SkySong Innovation Blog
New SkySong restaurant profiled in The Arizona Republic
"City Market is building a location in the Portales Corporate Center at Scottsdale and Chaparral roads in Scottsdale. Putrus expects the deli, on the west side of the 4800 N. Scottsdale Road building, to open later this month pending city inspections. It will be the brand's third Valley location.
"The company will start building out space at SkySong, the ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center, at Scottsdale and McDowell roads. It expects that location to open by year's end."
Read the rest of the article HERE.
August 17 at 11:42am
Game on! Students harness game design skills at camp
Creativity, technology and youthful enthusiasm were recently on display as young video game designers from Arizona State University’s CampGame demonstrated their creations for friends, family and fellow gamers at SkySong, the ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center.
A video game production and development summer camp program offered to middle and high school students by ASU, CampGame teaches students the latest tips, tricks and tools in video game creation. Students showcased their full-functioning video game creations during a special reception at ASU SkySong, the home of the camp.
Read the entire press release HERE.
August 11 at 12:39pm
New Restaurant Coming to SkySong Project
City Market Deli Will Be First Restaurant on Property in 10 Years
SkySong, The ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center is welcoming the first restaurant to the property since Los Arcos Mall closed 10 years ago.
City Market Deli, which has three other locations in major office complexes in the Valley, will be opening a 1,700 square foot location this fall. The deli has received favorable reviews and is a population destination for working professionals and people from nearby neighborhoods at all of the properties it serves.
Read the entire press release HERE.
August 2 at 9:30am
Students get opportunity to connect with their inner entrepreneur
The GenJuice Tour will make a stop in the Valley on July 25, 2010 at SkySong, the ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center, connecting local young entrepreneurs to the resources and skills they need to succeed – and each other.
A global network of "Generation Y" innovators, GenJuice provides tools, connections and motivation to help them succeed with their entrepreneurial quests. The GenJuice Tour is visiting 13 cities in 40 days and features events geared at student innovators.
GenJuice is actually led by a handful of 20-something entrepreneurs, including co-founder – and Arizona State University alumnus and Phoenix resident – Virgilia Kaur Singh. GenJuice provides the motivation, networking skills and resources young entrepreneurs need to succeed, Singh said.
Read the rest of the article HERE.
July 21 at 11:34am
SkySong Continues To Draw New Companies Thanks to ASU Presence, Focus on Technology
Project Lands Two New Tenants Totaling More Than 12,000 Square Feet, Including Rapidly Growing Software and Well-Known Business Service Companies
SkySong, The ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center, is welcoming two more significant tenants to its growing roster of innovative companies.
rSmart Software, which provides open-source software for educational uses, has signed a 65-month lease at SkySong for more than 10,000 square feet of space, with an option for 5,000 additional square feet in the future to accommodate its growth. The company currently has approximately 50 employees who will be working at SkySong.
And ADP, a well-known company providing business outsourcing solutions, has signed a lease for a 2,100-square-foot presence in the project. The two leases mean the two SkySong office buildings are now more than 80 percent leased combined — SkySong I is 99 percent occupied, and SkySong II is now two- thirds occupied.
Read the entire press release HERE.
June 17 at 9:36am
ASU student entrepreneurs win funding to pursue innovation
Edson Student Entrepreneur Initiative provides a total of $200,000 to 22 student teams
Several student entrepreneurs at Arizona State University received good news – and thousands of dollars – this week as they were named recipients of Edson Student Entrepreneur Initiative funding.
The Edson Initiative offers students an opportunity to accelerate their venture concepts by providing funding, office space, mentorship and training to accelerate the success of their concepts. More than $200,000 was granted to 22 student teams who will move in to SkySong, the ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center, and begin their work with business experts and entrepreneurs to catapult their ideas into reality.
The Edson Initiative has been awarding students funding to propel their entrepreneurial ideas -- large or small, for-profit or not-for-profit, domestic or global -- for six years. Winning teams are provided grants of $5,000 to $20,000 and more than $1.2 million has now been awarded to students through the initiative. This year’s winners were chosen from all areas of study, including biological science, special events management and electrical engineering.
Read the rest of the article HERE.
June 8 at 11:25am
Venture Ready ™ Teams with ASU SkySong to Help Arizona Entrepreneurs
Two premier Valley organizations assisting local early-stage companies with venture acceleration create collaborative relationship
The Venture Ready™ program created by MIT Enterprise Forum Phoenix announced today its active collaboration with ASU SkySong to help Arizona entrepreneurs accelerate their companies and secure funding for future growth.
