Penn State is a top 20 research university, but only top 70 in terms of getting our intellectual property (IP) to the marketplace. Yet, the value of Penn State innovations to society is nothing short of astounding — our research, both fundamental and applied — holds great promise for everything from promoting economic vitality, protecting life and property, improving the quality of life, to sustaining our planet. And so, Invent Penn Statethe Ingenious Power of Partnership — was officially launched this year. We had four goals: (1) to help interested faculty, staff and students move their ideas into the marketplace and demonstrate that we value their efforts; (2) to create more visibility of our IP; (3) to build entrepreneurial ecosystems around our campuses to enable the success of faculty, staff and students; and (4) to pay special attention to student entrepreneurial success (many universities focus less on students because, as non-employees, they do not have a stake in student IP).

The aim of Invent Penn State is to drive job creation, economic development and student career success by connecting researchers with the people who can help bring their discoveries to the marketplace. We want a culture that encourages, nurtures and rewards entrepreneurship — not just in STEM, but in the arts, health and human development, education and more.

Invent Penn State is growing fast, particularly in the area of creating entrepreneurial ecosystems around our campuses. Six sites opening across Pennsylvania are associated with our Commonwealth Campuses. Recently, I had the pleasure of opening our first five sites — I wielded a sledge hammer to open the Alle-Kiski Valley Economic Generator (AKEG) at New Kensington, and cut the ribbon for Innovation Squared in Wilkes-Barre, the Innovation Commons lab at Penn State Behrend in Erie, the Lehigh Valley LaunchBox, and the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Harrisburg. This was total fun. In every case the spaces were packed with local government leaders, legislative representatives, business leaders and entrepreneurs, and Penn State administrators, faculty, staff and students. And the partnerships are clear. Some communities are giving space, some financial support, others time and in-kind contributions and everyone noted that we were creating the spaces and partnerships in their communities. Everyone was thrilled with Penn State’s commitment to economic resurgence.

Next up — ribbon cutting at Penn State Abington. And, we are proposing to fund six additional sites at campuses across the Commonwealth this year. In addition, Happy Valley LaunchBox will soon open its doors in State College. But even before the opening, the entrepreneurial class of six business startups was chosen to join Invent Penn State’s no-cost business pre-accelerator program.

This is Penn State living our land-grant mission by working directly with communities to benefit the innovators among us and the communities we serve.

I have barely scratched the surface of our efforts to promote economic development, job creation and student career success. You can read a great deal more at the Invent Penn State web page at http://invent.psu.edu.

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