Hidalga Technologies, LLC, a client of the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center at the University of Arkansas, has won its first National Science Foundation grant.
The funding will support the Fayetteville company’s development of an AI-driven platform for oncology specialty healthcare.
CEO and co-founder Joshua Upshaw of Springdale seeks to demonstrate the platform’s technical feasibility with the non-dilutive funding.
The $304,935 Phase I award is through the agency’s Small Business Innovation Research program.
Goal Is Reducing Treatment Delays
Upshaw’s journey with Hidalga Technologies began with a deeply personal experience—his stepfather’s delayed cancer treatment due to healthcare administrative inefficiencies.
Hidalga’s innovative technology automates prior authorization and optimizes workflow, minimizing delays.
What started as an individual mission has evolved into a team effort supported by world-class partners, advisors, and accelerators. The company took part in the Lab2Launch Accelerator, VentureWell E-teams, Builders + Backers Idea Accelerator, and the 10X Growth 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 said.
Consultant’s Support Gives Company Confidence
Upshaw’s first contact with ASBTDC was back in 2016 when he attended a “Starting a Business in Arkansas” seminar held by the Fayetteville center while a student. He later connected with the office’s business and innovation consultant, Catherine Corley.
“I began working with Joshua when he was part of a team working on the technology in the New Venture Development program at the University of Arkansas,” said Corley. “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.”
More recently, Upshaw completed the 2025 Lab2Launch Accelerator, ASBTDC’s multi-week cohort program offering step-by-step assistance with SBIR proposals.
Corley provided Upshaw crucial one-on-one guidance on technology commercialization, and he credits her counsel as vital to his success.
“Catherine’s guidance has been instrumental in my entrepreneurial journey long before Hidalga,” he said.
“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 and NSF SBIR projects.”
Hidalga Technologies hopes one SBIR win turns into two. With ASBTDC support, the company also submitted proposals to the National Institutes of Health.
Corley praised Upshaw’s dedication and success 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 continue developing the technology.”
Clinical Partners Needed
Hidalga Technologies is actively seeking clinical partners, particularly community oncology clinics. Early partners will help shape and pilot the company’s AI-powered tools for prior authorization workflow support.
These collaborations are essential to ensuring the technology creates measurable impact in both patient care and clinic operations, Upshaw explained.
“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,” he noted.
Focused on reducing delays in care and improving patient outcomes, Upshaw draws on his background in psychology and machine learning to develop tools that streamline healthcare delivery.
Entrepreneur Encourages Others to Tackle Biggest Problems
Upshaw’s approach to building Hidalga centers around his core principles of seeking adventure, maximizing time efficiently, and providing service and value to others.
He hopes to inspire other 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.
Ultimately, 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.