news & events

Experts provide actionable advice (and we provide lunch). Our Fall Speaker Series kicks off Oct 4th and includes 4 great topics with 4 experts who will provide you with actionable advice on a variety of topics (see details below). Everyone is welcome. How it works. All talk are held downtown at the Happy Valley LaunchBox and include: 35-40 minute actionable advice and best practices 10-minute open Q&A Office hours for 1-on-1 advice Light lunch Spend time with the experts. 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...

Participants in Invent Penn State I-Corps Site program receive entrepreneurship training and become eligible for national I-Corps program with awards of up to $50,000 The National Science Foundation has joined in supporting Penn State’s goal of taking more of its discoveries to market by awarding Penn State a five-year, $500,000 Innovation Corps (I-Corps) grant to establish the Invent Penn State I-Corps Site in collaboration with Ben Franklin Technology Partner’s TechCelerator, Happy Valley LaunchBox, and Invent Penn State’s Innovation Hubs. The Invent Penn State I-Corps Site will provide mini-grants, commercialization training and mentorship for up to 30 startup teams per year. These training boot camps will...

Being unique doesn’t mean you don’t have competitors. Over the years of asking entrepreneurs who their competitors are, I often got the response, “Nobody does what I do. Most companies only do X but I do X, Y, and Z.” Or, they claim that this is a totally new idea that has never been done before, so there really aren’t any competitors. I’ve heard this from startups as well as CEOs of existing businesses. While you may have indeed created a one of a kind solution, you do go head to head with others in terms of competing for your...

Five new startups joined the 26 others who have successfully completed our 10-week Accelerator program. This group was the most diverse group of participants to date. Founders included 5 community members, 2 Penn State staff, and 1 student. The five start-ups that completed the 10-week program this summer included: Ardor & Forge — Versatile watches that are rugged enough to wear for outdoor activities but appropriate for work and social environments as well. BOSS Healthy Journey — An individualized daily workout and diet management mobile app that helps individuals who desire to lose 50 or more pounds to begin and maintain an...

Friend or co-founder, or both? Are there examples where best friends have started and run a successful business? Sure. But, it’s not always a piece of cake (just ask Mark Zuckerberg). While your friends may seem like a sure bet (after all you’ve grown up together), a smart entrepreneur makes sure that they protect both their business and their relationship. Does your friend have what it takes? Focus on skills not friendship. While trust and getting along are critical, you also need to critically evaluate the skills that your friend has – you should now what they good at and what...