UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State student startup teams from any campus are invited to submit a video application to enter their startup into Invent Penn State’s Inc.U Competition for a chance to win up to $30,000. Applications are open from now until Feb. 5.
Six undergraduate teams from across the commonwealth will be selected to compete for a $30,000 cash investment pool and be provided with support leading up to the pitch competition, which will take place on Saturday, March 18, during Penn State Startup Week powered by PNC. Leading up to the pitch competition, the six selected teams will have access to business mentors, a custom professionally designed marketing video, regular check-ins with past winners to learn from their experiences, and opportunities to showcase their skills before the culminating event.
A virtual information session to learn more about what it takes to apply for the Inc.U Competition and the resources available to help students prepare will be held on Jan. 19. Register here.
“The Inc.U Competition is a great opportunity for undergraduate teams of students who are ready to take their startups to the next level,” said Inc.U Competition Coordinator Joanna Sutton, who also serves as the innovation coordinator at the Corner LaunchBox powered by Penn State New Kensington. “Knowing how to prepare for and then deliver a professional startup pitch to a panel of judges will be an invaluable experience for these students. Plus, every finalist team will walk away with new resources and connections to help them move their startup forward.”
Last year, CarToCamp and MarRosa’s Old World Cuisine each won $15,000 in funding from Inc.U.
About the Inc.U Competition
Inc.U is a signature program of Invent Penn State and an annual showcase of student innovation across the commonwealth. Every spring, the Inc.U Competition awards up to $30,000 in funding to the top six student startup teams at the culminating pitch event that takes place during Penn State Startup Week powered by PNC. This funding, coupled with ongoing pitch training and startup support services, enables student entrepreneurs to take the next step in turning their daydream into a reality.
About Invent Penn State
Invent Penn State is a commonwealth-wide initiative to spur economic development, job creation and student career success. Invent Penn State blends entrepreneurship-focused academic programs, business startup training and incubation, funding for commercialization, and university/community/industry collaborations to facilitate the challenging process of turning research discoveries into valuable products and services that can benefit Pennsylvanians and humankind.