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The Talent is Here. Opportunities for Connection are Coming.

Let’s face it, too many talented job seekers are getting lost in automated systems and the resume black hole. In our latest blog, we explore why human connection, not algorithms, is the real key to unlocking opportunity in Arizona’s workforce.

See how Tech Talent Summits and bold community partnerships are bringing people back into the hiring equation.

Join the waitlist for the November 2025 Tech Talent Summit + Startup World Cup AZ.

Waitlist is Open!

The 4th Tech Talent Summit and Startup World Cup AZ is coming November 6–7, 2025

➡️ Currently seeking speakers, sponsors, employers who are hiring!

Phoenix is hosting the next wave of innovation at the 4th Tech Talent Summit, a two-day experience focused on defense innovation, healthtech, software, AI, capital, and talent development. Our mission is to connect innovation to opportunity.

Day 1 is all about tech talent—featuring a modern career fair with top startups and enterprise companies ready to hire, alongside panels and sessions on the future of work, global talent, and upskilling.

Day 2 focuses on capital and company-building, with tactical sessions for founders, active investors, and the Startup World Cup pitch competition—where one Arizona company will advance to SF for a shot at $1M.

Join the waitlist to grab a spot at first access to pre-sale tickets and program updates!

➡️ Oh, and we’re not about keeping Arizona’s opportunities a secret. Share the waitlist form with anyone you know who needs the perfect landing spot for their startup, scale-up, investment, or innovation. 💌

Freeway Pathways Coalition

As we continue to champion community-led growth, we’re proud to introduce the Freeway Pathways Coalition, a strategic alliance focused on transforming how emerging talent accesses meaningful career opportunities.

This dynamic group of workforce leaders, educators, HR professionals, and industry partners is dedicated to improving the candidate experience, supporting new graduates, and building pathways for career changers to thrive in high-growth industries.

Our shared mission: to design sustainable systems that connect people to opportunity — starting in Phoenix, with models that can scale nationwide.

Together, we’re building a stronger, more inclusive workforce that positions Greater Phoenix as a national leader in the future of work.

Spotlight on Prickly Pear Health: A Groundbreaking Innovation in Women’s Brain Health

Proudly built in Arizona. Prickly Pear Health recently raised a pre-seed round backed by Bayless Ventures, AZ Venture Capital (AVC), AZ-VC, and some of the region’s most visionary and active investors.

Imen Clark, Founder of Prickly Pear, is transforming women’s health with an AI-powered companion designed to support cognitive wellness through life’s hormonal transitions. Prickly Pear listens beyond words—using voice-based AI to understand tone, emotion, and context—delivering personalized insights that help women feel sharp, steady, and supported. Whether facing burnout, perimenopause, or the everyday demands of modern life, Clark’s innovation empowers women to reclaim their mental clarity and resilience.

Big Shout Out to the amazing team at Southwest Mission Acceleration Center (SW MAC). Applications are now open for the Fall 2025 FUSE Dual-Use Accelerator.

Delivered by SW MAC in partnership with Fuse Accelerator, this program is built for early-stage commercial tech companies developing solutions with national security potential.

🔗 Apply now: https://www.fuseaccelerator.com/apply

Is Opendoor the Next Meme Stock?

by Reid Simpson, REALTOR® & Team Lead GolfCourseHomes.com

Opendoor Technologies Inc. (listed on NASDAQ: OPEN), while technically headquartered in San Francisco, holds a major presence in Tempe, AZ. As recently as a month ago, Opendoor hit a dreaded milestone of its lowest stock price ever at 51 cents per share. They faced serious consequences of either needing to perform a reverse stock split or risk being delisted from the NASDAQ completely. This has been a major fall from grace because Opendoor's market cap before becoming a public company was $18B, and its lowest publicly traded market cap was approximately $1B. In terms of stock price, they nearly hit $35 per share in February of 2021, and it has been a slippery slope ever since...

... until early July! Some social media chatter begins, and new life gets breathed into the lungs of Opendoor, climbing the stock to over $1 per share by mid-July. Similarly to GameStop and AMC stocks during the pandemic, the underlying business model of the company remains unchanged, but the financial dynamics align themselves towards a complete turnaround. There is a concept called a short squeeze, which can cause investors who are betting against the stock to be forced to purchase the stock, thus causing the share price to go even higher. Opendoor no longer has to perform a reverse stock split and is back in the good graces of NASDAQ, for now.

Can they utilize this extended lifespan and additional capital to get back to sustainability? They have tried many business models, industry partnerships, and methods of adding additional revenue streams. To summarize their business simply, they need to "buy low and sell high," and currently they are losing tens of thousands of dollars on every home they purchase. Opendoor thrives in periods of high transaction volume, and struggles during times of sluggish Buyer demand mixed with high interest rates. At the time of this article, OPEN stock sits at over $2 per share, representing a 290% stock price increase in 1 month. Carvana has continued to rally (150% stock growth over the last 1 year) and is beating revenue estimates. As Opendoor & Carvana are Tempe Town Lake office neighbors, let's see if this trend continues and how they play a part in the Arizona landscape.

📆📍 Upcoming Events

🤝 8/1 Freeway Phx Tech Village Mixer @ Kiln

🎤 8/13 Speaker Series Lunch & Learn | C-Suite Strategy, Startup Budget: How to Play Big Without Breaking the Bank

🎤 8/20 Speaker Series Lunch & Learn | Building Community Around Your Company

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