If you’re familiar with SEED SPOT, you probably know that Phoenix is a special place for our organization. It’s where SEED SPOT began thirteen years ago, where we designed some of our most successful programs, and where we continue to innovate to support the shifting needs of entrepreneurs. Since 2012, we have served over 1,200 Phoenix-based entrepreneurs—the most out of any single city in which we operate. In our upcoming 2025 Impact Report, you’ll have the opportunity to hear about our alumni and programs across the nation. But today, in honor of our Phoenix community, we want to highlight our social impact and ongoing work across the city. Lately, our programs in Phoenix have fallen into three different categories: Adult Programming, Youth Programming, and Startup Spring Training. Today we’re going to take a look at each!
Adult Programming
It was 2012 when we launched our first iteration of the Impact Accelerator in Phoenix, Arizona. Back then, business accelerators were a relatively new concept. Many of them existed in California’s Silicon Valley, and were targeted solely at early-stage tech companies—many of which were run by white, wealthy, male-identifying CEOs. Though these accelerators were effective at growing businesses, they excluded a truly massive proportion of the country’s business owners and were very rarely dedicated to social impact. So SEED SPOT built the Impact Accelerator as an alternative. The 8-week program provides educational resources, in-person training, and 1:1 mentorship to early-stage entrepreneurs whose ventures are dedicated to social impact. Over the 13 years that we’ve run this program, we’ve served over 4,000 entrepreneurs, 89% of whom identify as underrepresented. These ventures have gone on to generate over 400 million dollars in revenue and create nearly 10,000 jobs.
But don’t just take our word for it. Hear what one of our Impact Accelerator alumni, Juan Taveras, has to say about his experience!
“The training, education, community, and ongoing support has been instrumental in my ability to build and grow DEI Pro Finder. SEED SPOT gave me the confidence I needed early on to get this venture off the ground. THANK YOU!” – Juan Taveras, Founder of DEI Pro Finder
Startup Spring Training
Though our Impact Accelerators were generating massive growth among impact-driven entrepreneurs, we realized there was still work to be done. Many early-stage ventures are run by working adults who neither have the time nor the money to spend on an intensive, 8-week program. To truly reach all entrepreneurs, we needed a no-cost, flexible solution. That’s when we introduced Startup Spring Training. Based roughly on Major League Baseball’s Spring Training schedule, the program offers three weeks of online workshops, 1:1 mentorship, and coaching to entrepreneurs from underrepresented backgrounds—all at no cost. Participants complete the program at their own pace, alleviating the burden of participation for busy adults with jobs and families. The first 100 participants to finish the curriculum win a $500 microgrant with absolutely no strings attached! In 2025 alone, we were able to serve 209 individuals, of whom 98% identified as underrepresented and 89% identified as women.
Want to learn more? Check our recent interview with one of our alumni from this year’s Startup Spring Training!
Youth Programming
With the addition of Startup Spring Training, we significantly increased the accessibility of our programming within Phoenix. But these programs only served adult entrepreneurs. And in a changing world with growing global challenges, the critical thought and interpersonal skills taught by the entrepreneurial process are essential for youth. In Phoenix, we’re currently addressing this need through an array of programming. In the fall, we brought our Youth Entrepreneurship Accelerator to students at Camelback High School in Phoenix. Over ten weeks, students developed entrepreneurial skills through a project-based curriculum, 1:1 mentorship, and internship opportunities. We also ran a single-day program that taught these in-demand skills to youth across Phoenix. After the program, 100 percent of participants pitched a business idea and tangibly demonstrated the skills and know-how to start a business.
Check out the graphic below for more on the impact of our national youth programming!
How You Can Get Involved!
Over thirteen years, SEED SPOT has grown and adapted to serve Phoenix’s community of impact-driven entrepreneurs. As 2025 comes to a close, we’re looking forward to sharing more about our work in both Arizona and across the US with our 2025 Impact Report. If you’re an alumni of our programs, we encourage you to fill out our Annual Alumni Survey for the opportunity to share your story and be featured in this year’s report. And if you’re new here and interested in learning more about our work, we encourage you to explore the rest of our website. Thank you for being part of the SEED SPOT community!
