University of Phoenix to Transform Education and Business with New RedFlint Innovation Experience Center in Las Vegas
May 31 2016 - 4:20PM
Business Wire
University of Phoenix and Iron Yard Ventures
collaboration provides local resource to educate, incubate and
accelerate business ideas
University of Phoenix is opening a first-of-its kind innovation
center in Las Vegas. The RedFlint™ Innovation Experience Center
will provide visitors with an experiential, hands-on learning
environment to help them innovate in their companies and in their
own careers. The center will provide individuals, startups and
established businesses access to the latest technology and business
ideas to help them perform at a high caliber today, and learn how
to be nimble and relevant for tomorrow. The University is
collaborating with Iron Yard Ventures to provide startup businesses
access to a premier business accelerator through RedFlint.
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RedFlint is expected to open in September 2016. The open-concept
center will be located in the Bank of America Plaza building in
downtown Las Vegas. RedFlint will be open to the public with a
specific focus on the Las Vegas business, education and government
communities.
“Las Vegas is a growing technology and innovation hub, and we
are so pleased to welcome University of Phoenix downtown where
everything is happening,” said Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn G. Goodman.
“Downtown is the nerve center for an explosion of ideas and
conversation, and the momentum continues to build with exciting new
projects like the RedFlint Innovation Experience Center.”
RedFlint addresses, among others, the common issues of
stagnation inside established businesses; limited resources for
entrepreneurs and startup ventures; and individuals who feel behind
on the technology curve. The dynamic collaboration between
University of Phoenix’s College of Information Systems &
Technology and School of Business, along with Iron Yard Ventures,
positions RedFlint to ignite change within many industries. Iron
Yard Ventures has spurred investment in 59 startups in the last
four years and those companies have gone on to create hundreds of
jobs and raise more than $70 million in follow-on funding.
“Rapid technology advancements have led to a new kind of ‘skills
gap,’” said Dennis Bonilla, executive dean of the College of
Information Systems & Technology at University of Phoenix.
“Professionals who are otherwise fully-qualified within their
fields find themselves falling behind due to a lack of technical
savvy or drive to innovate within their organizations. Those
starting businesses often have strong industry knowledge, but
struggle to stay current on new technology and don’t necessarily
know how to leverage it to connect more effectively with customers.
RedFlint can help bridge these gaps.”
University of Phoenix explored a number of possible locations
for RedFlint, and the climate of innovation and the opportunity to
make a difference in Las Vegas were determining factors. Both the
hospitality and gaming industries are poised for change, spurred by
new technologies and services. Also, as a home to many tech
companies, an exploding IT workforce and host to the world’s
largest technology and electronics trade show, Las Vegas is
establishing itself as a well-respected and sought-after hub for
tech and innovation.
“Having this innovation center in our urban core is not only
going to benefit downtown, but our community as a whole,” said Las
Vegas City Councilman Bob Coffin. “Adding resources to the
community leads to innovation and keeps our city on the cutting
edge.”
RedFlint will be continuously evolving to adopt new technologies
and advance new ideas, but is underpinned with three main
components: educate, incubate and accelerate. There will also be
implications for innovation in higher education. RedFlint will be a
place where the University studies innovation, identifies education
gaps and tests and incubates ideas that can ultimately innovate
curriculum.
“Imagine the power of starting a business surrounded by the
latest technologies, data analytics and digital marketing tools,
and having advisors from successful companies who can help you
avoid traditional early business mistakes,” said Ruth Veloria,
executive dean of University of Phoenix School of Business.
“University of Phoenix has always been on the cutting edge of how
adults learn, and this new ecosystem has the potential to help
innovate education.”
The RedFlint Innovation Center will:
- Educate: Experiential learning
and ideas will come to life in a technically advanced, yet
approachable laboratory. The center will offer no cost workshops
and professional development opportunities that can be adapted as
technologies and industries evolve, as well as technology that
anyone can test.
- Incubate: Established or startup
companies can build their business plans surrounded by the
technology and resources needed to get them off the ground.
Companies can incubate new products, revenue streams or
processes.
- Accelerate: By providing access
through RedFlint to Iron Yard Ventures, entrepreneurs gain a way to
take business to the next level with one of the premier
accelerators at their side.
Analytics leader SAS is also interested in participating in the
project.
“The RedFlint Innovation Experience Center can provide more
opportunities for people to learn SAS skills that are highly sought
after by employers in every industry,” said Emily Baranello, vice
president, SAS Education Practice. “It will also give entrepreneurs
experience with a variety of technologies, including data
visualization and data management, so they can learn how analytics
can support their innovative work.”
“RedFlint Innovation Experience Center, paired with Iron Yard
Ventures Accelerator, will be the catalyst Las Vegas needs,” said
Ryan J. Negri, managing director of Iron Yard Ventures Accelerator.
“We’ll be solving real world problems, with applicable,
technological solutions for the community and our corporate
sponsors. The support from local corporations, small business,
and the general population has been extraordinary thus far.”
For more information about the RedFlint Innovation Experience
Center, visit: www.redflintvegas.com.
About University of Phoenix
University of Phoenix is constantly innovating
to help working adults move efficiently from education to careers
in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant and
engaging courses, and interactive learning can help students more
effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing
their busy lives. As a subsidiary of Apollo Education Group,
Inc. (Nasdaq: APOL), University of Phoenix serves a diverse student
population, offering associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral
degree programs from campuses and learning centers across the U.S.
as well as online throughout the world. For more information, visit
www.phoenix.edu.
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version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160531006478/en/
University of PhoenixTanya Burden,
303-570-0617tanya.burden@apollo.eduorJennifer Marshall,
847-476-2734jennifer.marshall@apollo.edu
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