Leaders in the region known as PHX East Valley will tip their hat to bright minds and big ideas as part of PHX East Valley Entrepreneur Week, Feb. 18-22 . 

The region’s cities and towns – Chandler, Mesa, Tempe, Queen Creek, Maricopa and Apache Junction – will host a series of free events to help existing businesses grow and get startups off the ground.

“Our region has always been known as a hub for entrepreneurial ventures,” said Denny Barney, president and CEO of East Valley Partnership. “We want to continue to serve as an incubator for new ideas and help established firms get to the next level.”

Statewide, there are 396,318 small businesses that employ more than 107,000 workers, according to the most recent federal data available.

Arizona and especially PHX East Valley consistently ranks among the best places to start and own a business, Barney said. He pointed to firms such as Infusionsoft and Offerpad, which got their start in the region and have grown into megafirms that are disrupting their billion-dollar industries.  

Among the reasons the state and region are a magnet for entrepreneurs and small businesses are low operating costs, a stable regulatory environment and a quality labor force. In the PHX East Valley alone, there are more than 800,000 workers, along with 120,000-plus college students building a talent pipeline for the future.

 “We also invest in startups and small businesses with resources such as incubators (there are nine of them in PHX East Valley), co-working spaces and access to capital through programs such as PHX East Valley Angel Investor Initiative,” Barney said.

During PHX East Valley Entrepreneur Week, existing and aspiring business owners can get insights, information, tools and tips on starting and growing a business at a series of free events.

For information and to register, visit:

For questions, call 480-834-8335.