Entrepreneurship at Arizona State University

ASU's transformation under President Michael Crow is one of the most remarkable stories in American higher education. The university has gone from a regional party school to a nationally recognized innovation engine, with explicit institutional commitment to entrepreneurship and applied research. With over 80,000 students across multiple campuses, ASU has scale that few universities can match, and it has used that scale strategically - Skysong, the ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center, is a full innovation district connecting university research to commercial ventures. The J. Mack Robinson Center for Entrepreneurship and the Fulton Schools of Engineering's entrepreneurship programs create multiple pathways from research to startup.

What makes ASU unique is its willingness to experiment. The university has created programs like Venture Devils, which provides free mentorship, funding, and resources to any ASU student, alumnus, or faculty member who wants to start a company - not just the select few who win pitch competitions. The Entrepreneurship + Innovation department in the W. P. Carey School of Business offers one of the largest entrepreneurship programs in the country by enrollment. And ASU's partnerships with major corporations (they have more corporate-sponsored research than almost any university) create natural channels for technology commercialization.

Phoenix-Tempe is also an increasingly relevant startup ecosystem. The metro area has attracted major tech employers (Taiwan Semiconductor, Intel, and numerous data centers), creating a technical talent pool that supports startups. The cost of living is significantly lower than California, and Arizona's business-friendly environment makes it relatively easy to start and operate a company.

ASU student founders in 2026 have access to one of the most democratized entrepreneurship ecosystems in American higher education. Venture Devils does not require admission to a selective program - any student with an idea can access mentorship, prototype funding, and workspace. The ASU Entrepreneurship + Innovation program graduates more students with entrepreneurship training than most universities, creating a large community of startup-minded peers.

The practical advantage is scale and accessibility: ASU's size means more potential co-founders, more diverse skill sets, and more opportunities to test ideas with a large student population. The Phoenix metro area's growth as a tech hub means increasing access to capital and technical talent. The challenge is that Phoenix's VC ecosystem, while growing, is still developing compared to coastal cities.

• Venture Devils - open entrepreneurship support for all ASU affiliates
• W. P. Carey School of Business - Entrepreneurship + Innovation department
• Fulton Schools of Engineering entrepreneurship programs
• J. Mack Robinson Center for Entrepreneurship

• Skysong - ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center
• Venture Devils Launchpad - early-stage venture support
• Chandler Innovation Center

• Entrepreneurship Club at ASU
• Sun Devil Venture Fund
• Innovation Space (interdisciplinary product development)
• Devil's Invent (hackathon program)

• GoDaddy (Bob Parsons)
• Insight Enterprises (Eric Crown)
• Petsmart (Jim Dougherty)
• Swift Transportation (Jerry Moyes)

The Phoenix metro area is experiencing rapid growth as a tech hub, driven by massive semiconductor investments (TSMC's $40 billion Arizona fab, Intel's expanded Chandler operations), data center construction, and an influx of California transplants. For ASU founders, this means a growing technical talent pool, increasing VC interest in the region, and a cost structure that makes startup capital stretch significantly further than on the coasts. Skysong in Scottsdale has become the anchor of the university-connected startup community, housing companies, VC offices, and co-working space. The Invest Southwest conference brings national investors to Phoenix annually, and local firms like Arizona Technology Investors and Desert Angels provide early-stage capital. The honest assessment: Phoenix is not yet a top-tier startup city, but its trajectory is strongly positive, and ASU's scale ensures a steady pipeline of talent and ideas.

Phoenix-Tempe is a growing tech hub, with major semiconductor manufacturers (TSMC, Intel), data centers, and an increasingly diverse startup scene. The cost of living is significantly lower than California, and Arizona is business-friendly.