AZNext

What AZNext does

AZNext is Arizona State University's Workforce Training Accelerator Partnership and a program within the Pipeline AZ workforce ecosystem, designed to deliver free skills training and job placement pathways to eligible Arizona job seekers (age 17+, high school diploma or GED) pursuing careers in advanced manufacturing and information systems, as well as to current employees seeking upskilling into technology roles. The program is operated by Pipeline Connects, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 2022, and is powered by a cloud-based Pipeline matching engine built and operated by Futures Inc., a privately-held North Carolina technology company. The matching engine connects job seekers to training programs, certifications, and employer partners through a skills-based approach that aligns newly acquired credentials with in-demand roles.

The program's product surface extends beyond AZNext into a broader multi-platform career development ecosystem: Pipeline AZ serves as the statewide core platform with 7,000+ education and training programs; My Future AZ is a K-12 career exploration and planning tool; Pipeline College offers white-labeled career exploration platforms deployed across five Arizona community colleges (Maricopa, Mohave, Coconino, Central Arizona, Arizona Western); and the IT/Cyber Career Network provides technology and cybersecurity career resources through a partnership with the Arizona Technology Council and Maricopa IDA.

AZNext's revenue model is grant-funded rather than transactional: the program is offered at no cost to participants, with funding sourced from the Arizona Department of Education, the Center for the Future of Arizona, and the Arizona Business and Education Coalition. Distribution is driven by ASU partnership recruitment, employer partner channels, and self-service registration on Pipeline AZ's digital platform. No direct revenue, ARR, or pricing-for-service model is disclosed for AZNext or Futures Inc.

Name

AZNext

Legal name

Futures Inc.

Website

https://aznext.pipelineaz.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AZNext is Arizona State University's Workforce Training Accelerator Partnership offering free skills training in advanced manufacturing and information systems to eligible Arizona job seekers, connecting participants with employer partners via the Pipeline AZ matching engine.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development Platform

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Computer Training (611420)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAAABAK

College & Career Transition Services (Bridge Programs, Dual Enrollment Pathways)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Adult Secondary Education (ASE) / High School Equivalency (GED/HiSET)

Keywords

• Workforce training
• Career matching
• Skills development
• Advanced manufacturing
• Information systems careers

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Workforce Development Funding: AZNext is funded through partnerships with Arizona Department of Education, Center for the Future of Arizona, and Arizona Business and Education Coalition. The program is offered at no cost to participants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

AZNext is Arizona State University's Workforce Training Accelerator Partnership, offering free skills training and professional experiences in advanced manufacturing and information systems career pathways. The program combines ASU's academic resources with employer partnerships, leveraging the Pipeline AZ matching platform to connect eligible participants (age 17+, high school diploma/GED) with training, certifications, and job opportunities aligned to employer demand.

Product overview

Pipeline AZ operates as a multi-platform career development ecosystem with Pipeline AZ as the core statewide platform connecting education, training, and employment. The ecosystem includes My Future AZ for K-12 student career exploration and planning, AZNext for ASU workforce training acceleration, Pipeline College white-labeled solutions for Arizona colleges, and the IT/Cyber Career Network for technology sector career development. Together, these products create a connected pathway from K-12 through workforce entry and advancement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AZNext: Arizona State University's Workforce Training Accelerator Partnership designed to provide skills and opportunities, with partner employers offering professional experiences and training.
• Pipeline College

Products and services

• AZNext Arizona State University's Workforce Training Accelerator Partnership that provides skills training and professional experiences toward career advancement in advanced manufacturing and information systems pathways. Connects eligible participants (17+, HS diploma/GED) with partner employers offering job opportunities; free to participants.
• Pipeline AZ Arizona's statewide skills-based career development platform connecting job seekers, training providers, and employers. The matching engine aligns in-demand skills with career pathways and surfaces education, jobs, and careers to users based on their profiles.
• My Future AZ K-12 student career exploration and planning tool featuring career assessments, ECAP creation, and digital portfolios. Connects Arizona students with career pathways aligned with their interests.
• Pipeline College Custom white-labeled career exploration and program discovery platform for Arizona colleges and universities. Provides branded, student-facing tools fully integrated into existing institutional websites, connecting students with programs within Arizona's statewide career ecosystem.
• IT/Cyber Career Network Arizona's resource for technology and cybersecurity career development providing universal access to career development resources, including hiring employers, community resources, and education/training programs in the IT/Cyber sector.

