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On November 6, Northern Arizona University (NAU) launched a venture studio on its Flagstaff campus to support entrepreneurs and their businesses. The NAU Venture Studio occupies a 5,000-square-foot space at Cline Library and will feature collaborative workspaces, a maker space, and audio, video, virtual reality, and mixed reality production facilities.
Brandon Clarke, cofounder and chair of Phoenix-based StartupAZ, serves as the director of the NAU Venture Studio while continuing his role at StartupAZ.
AZ Inno quoted Clark saying, “Locating the Venture Studio at Cline Library was a strategic choice. Cline is a natural gathering place for students and is highly accessible to community members, creating an ideal environment where people can come together, share expertise, and drive their ideas forward.”
The NAU Venture Studio aims to incubate six to eight projects annually to transform the most promising business concepts into startups headquartered and funded in northern Arizona. Inaugural projects will address affordable housing, rural health and wellness, and compliance and accountability in Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account.
In addition, the studio will support and organize events such as the quarterly Peak Founder Speaker Series, hackathons, startup weekends, and entrepreneur-led workshops.
"The NAU Venture Studio has the potential to be a defining moment for NAU," said Ashok Subramanian, dean of the W. A. Franke College of Business at NAU and chair of the NAU Venture Studio, in a statement to AZ Inno. "It will serve as a true on-campus hub that taps into our students' entrepreneurial potential while engaging stakeholders, investors, and community partners to bring new ideas to market."
NAU’s Venture Studio joins a growing number of similar initiatives in Arizona. Recently, Idealab Arizona, in partnership with California-based technology incubator Idealab Studio, announced plans to launch a startup studio with Arizona State University. This studio aims to cofound ASU-affiliated startups, increase commercialized intellectual property, startups, and jobs in Arizona, and focus on the climate, medical, artificial intelligence, and advanced manufacturing sectors.
Having a venture studio in Northern Arizona, like the NAU Venture Studio, brings several significant benefits to the region and supports the state's growing tech startup ecosystem in various ways:
Establishing a venture studio in Northern Arizona helps stimulate the local economy by fostering innovation, creating job opportunities, and attracting investment. Startups incubated at the venture studio can grow into successful companies contributing to the region's economic development.
The NAU Venture Studio provides a supportive environment for entrepreneurs by offering resources, mentorship, and collaboration opportunities. This support is crucial for early-stage startups that need guidance and expertise to navigate the challenges of building a business.
Due to its ideal location on the Northern Arizona University campus, the venture studio can access a pool of talented students and faculty members. This access to fresh ideas, research, and innovation can drive the growth of startups and encourage students to pursue entrepreneurial ventures.
The venture studio creates a space for innovators and entrepreneurs to collaborate, share ideas, and work on cutting-edge projects. This collaborative environment can lead to the development of groundbreaking technologies and solutions that benefit the broader tech ecosystem.
The studio's location at Cline Library makes it accessible to students and community members. This accessibility fosters a sense of community and encourages local involvement in entrepreneurial activities, creating a vibrant ecosystem of innovators.
The NAU Venture Studio's projects address regional challenges such as affordable housing, rural health and wellness, and compliance with educational programs. By focusing on local issues, the studio can develop solutions that directly and positively impact the community.
Events like the Peak Founder Speaker Series, hackathons, and startup weekends organized by the venture studio provide networking opportunities for entrepreneurs. These events help startups gain exposure, connect with potential investors, and learn from industry leaders.
By supporting startups locally, the venture studio ensures that promising business concepts remain funded and headquartered in Northern Arizona. Retaining talent and ideas prevents brain drain and strengthens the region's innovation ecosystem.
For more information on the NAU Venture studio, visit their website.
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