The MIT Enterprise Forum is a network of 25 chapters throughout the world working to educate entrepreneurs, with the Phoenix chapter recently creating Venture Ready™ to specifically prepare companies for Series A/B capital funding. ASU offers myriad entrepreneurial support services headquartered at SkySong, the ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center, as well as IP and technology venturing support through Arizona Technology Enterprises (AzTE).
“Between our two organizations, we feel like any entrepreneur or start-up company in Arizona can find resources and support, no matter at which stage they are in their development,” said Andy Lombard, board member of the MIT Enterprise Forum Phoenix. “We look forward to collaborating with ASU SkySong to ensure that all Arizona entrepreneurs have a better chance to succeed.”
Read more about the collaboration HERE.
June 2 at 9:27am
Yodle adding 80 to SkySong office; plans job fair
Need a job? Yodle, an online advertising company, is looking to hire 80 people for their recently expanded SkySong office. They are having a job fair on Thursday, June 3rd...see the Phoenix Business Journal article HERE for more details.
June 1 at 8:49am
ASU SkySong welcomes company from India
With the touchdown of an Australian GA8-TC Airvan at Scottsdale Municipal Airport and the unlocking of an office door at SkySong, the ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center, two important landings occurred in the Valley today.
ASU SkySong and Mahindra Engineering Services (MES) announced the opening of a new office for MES, a subsidiary of India-based multinational corporation Mahindra. In addition, the Millions Against Malaria flight made a brief stop on its way to circumnavigating the globe to celebrate 100 years of Australian aviation and raise $1 million for malaria awareness.
Read the press release HERE, and read the Phoenix Business Journal article about Mahindra HERE.
May 24 at 10:01am
Business Journal's Jan Buchholz makes a case for shade
Phoenix Business Journal reporter Jan Buchholz posted on the paper's blog a good case for shade structures like the one at SkySong, which was used as an example of how Arizona can make the summer months more livable and encourage economic development at the same time.
"It makes sense to promote Phoenix as a solar power powerhouse, but I think there's a niche market we've been missing. If we pursued it as a community, we'd have it made in the shade, so to speak.
"And that which I speak about is shade. Why isn't Phoenix the shade technology center of the universe? Why are structures built here that cry out: Hey, sun gods, fry us every June. July, August and September, too.
"Why aren't we making shade like it's going out of style? Moreover, why are we creating asphalt jungles that sizzle all summer long?"
You can read the post in its entirety at this link.
May 17 at 11:34am
Shade structure lighting completed; captured in stunning photos
Local photographer Matt Smith recently took some stunning photos of the SkySong shade structure with its newly installed lighting. If you haven't seen the structure at night recently, it looks amazing...check out the photos at this link or click on the photo above.
May 3 at 10:03am
Channel Intelligence hosting open house on April 20
Channel Intelligence is hosting an open house in their cool new space in SkySong II. Here are the details:
WHO: Channel Intelligence invites our neighbors to visit our suite, meet our staff and learn a little about our products.
WHAT: Suite tours and light refreshments. Champagne toast to success in the new office. We'll run some demos, display slideshows on various services, etc.
WHEN: April 20, 2010 4-7 p.m.
WHERE: 1375 North Scottsdale Road (SkySong Complex), Suite 370
WHY: CI wants to meet the new neighbors and show the community what the company is doing to drive innovation in the e-commerce industry.
April 20 at 9:57am
Yodle becomes SkySong's third-largest tenant
Congratulations to Yodle, which has expanded into a new space that makes it SkySong's third-largest tenant. Here's the Arizona Republic article from this weekend on this terrific news!
April 12 at 10:35am
SkySong Innovation Bulletin - Spring 2010
The SkySong Innovation Bulletin for Spring 2010 spotlights a couple of major new tenants, SkySong's Best of NAIOP Award, new companies in the ASU SkySong accelerator space and an extention of the Farmers' Market. Click HERE to download a PDF.
April 7 at 11:07am
Six new tenants move into ASU SkySong
From the Phoenix Business Journal:
"SkySong, the Arizona State University Innovation Center, has announced the addition of five new tenants to its south Scottsdale facility.
