Ben Franklin Technology Partners, an award-winning, tech-based economic development program, is offering emerging entrepreneurs, tech innovators and small manufacturers developing new products, processes or software applications the chance to win up to $50,000 by competing in the BIG IDEA Contest. Applications are open now until 5 p.m. on Aug. 23.
96% of Pennsylvanians live or work within 30 miles of a LaunchBox or Innovation Hub
Image: Penn State
May 27, 2021
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. Just five years after opening the first LaunchBox, Invent Penn State’s LaunchBox and Innovation Hub Network has grown to 21 locations across Pennsylvania. The network has supported 3,325 community entrepreneurs and helped to launch 164 new Pennsylvania companies, develop 247 new products, and create 194.5 jobs.
The LaunchBox and Innovation Hub Network began modestly in 2015 when five Penn State campuses received $50,000 each from Invent Penn State’s competitive seed grant program. Each campus was awarded a grant to create community innovation hubs, with the ability to receive repeat funding for three years. The demand for innovation across the commonwealth surged, and over the next three years expanded to 21 campuses. Today, 96% of Pennsylvanians have a LaunchBox or innovation hub within 30 miles of where they live or work. �
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Patent-pending medical content system NotePro earns first-place prize of $5,000
Image: Penn State
January 29, 2021
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. Ben Franklin TechCelerator @ State College awarded three early-stage startup teams parts of a $10,000 prize during their final virtual pitch event. This year’s winners pitched innovative technologies in the medical, augmented reality (AR), and electrical markets to the panel of judges.
Dr. Christine Weikert and the NotePro team won the first-place prize of $5,000. NotePro’s patent-pending medical content system allows clinicians to simplify the note-taking process within electronic medical records through an add-on interface to existing medical record systems. The interface saves clinicians time logging information, enabling them to spend more time with patients, and becomes a part of patients’ permanent medical records.
Startups are not required to have a Penn State affiliation to apply.
The VIP Conference is one of the largest tech startup conferences in the Mid-Atlantic and draws more than 600 attendees, including 70-plus startup ventures and 40-plus investment firms from across the country. The conference highlights innovations from high growth and emerging markets such as Information Technology, FinTech, EdTech, Energy, Advanced Manufacturing, Biotechnology, Healthcare, Business to Business, and Business to Consumer, among others.
In addition to Venture Connection, attendees can look forward to several Penn State innovator competitions and showcases. The Student Startup Showcase kicks off each conference. Hosted by University President Eric Barron, the event features one-minute pitches from Penn State’s top student entrepreneurs.