February 1, 2023 – Arizona has an abundance of advantages for entrepreneurs looking to start their companies: a young, talented workforce; one of the nation’s fastest-growing tech hubs; a business-friendly environment that embraces innovation; an excellent quality of life, and more.
Arizona’s startup ecosystem is a national success story. In 2011, data from PitchBook-NVCA Venture Monitor tracked 63 venture capital deals totaling more than $280 million in Arizona. A decade later, that activity had tripled, totaling 184 deals representing $2.13 billion. Read the article (printable pdf) or Click here to read online.
Meet the Desert Angels CEO
To submit your application for funding to Desert Angels in a way that will bring it to our immediate attention, please click here.
Joann MacMaster was elected to be the Chief Executive Officer of Desert Angels, Inc. in January 2020. Prior to taking on the CEO role with Desert Angels, MacMaster served as the Sr. Director of Venture Development for the University of Arizona’s TLA team, focused on the commercialization of university research through the development of startup companies. She has served as a startup founder, mentor, investor, and educator, and is a recipient of the Larry Hecker and Sherry Hoskinson Lasting Community Builder Award. She is an AUTM board member and UA Academic Leadership Institute Fellow and previously served as President of the Arizona Business Incubation Association. She returned home to Tucson in 2000 after living and working in Europe for over a decade and holds an MBA from Edinburgh University Scotland.
For reasons other than Applying to Desert Angels, if you would like to communicate with Joann for other reasons or receive an update on your funding request, you can email Joann by clicking Contact our CEO.
