UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State School of Engineering Design and Innovation’s Engineering Entrepreneurship program will host the “Conference on Intrapreneurship : Employees as Changemakers” on May 11 in the Eric J. Barron Innovation Hub in State College. 

Intrapreneurs, like entrepreneurs, create and innovate. The difference is that intrapreneurs work within a company and use its resources to improve a product, process or some other aspect of the company. 

Entrepreneurship faculty will join with owners and employees of small- and medium-sized Pennsylvania businesses to discuss the value, principles and practices of intrapreneurship. The aim is to enhance economic development by educating entrepreneurship leaders on intrapreneurship so they can teach students to become innovators within companies.  

Group discussions will focus on the following topics: the intent of intrapreneurship; the role of management and company culture; rewarding intrapreneurial innovation and consequences of "failure"; hiring practices for intrapreneurial growth; best practices in intrapreneurialism; and examples of intrapreneurialism working. A keynote speech will be given by Irena Yashin-Shaw, a world leader in intrapreneurship education and consultant from Queensland, Australia.  

There is no cost to attend. Registration is now open to any interested participants.