Tempe has been the favorite home for innovators since 1894. The community was founded by a person who created a business out of finding a safe way to cross a then-raging river by harnessing that river’s energy to mill grains. Today, Tempe is home to tech companies large and small, the nation’s leading university for innovation, Mill Avenue entertainment, world-class events and recreation at Tempe Town Lake.

Principal Economic Activities

Downtown Tempe is alive with urban energy. Top finance, insurance and real estate companies such as Chase, Silicon Valley Bank, ADP and the regional headquarters for State Farm Insurance made Tempe their choice for top talent and atmosphere. Marketing companies like Zion and Zion and Sitewire handle international accounts from Tempe. They fill the downtown with active, creative people day and night as they come to work and stay to play at the dozens of restaurants, shops and nightclubs. From award-winning romantic local restaurants such as House of Tricks to games at Fox Restaurants’ Culinary Dropout, Tempe has choices for a great time.

South Tempe’s Arizona State University (ASU) Research Park and Discovery Business Campus offer scenic campus space for companies like Shutterfly, PADT’s corporate office, GoDaddy and Edward Jones. Insight and KinetX also call Tempe home. Truly, Tempe’s innovation is in space, from the Mars Rover to the forthcoming missions to Europa and beyond. The presence of ASU’s main campus of 65,000 students keeps the community young, smart and current. ASU is also a driver of innovation with the ASU Biodesign Institute, Global Institute of Sustainability, Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering and much more. University of Advancing Technology, Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and Rio Salado College, one of the nation’s largest community colleges, keep the community learning and continuously providing new ideas. One of those new ideas is FABRiC, Tempe’s fashion incubator. More than 150 fashion labels work out of this facility. Services range from sewing and patternmaking lessons to full production of garment lines, modeling and fashion photography. The business and marketing aspects of the industry get equal time with videography, photography and marketing.

Scenic Attractions

Tempe is the only Arizona city to have border-to-border light rail service. The light rail takes people directly to Sky Harbor International Airport in just a few minutes. A streetcar route is under construction that will take people around the downtown, to south Tempe and to connecting buses, light rails and more. For those who prefer to drive, Tempe is surrounded on all sides by freeways that can take you anywhere quickly. Within short walking distance of the urban nightlife center are outdoor adventures. Hayden Butte, otherwise known as A Mountain, is a great hike, and there are miles of bicycle and jogging paths at Tempe Town Lake. Boat, bike, stroll or compete in an Ironman triathlon then relax with your favorite beverage on one of the patios.

Community Facilities

The award-winning Tempe Center for the Arts, Tempe History Museum, ASU Art Museum and the world’s largest ceramics collection all await visitors. Kiwanis Wave Pool and Big Surf bring ocean waves to the desert. LegoLand and SeaLife Aquarium are great places for kids to spend time. Tempe serves its small and emerging businesses with its Business Resource and Innovation Center at the Tempe Public Library. Entrepreneurs can get training, use conference space and get one-on-one business help from experts.