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Penn State Research and the Hope Ahead for Happy Valley’s Job Growth
For decades, Happy Valley has been a launchpad for world-changing innovation, driven by Penn State research, talent, and leadership. The pioneering work of Jack Haller, Eugene Raymond, and Charles Brown laid the foundation for a regional economy fueled by research and technology, giving rise to defense, telecommunications, software, and scientific companies that shaped industries far beyond Central Pennsylvania.
But as industries evolve and technology advances, who will build the companies that shape the next era of job growth?
A Legacy of Innovation That Still Drives Progress
Happy Valley’s industrial and technological roots run deep, beginning with the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State in 1945. This partnership with the U.S. Navy paved the way for defense and industrial advancements, inspiring companies like:
- HRB Systems Inc. (1946): Founded by Penn State researchers Haller, Raymond, and Brown, HRB Systems started with a single Air Force contract and quickly became a leader in defense and intelligence. By the mid-1960s, HRB-Singer employed over 1,000 scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and consultants at its Science Park headquarters. After a series of acquisitions, the company became part of Raytheon Intelligence & Information Systems, continuing its legacy in national security and defense technology.
- C-COR Electronics Inc.: Emerged from HRB and helped revolutionize cable TV technology.
- AccuWeather (1962): Founded by Penn State meteorology graduate Joel Myers, now delivering forecasts to 1.5 billion people worldwide.
- Chemcut: The industry leader in chemical milling and circuit board etching, headquartered in Happy Valley for over 60 years.
- Supelco (1966): Started in a tiny garage in State College, became a leader in gas chromatography, now part of MilliporeSigma (Merck’s life science division).
- Scientific Systems (1967): A world leader in high-pressure piston pumps for scientific applications, acquired by Teledyne Instruments, Inc. in 2017.
- Minitab: Developed from Penn State’s Stat Lab, became a global force in data analytics and statistical software, assisting companies worldwide.
- Restek Corporation (1985): A world leader in chromatography technology, also spawned SilcoTek, which revolutionized metal coatings for scientific instruments.
These companies transformed their industries and cemented Happy Valley as a hub of research-driven economic growth. But the story doesn’t end there.
The Next Chapter: Who’s Leading Happy Valley’s Future Job Growth?
Today, a new generation of research-driven businesses is rising to meet the challenges of tomorrow, carrying forward the legacy of Haller, Raymond, and Brown.
1. Research & Development: Pioneering the Next Wave of Innovation
Penn State’s commitment to cutting-edge research is fostering breakthroughs in robotics, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and green energy, setting the stage for tomorrow’s high-tech job market:
- Wearable Assistive Robotics: Penn State is pioneering advanced prosthetic technology to improve mobility for people worldwide.
- Biodegradable Nerve Scaffolding: Medical researchers at Penn State are developing next-generation treatments for nerve injuries.
- AI-Powered Medical Diagnostics: Penn State-backed startups are revolutionizing healthcare with artificial intelligence, improving early detection and treatment outcomes.
2. Entrepreneurship: Transforming Research into High-Growth Companies
- EnergyCAP, Inc.: Provides energy management software that helps organizations track, analyze, and reduce energy consumption, creating jobs in software development, sustainability, and energy efficiency consulting.
- Blue Mountain Quality Resources: A leader in cloud-based asset management for life sciences, rapidly expanding and offering careers in regulatory software and compliance technology.
- BioMagnetic Solutions: Developing next-generation ferrofluid-based immunomagnetic cell selection systems, advancing biotech and personalized medicine. Now part of Gamma Biosciences, BioMagnetic Solutions is working to revolutionize cell and gene therapy, creating high-tech jobs in life sciences and bioengineering.
- Avail Technologies: A leader in intelligent transportation systems, creating jobs in public transit technology and software engineering, improving transit systems across the country.
- NeuroXR: Advancing surgical training through wearable sensor technology, opening new opportunities in medical technology.
- Intel-E-Waste: Driving sustainable electronic waste recycling, leading to job growth in environmental engineering and resource recovery.
- Homeland Manufacturing Services: Helping reshore manufacturing jobs by producing advanced electronics components—a shift that is bringing skilled trades and engineering jobs back to the U.S.
- State of the Art, Inc.: A major producer of high-reliability thick and thin film resistors, supporting aerospace, telecommunications, and medical industries with precision electronics manufacturing.
3. Economic Stability: A Research-Backed Workforce for the Future
The companies of today are not just creating jobs, they’re building careers. The consistent influx of talent from Penn State, combined with research-driven innovation and business support programs like Invent Penn State, ensures Happy Valley remains an economic powerhouse for engineers, scientists, software developers, and skilled tradespeople alike.
The Challenge: Will We Answer the Call?
The question isn’t just where have Haller, Raymond, and Brown gone?—it’s who among us will step up?
Their spirit lives on in today’s researchers, entrepreneurs, and visionaries, but vision alone is not enough. It takes risk, investment, and an unwillingness to accept mediocrity to build the future.
Happy Valley’s economic trajectory is influenced by five critical trends:
- AI & Automation Revolution: AI and automation are transforming industries globally.
- Green Energy Transition: The shift toward clean energy is accelerating (it may slow down for a few years, yet it will come back). Penn State’s research in renewable energy and sustainability is poised to contribute significantly to this sector.
- Reshoring of Advanced Manufacturing: The U.S. is revitalizing domestic manufacturing, especially in semiconductors. Penn State received $1.4 million to enhance Pennsylvania’s semiconductor workforce, underscoring its commitment to advanced manufacturing.
- Life Sciences & Biotechnology Boom: Advancements in biotechnology offer vast opportunities. Companies like BioMagnetic Solutions in Happy Valley are making notable progress, indicating potential for a robust life sciences sector.
- Shift in Federal & Corporate R&D Investment Increased research funding is still available. Penn State’s interdisciplinary approach positions it well to secure and utilize these investments effectively.
Happy Valley was not built by followers—it was built by pioneers. If we want the next AccuWeather, the next HRB, the next Restek, we must create it, fund it, and scale it—right here, right now.
The companies that will define the next 20 years are being built today. The only question is:
Our community turns its lonely eyes to you—the entrepreneur—to rise, to innovate, and to create the jobs that will define Happy Valley’s future. We are here to cheer you on and amplify your heroes’ journey and attract customers to you. Are you in?
