Within the ever-changing technology landscape, Northern Arizona is on the map for good. In 2019, the AZ Tech Council reported that Arizona’s tech sector was growing 40% faster than anywhere else in the nation. And local entrepreneurs will not be surprised to learn that Prescott is listed among the top 15 most entrepreneurial small cities in the US. With the rise of remote work and the availability of technological advances in communication and computing, it’s no surprise that small towns have become attractive homes for a variety of technology centered jobs and companies.
This tech sector growth in the region is largely thanks to the expanding number of locally based startups and developers. Many of these businesses are taking a different approach to their work and getting great results by revolutionizing Arizona’s relationship with technology through remote work and services. Here are just a few of the Northern Arizona organizations creating opportunities for meaningful growth and innovation in the tech sector.
EIGHTFOLD TECHNOLOGY
Eightfold Technology is a web development and Information Technology (IT) firm located in Prescott, Arizona. Eightfold empowers businesses by providing custom, start-to-finish services, from site-building and platform development to content marketing and SEO. These web developers use a variety of programming languages like PHP and Python to create custom websites, applications (apps), ecommerce and more for their customers.
Founded on the idea that web technology should never be shrouded in mystery, this company believes code is a problem-solving tool. They also adhere to the philosophy that problems are best solved in an encouraging, educated community.
The company has two central goals: build a new kind of tech company and grow the technology-driven culture that is currently taking root in rural America. To achieve these goals, Eightfold’s co-founders, Henry Ebarb and Steven Kreschollek, knew they needed to position the company differently on the map – literally.
America may be dotted with small towns just like Prescott where high-tech jobs can take hold and flourish, but Prescott is where they wanted to live, work, and play.
Fitting Eightfold into the fabric of Northern Arizona meant completely rethinking conventional work models. While the company has physical offices for teamwork and client meetings, work-from-home options are always on the table. Embracing remote collaboration and flexibility means the team can work together from across Arizona, reach unique goals, and keep growing on its own terms.
KATALYST SPACE TECHNOLOGIES
Katalyst has its sights set on revolutionizing the space industry. When their jobs in Big Aerospace left them wanting more, its founders set out to rethink satellite technology from Northern Arizona. After years of working together designing rockets, Embry-Riddle grads Nicholas Liapis, Ghonhee Lee, and Kaleb Beebout came together with a dream: accelerate humanity’s destiny beyond this planet. That dream, fueled by absolute passion for the limitless possibilities in space, coalesced into the Satellite Technology Research and Development company, Katalyst Space. Together, the team has taken on the challenge of innovating satellite operations.
Being physically located in Prescott Valley allows the company to include driven Embry-Riddle interns and to enjoy life outside work in a beautiful mountain environment.
However, work itself is anything but traditional. Lee and his partners are just as excited about empowering their team through a thriving work environment as they are about satellites. They balance daily collaborative time (either in-person or remotely) with solo work hours where people can focus without needing to take calls or answer questions. This structure calls for trust, but the team is finding that trust may be the most important empowerment tool of all.
KASADIA
Based in Prescott, Arizona, Kasadia (formerly Consent Solutions) is a technology company providing patient connection software solutions. Their core product focuses on presurgical & postsurgical education, informed consent, and decision systems for both patients and providers.
Founded by surgeons, clinical coordinators, and office managers, Kasadia streamlines the surgical onboarding process by allowing patients to complete education and paperwork from home using hypermedia and Telehealth features to connect patients and providers.
Using programming languages like Python, javascript and React, this software-as-a-service (i.e. cloud software servers) is delivered to desktops, tablets and other mobile devices. Kasadia plans to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) for some portion of their product in the near future.
These technologies allow higher quality engagement for patients and staff, both in and out of the office. This is a transformative yet easy step for any healthcare office, no matter where the practice happens to be.
NATA
As our region transforms what technology can look like, the Northern Arizona Technology Alliance (NATA) is here to help. NATA is a 501c3 nonprofit Entrepreneur Support Organization (ESO) with the mission of supporting startups and innovators. Its vision is to expand the tech community by attracting companies and investment to Northern Arizona, facilitating opportunities for existing businesses to compete in global markets, and promoting economic growth in high-wage jobs.
NATA goes above and beyond to help connect entrepreneurs and innovators in the tech space with the resources they need.
But before entrepreneurs dive into networking, NATA hosts a Viability Event. During this process, NATA essentially sits down with an individual and goes over the business proposal to see if the tech business idea can actually work.
NATA members join a diverse, supportive community and can obtain grantbased funding along with free, discounted, and cooperative services from state and local partner organizations. The whole goal for NATA is simply to help tech sector startups actually get their businesses off the ground in Central and Northern Arizona. To find out more about NATA, visit them at tech-arizona.com.
Katalyst Space Technologies staff gather for an Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Alumni networking event.
NATA: 928-274-1376