"Companies leasing space are Emerge.MD, a health care software solution and Web application firm; PeopleJar.com, a networking platform; Riinu.com, a social networking site focused on healthy lifestyle choices; SiteVoice, a conversational technology innovator; and South Denmark International, a consulting service that assists Danish companies that want to enter the U.S. market.
"'All of these new partners add interesting elements to the unique mix of companies within our space at ASU SkySong,' said Julia Rosen, associate vice president for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at ASU.
"Also recently the Phoenix Business Journal reported that the Arizona BioIndustry Association was moving its headquarters from Phoenix into space at ASU SkySong."
Here's the link to the above article. You may view the press release from ASU SkySong by clicking HERE.
April 6, 2010
SkySong wins Best of NAIOP award
SkySong was named the Redevelopment Office or Industrial Project of the Year in the 2009 Best of NAIOP Arizona Awards presented this week. Here's a photo of the award and here's the profile of the project in the Phoenix Business Journal's special section on real estate.
March 26 at 11:46am
ASU SkySong video released
Here's a great new video on ASU SkySong done by an ASU undergraduate student. (Vimeo link)
March 19 at 2:01pm
SkySong Incubator Company Expands: Adaptive Curriculum to Become SkySong’s 3rd-Largest Tenant
One of Best Examples to Date of How the SkySong Model Works; Company Will Lease More Than 13,000 Square Feet; Adds New CEO to Team
In one of the best examples yet of how the SkySong model can help companies grow and thrive, Adaptive Curriculum has transformed from a small “incubator” company at SkySong, the ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center, to a thriving business that will now lease more than 13,000 square feet in the project.
Adaptive Curriculum is an award-winning digital math and science solution for middle school and high school. The company recently hired a new CEO, Jim Bowler, to help the company manage its dramatic expansion. It will have the third-largest office space at SkySong, behind ASU SkySong itself and Ticketmaster, and triple the number of employees in its new offices over the next two years.
It’s a dramatic success story for a company that came to ASU SkySong only three years ago with two employees at the time. The company credits the synergy and knowledge gained from ASU SkySong as a critical component in its growth and success over the past few years.
Click HERE to read the entire release (PDF file).
March 8 at 11:41am
ASU innovation expands global reach to Japan
Technological discoveries from ASU and several Japanese universities will gain access to new markets through an innovative cross-marketing partnership between SkySong-based Arizona Technology Enterprises (AzTE) and Japan Technology Group (JTG).
The agreement, announced today, will enable AzTE and JTG to collaborate on commercializing selected technologies from ASU and eight prominent Japanese universities. AzTE will market Japanese intellectual property in the United States and JTG will return the favor on behalf of ASU in Japan with the goal of accelerating university innovations into the marketplace.
Read the entire press release HERE.
March 3 at 11:35am
Sustainable Symphony to Perform at SkySong Evening Farmers’ Market
Feb. 11 appearance brings ‘sustainable’ art to event that promotes sustainable practices
The Sustainable Symphony returns to the evening Farmers’ Market at SkySong, the ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center, on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2010, at 7 p.m.
The Symphony, comprised mostly of ASU students and alumni, concentrates on performing well-known and relevant orchestral music. Their 40-piece orchestra will be performing Dvorak’s New World Symphony as the Farmers’ Market concludes its business for the day. The Market made its debut in October 2009 and is open every Thursday evening from 3 – 7 p.m. at SkySong through March 2010. Click HERE for the entire release.
February 2 at 1:02pm
SkySong cited as example of how Arizona can "play to its strengths"
From the Sunday Arizona Republic...how Arizona should play to its strengths when it comes to economic development, with SkySong as one of the models of a success story. Read the whole article HERE.
"There's an old legal term, coined by Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, which describes the principle of federalism as the "laboratory of the states." That is, because states can to a certain extent write their own laws and set their own policies, they can seek what works on their own without having to wait for guidance (or orders) from Washington.
"The principle applies just as well to economic matters and is one that every state should be taking to heart right now. We don't know where the economy is headed, but we can predict one thing: Washington isn't going to provide the silver bullet that saves Arizona or any other state. Arizonans must save themselves with smart polices and good decisions."
February 1 at 4:20pm
SkySong tenant Allivant inks major new deal
From the Phoenix Business Journal:
Allviant Corp., creator of the CarePass, which allows patients to control their personal health information, has taken another step toward getting that product into the hands of consumers.
