news & events

5 startups complete our 5th Accelerator program

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...

10 common startup mistakes: #3 my friends = great cofounders

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...

Senator Toomey visits the LaunchBox

We were pleased to host Senator Toomey and President Barron today at the LaunchBox. Senator Toomey was interested in learning more about the Invent Penn State Initiative and our growing entrepreneurial ecosystem. We were able to showcase 2 of our Accelerator startups, Phospholutions and Rain Reality, as well as one of our local “hot desking” startups, LiveIt.