WYOMISSING, Pa. — Penn State Berks Startup Week features entrepreneurial workshops; networking events; a student pitch competition on WPSU’s “The Investment”; and presentations from startup founders and corporate innovators, including many Penn State alumni. The college will host a variety of events for budding entrepreneurs during this year’s Startup Week, set for April 1–6.
3D Printing for Beginners Class
Tuesday, April 2, 2019, 6:30–8:30 p.m., Berks LaunchBox
The 3D Printing workshop is a continuation of a five-session class, which began on March 12, that introduces 3D printing. Participants see the whole process of additive manufacturing from design to final product and have a hands-on experience by manufacturing their own design. The Berks LaunchBox is located within the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, 201 Washington St., Suite 105, Reading, PA 19601. For more information, contact Solange Israel-Mintz at [email protected].
Student Entrepreneurs & Small Business Development Center in Reading
Wednesday, April 3, 2019, 12:15–1:15 p.m., Room 121 Gaige Technology and Business Innovation Building
Sponsored by the Flemming Creativity, Entrepreneurship & Economic Development Center
During this panel discussion, three Penn State Berks entrepreneurs will be joined by Ernie Post, state director of the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Center. The panelists include:
— Camrin Edwards, of Camrin Edwards, Seamstress and Wedding Coordinator
Edwards has been altering bridal gowns for over 13 years. She started her business at age 20 while attending Penn State Berks. She graduated with a bachelor of science in business with a concentration in fashion design and a minor in entrepreneurship and innovation in 2012.
— Ryan Morris, co-founder of Traduki Technologies LLC
Morris is a senior majoring in business with a minor in entrepreneurship and innovation at Penn State Berks. He is the co-founder of Traduki Technologies LLC, a startup that uses technology to reduce language barriers. Recently, he received a prestigious Schwarzman Scholarship to earn his master of science in economics and business from Tsinghua University in Beijing, China.
— Tito Orjih, co-founder of Trimatis LLC
A native of Nigeria, Orjih and his family moved to the United States to pursue the American dream. As a senior majoring in electro-mechanical engineering technology and minoring in entrepreneurship and innovation, he has founded two startup ventures during his time at Penn State. His latest venture is Trimatis LLC, which seeks to reduce plastic waste by using it as filament for 3D printers.
— Ernie Post, state director of Pennsylvania Small Business Development Center
Post is the leader of a management consulting group with special expertise in government procurement, international trade, online learning, and strategic management. He earned his bachelor of science in business economics and psychology from Allegheny College, and both an MBA and a doctor of education in adult education from Penn State.
For more information, contact Sadan Kulturel-Konak at [email protected].
Meetup: Straight Talk from Startups
Wednesday, April 3, 2019, 6:30–8:30 p.m., Berks LaunchBox
Four entrepreneurs will share their stories and talk about what it takes to make a startup a success.
— Petros Pappalas, CEO, World Brand LLC
Pappalas started World Brand with partner Shanna Henry in 2018 after witnessing the devastation that plastic waste cause to the planet. They market a dye-free, biodegradable paper straw that is good for the environment and superior to current paper straws.
— Adrean Turner, owner of Turner Coaching, Training and Consulting
Turner built her company into a leading provider of workforce and career management solutions and strategies.
– Mary Wolfe, founder, Café Esperanza
A pay-what-you-can restaurant following the model of One World Everybody Eats, Café Esperanza is opening this month with a mission of providing a space for community, local food and the fostering of wholeness, health and ecology.
– Jessie Garcia, founder and CEO, Tozuda
While a student at Lehigh University, Garcia invented a head impact sensor that alert the user if he or she needs medical attention. Users attach a small device onto their helmets or hard hat. In the event of a potentially concussive force, the device turns bright red, signaling that they should seek medical attention.
The Berks LaunchBox is located within the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, 201 Washington St., Suite 105, Reading, PA 19601. For more information, contact Solange Israel-Mintz at [email protected] or register now.
Penn State Berks team Vytah-Fit finalist for taping of WPSU’s “The Investment”
Saturday, April 6, 2019
For the second consecutive year, a Penn State Berks team will compete in WPSU’s “The Investment.” Vytah-Fit is one of six finalists competing in this year’s Inc.U competition, sponsored by Penn State’s Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program (PennTAP). The finalists earned a spot on WPSU’s "The Investment" television show where they will pitch their ideas in a "Shark Tank"-style format to a panel of judges for a chance to win investment funding. Vytah-Fit is composed of five senior electro-mechanical engineering technology students who created a device that attaches to weight-lifting equipment and collects data, such as velocity, to inform the weight-lifter about performance.