Quantifiable outcome

• Pipeline Connect users generate $180M in annual economic impact

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Arizona State University (ASU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAZNext is ASU's Workforce Training Accelerator Partnership, providing skills training and professional experiences toward career advancement. ASU serves as the academic backbone of the program.
• Partner EmployerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmployer partners are committed to the AZNext mission, offering professional experiences and training opportunities toward participants' career advancement.
• Pipeline ConnectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPipeline Connects is the Arizona-based nonprofit that operates Pipeline AZ and AZNext. Created in 2022 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to serve as the backbone of Arizona's workforce ecosystem.
• Partnership for Economic Innovation (PEI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPEI incubated Pipeline AZ as part of a statewide vision to dismantle barriers between education and employment. Platform became its own effort under Pipeline Connects in 2022.
• Arizona Department of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides funding support enabling My Future AZ and AZNext to be available at no cost to Arizona schools and students.
• Center for the Future of ArizonacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports My Future AZ and AZNext as part of Arizona's career pathway initiatives, enabling free access for schools.
• Arizona Business and Education CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity coalition supporting workforce development programs that align education with Arizona's economic opportunities.
• Maricopa Community CollegescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner institution using Pipeline College white-labeled platform for career exploration and program discovery.
• Mohave CollegecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner institution using Pipeline College white-labeled platform for career exploration and program discovery.
• Coconino Community CollegecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner institution using Pipeline College white-labeled platform for career exploration and program discovery.
• Central Arizona CollegecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner institution using Pipeline College white-labeled platform for career exploration and program discovery.
• Arizona Western CollegecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner institution using Pipeline College white-labeled platform for career exploration and program discovery.
• Arizona Technology CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with Maricopa IDA and PEI to operate the Arizona IT/Cyber Career Network, providing technology and cybersecurity career development resources.
• Maricopa IDAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustrial Development Authority partnering on the Arizona IT/Cyber Career Network initiative.
• Futures Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology company providing the cloud-based Pipeline matching engine that powers Pipeline AZ and all affiliated workforce platforms including AZNext.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• America Works: America Works is a workforce development provider delivering training and job placement services through government contracts—a comparable publicly-funded, employment-outcome-driven workforce model.
• Year Up: Year Up is a workforce-development nonprofit that provides free technical and professional skills training to young adults and connects them with employer partners—directly comparable to AZNext's model of free training plus employer-driven hiring pathways.
• Generation USA: Generation USA runs free, employer-aligned training programs (including advanced manufacturing and IT) with strong placement outcomes—structurally analogous to AZNext's training-to-employment pathway.
• Per Scholas: Per Scholas provides free IT and technical training to adults from underserved communities and partners with employers for direct hiring, mirroring AZNext's information-systems training and partner-employer recruitment structure.
• Goodwill Industries International: Goodwill operates workforce development and job training programs nationwide, frequently partnering with state agencies and employers—comparable to AZNext's state-funded, employer-aligned training model.
• Apprenti: Apprenti operates registered IT and tech apprenticeship programs that combine employer-paid training with on-the-job learning—a comparable model of employer-funded workforce training in technology fields.

Broad incumbents

• Guild Education: Guild Education partners with large employers to deliver education and career pathway benefits to working adults at scale—a broader, employer-sponsored incumbent that overlaps with AZNext's upskilling value proposition.
• LinkedIn (Microsoft) Career Services: LinkedIn Learning and LinkedIn Talent Solutions provide career development, learning, and talent matching at massive scale—an incumbent that competes for the same employer and job-seeker mindshare as AZNext.

Regional players

• Workforce Solutions (Texas): Texas Workforce Solutions is a statewide public workforce system offering training, career exploration, and employer matching—a comparable state-level workforce ecosystem operating in a different geography.

Emerging players

• Opportunity@Work: Opportunity@Work is a nonprofit focused on skills-based hiring and STARs worker advancement, conceptually aligned with AZNext's certification-based matching approach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aznext

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AZNext