PHOENIX — It looks a little like ‘Shark Tank’, but it’s happening right here in Phoenix. Valley software entrepreneurs are getting the chance to practice their business pitches before they face real investors.
It’s part of a program called “Pitch Practice,” hosted by PHX FWD, a business community created by Arizona business leader Clate Mask, founding ‘PHX FWD’ with a big goal in mind.
“Our mission is to make Phoenix a top software city in the country by 2035. That’s the big goal we are going after,” said Mask.
Each month, local software startup founders are given ten minutes to present their big ideas. Afterward, they get immediate feedback from a panel of seasoned Arizona business leaders. It’s guidance that can mean the difference between a stalled idea and a startup ready for funding.
“If you have a great idea and can’t pitch well, it doesn’t go,” said Mask. “You have to get people behind your idea; the pitch is crucial.”
For founders like Rob Nicoletti of Halo, the free advice could mean a big round of funding.
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“One of the takeaways for today is making sure they’re following along with the story, why you’re doing what you’re doing, and who you’re helping along the way,” Nicoletti said.
And for the presenting founders, the timing is right, Mask says. Arizona’s tech economy is expanding rapidly, from semiconductor manufacturers to massive data centers. With talent, opportunity, and capital in place, he believes the Valley is poised to become a major software hub.
“I say there’s hot coals across the Valley, and my job is to gather it all together and just to fan the flames so people see what’s happening with software in Phoenix,” Mask said.
The Arizona Technology Council estimates that by 2028, tech and software jobs in the state will grow by nine percent, bringing the total to more than 250,000 people employed in the sector across the Valley.
