Freeway
Arizona

Tempe

Freeway partner cityData as of Oct 1, 2026
687
Companies
$21.0M
Venture funding in the last 12 months, 3 rounds
$729.1M
Venture funding, 2022–2026
23
Investor firms

Venture funding by year

* 2026 through Oct 2026. Rounds without a disclosed amount count as rounds, not dollars.
Show as a table
YearVenture fundingRounds
2019$686.1M21
2020$170.0M23
2021$285.4M20
2022$438.5M23
2023$55.7M6
2024$146.1M9
2025$67.8M7
2026*$21.0M3

Industries

  • Health86
  • Marketing55
  • Enterprise software50
  • Energy45
  • Fintech43
  • Real estate39
  • Education35
  • Food31
  • Semiconductors31
  • Media24

And 20 more industries.

Companies in Tempe

553–576 of 687 companies

  • Early stage · 2–10 employees

  • Sogno Toscano, translating to "Tuscan Dream," is a single-brand importer and distributor of authentic Italian foods, serving restaurants, retailers, and direct consumers across the United States. They grew up together in Bolgheri, a town in the Tuscan countryside, and moved to New York City in 2006. Operating from a one-bedroom apartment, they initially supplied local NYC restaurants, offering private-labeled bottles with no minimum order requirements, which helped them gain a foothold in a competitive market. The business operates a multi-channel model, including B2B wholesale, direct-to-consumer (D2C) e-commerce, and a growing number of lifestyle cafés. The wholesale division supplies thousands of chefs and restaurants with a wide array of Italian products. The company pivoted to a D2C model during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, revamping its website to sell directly to households nationwide. Building on this, Sogno Toscano has opened lifestyle cafés and showrooms in locations like New York City, Santa Monica, and Phoenix, which serve as retail outlets, wine bars, and espresso bars, offering an immersive brand experience. The company's revenue is generated through these three channels: wholesale distribution, online retail, and café sales. Sogno Toscano's product portfolio includes over 300 items under its own brand, ensuring a seal of approval on every product. Their offerings range from extra virgin olive oils, balsamic vinegars, and pastas to cheeses, cured meats, and other pantry staples. The company emphasizes its control over the supply chain, from selecting producers in various regions of Italy to rigorous testing and quality control. Many of their products are GMO-free, and their suppliers are FDA certified. This vertically integrated, single-brand model allows the company to maintain high standards of quality and authenticity from production to delivery.

    Breakout · 51–200 employees

  • Solar-Breeze is a company that specializes in solar-powered robotic pool cleaners designed to make pool maintenance effortless and eco-friendly. Their flagship product, the Solar Breeze NX2, operates autonomously using solar energy, eliminating the need for pool pumps, hoses, or electrical outlets. This innovative device intelligently navigates the pool surface, collecting debris in an easy-to-clean tray, ensuring that pools remain crystal clear and swim-ready at all times. Solar-Breeze primarily serves residential pool owners who are looking for a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution to pool cleaning. The company operates in the home and garden market, focusing on sustainable and energy-efficient products. Solar-Breeze generates revenue through the direct sale of their robotic pool cleaners, which are priced at $628 USD and come with a one-year limited warranty. Their business model is centered around providing high-quality, durable products that reduce the time and effort required for pool maintenance, thereby enhancing the overall customer experience.

    Early stage · 2–10 employees · $2.3M raised

  • SolarSPELL

    Education

    Early stage · 11–50 employees

  • Solestial

    Energy, Space

    Solestial is a solar energy company that specializes in the development of silicon-based solar panels for space applications.The company's primary focus is on creating low-cost, high-efficiency solar panels that are resistant to the damaging effects of radiation in space. This is achieved through a proprietary technology that allows for the mass production of these panels, which are designed to be easily integrated into a wide range of satellite architectures.Solestial's business model is centered around supplying its solar panels to satellite manufacturers and operators in both the private and public sectors. The company aims to disrupt the space power market by offering a more affordable and scalable alternative to traditional, more expensive solar panel technologies. By doing so, it seeks to enable a new generation of space-based services and applications that are currently limited by the high cost of power.

