ARIZONA NEWS

Veterans starting businesses in Phoenix get a helping hand

Dec 20, 2016, 5:06 AM

A business incubator is getting set for the Arizona Center in downtown Phoenix, with its target aud...

A business incubator is getting set for the Arizona Center in downtown Phoenix, with its target audience being veterans. (Photo by Sharon Mittelman/KTAR News)

(Photo by Sharon Mittelman/KTAR News)

PHOENIX — Starting a business is hard.

Now, help is on the way through a business “incubator” gearing up in the Arizona Center in downtown Phoenix.

And the target audience is veterans. It’s meant to be a haven for veterans starting their own businesses.

A support team and resources will all be in one room, called the Armory, thanks to Air Force veteran and tech entrepreneur Phillip Potter.

“We’re starting off with eight veteran-led start-up teams. Those teams will learn how to not make critical mistakes that they can’t recover from, but more importantly, to get product services and technologies out into the market,” said Potter, who founded the Armory Incubator.

Cyber security expert and veteran Paulo Shakarian has a start-up that’s about a year old … and growing. Cyr3con focuses on cyber reconnaissance.

Shakarian will be one of the first to work from the Armory Incubator.

“We’re looking at raising money, how to deal with customers, creating contracts,” Shakarian said.

Shakarian joined the military in 1998 and served until 2014. He started out at West Point, then served as a military intelligence officer in Germany, Iraq, New York, and Arizona. He’s currently an assistant professor at Arizona State University in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering.

The Armory will be giving the veteran entrepreneurs free office space, business mentors, and access to capital. In turn, the owners of the Arizona Center are donating the space to the Armory for the first 18 months.

“They’re going to set up tables, they’re going to have access to internet, whatever else they need,” said Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton, who is supporting the effort.

“They’re going to provide them the space, the mentoring with other successful entrepreneurs, coaching them about how to advance their business, and obviously, access the capital, which is so necessary to grow your business,” Stanton said.

Stanton said he wants Phoenix to be known as the most veteran-friendly city in the United States.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.

Arizona News

Avondale man killed by Florida police after killing 2...

Serena O'Sullivan

Avondale man shot by Florida deputies after killing 2 in armed gas station robbery

Avondale man Dominic Caroway was killed in Florida after leading multiple law enforcement agencies on a manhunt following a fatal armed robbery.

44 minutes ago

Arizona gas prices have risen by 28 cents per gallon in the last month....

Kevin Stone

Here’s why Arizonans are feeling more pain at pump than most of nation

Arizona gas prices have been rising at a significantly faster pace than the rest of the nation over the last month, and the worst is yet to come.

2 hours ago

Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap has downsized his external communications staff from seven to ...

Associated Press

New Maricopa County recorder signals shift away from combating disinformation

Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap is moving away from the office's previous efforts to combat misinformation.

4 hours ago

2025 flu season worse than it's been in 15 years, data shows...

Serena O'Sullivan

Arizona nurse practitioner says this flu season is worse than last

The 2025 flu season is hitting Arizonans hard, with some patients staying sick for a whole week, according to a Banner Health nurse practitioner.

6 hours ago

climate change, young people, Mesa...

Roxanne De La Rosa

Young adults and teens combat climate change through Mesa initiative

A new Mesa grant initiative will allow young adults and teens to compete for funding for projects and ideas that address climate change.

6 hours ago

Fountain Hills law enforcement...

Roxanne De La Rosa

Fountain Hills announces drop in law enforcement costs without reduced service

A law enforcement contract between Fountain Hills and the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office will drop in cost in the upcoming year without any reduction in service.

6 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

Asset Preservation Wealth & Tax

How to optimize the most money in 2024 tax returns

As tax season begins, getting your financials in order is important to maximize your tax return.

...

Bright Wealth Management

How IRAs are a helpful tool in retirement planning

When it comes to retirement planning, individual retirement accounts (IRAs) can be a great tool for income growth.

...

Fiesta Bowl Foundation

Join us for the 52nd annual Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Parade

The 52nd annual Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Parade presented by Lerner & Rowe returns on Saturday, December 28, at 10 a.m.

Veterans starting businesses in Phoenix get a helping hand