> Home > News Releases > Scottsdale’s SkySong is home to two new innovative business startup programs
Scottsdale’s SkySong is home to two new innovative business startup programs
Sept. 6, 2012
Contact: Kim Hanna, economic development; office: (480) 312-7612, khanna@ScottsdaleAz.gov
Scottsdale’s SkySong is home to two new innovative
business startup programs
Two new business innovation programs at SkySong, the ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center are combining concepts from business creation, incubation and tech transfer arenas in unique efforts to create new jobs and new technologies for Arizona’s economy.
The Rapid Startup School brings together the special talents of veterans of the military and defense industries to help create new startups in military technology and related fields, including security, supply and military technologies with private or consumer applications.
The AZ Furnace program has amassed university and research intellectual property in a user-friendly database – and entrepreneurial teams will compete for the chance to take those ideas into the marketplace. Applications for the competition are now open, but groups only have until Sept. 30 to submit.
“In Scottsdale, we are not just talking about being leaders and innovators in the technology industry, we are doing it– particularly in software and biomedical,” said Mayor W.J. “Jim” Lane. “To have the best intellectual property from across the state gathered in one place and commercialized to create great jobs and companies is the kind of economic development leadership role we envisioned when SkySong was created. I encourage our existing business community to cultivate our next generation as mentors to foster even more creativity, innovation and collaboration for our future.”
The AZ Furnace competition offers high-potential startup ventures a package worth more than $50,000 in cash and services. Details of the competition are available at AZFurnace.org 
– mentors for aspiring business people are being sought as well.
“For too long technologies created in the lab in universities and other research institutions have been lying dormant. Furnace is about telling the world about the potential for these technologies to be used to create new companies,” said Gordon McConnell, Assistant Vice-President for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Venture Acceleration for ASU.
The Rapid Startup School is a six-session program that begins Sept. 18. For more information visit asuventurecatalyst.org.
City of Scottsdale economic development staff is available to assist any business interested in maximizing their success in Scottsdale. Learn more at www.ChooseScottsdale.com.
News Releases RSS Feed