ACA announces Spring 2015 Innovation Challenge Winners

These passionate and innovative companies dedicated to their niche took home the win. Today the Arizona Commerce Authority announced the winners of the Spring 2015 Arizona Innovation Challenge where companies from around the country compete for a piece of the pot and build their business in Arizona. The envelope please… Learn more about the companies … Read more

Top 10 finalists revealed for Spring 2015 Arizona Innovation Challenge

It’s coming down to the wire for the Spring 2015 Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) Arizona Innovation Challenge. Who will win the $250,000 to build their business? Today, 10 finalists were announced, and software and science took the majority of spots as finalists.   Beacon Biomedical –  is a medical diagnostic device that provides easy, accurate and affordable blood … Read more

Eventinterface builds cash flow and communities for event planners

For organizations putting on an event that draws hundreds to thousands of participants, event planners need a way to organize and manage the masses. Startup Eventinterface is a SaaS end-to-end event management platform that enables planners to build revenue and their communities simultaneously. Since we last talked with CEO Eventinterface Al Wynant, the company has grown … Read more

IRIS, public relations management software co., raises $1 M equity seed round – interview with CEO Aly Saxe

Founded by a veteran public relations professional, IRIS, a cloud-based public relations management SaaS platform, helps streamline an agency’s administrative tasks and get pros back to doing what they love-creating buzz for their clients. Today the company announced a $1 million equity seed-preferred round, bringing their total funding to $1.25 million. CEO and founder Aly … Read more

25 startup semifinalists in Spring 2015 ACA Innovation Challenge

The list is in! Here are the 25 semifinalists for the Spring 2015 Arizona Commerce Authority Arizona Innovation Challenge vying for $250,000 to help build their business. All but one startup (Matrix Medical) is Arizona-based. Since 2011, the AIC has received over 1,400 applications. This Challenge is a semi-annual business plan competition awarding $1.5M in the Spring … Read more

Brackets, startups and a champion – Venture Madness 2015 wrap up- video

In a room filled with investors, startups, educators and more, two software founders stood center stage under the spotlight and pitched their company for a chance to win $30,000 and become the 2015 Venture Madness champion. CampusLogic, a software company aiming to reduce the arduous process of applying for college financial aid, and EndoVantage, a med tech … Read more

CampusLogic wins 2015 Venture Madness, takes home $30K

Sixty four startups down to one winner at the 2015 Venture Madness. This year ed tech and med tech went head-to-head in the final round. In the end, CampusLogic, a software service that simplifies the process for college students to apply for financial aid, took home $30,000 and bragging rights as the Venture Madness champion. EndoVantage placed second … Read more

Arizona Commerce Authority releases hyperlocal startup portal

As an ongoing effort to provide tools and resources to the vibrant AZ startup ecosystem, the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) released its new Start Up portal at azcommerce.com. Based on insights and feedback gathered from AZ’s ecosystem leaders and partners, the portal was designed with an edgy vibe and to be used as a centralized source for … Read more

Applications open for Spring 2015 Innovation Challenge

Arizona Commerce Authority announces the opening of the Spring 2015 Arizona Innovation Challenge (AIC). Applications are available for download right now and the submission window is scheduled to close on March 27th, at 3:00 PM Arizona Time. The AIC has one of the highest award amounts in the country for a business plan competition, and … Read more

Venture Madness announces its sweet 16 – updated

The next round of Venture Madness brackets leaves only 16 startups who will move on to the final, live-demo portion of the competition for a chance to win their share of $50,000. Jonathan Ariano, chairman of Invest Southwest comments on the startups, “[They] are shining examples of the entrepreneurship and innovation happening in the Southwest … Read more