SHRM makes strategic investment in Tempe-based LifeGuides

By Kyle Macdonald, COO of Silicon Oasis

Tempe-based LifeGuides, led by Silicon Oasis Ambassador Derek Lundsten, has received a strategic investment from SHRM, deepening a five-year relationship between the Arizona company and one of the world’s largest human resources organizations.

The investment builds on a partnership that began with SHRM using LifeGuides to support its own employees. The relationship later expanded, with LifeGuides’ professional mentoring incorporated into SHRM’s People Manager Qualification program in 2025.

LifeGuides provides professional mentoring and employee support through a technology-enabled platform that connects people with experienced guides who have navigated similar professional or personal challenges. The company works with employers to provide employees and managers with individualized support across workplace and life experiences.

The amount of SHRM’s investment was not disclosed. LifeGuides said the new capital will help expand its professional mentoring services across additional industries and manager populations. The company also reported that its revenue has grown more than 100% annually for several years.

For Arizona, the investment represents another example of a locally based technology company converting a long-term customer relationship into a deeper strategic partnership.

It is also a milestone within the Silicon Oasis community. Lundsten serves as a Silicon Oasis Ambassador, connecting LifeGuides’ growth to the broader network of founders and technology leaders building companies across Arizona.

As Arizona’s technology ecosystem continues to mature, companies like LifeGuides demonstrate its increasing breadth. The Silicon Oasis is being built not only through semiconductors, AI and advanced manufacturing, but also through Arizona companies developing technology that changes how organizations support, train and develop their people.

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LifeGuides receives strategic investment from SHRM