This post was written by Arizona Technology Council President + CEO Steven G. Zylstra.

At the Arizona Technology Council, we’ve always believed that human connectivity is the key to growing our state’s technology ecosystem. Since our founding in 2002, we’ve been committed to building a community to foster innovation, entrepreneurship, and business opportunity. That’s why we’ve always made it a priority to organize educational forums and business conferences that bring together leaders, managers, employees and visionaries that will make an impact.

Last week, we were proud to support member company Tallwave in its bi-annual Business Development Event.

Tallwave is a venture development company that helps extract risk from startups and growth companies. They employ proven processes of rapid prototyping, product design, business development, marketing, and sales to help turn a new idea into a commercialized endeavor. For its High Tide program, Tallwave hand-selects promising tech startups from a global pool of applicants and helps them refine every aspect of their burgeoning business.

The Business Development Event was designed to help introduce the startups in Tallwave’s current High Tide at Luhrs City Center program to leaders and entrepreneurs from the Arizona technology sector. By fostering connections between promising startups and the larger Arizona technology community, Tallwave is providing an environment that produces value for all participants.

While at the event, I was speaking with Jerrod Bailey, a Tallwave partner and vice president. He told me, “One of Tallwave’s major assets is our network of entrepreneurs, executives, and others around the country that are willing to help start-up companies succeed.”

To assist Tallwave in achieving its goals, the Council invited our own members to connect with the current crop of High Tide participants.  Innovators, entrepreneurs, and talented technology professionals all came together, forged new partnerships and learned about new tools that could help them achieve their objectives. After the event, Jerrod reported that with help from the Council, High Tide companies saw over 150 connections created that night.

I firmly believe Arizona is an oasis of technology and business expertise.  Events such as this promote the organic growth of Arizona’s technology ecosystem. That’s why the Council sponsors a wide variety of networking events that help keep our member’s businesses vibrant and dynamic.

To learn more about upcoming Arizona Technology Council events, please visit our events calendar. If you’re considering joining the Arizona Technology Council, please visit our membership application page.

If you’re like to know more about Tallwave’s products and services, please visit its website. If you have a startup that you’d like to enroll in its High Tide program, please visit hightide.tallwave.com/.