Penn State Startup Week 2026

If you're interested in entrepreneurship or are thinking about starting a business, attend this one-hour First Steps to Small Business Success seminar to get an overview of what it takes to start and run a business. Our small business experts will share the key aspects of starting a business and help you determine if launching a business is right for you.

Topics covered include:
- Business structures-How to assess the feasibility of your business idea
- Legal and tax implications of owning a business
- How to develop a business plan
- Funding options and how to compile a bank-ready financial package
- Where to find other resources that may help you succeed

In this hands-on workshop, students learn how physical prototypes help reveal what customers think and feel in ways surveys and focus groups often cannot. Using quick, low-detail prototypes and 3D-printed examples, participants see how shape, feel, and appearance influence perceived value, brand image, and price expectations. Through short, interactive activities, students learn how marketers can use prototypes not only to test ideas, but also to gain practical market insight and support go-to-market decisions.

Most companies don't fail due to a lack of vision; they fail due to a lack of traction. They fall into the "Execution Gap"; the space between a brilliant strategy and the daily reality of getting things done. Join Asher Carr, a Penn State Alumni and experienced operations strategist, for a high-impact "Masterclass in Momentum." Drawing on years of experience scaling operations for real estate teams and tech companies, this session will strip away the complexity of scaling. You won't just sit and listen; you’ll plan and build. Participants will walk through a "Crash Course" on the Vision / Traction Organizer (V/TO), learning how to turn 10-year targets into actionable 90-day "Rocks."

Attendees will leave with:
● A "Battle-Tested" framework for 10X year-over-year growth.
● A draft of their own two-page business plan (V/TO).
● The discipline to bridge the gap between "Vision" and "Execution."
● Bonus: Exclusive early access to Forte’s mental fitness beta platform

Join us for a luncheon conversation with Justin Rosenberg, Penn State alumnus and founder of honeygrow, as he shares the real story behind building a fast-growing restaurant brand. In this candid 20-minute talk, Justin will discuss what didn’t work, how and why he pivoted, and the critical thinking required to adapt when an original idea needs to change. His experience highlights a truth many founders learn the hard way: lasting businesses are built through iteration, resilience, and learning from failure. This session is designed to give startups and students practical insight into navigating uncertainty and making smarter decisions as ideas evolve. Founded in 2012, honeygrow is a Philadelphia-based fast-casual restaurant known for its customizable stir-fries, salads, and signature honeybar desserts made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. The brand has grown to 71 restaurants across the East Coast, offering wholesome, health-forward options including vegan and gluten-free choices, while staying true to its mission of honest eating and thoughtful growth.

Schedule:
12:15-12:30 pm help yourself to a lunch of honeygrow favorites
12:30-12:50 pm presentation
12:50-1 pm questions
1-1:15 pm informal networking

Do you or a small team of students have a business idea or an active startup? Do you want advice and expertise from a successful entrepreneur? Here's your chance to have a 30-minute session with Eric Franchi.

If you want to apply for this meeting, please email [email protected] with the following information.

• First and last name
• Penn State email address
• Which campus do you attend
• Your major / field of study
• A paragraph on what you hope to gain from this session

After that, you will receive a confirmation email about whether your office hours request has been approved.

This time slot is reserved for in-person University Park students only.

If you are a student attending virtually from a Commonwealth Campus, please select Eric Franchi, Aperiam - Virtual Office Hours instead.

Do you or a small team of students have a business idea or an active startup? Do you want advice and expertise from a successful entrepreneur? Here's your chance to have a 30-minute session with Asher Carr.

If you want to apply for this meeting, please email [email protected] with the following information.

• First and last name
• Penn State email address
• Which campus do you attend
• Your major / field of study
• A paragraph on what you hope to gain from this session

After that, you will receive a confirmation email about whether your office hours request has been approved.

This time slot is reserved for in-person University Park students only.

If you are a student attending virtually from a Commonwealth Campus, please select Asher Carr, Get Forte - Virtual Office Hours instead.

Shevy shares the real story of co-founding Moichor (YC W21), the highs and lows of building a startup, navigating a major pivot, and eventually launching NPU Ventures, a pre-seed fund backing AI and national security startups. A candid look at the founder's journey and what early-stage builders need to know.

