From Blackboard to Billion-Dollar Lessons: Matthew Pittinsky

Every ecosystem has its builders — the ones who prove it’s possible to create something world-class from local soil. In Arizona, few embody that better than Matthew Pittinsky. On Wednesday, October 29, the PHX FWD Community Event at 100 Mill in Tempe brings the startup community together for Growing Unicorns in Vertical Markets — an evening of ideas, stories, and momentum. Pittinsky co-founded Blackboard, guiding it from classroom startup to IPO and a$450 million acquisition. Then he built Parchment,a Scottsdale-based education technology company that grew beyond $120 million in ARR before being acquired by Instructure in 2023. This fireside chat isn’t about chasing valuations — it’s about building substance. Expect real talk on leadership, scaling with purpose, and how to build a unicorn in markets most people overlook. Food, drinks, and conversation with the people redefining what Arizona founders can do. Tickets are $20 — and they won’t last. [ Get Tickets →] 📩 Subscribe to the Silicon Oasis Maagazine for more stories from Arizona’s startup and tech ecosystem .