Invest Penn State receives $300,000 grant

Invent Penn State, a statewide initiative to spur economic development, job creation, and student career success recently received $300,000 in federal funding for Industry 4.0 technical training and an entrepreneurship digital training program.

The technical training for Industry 4.0 will take place at OriginLabs, located within the Eric J. Barron Innovation Hub in State College, in the form of free workshops focused on advanced manufacturing techniques utilizing the full array of equipment and technologies. It will be available to students, faculty, and community entrepreneurs.

A group of community and industry partners will develop the training content, while OriginLabs Director Ryan Mandell will lead the training.

The approximately 7,000-square-foot OriginLabs allows users to design, prototype, and test potential solutions for their startups using additive manufacturing, digital fabrication, metalworking, woodworking, and other materials and methodologies.

A digital entrepreneurship training program for rural founders will offer virtual and live one-on-one coaching. Lee Erickson, Invent Penn State associate director of economic development and student programs, will create a digital curriculum of self-guided entrepreneurship education.

Invent Penn State provides no-cost entrepreneurial and technical training through its LaunchBox & Innovation Network and accompanying services. A LaunchBox or innovation space is located within 30 miles of 96 percent of Pennsylvanians.