# Arizona Commerce Authority

> Arizona Commerce Authority is Arizona’s public-private economic development organization. It supports business attraction and expansion, startup commercialization, manufacturing improvements, workforce development, international trade, and eligible business incentives. Its role is to coordinate companies with state, local, education, and industry partners.

- **Founded:** 2011
- **Headquarters:** Phoenix, United States
- **Founders:** Jan Brewer (Governor at establishment; established ACA with the Arizona Legislature)
- **Products:** Business attraction and expansion, Arizona Innovation Challenge, Venture Start, Venture Raise, Venture Scale, Arizona Manufacturing Extension Partnership, Future48 Workforce Accelerators
- **Notable:** FY2026: ACA and local partners reported 26,225 projected new jobs, more than $109 billion in committed investment, and $81,368 average projected wages., AZ MEP reported FY2025 impacts of 1,132 jobs created or retained, $80.5 million in new and retained sales, and $14.3 million in cost savings., Mesa aerospace and defense Future48 facility opened October 6, 2026.

## Products & services

- **Business attraction and expansion** — Location project managers coordinate confidential site selection, visits, customized cost and workforce research, and partner introductions.
- **Arizona Innovation Challenge** — Competitive startup commercialization support; the current program page specifies milestone-dependent non-dilutive awards and partner support. Cohort-specific rules apply.
- **Venture Start, Venture Raise, Venture Scale** — Stage-specific founder programs spanning customer validation, fundraising preparation, and high-growth company support.
- **Arizona Manufacturing Extension Partnership** — Operational assistance for manufacturers, including quality systems, process improvement, cybersecurity, workforce, and supply chains.
- **Future48 Workforce Accelerators** — Industry-aligned training developed with community colleges; six facilities backed by a $30 million ACA investment.
- **Qualified Facility Tax Credit** — Administration of a refundable tax credit for eligible headquarters, manufacturing, and manufacturing-related R&D facilities.
- **Small Business Boot Camp and Checklist** — Free online business webinars and an interactive licensing checklist.
- **International Trade and Arizona STEP** — Export assistance for Arizona businesses, including support for small businesses entering or expanding export markets.
- **Arizona Semiconductor Asset Map** — Discovery tool for businesses, universities, training partners, and research facilities.

## Achievements

- FY2026: ACA and local partners reported 26,225 projected new jobs, more than $109 billion in committed investment, and $81,368 average projected wages.
- AZ MEP reported FY2025 impacts of 1,132 jobs created or retained, $80.5 million in new and retained sales, and $14.3 million in cost savings.
- Mesa aerospace and defense Future48 facility opened October 6, 2026.

## Latest updates

- **2026-10** — Mesa aerospace and defense Future48 opened with $6.4 million from ACA and planned capacity for nearly 1,000 students annually.
- **2026-09** — Fall 2026 Innovation Challenge focused on SaaS; applications closed September 28, with awardees scheduled for November 4.
- **2026-08** — ACA scheduled its headquarters relocation to 201 East Washington Street beginning August 3.
- **2026-07** — ACA published FY2026 business attraction and expansion commitments.

## Links

- Website: https://www.azcommerce.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arizona-commerce-authority/
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/azcommerce
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/AZcommerce
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/azcommerce/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/azcommerce/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/arizona-commerce-authority
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-08