As Route 66 businesses celebrate the Mother Road’s centennial anniversary next year, Shari McLaws expects her Old Trails RV Campground near Holbrook will be one of them. Her business concept reveals 75 RV spaces in the first phase of her three-phase buildout on 150 acres of land she owns, a vision she believes will bring tourism and economic development to the area. McLaws, a real estate investor, shared her idea in the Moonshot Rural Arizona Pitch Competition earlier this year. She won the … [Read more...] about Holbrook RV Campground Scheduled to Welcome Route 66 Travelers in 2026
Moonshot
Entrepreneurial Excellence: Moonshot Celebrates Shoemaker Award Recipients
A fusion of innovation and elegance set the stage for the 4th Annual Moonshot Shoemaker Awards, Thursday, Sept. 18, in space that transformed into a ballroom at Lowell Observatory’s new Astronomical Discovery Center and opened to the ponderosa pine forest. Key honorees included Paul Sciame, recipient of the 2025 Mission Control Award; Katalyst Space Technologies, the 2025 Shoemaker Award winner; Mountain Mojo Group, the 2024 Shoemaker Award winner; and Dr. Megan Engbring, recipient of the 2025 … [Read more...] about Entrepreneurial Excellence: Moonshot Celebrates Shoemaker Award Recipients
Paul Sciame to Receive Prestigious Mission Control Award at Lowell Next Month
Paul Sciame doesn’t work on anything that currently exists. He is thinking about what we need to do in the future. Before we had the smartphone, Sciame was involved in creating the precursor, a wirelessly connected Microsoft Pocket PC running content, applications and services based on the personal digital assistant (PDA), like the Palm Pilot. Before we could ask our 4Runner to play our favorite songs, he was working with Toyota and Lexus on an interactive car technology platform, the networked … [Read more...] about Paul Sciame to Receive Prestigious Mission Control Award at Lowell Next Month
How to Fund Your Business: Lending Programs Available in Flagstaff
The City of Flagstaff Economic Development Department is committed to assisting our local small businesses grow and thrive. Better access to small business lending programs is one way to achieve that objective. Multiple resources are available to small businesses to finance their initial startup costs and future expansion. These include financial resources supported by the U.S. Treasury Department and Arizona Commerce Authority. The Small Business Development Center at Coconino Community … [Read more...] about How to Fund Your Business: Lending Programs Available in Flagstaff
Moonshot Launches Summer Celebration with Tours, Speakers, Workshops, Sustainable Practices
Moonshot, a leading Arizona innovation hub, will host its annual open house and BBQ, “The Summer Launch Party,” on Aug. 7, welcoming campus tenants and the public to explore the entrepreneurial ecosystem that has been fostering innovation in Arizona for more than 20 years. This year’s event marks the first time Moonshot will host the Going Green and Going Smart Summit, organized by Compass CBS Foundation in partnership with Arizona Public Service (APS). The summit focuses on sustainable … [Read more...] about Moonshot Launches Summer Celebration with Tours, Speakers, Workshops, Sustainable Practices
FireFlight Ready to Soar
As temperatures continue to heat up Arizona’s forested landscapes, FireFlight, an innovative tech startup specializing in wildfire risk management and artificial intelligence business solutions, is assessing homes, businesses and neighborhoods with the use of drones to create wildfire protection plans. Founder Ariel Strong, along with Creag Znetko and Jeff McCormick with the City of Flagstaff and Aspen Poturalski from Moonshot, celebrated the grand opening of FireFlight with a ribbon cutting … [Read more...] about FireFlight Ready to Soar
Moonshot Announces Expanded Rural Arizona Pitch Competition Tour with Bilingual Mentors
"Moonshot, a leading Arizona-based nonprofit dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship, is preparing for its 6th Annual Rural Arizona Pitch Competition Tour. The state-wide event will expand to 20 stops across rural Arizona, offering entrepreneurs the chance to present their innovative ideas and compete for local prizes. For the first time, it will include bilingual resources and mentorship opportunities to better serve Arizona’s diverse communities. "The Pitch Tour is a tremendous rally point … [Read more...] about Moonshot Announces Expanded Rural Arizona Pitch Competition Tour with Bilingual Mentors
Puzzle Rides Turns Sightseers into Wild West Crime Solvers and Pirates
What began as a golf cart taxi service that merely broke even has evolved into an award-winning and profitable guided tour adventure that invites Wild West bank robbers, pirates and ghosts along for the journey. And this has Puzzle Rides founder Katie Dufort thrilled. On Friday, Aug. 2, Dufort won the grand prize of $10,000 in the statewide Moonshot Rural Pitch Tour Competition in Cottonwood. She says the award will help her expand the hours of current staff members and hire more tour guides at … [Read more...] about Puzzle Rides Turns Sightseers into Wild West Crime Solvers and Pirates
Entrepreneurs Launched
The concept of detecting a wildfire from space and extinguishing it with a squad of firefighting drones is gaining support. Snuffed, a 22-member team including engineers, astronomers and firefighters, successfully pitched its plan to representatives of the City of Flagstaff’s Economic Development and Sustainability department on Saturday, May 4. The idea calls for launching 90 satellites to watch the West for ignitions. Flagstaff Fire Captain Mike Felts, a member of Snuffed, shared his … [Read more...] about Entrepreneurs Launched
‘Miles for the Missing’ Virtual Race to Support Investigation Costs for Families
Hundreds of thousands of people go missing every year, often leaving loved ones with unanswered questions and broken hearts. However, the situation is especially dire among Indigenous women because many cases go unreported. The National Institute for Law and Justice (NILJ), a non-profit organization with local ties, wants to help those families by providing funds to investigate the cases. To do so, volunteers are planning a virtual fundraising run/walk/bike race from May 1-31 called “Miles for … [Read more...] about ‘Miles for the Missing’ Virtual Race to Support Investigation Costs for Families
