How Robert Vera is Transforming Entrepreneurs into Next-Generation Leaders
Robert Vera has built a career on empowering others to lead, innovate and create lasting impact. As the director of Canyon Ventures, Grand Canyon University’s (GCU) business accelerator, he’s equipping students and entrepreneurs to transform ideas into thriving companies while redefining what entrepreneurial education can look like.
Under Vera’s leadership, Canyon Ventures has evolved into one of the nation’s most dynamic university startup ecosystems. Today, the on-campus accelerator is home to 17 active companies, most of which are founded or driven by students and alumni who have turned bold ideas into viable, real-world businesses.
Behind this success is Vera’s toolbox of proven formulas and methodologies that read like an NFL playbook. As a former startup founder turned educator, he uses this playbook to ready students with the hard and soft skills vital for success in business and life.
“Hard skills are job dependent, and while they may open the door, soft skills build the career,” says Vera. Vera believes that across every industry, lasting success depends on four disciplines: the ability to speak with confidence, write with clarity, produce and improve high-quality ideas, and cultivate a quality network. “My mission is to prepare students to make an impact in this world,” shared Vera.
Canyon Ventures helps attract students from across the nation. “After touring Canyon Ventures, I enrolled at GCU, packed up my truck and drove from Long Island, New York, to Phoenix. I started my company in Professor Vera’s class,” says Lucas Patten, founder of Powder Pal, a precise, multi-purpose scoop designed for effortless measuring and pouring.
“Powder Pal is now housed at Canyon Ventures and one of the top TikTok sellers. In less than a year, I paid off all my student debt and employ GCU students.”
Today, with over 130,000 students, GCU is leading a higher education revolution. “GCU President Brian Mueller is a rare breed; he is the Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk of higher education – a legendary operator and innovator who has transformed the university by scaling education fully aligned to jobs and careers in high demand. His vision and mentorship are the cornerstone of our Canyon Ventures success,” says Vera.
Canyon Ventures offers early-stage companies no-cost office space in return for providing students with paid internships. “This model provides our students paid professional experience, which is essential to landing a job upon graduation. The model also gives our ventures access to a pool of highly motivated student talent,” says Vera.
These companies eventually grow out of the accelerator and into Arizona’s business community, driving economic growth while offering GCU alumni new job opportunities. The startup selection criteria are also unique: “We seek early-stage companies with the vision and capacity to pioneer new business categories; innovations that redefine industries and establish market dominance,” says Vera.
One standout example is Branch49, a company that has transformed the entire sales process by reimagining how outbound sales are done, replacing emails, internet ads and cold-calling with a data-driven, human connection methodology. Branch49 hires GCU students with no sales experience and trains them to become top-performing professionals.
“Our mission has always been to help our clients dominate their market,” says Corey Frank, CEO of Branch49. “Canyon Ventures and Robert gave us the opportunity and guidance to test new ideas, hire and mold the next generation of sales professionals.” The team now makes over one million targeted outbound calls a month for global clients.
Noggin Boss and NineteenTwenty, two Canyon Ventures startups, earned national attention after appearing on Shark Tank. Noggin Boss, famed for its oversized hats, has the distinction of being the fastest deal to close in Shark Tank history. NineteenTwenty impressed the Sharks with its multipurpose jackets that convert into vests, bags, pillows and more.
Other market-dominating innovations include VeRelief by Hoolest, which has become the EpiPen for a panic attack; CarChap, the first holster for your lip balm; and Powder Pal, the all-in-one scoop and funnel, were all shaped at Canyon Ventures under Vera’s mentorship.
“It’s come full circle for me,” says Gabe Cooper, co-founder of Noggin Boss. “I earned both my undergraduate and MBA degrees at GCU, and now my company is based here at Canyon Ventures. We hire GCU interns and alumni, and each year we award a scholarship to an outstanding student.”
But for Vera, the real victory lies in transformation. His mission isn’t simply to launch companies; it’s to mold capable leaders who think differently and lead with purpose.
“You need unwavering faith to be an entrepreneur. GCU is the perfect place for me, a Christ-centered university with an innovative spirit and a mission to develop transformative leaders who serve others before themselves. I love that mission,” shared Vera.
Thanks to Vera’s leadership and expertise in cultivating top entrepreneurial talent, the future of Arizona’s startup ecosystem is brighter than ever. Learn more at gcuworks.gcu.edu.
