Entrepreneurial events, resources, and organizations
Having been involved in the startup community in the Phoenix area for some time (including co-directing PHX Startup Week for 2 years and serving on the board of YesAZ), I do get asked from time to time how people can get involved. Whether its attending events, volunteering, pitching a new idea or business, or just connecting, there are so many ways to get involved, contribute, and grow the startup community in Phoenix. Here’s my recommended way to get involved:
- yesPHX – this is probably the best entry point into all things startups in Phoenix. #yesPHX started as a hashtag to celebrate startups and entrepreneurs in Phoenix but has grown into an entire community with a newsletter, Slack team, and an annual happy hour. I’d recommend starting here to meet others in the startup community and get more involved. You can join the yesPHX Facebook group and request access to the yesPHX Slack.
- Startup Events – There’s tons of great events for startups, entrepreneurs, and idea makers across the Valley of the Sun. Here’s a few that I’d recommend attending (and even volunteering to help organize):
- PHX Startup Week – an annual conference by and for entrepreneurs from across PHX and even the whole state of Arizona.
- Venture Cafe
- Startup Grind Phoenix
- Founders Live
- Pitch In AZ
- House of Genius
- Organizations Supporting Startups – whether its incubators and accelerators, venture funds, coworking spaces, industry associations, chambers of commerce, government agencies, or universities Phoenix is full of organizations on a joint mission to help entrepreneurs and their startups succeed. Here’s just a few that have stood out to me:
- Other Startup Resources
- Arizona Commerce Authority’s Startup Resource Directory
- Gregslist – a directory of software companies based in Phoenix
I’m sure I’ve missed a few! But these are a fantastic starting point. If you think of one that should make the list, by all means – let me know!
