Success Stories
Lack of access to capital is one of the primary barriers facing Black and Latinx entrepreneurs. According to the Harvard Business Review, less than 2% of venture capital goes to Black and Latinx entrepreneurs, and when almost 65% of all entrepreneurs rely on personal and family savings for startup capital,…
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The Pursuit By You took home a $7,500 first-place prize in the Ben Franklin Technology Partners TechCelerator @ State College virtual pitch event, which awarded $10,000 to local entrepreneurs. Six entrepreneurial teams pitched their business concepts to a panel of independent judges and showcased innovative technologies in health, augmented reality…
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Entrepreneurship races through Nic Anzalone’s veins. A third-generation Penn State student who graduated in spring 2021 with a degree in Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIENT) from the Smeal College of Business, Anzalone launched his first company at the age of seven – making chocolate lollipops to sell door-to-door. Years later,…
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Ben Franklin Technology Partners, an award-winning, tech-based economic development program, is offering emerging entrepreneurs, tech innovators, and small manufacturers developing new products, processes, or software applications the chance to win up to $50,000 by competing in the BIG IDEA Contest. Applications are open now until 5 p.m. on Aug. 23. …
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Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH) is a disease resulting from too much cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) around the brain and affects roughly 750,000 Americans, typically those over 65 years old. Symptoms are often confused with Alzheimer’s, but in many cases are reversible with the placement of a shunt. Unfortunately, Hydrocephalus shunts have…
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Just five years after opening the first LaunchBox, Invent Penn State’s LaunchBox & Innovation Network has grown to 21 locations across Pennsylvania. The Network has supported 3,325 community entrepreneurs, launched 164 new Pennsylvania companies, created 247 new products, and created 194.5 jobs. The LaunchBox & Innovation Hub Network began modestly in 2015 when five Penn…
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This article is part of a series celebrating the five-year anniversary of Invent Penn State’s LaunchBox and Innovation Hub Network. Learn more here. In the past year, State College-based Phospholutions has grown from seven to 20 employees, and recently raised $10.3M in venture capital funding to support the development and…
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The Invent Penn State Venture & IP Conference, one of the largest tech startup conferences in the Mid-Atlantic, virtually hosted more than 500 attendees April 15-16. Drawing more than 80 startups and more than 50 venture capital investors from across the country, the conference highlighted innovations from high growth and…
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Invent Penn State’s 2021 virtual Tech Tournament showcased eight of Penn State’s most disruptive innovations and early-stage startups born out of Penn State’s research enterprise. The startups and inventors pitched their technologies to a panel of three judges for their chance at the $75,000 grand prize. The judges for the…
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