Written by Alex Koupal
Jodi and Yani Deros are long time community members of the Venture Café! Yani recently sat on our Venture Capital panel and have been regular supporters of the Venture Café brand. Read below to find out how they learned about the Venture Café Thursday gatherings! It might surprise you. Their company CIRQ+ made it into the finals last week on the Reality TV show America’s Real Deal! Check out their episode HERE, and read below to learn how Venture Café has impacted their success.
How did you hear about Venture Café?
This answer may shock you, we have known and participated in Venture Café events for years prior to it arriving in Arizona! We are probably one of the few locally that were involved with Venture Café where it was founded in the Cambridge Innovation Center (CiC) back in Boston. Jodi and I are originally from Boston and back in 2015 ATOM opened offices at the CiC. This was one of the first coworking centers in the US that established a dynamic community of entrepreneurs and corporations. ATOM sponsored events there where we always made a point to be a part of the Thursday evening festivities and learning sessions while in town. Our team were regulars there with a few having some tallied high number (100’s) on their name tags!
What does Venture Café Phoenix mean to you?
Having experienced and benefited from the CiC Venture Café first hand, we see the spirit and mission of the Venture Café Phoenix nurturing a vibrant community of entrepreneurs, innovators, investors, and thought leaders who collaborate, share ideas, and drive the startup ecosystem forward. There are countless opportunities for businesses and individuals to grow, prosper, connect and thrive in this hub of creativity and innovation. The atmosphere, energy and atmosphere at Venture Café is truly unique where weekly a room full of people who are passionate about creating something new and motivated meet to make a difference in the community.
Have you had any memorable connections at Venture Café Phoenix?
Venture Café PHX has allowed us to meet fellow innovators, explore collaborate partnerships, network with fellow aspiring disruptors and meet local investors who are genuinely committed to reshaping the startup landscape where capital has been difficult to secure in the boundaries of Arizona. The deals are reals and the investment dollars are rolling in!
Tell us a little more about ATOM Innovation.
To understand our journey Jodi and I have two companies ATOM Innovation, www.atom-inc.co a full service research and development firm based in Scottsdale that over the past 20 years has developed over 311+ combinations of breakthrough products, emerging technologies, brands and companies. After mentoring countless startups over the decades, ATOM spun out CIRQ+, a family of intelligent automation and robotics systems lowering energy costs, reducing carbon emissions, and solving labor shortages with plug and play technology. www.cirqplus.com
Can you discuss your experience at Venture Café Phoenix and any impact the event has had on your organization?
For us we have been connecting with like-minded individuals and businesses sharing advice with aspiring innovators/startups helping them navigate the shifting paths in their own journeys. One of the most impactful aspects of Venture Café has been the opportunity to pitch CIRQ+ to an individual or a room full of potential investors and partners. You can never stop sharing your goals and mission with other as you refine your pitch and gain valuable feedback, as well as open doors to new funding and collaboration opportunities.
Any final thoughts on Venture Café Phoenix?
It doesn’t matter if you have a seed idea as a solopreneur, starting to build a team or even have an established company – Anyone seeking to turn their ideas into reality should make the time to get involved, network and grow within this special ecosystem established to bring together the best of the best consistently each week. Don’t miss out on attending Venture Café Phoenix on Thursday nights… you never know whom you will meet that may change your life or destiny!
To connect with Yani Deros on LinkedIn click here.
To connect with Jodi Deros on LinkedIn click here.
Join the movement of innovators building the center of gravity here in the Valley. Join us every Thursday and meet people like Jodi and Yani Deros, 5-7 PM, free to attend, free parking, two free drinks.
Check out our upcoming programming and register here.
