Taking to heart the advice, “Create a product that people need,” Dinali de Silva and Jordan Kong founded Caribou last year to provide “reliable childcare.” Says de Silva, “Childcare in America is a fragmented and broken system. The current options are either too expensive for the average family or don't offer the one-to-one attention that young kids need. At Caribou, we believe … [More]
Phoenix Is a Top 10 Startup City
In the past decade, Phoenix has developed into a technological hub to rival that of Silicon Valley. The capital city’s rise as an innovation center has made it one of the fastest-growing metros in the United States, with job growth exceeding the national average by 44%. This is among several key findings in a new study from Clever Real Estate that ranks Phoenix as the … [More]
Family Tradition Inspires Leila’s Empanadas
Owner and chef Leila Beltrame of Leila’s Empanadas, started putting her artisan empanadas and Brazilian cheese rolls on the market last November, launching with an event to benefit a local nonprofit. “They are healthy food options because they do not contain any type of preservative,” she says, noting they use the best ingredients available, including organic. “We sell them … [More]
qBotica Reaches Finals for Arizona Startup Competition
qBotica, a Phoenix-based intelligent document processing and robotic-process automation company, was recently nominated for a competition between Arizona's 16 most innovative startups and is now among the Final 2 technology companies to be featured in the event to elevate the region's startup ecosystem and encourage investment. AZ Inno Madness is a friendly … [More]
Former Tuft and Needle Execs Get Funding for New Outdoor Furniture Venture
Phoenix-based outdoor furniture brand, Neighbor, announces the closing of a Series A funding round from Strand Equity. The funding round will support new product development, team expansion, and marketing initiatives. The multi-billion-dollar outdoor furniture industry has grown significantly with increased consumer willingness to invest in quality pieces while spending more … [More]
Scottsdale Couple Pieces Together Unique Business, Creates Arizona Experiences
Beginning in 2016, Katie and Gregg Dufort ran a golf cart taxi service that took people from bar to bar in Old Town Scottsdale and Downtown Historic Prescott. Tens of thousands of locals and tourists used the free service each year and the Duforts relied on advertising revenue to keep the business running. After a year, they had found their footing and the operation was running … [More]
Wild Rye Baking Co. Brings Home the Magic of Baking
Wild Rye is a new kind of baking company — designed for today’s varied styles and occasions of social interaction. It offers cake, frosting and pancake mixes for the gluten-free, plant-based and gluten lovers alike. “We are all about quality, ease, connection and good times,” says founder and chief baking officer Sarah Chisholm. A professional pastry chef, she says, “I … [More]
Propelling Women’s Business Dreams with the RECREATE Action Tank
In 2020, business partners Kimberly Mylls and Melissa Lamson co-founded RECREATE Now, LLC, an action tank designed to be a one-of-a-kind, one-stop-shop, mastermind business incubator for women 40 and over. Each session provides members with the laser focus, tools and connections necessary to take their business or nonprofit from idea to launch by the end of the six-month … [More]
Chandler Incubator Program Supports Young Inventors
Chandler Innovations, the city's business incubation, and entrepreneurial development program, is once again running its Jr. Track for high school students working on STEM-based projects. The program was started in 2019 in collaboration with Rachna Nath, a science educator with Arizona College Prep, Erie Campus. "My students are working on projects that … [More]
‘How to Start a Nonprofit’ Resource Guide Offered as Free Download
A new free resource guide from the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits provides insight and questions to ask when considering the creation of a new nonprofit organization, including what other options may exist for an individual to contribute to their desired community impact. If creating a nonprofit is the option, the guide leads users through the process of starting a nonprofit in … [More]
KeepWOL – Growth through Play and Reflection
KeepWOL — which stands for Keep Wondering Out Loud — creates learning and development technology that maximizes cultural intelligence in the workplace. Its SaaS talent development platform uses a digital library of multiplayer games to facilitate recurring guided immersive team experiences that cultivate engagement and learning. These psychology-based games emphasize … [More]
Form Paper Co. Goes Big and Bold with Peel-and-Stick Wallpaper
Form Paper Co. is an online company offering commercial-grade, peel-and-stick wallpaper designed “for those who aren’t afraid to go big or bold,” says founder Dala Al-Fuwaires. “All our patterns are vetted and approved by an interior designer, making high-design accessible and affordable. Our peel-and-stick wallpaper breaks the mold with curvy contours and statement-making … [More]
$1.5M in Grants for Entrepreneurs and Startups as Second Round Opens
invisionAZ and StartUpAZ announce the second round of EmergeAZ Fast Grant funds to support innovative startups based in Arizona. In partnership with Governor Doug Ducey, $1.5 million has been allocated to the EmergeAZ Fast II Grant to provide resources to entrepreneurs and startups with emerging technologies designed to address current and future economic, health, or societal … [More]