Founded in August 2008 at Arizona State University’s SkySong in Scottsdale, the company has signed a deal with the Cambridge, Mass.-based Dossia Consortium to incorporate CarePass technology into Dossia’s offerings.
Dossia is a nonprofit composed of several Fortune 500 companies working together to create personal health care records for employees.
Read the entire article HERE.
January 29 at 9:56am
SkySong welcomes significant new tenant
SkySong, The ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center has reached a lease agreement with a significant new tenant that will occupy one of the largest spaces currently leased in the project.
Channel Intelligence, which helps retailers, manufacturers and other advertisers make their products and services easier for consumers to find and buy online and in local retail stores, will be leasing more than 10,000 square feet in SkySong II.
The new lease comes at a time when the commercial real estate market is still struggling from the effects of the economic downturn — but SkySong continues to bring in new companies despite the economic conditions.
To read the entire release, click HERE.
January 21 at 10:13am
SkySong teams up with Barrett-Jackson for Scottsdale Road Rally
The Barrett-Jackson Auction Company begins another historic auction season in 2010 with their First Annual Scottsdale Road Rally and Cruise-In on Saturday, Jan. 16. From 12 - 3 p.m. approx. 75 cars taking part in the Road Rally will gather at the SkySong Center, located at 1475 N. Scottsdale Rd. at McDowell Rd., where spectators can get a sneak peak at the vehicles before they cruise a seven-mile course through the streets of Scottsdale beginning at 3 p.m. To learn more about the event, click HERE.
January 12 at 11:31am
SkySong Receives "Energy Star" Certification
SkySong, The ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center's Building I has earned the prestigious Energy Star certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The Energy Star designation identifies SkySong I as "one of the most efficient buildings in the nation," according to the EPA's announcement. It is the latest in a string of significant environmental recognitions for the project.
According to the EPA, commercial buildings that earn the Energy Star status use an average of 40 percent less energy than typical buildings and release 35 percent less carbon monoxide into the atmosphere.
In 2009, SkySong I and SkySong II earned the coveted LEED Silver Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, and an Award of Merit for its environmental stewardship from Valley Forward.
"We are very honored to earn this prestigious certification," said Sharon Harper, President & CEO of the Plaza Companies, one of the co-developers of SkySong. "From Day 1, we set out to build a project that is truly a cut above the rest when it comes to environmental responsibility. This award, along with the others we’ve received for SkySong, are very gratifying and affirm all our hard work."
Read the rest of the release HERE.
January 8 at 12:32pm
Arizona Republic profiles SkySong tenant BrainSavers
"In 2004, Bendheim founded his company, BrainSavers, which aims to reduce people's risk of dementia through a program of good nutrition, physical activity and mental stimulation.
"After a few years of research and development, BrainSavers recently launched in two major areas: The first participants will begin using the BrainSavers program early this year, and the BrainSavers line of nutrition bars was introduced, selling locally at Whole Foods and Sunflower Farmers Markets and nationally later this year.
"BrainSavers, based at SkySong, has teamed with SCAN Health Plan Arizona to offer a pilot program to people in assisted-living facilities."
Read the entire article HERE.
January 7 at 11:33am
SkySong Evening Farmers’ Market Returning to Thursday Nights Starting January 7
After a successful fall run, the SkySong Evening Farmers’ Market will start back up on Thursday, January 7 and run throughout the spring months under the project’s signature shade structure.
The markets take place from 3-7 p.m. and feature more than two dozen farmers, agriculturalists, food caterers and food retailers. It is the first retail-oriented event on the property since the days of the old Los Arcos Mall, which closed in 1999.
“We had a terrific response to the first farmers’ markets at SkySong, and want to encourage everyone in the neighborhood to come visit them once again,” said Sharon Harper, President & CEO of the Plaza Companies, one of the co-developers of SkySong. “We are proud to be able to host such a wonderful community event.”
Higgins Development Partners and Plaza Companies are co-developers of the project in partnership with the Arizona State University Foundation and USAA Real Estate Company.
The Farmers’ Market is free to the public and open to everyone to attend. The markets will be held weekly throughout the spring except for during holidays. The events will include entertainment and musical performances.
For regular updates and schedules for the SkySong Evening Farmers’ Market, visit www.skysongcenter.com, or visit SkySong’s page on Facebook.
December 30 at 2:40pm
