Local Bank Partners With Arizona State University’s J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship & Innovation Institute to Support Local Ventures, Encourage Business Growth
Scottsdale Community Bank has a lengthy history of supporting local students and start-ups, and now, it’s expanding its commitment even further through two key partnerships with Arizona State University’s J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship & Innovation Institute.
As part of its ongoing efforts, Scottsdale Community Bank sent Vice President of Business Development Julie Stoney to serve as a judge at Venture Devils Demo Day, a large-scale event held Saturday, April 12 at SkySong, the ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center. During the event, ASU students offered up live, investor-style pitches to a judging panel, with student entrepreneurs walking away with more than $256,000 in funding to finance their respective ventures. 38 unique ventures were awarded funding in amounts ranging from $1,000 – $40,000.
“These students have big ideas and bold visions for the future, and hearing them pitch their ventures with so much passion and enthusiasm gives me great hope for the future of our state,” said Stoney. “We’re happy to play even a small part in supporting their growth, seeing their ideas come to fruition and helping them have a shot at real-world funding opportunities.
In addition to its efforts on behalf of Venture Devils, Scottsdale Community Bank also served as a banking
resource for the J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship & Innovation Institute’s Small Business Academy powered by SRP. This intensive, six-week bootcamp ended March 4 and welcomed 120 small and mid-sized businesses in distribution, custodial services, software integration, environmental consulting, substation construction and other procurement-based fields, guiding them through expert-led sessions while granting them access to resources and training opportunities they could use to expand operations.
Companies that participated in all six bootcamp sessions had an opportunity to join the Venture Challenge, pitching their businesses in front of a group of industry leaders, procurement specialists and buyers for a chance at up to $20,000 in funding.
Supporting entrepreneurship and offering mentorship is especially important to the team at Scottsdale Community Bank, given that several of its founding members were entrepreneurs themselves. By helping further the efforts of both early-stage entrepreneurs and established business leaders and owners, Scottsdale Community Bank continues to cement itself both a trusted community partner and a reliable resource for local growth and innovation.
For more about Scottsdale Community Bank, visit ScottsdaleCommunityBank.com.