Success Stories

My goal is to change the world; to build a movement of young people that are entering society with the realization that they are capable of creating change and are taking action to impact our time's most pressing problems.

Courtney Klein
ASU graduate student
Non-Profit Studies

"Moe" is the student business owner of a specialty coffee shop with
memorable global flavors traced to his homeland. However, it was ASU's
Edson Student Entrepreneurship Initiative program that gave him his
first taste of business ownership.

Owner, SkyCafe, ASU Junior,
Molecular Biosciences, Linguistics

When entrepreneurship at ASU came to the School of Theatre and Film, director Jonathan Beller was inspired to put the spotlight on creative risk-taking and find a new way to promote and support the innovative work of local, national and international artists.

Linda Mottle is advancing healthcare in Arizona by getting the most innovative medical product and service ideas to market. And as she changes the industry through advanced sources for research, testing and innovation, Linda envisions adding "Cure" to the existing list of Arizona's economic rivers. Healthcare entrepreneurs are leading industry change by linking university research and community resources.

Gabriella Sanchez-Evangelista is seeking innovative solutions to some of the complex challenges we face, such as the drug and human trafficking operations along the US Mexico Border and the related National Security risks. This is social entrepreneurship at work, innovating local research for global impact

Matt's passion is music. Through ASU Edson Student Entrepreneurship Initiative (Edson), he found a way to explore the idea of taking his passion and turning it into a real business venture. Edson funded the startup of Matt's new business venture, emusicinstruction, which now connects his passion to people from around the world who love music.

It’s one of those success stories you look forward to telling your grandchildren, like the time you landed the big one, or how their grandmother was the prettiest girl in the room and fixed the tastiest box lunch.
Except this story is true.

Graduating in finance, 24-year-old CEO of Echo Energies, Inc. Blake Orr isn’t waiting for employers to knock on his door. He believes entrepreneurship is the shortest path to overcoming a difficult job market and economic uncertainties. He plans to forge his own path for prosperity by growing his clean energy company and creating new jobs.
“Upon my graduation, our company will be in a position to create fulltime employment for our initial staff of five, and our target revenue for 2009 is estimated at $750,000,” says Orr. Echo Energies offers solar energy