PEI Summit Showcases Arizona’s Innovation Ecosystem

‍First-ever ‘Celebrating Innovation Summit’ connects industry leaders, demonstrates breakthrough technologies, and strengthens collaboration across key sectors

• One-day summit brought together leaders from MedTech, aerospace & defense, semiconductor, and AI
• Live technology demonstrations highlighted Arizona-developed innovations in action
• Event featured keynotes from Brookings Metro's Amy Liu, Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity’s Mary Foote and fireside chat with former NSF Director Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan

PHOENIX, (November 24, 2025) - Partnership for Economic Innovation (PEI), a passionate collective of business and community leaders dedicated to accelerating Arizona's economic opportunities, successfully hosted its inaugural Celebrating Innovation Summit on November 14 at Arizona State University's Media and Immersive Experience (MIX) Center in Mesa. Sponsored by ASU, City of Mesa, SRP, Empire Southwest, and AT&T, the summit brought together Arizona's industry leaders, innovators, and partners to share ideas, foster collaboration, and showcase technology in action.

The event also marked a milestone in PEI's journey, which began a decade ago following the Brookings Institution's Velocity Report that outlined a blueprint for transforming Greater Phoenix into a global innovation economy. Since its formation in 2016, PEI has worked to implement the report's vision through strategic initiatives and partnerships.

"This summit represents what happens when we work together – business leaders, innovators, educators, and policymakers," said John Graham, Board Chair of Partnership for Economic Innovation and President and CEO of Sunbelt Holdings.

"We're celebrating ideas turning into real products, real companies, and real jobs right here in Arizona. At PEI, we're building Arizona's innovation economy by helping good ideas move from the lab to the marketplace."

The full-day event provided a platform for meaningful discussions about the future of Arizona's innovation economy and the collaborative efforts needed to sustain growth in key industries including medtech, aerospace and defense, chips and AI. Attendees experienced live demonstrations of emerging technologies being developed in Arizona, highlighting the state's growing role as a hub for innovation.

The event featured keynote conversations, industry panels, and interactive demonstrations exploring the future of Arizona's key technology sectors. Attendees participated in discussions on critical infrastructure needs and workforce development strategies essential to powering Arizona's continued economic growth. The summit included keynote addresses from Mary Foote, Director of Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity, Amy Liu of Brookings Metro and a fireside chat with Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan, former 15th director of the National Science Foundation and currently University Professor of Technology and Innovation at Arizona State University.

"Collaboration between industry and education creates powerful opportunities for innovation," said Grace O'Sullivan, Vice President of Corporate Engagement and Strategic Partnerships at Arizona State University and PEI Board Member.

“This summit highlights how educational institutions respond to industry needs by developing research capabilities while simultaneously connecting learners at every level with the workforce opportunities and careers that power Arizona’s innovation economy.”

The event showcased PEI's commitment to building a world-class innovation ecosystem through its initiatives, including Applied Research Centers that accelerate the development of technology products and The Connective, Greater Phoenix's smart region collaborative that convenes cities, industries, and entrepreneurs to solve regional challenges.

"These conversations are vital to fostering and enabling innovation for Arizona's emerging and legacy industries," said Mike Madsen, Former President & CEO of Honeywell Aerospace and PEI Board Member. "By bringing together diverse perspectives from across our innovation ecosystem, we're creating a more prosperous and inclusive economy that benefits everyone in our state."

For more information about Partnership for Economic Innovation and its initiatives, visit www.azpei.org.

About the Partnership for Economic Innovation
Partnership for Economic Innovation is a passionate collective of business and community leaders dedicated to accelerating Arizona’s economic opportunities. We believe innovators are problem solvers who come from anywhere, if they have access to pathways to do so — which is why PEI is investing in community-building technology and R&D designed to make Arizona more resilient and empower innovators to bring world-changing ideas to market. PEI initiatives include:

• Applied Research Centers initiative is accelerating the development of emerging technology products in biomedical, semiconductor adjacent, and climate/clean technologies with the potential to radically transform healthcare, and keep us safer and more secure.
• The Connective, Greater Phoenix’s internationally acclaimed Smart Region collaborative, convening cities, industries and entrepreneurs to lay the open innovation groundwork to solve regional challenges.