patient care and clinic operations.

"We're still in the early stages, but the momentum we've gained shows how much can happen when clinical need, strong mentorship and entrepreneurial drive intersect," Upshaw noted.

Upshaw's approach to building Hidalga Technologies reflects his core values: seeking adventure, maximizing time efficiency and providing service and value to others. He hopes to inspire entrepreneurs to use their personal skills and strengths to tackle significant challenges while learning and growing along the way.

"With Hidalga Technologies, my efforts reflect my values and my drive to fulfill a legacy of adventurous challenge in service to others," Upshaw said. His goal is to encourage others to dive into the biggest problems they can address, using their unique capabilities to make a meaningful difference.

Starting a company like Hidalga Technologies has been both exciting and humbling for Upshaw, representing the intersection of personal mission, technological innovation, and the potential to transform healthcare delivery for cancer patients nationwide.

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The Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center at the U of A (ASBTDC) helps small businesses in Northwest Arkansas thrive. With offices in Fayetteville and Bentonville, ASBTDC consultants provide one-on-one confidential consulting at no cost to the client and in-person and virtual trainings and workshops to help entrepreneurs gain the knowledge and skill to be successful.

The ASBTDC at the U of A is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration through a partnership with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and is a unit of the Sam M. Walton College of Business, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.