Arizona State University entrepreneurship & innovation

The mission of the office of entrepreneurship + innovation is to support regional economic growth by fostering an entrepreneurial and innovative culture in all students, faculty and units across ASU and in the communities we serve. Our vision is to be a national model for entrepreneurship + innovation at a public research university.

entrepreneurship + innovation programs & partnerships

accelerator programs Edson Student Entrepreneur Initiative provides office space, mentoring, seed funding and a startup educational program to ASU student entrepreneurs. The purpose of the Edson Student Entrepreneur Initiative is to accelerate student ideas by providing mentorship, investment, and engagement that creates economic impact and social change. $730K The current 2014 Edson Cohort raised $737,500 in external funding.

accelerator programs Furnace Technology Transfer Accelerator is designed to launch new companies based on technologies and intellectual property licensed from Arizona’s premier research institutions. Rather than leaving viable research in textbooks and laboratories, we turn them into real business and tangible products. Furnace is the first accelerator in the world to offer the commercial research and discoveries from universities and other research organizations to external entrepreneurs on a competitive basis. Companies accepted into Furnace participate in an intensive nine-month accelerator experience that includes initial seed funding, office space and access to top industry mentors. The companies receive a package of funding and services worth more than $100,000, including $25,000 in funding and nine months of incubation space.

ASU Startup Days are entrepreneurship awareness events held each semester in partnership with colleges and schools at ASU. During Startup Days entrepreneurship staff present in classes and provide mentoring for students who want to launch ideas. These events culminate in pitch and demo events highlighting successful student ventures. campus-wide programs Innovation Challenges are beyond-the-classroom opportunities designed across all academic units with themes that span a wide range of interests and topics, giving students, faculty, staff and the public an opportunity to express their entrepreneurial spirit. Innovation Challenges are an embodiment of the New American University design aspiration of valuing entrepreneurship and fostering innovation. Corporate partners on challenges include: Shell & Verizon

Startup Fellows Program engages 40 ASU students (10 students/campus) that embody the entrepreneurial spirit. Nominated by their respective colleges, Startup Fellows receive targeted training to promote entrepreneurship to their peers on-campus. campus-wide programs Women’s Entrepreneurship Initiative provides specialized training, mentorship and programs for women entrepreneurs with a goal of increasing the number of women-led ventures launched at ASU. Success to date: The Women’s Entrepreneurship Initiative was awarded a $50K grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration in the Fall of 2014.

campus-wide programs Startup Village is a diverse residential community of thinkers and doers who live together to collaborate and scale innovative business ideas. The community provides students of all majors with an immersive residential opportunity that supports the launch of students’ startup idea while they work toward a university degree. Startup Spring Break invites ASU students to participate in a accelerated startup boot camp over the spring semester break. Students chosen to participate in startup spring break receive 1-on-1 mentoring and consultation from ASU entrepreneurship staff.

educational programs Startup School is a proven methodology for startup success developed by ASU. Startup School participants can earn three certificates from ASU in Startup Ideation, Validation and Acceleration. Startup School is available to anyone, everywhere. Success to date: Startup School is offered in person to ASU students, faculty staff and the community in weekly face-to-face instruction on ASU campuses, at partnering locations across Phoenix, and online through ASU Online. Teaching Innovation Fellows supports high school educators by embedding entrepreneurship, innovation and applied projects into their curriculum. Success to date: ASU received a grant of $620K from the Verizon Foundation to grow the Teaching Innovation Fellows program.

community partnerships TechShop democratizes access to tools for entrepreneurship + innovation and opens up tremendous new opportunities for entrepreneurs to learn and create. ASU’s partnership with TechShop and the City of Chandler enables ASU to offer students and the community more access to state-of-the-art technology and resources than any other educational setting nationwide. Additionally, it provides a resource to the business community. It offers companies and employees opportunities to collaborate, innovate, and develop their ideas.

community partnerships Startup Community is a collaborate network of libraries, museums and community partners that advance and promote local innovation and entrepreneurship through knowledge sharing. The network provides community members with broad access to continuing education opportunities in entrepreneurship as well as access to mentors and service provides for aspiring small business. Startup Community members have access to ASU Startup School and attend annual conference held at ASU for the community.

ASU Mentor Network is an active coalition of business leaders from across the Phoenix metropolitan region who share expertise in all aspects of business development to ASU entrepreneurs. community partnerships Phoenix Startup Week is a regional celebration of Phoenix’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Launching in February 2015, Phoenix Startup Week will include a Downtown showcase of ASU’s entrepreneurship programs and a special event co-hosted with JPMorgan Chase.

Impact to date $120M in the past two years, Arizona State University startups have raised more than $120 million in total funding.

100% of ASU students participating in entrepreneurship programs $5M raised in external funding for Edson Student Entrepreneurship Initiative 40% of student ventures led by women & other underrepresented populations 2020 goals 550 # of mentors advising ASU entrepreneurs top 5 ASU ranked in the top 5 universities for entrepreneurship

join us at entrepreneurship.asu.edu