news & events

4 new innovation hubs to open in PA

Our Ecosystem is Growing You may, or may not, know that Happy Valley LaunchBox is one of a number of innovation hubs across the Commonwealth funded by President Barron’s Invent Penn State Initiative. These innovation hubs are designed to jump-start entrepreneurial activities in campus communities across PA. Each is targeted to help the local community. Some provide co-working space, others maker spaces, and still others education such as with Accelerator programs. Last week, Penn State announced that 4 more innovation hubs have received seed grants of $50,000 to develop centers in their communities. This brings the total count to 17. Abington Altoona...

From 1000 applicants to 15 finalists: Project Vive finalist in Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge

Project Vive, a fall 2016 graduate of the LaunchBox Accelerator, continues to be recognized for their innovation and passion to help others through their technology-based solution. Giving a voice to the voiceless. Project Vive was started out of the desire to give a “voice to the voiceless” by providing individuals with complex communication needs and low motor control a low-cost speech generation device. So, it’s no surprise that they have been recognized by Cisco as one of the 15 finalists in the Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge. The Challenge is designed to inspire and empower a generation of global problem solvers...

Summer Speaker Series

Learn from experts (and eat some lunch). Our Summer Speaker Series features experts and experienced entrepreneurs who share tips, tools, and actionable advice to help you engage customers, add value, and increase your chances of success. Select Wednesdays from 12:00 – 1:00 (at the LaunchBox). Each session includes: 35-40 minute “actionable advice” and best practices 20-minute Q&A Afternoon office hours Light lunch Meet 1-on-1 with experts (afternoon office hours available). Want 1-on-1 advice from our expert speakers? Sign up in advance for office hours to dig deeper and discuss your specific challenges with these experts. U P C O M...

10 common startup mistakes: #1 an idea = a business

About this blog post series… I was recently asked to give a talk at a conference about my work with startups. In thinking about what to talk about, I realized that a question I get over and over is, “What is the biggest mistake that startups make?” Always a great question. Learning from those who have “been there done that” so you can “be there and not do that” is an excellent way to de-risk your business and avoid costly mistakes. Having worked with teams for a number of years, I’ve definitely seem some patterns. So, I decided to create...

Phospholutions continues to build

Phospholutions continues to make the world greener, and make great progress with their 1st full-course application of Rhizosorb right here at the White Course. President Eric Barron, always a huge supporter of our startup teams, was there to lend his support.