Penn State recently held a ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony for the Brandywine LaunchBox.
The site, located in Lansdowne within the Utility Works MakerSpace, provides no-cost resources for entrepreneurs and innovators. It is a Lansdowne Economic Development Corp. project and a signature program of the Invent Penn State initiative.
Utility Works MakerSpace provided co-working and meeting spaces, large-format and vinyl, laser cutters, printers, 3D printers, and other specialized equipment.
Brandywine LaunchBox will provide training and mentoring for startup businesses, legal and intellectual property advice, mentorship opportunities, entrepreneurship-focused academic programs and workshops, co-working spaces, and accelerator programs.
Penn State Brandywine will award the Lansdowne Economic Development Corp. $25,000 for renovations and equipment for the building’s sound lab. The sound lab provides recording space for podcasts and other recording and production projects.
“We have been anxiously awaiting this day — a day that symbolizes Penn State Brandywine’s commitment to our local community and to Penn State’s land-grant mission of teaching, research, and service,” Penn State Brandywine Chancellor Marilyn J. Wells said. “In fact, our recently adopted five-year strategic plan includes objectives focused specifically on growing our economic and community partnerships and expanding our workforce and innovation efforts.”
Launched in 2015, the Invent Penn State initiative’s goal is to drive job creation, economic development, and student career success by connecting aspiring entrepreneurs with people who can help bring ideas to the marketplace.