Student teams and community entrepreneurs were recognized for creativity and drive when Penn State Berks hosted the Berks Innovation Awards Ceremony on Friday, Nov. 14. The winning students and entrepreneurs were awarded "IMAGINE Your Business" grants, funded by the County of Berks "Imagine Berks" Fund. For the first time, one ceremony was held for both competitions and the event was co-sponsored by the college’s Flemming Creativity, Entrepreneurship and Economic Development Center and Berks LaunchBox.
The Berks LaunchBox powered by Penn State has announced seven recipients of its IMAGINE Your Business grant, designed to help early-stage entrepreneurs accelerate their business growth. The program awards up to $2,000 to assist startups with prototyping, marketing, product development and other essential business expenses.
The Berks LaunchBox powered by Penn State recently announced the winners of its Idea TestLab Pitch Competition in an award ceremony held on Nov. 5. Renaissance Labs earned first place, HT Organic Solutions took second place, and Heintz Tax Service placed third. In addition, this year’s Advisor’s Spotlight Award was presented to Jen Kutchner and Ruby Rodriguez of the Gilded Page.
Penn State Berks will host a variety of events during Global Entrepreneurship Week at Penn State 2025, kicking off Friday, Nov. 14, and running through Friday, Nov. 21. Events include lectures, networking and workshops, and some require advanced registration.
The Berks LaunchBox powered by Penn State recently announced the pitch winners of its summer 2025 Lifestyle Pitch Competition. Prizes awarded to the first-, second- and third-place winners totaled $2,000 in seed funding, plus an additional $1,000 awarded to the remaining eight pitch contestants through $125 micro-grants and support from the Entrepreneur Assistance Clinic to help register an LLC or to put the funds toward other business needs.
As part of the college’s ongoing efforts to engage with and support the local Hispanic and Latino communities, Penn State Berks will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month Sept. 15 – Oct. 15, with a variety of vibrant events, educational presentations and cultural showcases. These events include dynamic speakers, Latin cuisine, music, dancing and much more. All events are free and open to the public and most are held at Penn State Berks, except "Connect & Inspire," which will be held at Centro Hispano in downtown Reading.
Berks LaunchBox recently announced seven recipients of the “IMAGINE Your Business” grant. Funded by the County of Berks Imagine Berks Fund, this grant provides up to $2,000 to early-stage entrepreneurs to support various business needs such as prototyping, marketing and product development. The initiative aims to foster innovation and economic growth within Berks County.
Berks LaunchBox has announced the spring 2025 round of the “IMAGINE Your Business” grant. Funded by the County of Berks Imagine Berks Fund, this grant provides up to $2,000 to early-stage entrepreneurs to support various business needs such as prototyping, marketing and product development. The initiative aims to foster innovation and economic growth within Berks County.
Throughout 2024, Berks LaunchBox has continued accelerating startup growth in the Berks County community. In the last year, Berks LaunchBox has assisted 229 new entrepreneurs, taught new skills to 708 community members in its Makerspace, offered entrepreneurship classes to 463 community members, and impacted 339 students.
Penn State Berks will host a variety of events during Global Entrepreneurship Week 2024, set for Monday, Nov. 18, to Friday, Nov. 22. Events are sponsored by the college’s Flemming Creativity, Entrepreneurship, and Economic Development Center and the Berks LaunchBox in downtown Reading.
