Member News: March 2021
ASU will lead effort to upskill, reskill workforce through $8M grant
The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded Arizona State University an $8 million grant to lead a workforce development partnership to help train workers for high-paying, high-demand jobs in advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity and IT. The One Workforce grant will help address a critical skills shortage in the U.S. by establishing the Arizona Workforce Training Accelerator Partnership for Next Generation Jobs (AZNext). The program is designed to train at least 2,000 participants, with a goal of achieving industry-recognized credentials and permanent job placement over the next four years. The grant was a collaboration of ASU’s W. P. Carey School of Business, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences and several external partners, including Arizona Commerce Authority, Arizona Technology Council, Arizona@Work, Infosys and Pipeline AZ. The partnership leverages the state’s educational and employment resources to create the workforce of the future. . Read more >>
Axon solidifies the foundation for its next decade of growth
Scottsdale-based Axon, the bodycam and electro-shock weapons producer, recently posted earnings highlighting the company’s Q4 2020 record revenue on the strong demand for TASER devices and cloud software. Axon also announced that it plans to invest around $20 million in its Scottsdale facility for R&D operations, testing laboratories, quality testing and general office space. In 2020, Axon made great strides in solidifying its next decade of growth: the company secured its first Dispatch customer, established a solid foothold in the Federal market, launched its Respond platform and grew its international revenue by more than 70%. The innovative company delivered a record $681 million in revenue, representing 28% growth, $1.2 billion in contract bookings, and $221 million in annual recurring revenue. In addition, Axon wrapped up the year with an exceptional fourth quarter, highlighted by revenue growth of 32%, strong profitability and robust global demand for its TASER devices. Learn more about Axon’s 2021 objectives >>
PADT named a Stratasys Diamond Partner
PADT, Inc., a globally recognized provider of numerical simulation, product development and 3D printing products and services, has been named a Stratasys Diamond partner for its continued success selling the manufacturer’s line of products and providing stellar support service. PADT becomes one of the few elite Stratasys resellers in the country to have achieved Diamond partner status. PADT became one of the first service providers in the country to offer fused deposition modeling (FDM) printing on Stratasys equipment in the late 1990s and has continued to expand its 3D printing capabilities as a service provider and reseller. The company built its customer base by providing outstanding 3D printing services and technical support across a wide variety of industries and organizations, from schools to startups, including some of the world’s largest aerospace organizations. Read more here >>
Blue Yonder set to be acquired by Panasonic for $6.5B
Blue Yonder, a Scottsdale-based logistics technology company, is reportedly in negotiations to be acquired by Panasonic for $6.5 billion. Panasonic, the Japanese producer of consumer electronics, previously acquired a 20% stake in Blue Yonder last May and at the time Blue Yonder was valued at $5.5 billion. Media reports say that Panasonic aims to integrate Blue Yonder technology into its worldwide supply chain. In July 2020, Blue Yonder acquired Yantriks, a software-as-a-service company focused on commerce and fulfillment microservices. With more than more than 3,000 customers worldwide including Walmart, Starbucks and 3M, Blue Yonder was among the Valley’s fastest-growing companies last year. Read more about Blue Yonder >>
National Academy of Inventors names ASU faculty as senior members
Inventing critical devices that monitor health, unraveling the secrets of potentially game-changing proteins, building connections with clinical partners and nurturing the future STEM workforce—that’s all in a day’s work for Arizona State University researchers Erica Forzani and Pamela Marshall. To recognize their contributions to science and society, the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) has named these researchers as senior members—two out of a class of 63 for spring 2021. According to the NAI, this honor is given to acknowledge those who produce technologies with real societal impact, foster a spirit of innovation within their communities and educate the next generation of inventors. Read more about these innovative researchers >>
Intel to invest $20B in Arizona expansion
Intel announced plans to invest $20 billion to build two new semiconductor factories at its Chandler campus. This expansion will allow Intel to become a major provider of foundry capacity to serve customers globally. The new chip factories are expected to create over 3,000 permanent high-tech, high-wage jobs; over 3,000 construction jobs; and approximately 15,000 local long-term jobs, according to Intel. The company’s two new semiconductor factories at its Chandler campus will advance the ecosystem of innovation it has helped create in Arizona and increase U.S. semiconductor manufacturing capacity. This news comes just months after Intel announced in October 2020 that its long-awaited $7 billion expansion in Chandler was operational, making the southeast Valley semiconductor fabrication factory the chipmaker’s largest in the United States. Read more about Intel’s expansion >>
Greater Phoenix Chamber launches diversity and inclusion program for employers
The Greater Phoenix Chamber is launching a Diversity and Inclusion Employer Toolkit to support Chamber members and the community at large in implementing and expanding diversity and inclusion efforts in the workplace. The Chamber’s Diversity and Inclusion Employer Toolkit outlines four key pillars of diversity & inclusion and allows companies to select a starting point based on their unique situation. Further, it provides resources to help company leaders and internal teams at every stage of a company’s diversity and inclusion implementation process. In addition to toolkits, the program includes quarterly forums to support companies as they work through the toolkit and to provide supplemental education from subject matter experts. Read more >>