Register here: https://invent.psu.edu/d2d-challenge/

The Dare to Disrupt Design & Build Challenge is a hands-on, team-based experience in which Penn State students turn ideas into a real-world build using professional prototyping tools at OriginLabs, located in the Eric J. Barron Innovation Hub in downtown State College.

Over two guided build sessions, selected students will design, prototype, and fabricate a visually striking interpretation of the Dare to Disrupt podcast logo, then showcase it to alumni entrepreneurs, campus leaders, and peers. No prior design, prototyping, or entrepreneurship experience required. If you’re curious, creative, or hands-on, this is for you.

Spots are limited, apply today! The event will take place on Wednesday, March 25, and Thursday, March 26, from 2 – 5 pm at OriginLabs.

Ever wondered what venture capitalists (VCs) are really thinking when you pitch them? Join Eric Franchi, General Partner at Aperiam and Penn State alumnus, for an insider's look at the venture capital world. Eric co-founded Undertone (acquired for $180M) and has since invested in over 70 startups across marketing and ad tech as a VC.

In this candid session, you'll learn:
- How VCs evaluate startups and what makes a pitch stand out
- The real economics behind venture capital and how funds work
- Common pitching mistakes that kill deals before they start
- What happens after a VC says "yes" (and what to expect if they say "no")
- How to build relationships with investors before you need the money

Whether you're planning to raise capital or just curious about how the startup funding ecosystem works, this session will demystify venture capital and give you practical insights from someone who's been on both sides of the table. Bring your questions - Eric's approach is collaborative and straightforward, just like the Penn State community that shaped his journey.

What does an international entrepreneurship program look like? Hear from a panel of faculty from the Smeal College of Business and University of Zagreb's Faculty of Organization and Informatics in Varazdin who will discuss last May's program in Croatia.

Everyone talks about AI breakthroughs. Far fewer talk about what happens after the demo.

In this session, Ted Wolf (Smeal Alumnus) and George Wolf (IST Alumnus), a father-son team and co-founders of Guidewise, share what it actually looks like to build, deploy, and scale AI inside real organizations. Not in theory and not in a lab, but in the messy middle where technology meets people, process, trust, and day-to-day work.

You’ll learn why many of the most important careers in AI don’t have clear job titles yet, and why that’s an advantage for curious builders who are willing to work at the intersection of AI, data, and human systems. We’ll talk candidly about what’s breaking inside organizations today, how AI agents are beginning to work alongside people, and where students can create real impact faster than they might expect.

This session is for students who don’t just want to understand AI, but want to build with it, learn quickly, and do work that actually matters.

The Land Grant Startup Launch Competition aims to foster innovation in food and agriculture by supporting early-stage startups focused on sustainable business practices. The winning startup will receive a $50,000 investment from the Garber Venture Capital Fund to accelerate their growth and impact. The investment is intended to support scaling the business, furthering research and development, and contributing towards team expansion. All finalist teams will receive travel stipend and accommodations.

The Bardusch Family IdeaMakers Challenge is an early‑stage business idea competition that encourages undergraduate student teams to identify a real‑world problem and pitch a solution centered on digital innovation. Throughout the program, teams receive mentoring from faculty and industry leaders to refine their ideas before presenting them to a panel of expert judges. This event is part of Penn State Startup Week, and provides an exciting look at the creativity, entrepreneurial mindset, and emerging innovations developed by our students.

https://psu.zoom.us/j/94539049738

Separate Registration Required: https://web.cvent.com/event/467a96a4-a7fc-4773-abf0-23e72cdc9b31/register?environment=P2&event-date=222&cal=https%3A%2F%2Falumni.psu.edu%2Fupcoming-events%2F

Success in today’s business world is often a team effort, yet having a strong understanding of how to build great teams is a skill that many leaders struggle with. Building high-performing teams derives from a simple strategy: getting the right people in the right roles at the right time.

When we are clear on our values and mission, and intentionally align our players towards a common goal, magic happens. Teams that are built intentionally set the company on a path of success and can become an inspiration to other employees and companies.

Stephanie Wernick Barker, Class of ‘08, President at Mondo, will discuss her experience hiring, planning, and strategizing to build a powerhouse team. After all, there is no “I” in team!