    Breakout · 11–50 employees · $29.1M raised

  • Solid State Networks

    Enterprise software

    Early stage · 11–50 employees

  • Late stage · 1001–5000 employees

  • Early stage · 2–10 employees · $2.1M raised

  • Sonoran Video Systems

    Semiconductors

    Early stage · 1 employees

  • Early stage

  • Early stage

  • Breakout · 51–200 employees

  • Early stage

  • Sportiqe

    Fashion, Food

    They focused on blending comfort with style, a combination that quickly gained traction among consumers. Sportiqe's unique approach involved collaborating with major sports teams and events, which helped them establish a strong foothold in the market.A significant milestone for Sportiqe was their partnership with the NBA, which allowed them to expand their reach and visibility. This collaboration not only boosted their brand recognition but also opened doors to further opportunities in the sports apparel industry.Over the years, Sportiqe has grown from a small startup to a well-recognized lifestyle brand. Their commitment to quality and innovation has been a driving force behind their success. Today, Sportiqe continues to thrive, offering a wide range of products that appeal to a diverse audience, from sports enthusiasts to fashion-forward individuals.

    Breakout · 51–200 employees · $700K raised

  • SpringActive

    Robotics, Semiconductors

    Early stage · 2–10 employees · $1.4M raised

  • Early stage · 11–50 employees

  • Startup Central

    Real estate

    Startup Central is a technical venture capital accelerator and industrial developer located in Tempe, Arizona, scheduled to open in September 2025. The firm is focused on supporting hard-tech startups by providing them with flexible industrial space, access to specialized equipment, and a support system of resident experts, staff, and operators. This model is designed to help early-stage companies in sectors like advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, and climate tech to scale their operations efficiently. The project is a joint venture between the Mortenson construction and real estate development company and Arizona State University (ASU). It is located within the ASU Research Park’s MacroTechnology Works, a facility that already houses several high-tech companies and provides access to advanced research tools and labs. This strategic location offers tenants opportunities for collaboration with other technology firms and access to ASU's research capabilities and talent pool. Startup Central aims to address a critical gap in the market by offering physical infrastructure and hands-on technical support, which are often significant barriers for hardware-focused startups.

    Early stage · 2–10 employees

  • Early stage · 2–10 employees

  • State Drives

    Semiconductors

    State Drives is an online retailer specializing in IT hardware and networking devices. The company offers a broad range of products, including hard drives, solid-state drives (SSDs), servers, processors, memory, power supplies, and various networking components. It serves a diverse clientele, from individual IT professionals to larger enterprises, by providing hardware from major brands like Dell, IBM, and HP. The business operates on a direct-to-consumer e-commerce model, where revenue is generated through the sale of these IT components via its website. Customers can create accounts to track orders and streamline future purchases. State Drives focuses on supplying scalable and reliable hardware to support business infrastructure and modernization needs.

    Early stage · 2–10 employees

  • Statistics & Data

    Health, Enterprise software

    Breakout · 51–200 employees

  • Early stage

  • Early stage

  • Early stage

  • Early stage

Recent venture rounds

CompanyRoundAmountDateInvestors
ProPlaintiff.aiEarly VCUndisclosedJul 2026Not disclosed
BasataSeries A$21.0MMay 2026Cowboy Ventures, Basis Set Ventures, PHX Ventures +1 more
LifeGuidesGrowth Equity VCUndisclosedJan 2026Castellan Group
RunBuggySeries B$37.0MOct 2025Centana Growth Partners
DMD systems Recovery, Inc.Growth Equity VCUndisclosedSep 2025Tailwind Capital
Shilo AISeed$2.6MJun 2025The Levi Rodgers Real Estate Group, The MPH Team, AZ-VC +6 more
SolestialSeries A$17.0MMay 2025Techstars, Airbus Ventures, AE Ventures +6 more
UplinqSeries A$10.0MMay 2025LiveOak Venture Partners, Next Coast Ventures, AZ-VC
Morphos AiEarly VC$500KMay 2025Not disclosed
PurityresourceSeed$680KApr 2025Not disclosed
Accelerators and programs

Source: Dealroom, data as of Oct 1, 2026. Venture funding sums venture-type rounds with a disclosed amount; rounds raised by companies already public or bought out are left out. The last 12 months run from Nov 2025 to Oct 2026.

Founders, team members and individual investors are never shown, and company descriptions have sentences naming people removed.