Kathryn Crew was energized when she heard her name announced as the winner in Moonshot’s Prescott-area contest during the 2026 Rural Arizona Pitch Competition & Tour event. “Finally, a breakthrough,” she thought. “Here we go. We can make a real difference.” Crew, a mushroom farmer and former Yavapai College instructor, had been helping others remediate the soil in their gardens and backyards from hard clay to fertile ground for about six years. Her focus, however, expanded and her passion … [Read more...] about Cultivating Breakthroughs: Mushroom Grower Harvests Win in Moonshot Pitch Competition
Moonshot
Moonshot Surveying Investors, Entrepreneurs to Determine Feasibility For Regional Investment Ecosystem
Moonshot, a nonprofit economic development organization, is conducting market research to determine whether Northern Arizona can support a regional angel investment fund or investor network. Moonshot President and CEO Scott Hathcock says the initiative responds to recurring requests from both entrepreneurs seeking capital and potential investors looking for local deal flow. “We keep hearing from both sides that there’s interest, but we need data to understand if there’s actually enough critical … [Read more...] about Moonshot Surveying Investors, Entrepreneurs to Determine Feasibility For Regional Investment Ecosystem
Moonshot Brings Pitch Competition Back to Prescott, Features Innovators in Flagstaff during Tech Week
Moonshot, in partnership with Yavapai College SBDC and the Regional Economic Development Center at Yavapai (REDC), has announced the return of its Rural Arizona Pitch Competition to Prescott April 2-8, 2026, at Yavapai College Building 19. This year's competition focuses on innovation and is part of Moonshot's 7th Annual Rural Arizona Pitch Tour, which is visiting 20 rural communities. Entrepreneurs with "moonshot" ideas – whether fully launched businesses or concepts scribbled on napkins – can … [Read more...] about Moonshot Brings Pitch Competition Back to Prescott, Features Innovators in Flagstaff during Tech Week
Flagstaff Showcases Innovation During Arizona Tech Week
Arizona’s startup and investment community is experiencing remarkable growth, and there’s a palpable sense of enthusiasm among founders, startups and venture capitalists. Together, we’re all driven by a shared goal: to elevate Arizona’s profile as a leading state in the technology industry. To bring this vision to life, we’re thrilled to announce Arizona Tech Week, powered by the Arizona Commerce Authority. This conference involves events throughout Arizona and is an extraordinary week that … [Read more...] about Flagstaff Showcases Innovation During Arizona Tech Week
Holbrook RV Campground Scheduled to Welcome Route 66 Travelers in 2026
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
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