I hope you’re making plans to join us on Thursday at the Montelucia Resort for the first Arizona Tech Innovation Summit. The event is sold out, but if you’re not already registered, please add your name to the waiting list; it will be worth it.
The demand is so high because the agenda we’ve put together – thanks to the leadership of Gov. Doug Ducey, the team at the Arizona Commerce Authority, and Thiel Capital’s Managing Director Jack Selby – is bursting with good content focused on what’s driving the culture of innovation in Arizona.
You probably already know the bullet points. That Arizona is a hotbed for autonomous vehicles. That an electric vehicle manufacturer announced it’s making a major investment in Pinal County. That Intel recently signaled a $7 billion investment in Chandler that will create 3,000 jobs. And that companies like Yelp, Weebly and other Silicon Valley firms are growing their presence in Arizona in a major way.
The question is why. Why is Arizona quickly gaining a national reputation for having an environment that is so receptive to businesses on the cutting edge of technological innovation? That’s the question we’re going to dig into at the Summit.
We’re going to hear from financiers on what they’re looking for in their next venture, and what has them excited about greater Phoenix’s tech scene; from tech leaders who will reflect on what Arizona has to offer tech firms; and from startup executives.
I’m particularly excited about a conversation that I’ll moderate between Gov. Ducey and Arizona State University President Michael Crow. Gov. Ducey has made ensuring that Arizona’s policy environment keeps pace with technology, which has been central to the growth I discussed, while Dr. Crow is presiding over the nation’s most innovative university for two years running, according to U.S. News and World Report. These are two leaders who are clearly future-focused.
We’ll close things out with comments from Jack Selby, Thiel Capital’s managing director, and one of the foremost authorities on what investors are looking for as they eye the next big thing on the tech scene.
I am thrilled that Arizona is playing host to this convergence of the tech world and Arizona’s broader business community, which will solidify the link between our state and Silicon Valley. I look forward to seeing you on Thursday.
