Success Story
-
Roots treated with Rhibozorb compared to roots not treated with Rhibozorb -
President Barron and members of the Penn State community watch as Rhizosorb is applied to the Penn State White Course
“For more than two years, we have worked toward this day. And thanks to Invent Penn State’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, led by President Barron, and the support of the local community, that day is here.”
Hunter Swisher
CEO of Phospholutions
Penn State Startup Phospholutions Demonstrates Product on White Course
STATE COLLEGE, PA – Penn State President Eric Barron joined providers of entrepreneurship resources in celebrating innovative Penn State startup, Phospholutions, on Thursday, May 18 at the Penn State Golf Course in State College.
Phospholutions celebrated the first full-course application of its lead product, Rhizosorb, by thanking the people and organizations who have supported them during development, including the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program (Penn TAP) and Invent Penn State. The company demonstrated for them how Rhizosorb is applied. This is a significant milestone for the startup and the partnership with Penn State Golf Course will provide data needed to demonstrate the full value of the Rhizosorb product.
Hunter Swisher, CEO of Phospholutions, graduated from Penn State’s plant sciences program in the College of Agriculture in December 2016. As an undergraduate developing Phospholutions, Swisher participated in the Summer Founder’s Program, the TechCelerator and the accelerator at Happy Valley LaunchBox. He also received help from the SBDC.
“It’s an honor to perform our first full-course application on the home course of Penn State, who has the top turf grass management program in the U.S. and a leader in sustainability practices,” says Hunter Swisher, CEO of Phospholutions. “The management here have been incredible throughout our product development process.”
Swisher made the decision to start the company as a Penn State plant science undergrad in the College of Ag and aggressively pursued all resources available to entrepreneurs in Happy Valley. He went through three local business accelerators—The Summer Founders Program at Penn State, Happy Valley LaunchBox and the Ben Franklin TechCelerator. He also worked with the Small Business Development Center and the Penn State Law Entrepreneurship and IP Clinics. He has won pitch competitions at each stage and now has a local investor to help him launch the company.
For more information about Phospholutions, visit www.phospholutions.com.
