Arizona Venture Development Corporation

🚀 VC Reverse Pitch Event – This Thursday! 🚀 Join us September 26th at 5:00 PM in Phoenix for an incredible opportunity to hear directly from the investors shaping the future of startups! 🎤 We’re excited to welcome our amazing VC speakers: Grayhawk Capital PHX Ventures Arizona Venture Development Corporation Capital 3Lines Venture Capital Whether you’re looking to pitch, network, or just soak in some valuable insights, this is the event to be at! Don’t miss your chance to connect with some of the best VCs in the industry. 📅 Save the date: September 26th, 5:00 PM 🏢 Location: Gilbert Kiln, Phoenix 👉 Apply here to attend: https://lnkd.in/ggjrqcAK

Excited to announce Polls Platform is now Shop with Friends! Check out our brand new Shopify app, released on Sept 10th here: https://rb.gy/4lqn0n

AZ-VC's Managing Partner, Jack Selby, joined Lincoln Archibald on the Funds That Won podcast to dive deep into how we’re investing in Arizona. Tune in to hear more about the founding story of the fund and our deep commitment to supporting the Arizona startup ecosystem!

🚀🚀🚀 #AIC is launching today 8/1 !!! 🏅The Arizona Commerce Authority’s #innovation team is proud to run the largest state funded business plan competition for startup founders for a 15th year. 🌏 This is a global opportunity as long as you intend to move to or open operations in Arizona. #jobs 💵 Awardees will receive $100K in non-dilutive funding and have the opportunity to participate in our 6-month, reimagined, signature accelerator, #VentureScale. (Formerly Venture Ready) Paired with an expert startup mentor, you will get financial, sales, and business scaling support. But wait there’s more! 📣📣📣 💥 Semi finalists will be offered a chance to participate in a 12 week accelerator focused on your business’ funding needs. #VentureRaise will help you financially plan, pitch for funding, and manage investor relationships. 🚀 Both opportunities will get you direct access to top Arizona investors, mentors and other successful founders! Apply until the end of August here: https://lnkd.in/gaTWugsr Stunning new logo compliments of Damon Andersen #startups #founders #entrepreneurs #investors #venturecapital #funding

We are thrilled to announce that James Goulka has joined Arizona Venture Development Corp. as our new President & CEO. With his deep experience as the former chairman and managing director of Arizona Tech Investors and as an entrepreneur, we are confident that James will play a pivotal role in driving the growth of Arizona's most promising companies. Join us in welcoming James to the AVC team!   #azventurecap #venturecapital #entrepreneurship Read more at https://lnkd.in/gnwq3K3B

HUGE NEWS! 🎉 Tech Launch Arizona has combined forces with Arizona Forge! We will now be the new home for student entrepreneurship for UArizona Research, Innovation & Impact and the University of Arizona ecosystem. 📣 Our new Director of Student Ventures, Derick Maggard, said, “If you’re looking to join a community of fellow entrepreneurs, get expert support, and experience innovative programming, TLA Student Ventures will be the place for you. We’ll give you hands-on experiences and collaborative opportunities to empower you and explore how far your ideas can go." 🔗 Check out the details:

Now Introducing ✨ScholaU✨ Enhance your expertise with ScholaU, our brand new online learning series designed to equip school leaders with the skills to thrive in your role! ScholaU sessions are live, in-depth, and interactive so you can gain valuable tips, knowledge, and resources on specific subjects relevant to student recruitment. Join our first ScholaU session: Social Media Masterclass: 5 Proven Methods to Elevate Your School’s Social Media on Thursday, July 25th at 10am PST! In this first session we'll explore 📽️Creative content ideas tailored for your school’s social media channels 📆How to create a content calendar to streamline your posts 📈Hacks to increase your social media views and engagement 👍Best practices for social media management ✏️And so much more! You’ll also walk away with bonus materials so you can put your newfound knowledge into practice! Register here to secure your spot: https://hubs.li/Q02Hy69m0

