COVID-19 can’t stop PHX Startup Week 2021

PHX Startup Week will be a month this year, kicking off at the beginning of April with virtual events for three weeks and ending with five days of keynote speakers, workshops and tactical learning sessions.

PHX Startup Week is partnering with Startup Together AZ to expand statewide to help support and grow Arizona’s startup ecosystem. Organizations across the state are teaming up to highlight resilient businesses and entrepreneurs that survived the pandemic.

Throughout the entire month, attendees can join virtual events with thousands of entrepreneurs, business leaders and investors from a variety of backgrounds. These events are designed to “help participants learn new skills, build valuable connections through networking, and showcase the important resources available in our state,” according to a statement by Sandra Watson, president and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority

PHX Startup Week began in 2014 as a grassroots effort to connect small businesses and entrepreneurs in Phoenix. Now, seven years later, organizers refuse to let a pandemic get in the way of its mission to support and unify Arizona’s small businesses and growing startups. 

Some of the month’s events include:

  • “Small Business Boot Camp” and “Mentor Mania” hosted by Arizona Commerce Authority
  • IdeaFunding by Startup Tucson
  • Business of Bio Boot Camp hosted by Moonshot at NACET in Flagstaff
  • Good Business Summit focused on small business perseverance, social justice and environmental action hosted by Local First Arizona

The last five days of PHX Startup Week events will culminate with partnership panels and Q&A’s hosted by Golden Seeds, an international women-led investment group, as well as Invest Southwest’s Venture Madness team, who will lead a discussion of best practices on how to take advantage of the live-pitch competition planned for October.

“Creating unification and support with all these community programs is a natural next step for the momentum our community has generated,” said Kate Rogers Sieker, who is spearheading the event for the third time. “I am so excited to see what the future holds for our ecosystem.”

Attendees can visit www.startuptogetheraz.com to view April’s calendar of events. To participate in PHX Startup Week, visit www.PHXStartupWeek.com.