Thirty aspiring business owners have completed the City of Buckeye’s inaugural Business Builder Startup Academy, a milestone city leaders say could help strengthen the local economy by creating new businesses, jobs and investment opportunities.
“The success of this first cohort reflects the incredible entrepreneurial spirit we have in Buckeye,” said Maria Riebs, economic development coordinator for the City of Buckeye. “These participants committed 10 months to learning, growing and building their businesses, and it was inspiring to see their progress come to life on pitch night. We are so proud of each graduate and excited to continue supporting them as they move forward.”
The 10-month program, launched through the city's Buckeye Business Builder initiative, helps entrepreneurs move from business concepts to operational companies through training, mentorship and access to resources.
Participants received instruction on topics critical to launching and sustaining a business, including business planning, marketing strategies, licensing requirements, taxes, insurance, financing, artificial intelligence applications, public speaking and investor pitching.
Economic development officials view the academy as part of a broader effort to diversify Buckeye’s business community and support homegrown entrepreneurship alongside the city’s rapid population and commercial growth.
The program concluded with a graduation ceremony and business pitch competition attended by nearly 100 people, including Mayor Eric Orsborn, business mentors, community partners and graduates’ family members.
Participants pitched business ideas before a live audience, showcasing ventures ranging from startup concepts to growing enterprises.
One entrepreneur emerged as the evening's standout.
Kevin Ivory, founder of the Ivory Strong Foundation, earned all three top honors awarded during the competition: Mayor's Choice, Audience Choice and Best Pitch. His presentation highlighted the organization's mission of supporting youth and military veterans throughout the community.
“The core of the Ivory Strong Foundation is a belief, more than a belief, it's an unwavering faith that with the right resources, every child has the potential to script their own future and better yet, their own destiny,” Ivory said
City officials said the academy's first graduating class demonstrates growing entrepreneurial interest in Buckeye, a contrast to past efforts that have traditionally focused on attracting large employers, retailers and industrial projects. Programs such as the Startup Academy aim to ensure local residents also have access to the tools needed to build successful businesses within the community.
Following the success of the inaugural cohort, city officials plan to launch a second Startup Academy class in January 2027. Applications are expected to open this fall.
The Business Builder Startup Academy is one component of the city's larger Buckeye Business Builder program, marking the beginning of what city leaders hope will be a new generation of locally grown businesses contributing to the city's economic future.
InBuckeye Magazine July/August 2026
