State Forty Eight Foundation will open its applications for its annual grant program on Sept. 27, 2026, providing eligible Arizona entrepreneurs with an opportunity to receive funding to support the growth and success of their businesses. As part of the application process, eligible business owners must attend at least one day of the 2026 Entrepreneur Speaker Series, either in … [More]
70K-SF Entrepreneurial Hub Opens in Phoenix
FlexEtc will open a 70,000-square-foot entrepreneurial community in East Phoenix on September 1, bringing its flexible coworking and co-warehousing model to Arizona for the first time. Located at 4114 E. Wood St., FlexEtc Phoenix combines warehouse space, professional workspace and a collaborative business community within a single facility. Memberships start at $650 per … [More]
Live Shopping Is Quietly Creating Thousands of Arizona Businesses
On a Tuesday afternoon in Mesa, Ahmad Ali is standing behind the counter at Amigos Market, holding a bag of Japanese gummy candy up to his phone camera. Three hundred people are watching. He's answering questions about flavor, texture and shipping while a steady stream of purchases rolls in. In 90 days of doing this, he's sold more than $35,000 worth of snacks to customers who … [More]
9 Efficiency Hacks Every Entrepreneur Should Implement Today
Phoenix ranks seventh nationally in the number of startups. But, with so many entrepreneurs getting their businesses off the ground, there is immense competition and pressure to move fast without wasting time or capital. These nine efficiency tips are designed to help startups save time, control costs and build scalable processes that support sustainable growth — both now and … [More]
$5M Seed Round Backs Phoenix Smart Home Startup
The smart home was supposed to belong to the homeowner. Somewhere along the way, the home stopped being private. One Raven launched to rebuild the smart home around a different premise: what happens inside the home should stay inside the home. Backed by a $5M seed round led by Fifth Wall, One Raven is the first privacy-focused smart home platform built from the hardware … [More]
ACA Funding Backs Six New Arizona Health Tech Projects
The Partnership for Economic Innovation (PEI), a passionate collective of business and community leaders dedicated to accelerating Arizona's economic opportunities, has secured $600k in funding from the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) to support six new health technology projects. Through PEI’s Applied Research Centers, these projects represent the fifth and latest cohort of … [More]
ASU-Rooted Startup Pushes Further into Space Solar Market
The Partnership for Economic Innovation is investing $250,000 in Swift Coat, its newest member of its Applied Research Centers. The Phoenix-based nanotechnology startup traces its roots to Arizona State University research and has grown into a key supplier to the U.S. satellite industry. The funding will support the development and research of its proprietary thin-film … [More]
Startup Cup Highlights Arizona Universities’ Push to Turn Innovation Into Enterprise
On stage at Arizona State University’s SkySong campus, student entrepreneurs presented their market-ready business ventures, showcasing how Arizona’s public universities are helping students turn innovation into enterprise. Some pitched new approaches to improving health care delivery, and others shared their ideas to improve sustainability or new ways to use artificial … [More]
Social Design Supply Co. Curates Furnishings to Elevate Hospitality Spaces
Social Design Supply Co. is a Scottsdale-based e-commerce platform offering curated, design-forward furnishings specifically for restaurants and hospitality spaces. Built by industry professionals, the platform gives restaurant and hotel operators access to high-quality pieces that meet both aesthetic expectations and the durability required for daily commercial use. “After … [More]
Benefit Bar: Mobile Hospitality Built on Values
Benefit Bar is an Arizona-based mobile bar that creates elevated, eco-friendly beverage experiences for corporate events and happy hours, brand activations, weddings, and luxury resident gatherings. “We’ve built the brand around one idea: Events should feel good to attend and good to stand behind. We care about the impact beyond the bar — less waste, more intention, more … [More]
Phoenix Accelerator Targets Commercial Space Startups
The commercial space industry is entering a new phase. The era of launch vehicles is maturing, satellite constellations are scaling, and attention is shifting toward the infrastructure, data, logistics, and services that will power the space economy over the next two decades. Blacknight Space believes that some of the biggest companies in space haven't been built yet – and … [More]
AIAEC Opens Regulatory Bottleneck in Land-Use Development
AIAEC builds technology for the people who “design, develop and build the world,” says founder and CEO Ali Fakih. Founded in Arizona, the company helps architects, engineers, developers, construction teams and real estate professionals get clear zoning and regulatory answers faster, reducing time spent on manual research and avoiding costly delays early in development across … [More]
Jetstream Venture Fund Founded with Access in Mind
An investment fund recently launched in Scottsdale lowers the barriers to VC-style investing while also fueling the Valley's burgeoning med-tech industry. The Jetstream Venture Fund offers something rare: a way for professionals to access private company equity through a regulated, integrity-driven investment structure. The fund is founded by the team at Xcellerant Ventures in … [More]
How Startup Spring Training Is Changing the Game for Arizona Entrepreneurs
Lorena Gonzalez did not set out to become a business owner. She set out to honor her father. For 15 years, Lorena's father cultivated native plants from Nayarit, Mexico, studying them, understanding them, and turning them into hand soaps crafted entirely from what the earth provides. No fragrances. No additives. No shortcuts. Just generations of knowledge pressed into every … [More]
Refer A Friend App Rewards Consumer Referrals
Refer A Friend App makes word-of-mouth referrals — the most powerful form of marketing — simple and scalable for small businesses. Users join for free and build their own personal referral marketplace, inviting trusted professionals they want to recommend. “Those professionals join, accept leads, and users share their curated list with friends, neighbors and colleagues. When … [More]
Bibvy – the Full-Containment Bib
Bibvy’s patent-pending product, Bibvy™, is a children’s bib designed to “make mealtimes, crafts and everyday messes dramatically easier for families,” explains its creator, Danielle Bohannan. “Our signature design is a convertible full-coverage bib that buckles directly to the high-chair arms, creating a secure ‘hammock’ that catches food and spills before they reach the floor. … [More]
New Drone Services Co. Targets Public Safety and Critical Infrastructure
With the global commercial drone market projected to grow from roughly $30 billion in 2024 to more than $54 billion by 2030, Rapid Drone is making its official debut as a specialized aerial intelligence and drone services provider, not a drone manufacturer. Entering the market at a moment of accelerating adoption and rising expectations for safer, smarter field operations, the … [More]
BeeStop Innovates Protection against Home Invasion
When local entrepreneur Mitchell Cooper saw a shocking video of a home invasion, he was inspired to help homeowners feel safe and empowered in their own homes. Cooper, a dentist with an engineering background, began developing his idea for the BeeStop Unit. He then enlisted the help of his sons Shane, a student at Arizona State University W.P. Carey School of Business studying … [More]
