Moving Innovative Ideas to Market
Following an extraordinary debut in 2016, the Invent Penn State Venture & IP Conference will return in Spring of 2018.
The inaugural conference showcased over 90 start-up ventures—14 from our own Penn State community—that represented high growth and emerging markets including IT, Energy, Advanced Manufacturing, Biotechnology, Healthcare, B2B and B2C, among others. The 2018 conference is expected to be an even bigger draw.
We can’t wait to introduce you to these remarkable trailblazers and to celebrate the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship that we embrace at Penn State. Please join us.
Eric Barron
President, Penn State University
Agenda
Tentative agenda. Subject to change.
Thursday, April 19th
8:00 am – 7:30 pm
Registration
8:30 – 11:00 am
Millennium Science Complex and Happy Valley LaunchBox Tours
11:00 am
Exhibits Open
11:00 – 12:30 pm
Luncheon
Keynote: Dr. Eric J. Barron, President, Penn State
Inc.U Student Startup Pitches
12:30 - 12:45 pm
Break
12:45 – 3:00 pm
For pre-selected entrepreneurs & investors
12:45 – 1:45 pm
Session #1 - America's Seed Fund - Growing your Startup with SBIR/STTR
Moderator
Tim Hurley - Penn State University
Panelists
Henry Ahn - National Science Foundation
Andrea Johanson, Ph.D. - BBC Entrepreneurial Training & Consulting
Maureen L. Mulvihill, Ph.D. - Actuated Medical
Kelly Wylam - Ben Franklin Technology Partners
1:45 - 2:00 pm
Break
2:00 – 2:45 pm
Session #2 - Getting AI and Technology Right in Education Ventures
Moderator
Dr. Lawrence C. Ragan - Penn State EdTech Network
Panelists
Kyle Bowen - Penn State University
Tim Dutta - Verificient Technologies
Carl R. Marrelli - Blackboard
Dr. Conrad Tucker - Penn State University
3:00 – 5:30 pm
Moderator
Erika Swift, MBA - Penn State College of Medicine's Center for Medical Innovation
Judges
Sana Fathima - Lockheed Martin Ventures
John Sider - Ben Franklin Technology Partners, CNP
Elizabeth D. Sigety, Esq. - Fox Rothschild, LLP
5:30 – 7:30 pm
Cocktail Reception
7:00 – 11:00 pm
Courtesy Shuttles to and from The Penn Stater to Downtown State College
Friday, April 20th
7:00 am – 2:45 pm
Registration & Exhibits Open
7:30 – 8:45 am
Breakfast & Keynote: Fireside Chat with James Franklin, Penn State Football Coach & Wayne Kimmel, Managing Partner, SeventySix Capital
9:00 – 11:00 am
For pre-selected entrepreneurs & investors
9:00 – 9:45 am
Session #3 - 8 Questions Every Entrepreneur Needs to Know the Answers To - When Raising Investment Capital
Speaker
Brian Slawin - Ben Franklin Technology Partners
10:00 – 10:45 am
Session #4 - Growing PA's Capacity for Life Sciences Startups
Moderator
Kevin Harter - Penn State Hershey College of Medicine
Panelists
Nikhil A. Heble - Blank Rome LLP
Christopher Molineaux - Life Sciences Pennsylvania
Bill Schlachter - LifeX Ventures
Dr. Lindsey Snyder - LifeX Ventures
11:00 – 11:45 am
Session #5 - The Secrets of Fundraising for Your Company
Moderator
Don Morrison - BlueTree Allied Angels
Panelists
Sal Bauccio - McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC
Steve Carpenter - Life Sciences Greenhouse of Central PA
Valerie Gaydos - Capital Growth
Joseph Herbst - Robin Hood Ventures
Scott Johnson - Ben Franklin Technology Partners
11:15 am - 12:15 pm
The Corporate Venture Capital Panel
Moderator
Matt Mohn - Reed Smith LLP
Panelists
Greg Bergamesco - Touchdown Ventures
Sana Fathima - Lockheed Martin Ventures
Coppelia Marincovic - Solvay Ventures
11:45 am – 12:30 pm
Session #6 - How I Did It - Stories from Entrepreneurs
Moderator
Beth Cohen - Royer Cooper Cohen Braunfeld LLC
Panelists
Linsey Covert - TEAMology
Mark Gagnon - Penn State
Aaron Lewis - Sphere Brakes
Don McCandless - ConidioTec
Hunter Swisher - Phospholutions
12:30 – 2:30 pm
Lunch, Awards Ceremony & Closing Remarks
Keynote: Nir Eyal, Investor, Entrepreneur and Author
Venture Connection is the event at the center of the Penn State VIP. In this exciting format, investors will host tables to meet with groups of entrepreneurs that have been matched with them based on capital needs, industry and other key criteria. Each session will be broken into 20 minute segments giving each investor the chance to meet with up to 36 capital-seeking, well-screened entrepreneurs.
Entrepreneurs must apply to participate in Venture Connection. These applications are then reviewed by our Selection Committee to ensure that Venture Connection will be a quality showcase of promising technology ventures.
Entrepreneurs will be given time to give an elevator pitch to the investors. Investors will then share more about what they look for in prospects and discuss their respective funds and investment strategies. If there is a connection, private one-on-one meetings can be scheduled.
We are no longer accepting entrepreneur applications or investor registrations for Venture Connections for the 2018 PSVIP.
If you have any further questions about participating in Venture Connection, please contact us at: information@pennstatevip.com | (814) 753-4235.
This dynamic and fast-paced competition will feature the best & brightest of Penn State's early-stage innovators. This event will be the best opportunity to learn about all the exciting & innovative IP coming out of Penn State's research enterprise.
Accommodations
We have a room block available at the Penn Stater available on Wednesday, April 18th and Thursday, April 19th.
Our room block is sold out.