Singularity (Let it Grow) ______ It is interesting how many times over the last 15-20 years I have heard the following: - The PHX startup community needs a central location in the valley to enable more serendipitous connections. If only we had a single LOCATION. - The PHX startup community needs a brand that connects everyone. If only we had a single BRAND. - The PHX startup community needs a media outlet to amplify what's happening. If only we had a single PR STRATEGY. - The PHX startup community needs a universal calendar of events. If only we had a single CALENDAR. - The PHX startup community needs a convening entity to organize events, programs, and jobs. If only we had a single organizing ENTITY. Sometimes I feel a desire for singularity too. But I'm not sure it's healthy. I do think it is healthy to question where the push for singularity comes from. Does it come from chasing the same donor dollars? Does it come from competing for community attention? Does it come from a natural desire to control stuff? Does it come from a scarcity mindset? I don't know where it comes from. But in my opinion, we should be a little suspicious of the desire for singularity when it comes to community building. I love how many people there are in metro PHX right now who want to make our startup community great. The diversity of effort and initiatives is pretty awesome. Let's just let it grow. I see real economic development efforts from the Arizona Commerce Authority and Greater Phoenix Economic Council. These groups have impactful programs and big initiatives to drive innovation in our state. We need to let these economic development efforts grow. I see real community-building efforts from PHX FWD, StartupAZ, Freeway, Venture Café Phoenix, Venture Madness, yesPHX, PHX Startup Week, etc. We need to let these community-building efforts grow. I see real investment efforts from PHX Ventures (my firm), AZ-VC, Arizona Venture Development Corporation, Grayhawk Capital, Arizona State University InvestU, Arizona Tech Investors, Canyon Angels, Desert Angels, Monsoon Venture Fund, etc. We need to let this investing activity grow. Of course, there is stuff to fix. We have a serious venture deficit in PHX. We are the fifth largest metro in the US, we should at least be in the top 10 cities for VC per capita, not 25th-ish. This bugs me. It's why I started PHX FWD - to help software founders build venture-scale software companies. But I'm a known malcontent so I need a little dissatisfaction to feel normal. Singularity won't solve our venture deficit. Singularity won't make our community more vibrant. Singularity won't foster the next billion-dollar software startup in PHX. In the words of The Lorax, let's just, "Let it grow." ____ PS - I am 100% confident I unintentionally excluded a community organization or investor. Please tag them in the comments and I will do my best to edit the post.

𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝘁!👀 Global Corporate Venturing features Ardent in their recent article titled “Seven Startups That Can Help Decarbonise Heavy Industry.” We’re proud to be recognized for our efforts in driving sustainability and our decarbonization efforts within the heavy industry sector. Read the full article to learn more about Ardent and other innovative startups working towards decarbonizing heavy industries and their partnership goals!➡️ https://lnkd.in/eCs7P7_A #Innovation #HeavyIndustry #Decarbonization #Sustainability

🚀 The Time for Women’s Economic Power is NOW: A Venture Capital Perspective 🚀 Recently, I was asked why this moment is ripe for women to assert their voices, secure equal pay, and drive economic change. Despite recent setbacks, my response is rooted in a strategic outlook on emerging trends and opportunities: 🔹 Gender Constructs are Evolving: Today’s younger generations are challenging outdated stereotypes and creating a more inclusive landscape where potential is not determined by gender. 🔹 Wealth Transfer to Women: Women are amassing and deploying wealth with a strategic focus on purpose and values. This isn’t about concessionary returns—it’s about deliberate investments that align with long-term impact and success. 🔹 Community Building and Collaboration: Women are crafting new spaces for growth, learning, and mutual support. They’re creating networks and opportunities that drive real, sustainable progress. A perfect example of this dynamic shift was the "Playing to Win: A Women in Business Summit" in #Phoenix, held alongside the WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association) All-Star Weekend. This event showcased how women and men from diverse backgrounds—government officials, sports legends, and transformative leaders—are converging at the intersection of business, sports, and economic development, and Phoenix is leading the charge. Key Insights for Investors and Entrepreneurs: 🏀 Teamwork Over Individual Achievement: Success is a collective effort. Just as the summit’s organizers passed the spotlight, true innovation and growth come from collaborative success. 🎾 Strategic Positioning: In business, just as in sports, finding the right role that aligns with your skills and passions is crucial for achieving extraordinary outcomes. 🏓 Authenticity is a Strength: Genuine leadership and vision drive success. Be true to your mission and values. ⚽ Embrace Failure: It’s an integral part of the growth process. Every setback is a stepping stone to future success. 🏉 Lifelong Learning and Play: Just as play is vital for development, ongoing learning and curiosity are essential for building a resilient and innovative business. 🏀 Character Revealed Through Challenge: As Ann Meyer Drysdale wisely quoted John Wooden, “Sports don’t build character, they reveal it.” The same applies to business and investment—challenges reveal the true potential of your vision. Let’s harness this moment to invest in diverse voices and innovative ideas. The future of economic growth is here, and it’s driven by women who are reshaping our world. With appreciation to Jessica Pacheco Megan Schmitz Jenn Daniels Devney Preuss Majerle and the others who organized this grand slam summit and invited me to share my voice, and to #Arizona #Governor Katie Hobbs and Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego for adding their brilliant leadership. #InvestInWomen #EconomicEmpowerment #VentureCapital #FutureOfBusiness #Leadership #StrategicGrowth #CommunityBuilding #WomenInBusiness #WNBAAllStar