The recipients of the second round of the Berks LaunchBox's “IMAGINE Your Business” grant are pictured above. Top row, left to right: Karla Garro, Bryan Guzman, Laural Miller, and Dariana Pena; bottom row, left to right: Giannina Reyes, Keith Tademy, and Jules and Bence Veres.
WYOMISSING, Pa. — The Berks LaunchBox recently announced seven recipients of the second 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.
According to the Berks LaunchBox officials, the recipients, whose business ideas span diverse industries, have demonstrated exceptional potential, a clear vision for addressing market needs and impactful plans for use of the funds. They will utilize the grant funds to advance their business plans and bring their ideas to fruition.
- Dariana Delightful Cake LLC, founded by mother-daughter team of Victoria Jimenez and Dariana Pena, offers artfully decorated cakes that feature distinctive Dominican flavors, crafted with passion and dedication to ensure high quality and a personal touch. They plan to use the grant to establish a robust online presence including an e-commerce solution and to increase marketing.
- Innovation Cleaning LLC offers a comprehensive and customized cleaning solution that combines advanced technology, a rigorous quality control process and a highly trained workforce. Founded by Bryan Guzman, the company integrates state-of-the-art software to streamline operations and deliver a level of transparency and control not typical in the industry. Guzman plans to use the grant to strengthen marketing efforts with the goal of creating more job opportunities within the community.
- Jaerimy Inc, founded by veteran Keith Tademy, is developing the Emergent Reply Imminent Crisis (ERIC) mobile application, focused on wellness and personal safety. It automatically dispatches a distress call based on predetermined time events. ERIC is designed for individuals who live alone, including those facing chronic health conditions, the elderly, disabled adults and others. Tademy plans to use the grant for final development of the app and compliance and hosting fees.
- Koffee Dreams Roasters LLC offers specialty coffee sourced directly from family-owned farms in Costa Rica and roasted in small batches here in Pennsylvania to preserve freshness and quality. They maintain direct relationships with the coffee producers, ensuring traceability and fair-trade practices. Karla Garro, founder, plans to leverage the grant to enhance production capabilities and expand marketing efforts.
- New Beginnings Counseling Services LLC, founded by Giannina Reyes, licensed professional counselor, offers bilingual and culturally affirming mental health care. They hire clinicians who share the same cultural background and values as their clients, ensuring that treatment is both empathetic and effective, combining a person-centered approach with evidence-based therapies, tailored to the unique cultural contexts of their clients. Reyes will use the grant to hire new counselors and create a website.
- Shade Tree Embodied Wellness LLC, founded by Laural Miller, supports clients individually and in small groups through an integrative approach to wellbeing, stress management and trauma recovery, using modalities such as mind-body coaching, EMDR, Reiki, craniosacral therapy, and more. She offers training and facilitation for organizations to support wellness in the workplace. Miller plans to leverage the grant to build an online presence and offer group classes.
- The Tile Stepper, founded by Jules Veres and his son, Bence, is an innovative tool for homeowners and professional tile installers that allows the user to tread across freshly laid installations without any issues. It also allows installers to place materials, tools, toolboxes, etc., on a surface without compromising the integrity of the installation. Veres plans to use the grant for advertising and final mold fabrication, as well as market research costs.
As part of the award, recipients are required to submit a one-page report on the utilization and impact of the funds within six months. This accountability ensures that the funds are used effectively and provides valuable insights into the program's impact on the local entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The next funding period for grants will be in spring 2025. Applicants are required to build a business model canvas and make an appointment and review it with Berks LaunchBox staff.
For more information on the “IMAGINE Your Business” grant and other initiatives, visit the Berks LaunchBox online.
About the Berks LaunchBox
The mission of Berks LaunchBox, located in Suite 105 of the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts in downtown Reading, is to support economic development and entrepreneurship. An innovation hub of Penn State Berks, the LaunchBox connects local early-stage entrepreneurs to the support, resources and facilities that they need to build sustainable and scalable businesses with a viable plan for growth. Services include assistance with prototyping, conducting market research and connecting with advisers. Berks LaunchBox offers entrepreneurship workshops, co-working space for startups, meetups focused on business development, a makerspace with 3D printers for prototyping and special youth programs.
Berks LaunchBox is supported by Invent Penn State — a commonwealth-wide initiative to spur economic development, job creation and student career success. For more information, visit berkslaunchbox.psu.edu or contact Erica Kunkel at 610-396-6221 or [email protected].
