Invent Penn State

Day 2 of Startup Week themed 'Accelerators, Technology, and Venture Capital Day'

Events on March 21 include a welding crash course and a tech entrepreneur roundtable

Startup Week attendees can get a crash course in welding and the operation of the pictured robotic arm from 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, March 21, at the OriginLabs Experience – Welding with a Robot event. Credit: Katie DeFiore / Penn StateAll Rights Reserved.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — In its seventh year, Penn State Startup Week powered by PNC will now feature uniquely themed days with featured speakers, interactive events, and late-night activities throughout the week. The second day of Startup Week, Tuesday, March 21, is themed the Accelerators, Technology, and Venture Capital Day, with the following highlights:

Featured events:

OriginLabs Experience – Welding with a Robot, 10 a.m. - Noon: Get a crash course in welding and the operation of a robotic arm. Participants will work as a team to design a sculptural object, learn the basics of MIG welding, program a collaborative robot to act as an assembly assistant, and then produce multiple copies of a dynamic and complex object.

Jason Warner: An Entrepreneurs Story, 1:45 - 2:45 p.m.: Join Managing Director of Redpoint Ventures Jason Warner as he shares his entrepreneurial journey of scaling GitHub by exploring unknown and nonexistent aspects of technology as its Chief Technology Officer.

Technology & Venture Capital Entrepreneurs Roundtable, 4:15 - 5:30 p.m.: Join Penn State alumni Tom Ayling, David Rusenko, Eric Franchi, Matt Brezina, and Redpoint Ventures’ Managing Director Jason Warner as they join forces to share their journeys as entrepreneurs. 

Featured pitch competition:

FastTrack Accelerator Pitch Competition, 6 - 8:30 p.m.: Watch as 11 talented startup teams compete for the top prizes. For the past 10 weeks, these teams have worked on their businesses, learning how to avoid common startup mistakes, test their markets and explore solutions based on real customer feedback.

After-hours event:

ClimbNittany Free Rock Climbing & Bouldering, 9 p.m. - Midnight: Join 2023 Penn State Startup Week powered by PNC for an after-hours networking and social event at ClimbNittany. Climbing shoe rentals are free for all registered participants of Startup Week.

In addition, the Brazilian Munchies food truck will be parked at the back of the Eric J. Barron Innovation Hub from 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. each day of Startup Week.

Be sure to view the full Startup Week schedule and register ahead of time for the events you’d like to attend.

About Penn State Startup Week powered by PNC

An integral part of the broader Invent Penn State initiative, Startup Week powered by PNC is a University-wide event that connects students with innovative alumni and pioneers who are achieving success in a variety of industries and disciplines. Throughout the week, students discover, explore, experience and celebrate entrepreneurship.

For more information on Startup Week, including a full schedule of events, visit startupweek.psu.edu. Participants can engage with and follow Startup Week on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Last Updated March 15, 2023