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.
campus-wide programs
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.
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
campus-wide programs
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
community partnerships
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.
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.
2020 goals
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
550
# of mentors advising ASU entrepreneurs
top 5
ASU ranked in the top 5 universities for entrepreneurship
join us at entrepreneurship.asu.edu