news & events

Penn State College of Engineering alumnus Tyler Tracy developed a passion for cutting hair his senior year of high school and continued to cut hair throughout college. However, he consistently struggled with keeping his tools organized. “With men’s haircuts, especially, you are going back and forth with a lot of tools, so I would have a lot of clutter start to build,” Tracy said. “I started thinking that if I had a system where every tool had a place to live, that would really help me out with organization.” Around the same time, Tracy also started to get more in tune...

Happy Valley LaunchBox powered by PNC Bank has accepted 11 early-stage business startups into its spring 2023 FastTrack Accelerator program. The business concepts range from gym equipment attachments and kayaking accessories to a swipe-right based app for fashion, to a support system network for women with polycystic ovarian syndrome. Through a competitive entry application process, FastTrack received 27 submissions for the no-cost business accelerator program, which is open to Penn State students, faculty and staff, as well as the community. The spring 2023 accelerator program, which runs from January through March, consists of nine weekly group meetings, plus 1-on-1 mentoring from advisers and...

Learn from experts (and we provide lunch).  The Happy Valley LaunchBox Fall Speaker Series has begun! Our Fall Speaker Series includes 3 great topics with experts who will provide you with actionable advice on various matters (see details below). Our goal is to inspire you to turn your idea into a viable business with the support of LaunchBox. Whether you are a community member, alumni, student, or none of the above, all are welcome!   How it works.  All talks are held downtown at the Happy Valley LaunchBox and include:  35-40-minute actionable advice and best practices  10-minute open Q&A  1-on-1 time to ask questions  ...

Want to learn more about starting and running a business? Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) is a worldwide celebration of innovation and entrepreneurship. At Penn State, we have one of the largest celebrations provding tons of virtual presentations, workshops, and networking opportunities geared specifically to entrepreneurs, local startups, innovators, and anyone interested in thinking outside the box. Virtual and in-person events all week. Check out all the events we have across PA and jump online or come in person. Here's a smattering of what's available: Sunday, Nov 6th Winter Market at The Rivet Monday, Nov 8th Use YouTube to Grow Your...

Learn how to talk to customers to de-risk your idea or business. Customer discovery is a tool used in lean business planning to help businesses figure out the right products/services to offer. Ones that customers actually want, and will pay for. Businesses, small and large, new and old, use this process to reduce the risk of bringing new products to market. Learn the basics of customer discovery. We're running a no-cost, open to the public, customer discovery workshop on Nov 9th from 9-10AM in our new Innovation Hub Building located at 123 S. Burrowes St. During the workshop, we'll cover......