Six student startups, $15k each and 13 weeks of focus

Happy Valley is synonymous with a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem — one that’s branched out to support Pennsylvania entrepreneurs in other regions of the Keystone State as well. Today, nearly all Pennsylvania residents live or work within a half-hour drive of a LaunchBox or Innovation Hub — 96% of Pennsylvanians to be exact — both of […]

As Bruce Springsteen sings in his 1984 hit Dancing in the Dark, “you can’t start a fire without a spark.” And for HappyValley entrepreneurs and startups, State College-based 1855 Capital has been that spark to attract investors and raise much-needed capital in the competitive venture landscape. The 1855 Capital Fund is a $12 million seed and early-stage venture capital […]

“Silicon Valley is more of a spirit than a place,” says Todd Erdley, the founder, chairman and president of Videon. “And that spirit is based on entrepreneurs coming together, sharing best practices, enabling great outcomes, spurring one another on and fostering a sense of community.” Erdley started the Centre Region Entrepreneur Network (CREN) about 10 years ago […]

The Penn State SBDC, part of the federally-funded nationwide network of SBDCs, has provided resources and services to businesses for almost 25 years, says director Tim Keohane — and many of those businesses have gone on to make big impacts on their industries. As of September 2020, SBDC is serving 650 clients and assisting with […]

Almost two years ago, Krista Schneider had an idea for a new business: up-cycling spent grain from the beer brewing process into pre-seeded, biodegradable “garden squares” ready for growing vegetables, herbs and flowers. To test the viability of her business model, she took advantage of programs offered by the Happy Valley LaunchBox powered by PNC […]

Have a great idea? It could be worth BIG bucks. Ben Franklin Technology Partners is currently accepting applications for its BIG IDEA competition, an event that's awarded nearly $2 million to entrepreneurs and small businesses to date. The contest is open to aspiring tech innovators, small manufacturers and budding entrepreneurs interested in developing their products, […]