ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
“ The key is the fusion of cuttingedge science with the data structure, combined with comprehensive realtime, real-life data that’ s relevant for his projects,” Gregory explains. With Zimin Institute support, Shade has matured his solution from a research-grade tool to a robust, accessible platform that can drive real-world decision-making for government and industry actors.
The initial rollout of his tool incorporated in a pilot demonstration for the island of Hawaii, where there is a push for energy and food independence and resilience, was very well received. With this success and enthusiastic feedback from potential clients in the Phoenix metro area, the surrounding southwest US and as far away as Germany, the Zimin Institute encouraged Shade to spin out a new startup company Apollo Insights.“ I was excited about the opportunity because I could see that it’ s not just about transforming the workforce, it’ s about transforming a city or whole region, and the way it is conceptualised, architected and designed,” Gregory says.
The Institute’ s active support enabled Apollo Insights to quickly launch and successfully engage clients. The startup now consults on complex systems modelling, helping regions design strategies for sustainability and resilience by integrating economic, technological, social and environmental factors into policymaking.
Apollo Insights’ first contract work is focused on Northern Arizona, where the transition away from coal-fired electric power – previously a regional economic cornerstone – has become a case study in workforce and economic transformation. The platform provides actionable insights for impacted stakeholders to navigate this disruptive
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