City of Scottsdale

Scottsdale pairs a business-friendly development process with direct access to Arizona State University’s talent and research through SkySong, the ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center, which has spent two decades drawing technology, entrepreneurship, and global business to the city. The city’s Economic Development Department and Industrial Development Authority also work directly with companies to structure growth-friendly development agreements.

Qualifying employers can pursue financing through Scottsdale’s Industrial Development Authority, and the city negotiates individual development agreements for major projects — ASM International’s agreement, for example, ties incentives to job creation and payroll targets. Scottsdale’s broader economic development strategy also prioritizes supporting and growing existing businesses, since more than 70% of a city’s new jobs typically come from them.

Scottsdale holds a 100-year assured water supply designation from the Arizona Department of Water Resources, with about 90% of its water coming from renewable surface sources (primarily the Central Arizona Project and Salt River Project). That said, roughly 70% of its supply originates from the Colorado River, so the city has been actively securing additional sources, including an $8.25 million investment in Harquahala Valley water, as a hedge against future shortage risk.

ASM International is investing more than $320 million in a new North American semiconductor headquarters in north Scottsdale, expected to bring over 500 new jobs. Castle Biosciences opened a new 55,000-square-foot laboratory facility in October 2026, and Raytheon opened an engineering design hub at SkySong adding roughly 150 jobs.

Scottsdale’s talent pipeline runs largely through SkySong, which connects companies to ASU’s more than 194,000 students and 650,000+ global alumni, including the Fulton Schools of Engineering, the largest engineering school in the country. Arizona overall employs nearly 103,000 technology and innovation workers, supported by the Maricopa County Community College District’s partnerships with industry.