Melissa Lamson

As the EVP of Venture Development & Innovation Strategy at the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA), I work for the continued growth of Arizona's economy by fostering and serving a vibrant innovation ecosystem that supports startups and investors to thrive. With over 20 years of experience in over 40 countries, I've run projects, started companies, coached executives, and provided consulting services across all industries and cultures. I'm especially proud to have founded, led and scaled several initiatives that have helped hundreds of startups launch and grow - RECREATE, WEN and the award-winning Venture Café Phoenix.Additionally, I have authored two relevant books, Market Entry into the US (in German and English) and The New Global Manager: Learning to Manage in a Complex Business Env...