Is State College the next Silicon Valley?
Yes, if David Adewumi and Jon Tornetta get their way. The Penn State students are in the midst of implementing their vision for Innoblue, which has the goal of helping people bring their cutting-edge ideas to fruition. They and their fellow students aim to assist budding entrepreneurs in the State College area and beyond, and plan to reach out to other students this school year. Their focus is on business ventures and civic-oriented projects, particularly those ideas that blend both.
“We truly believe that one person with a great idea, if they have the resources, can change the world,” says Adewumi, a senior pursuing a self-designed major in global languages and social entrepreneurship.
One idea theyre working on so far is Tenant Review of Landlord, a website where Penn State students could search for apartments and rate landlords and rental units. They also plan to host speakers who will discuss entrepreneurship. Already theyve gathered crowds to hear talks by trendsetters like David Weekly, a director of the Silicon Valley techie community center Hacker Dojo, who spoke by video chat.
Innoblue’s plan is to help startups by providing help with marketing, legal consulting, connections to venture capital and everything in between. The group is also deciding on a State College site to serve as a lab where entrepreneurs and developers can work together — not a business incubator, Adewumi stresses, but an inspiring working space reminiscent of Lancaster’s Candy Factory or Independents Hall in Philadelphia. They’ve also launched a student-run firm to provide creative services.
Some of the fees from these projects go to Innoblue. Other ideas for generating income are charging for workshop attendance or use of the co-working space. They aim to be self-sustaining, and Tornetta, a junior studying chemistry and physical sciences with plans to earn an MBA, says Innoblue’s goal is even bigger:
“When people think of startups, they’ll think of Penn State.”
Sources: David Adewumi and Jon Tornetta, Innoblue
Writer: Rebecca VanderMeulen