Penn State innovation center supports entrepreneurs and business

Penn State Behrend’s Innovation Commons has helped develop more than 110 products, supported more than 200 industry projects, assisted 170 entrepreneurs, created more than 20 jobs and engaged 424 students and 117 faculty/staff since its founding in 2016, according to the university.

In addition, patent applications for 10 products developed at Innovation Commons list Penn State Behrend students as co-inventors.

The commons are one of 21 innovation hubs within Penn State campus communities. They offer access to experts and mentors, legal and IP advice through Penn State Law clinics, pitch competitions, accelerator programs, makerspace, co-working space, and a speaker series.

The Behrend location offers scanners, AutoCAD modeling programs, and 3D printers for prototyping.

“The lab is an ideation, product development, and prototyping center staffed by skilled students who guide innovators and entrepreneurs through early development stages,” Jacob Marsh, Penn State Behrend industry relations coordinator, said.

Penn State Behrend along with the Erie County Public Library and area universities founded the Northwest Pennsylvania Innovation Beehive Network in 2018 to offer free services to entrepreneurs and businesses.

Earlier this year, the Appalachian Regional Commission awarded the network a $1.5 million grant to expand services to approximately a 100-mile radius.