10A — January 29 - February 11, 2016 — Economic Development — M id A tlantic
Real Estate Journal
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ILKES-BARRE, PA — Penn State d e d i c a t e d t h e 5,000 s/f, cutting-edge technology workshop and multi-media center Invent Penn State dedicates Innovation Squared Project in Wilkes-Barre, PA W
Shown from left: Penn State Vice President for Commonwealth Cam- puses Madlyn Hanes; Pennsylvania state Sen. John Yudichak; Penn State President Eric Barron; eBay Enterprises CEO Michael Jones; Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Wico van Genderen; and Penn State Vice President for Research Neil Sharkey cut the ribbon to dedicate the Innovation Squared Project Wilkes-Barre, a component of the Invent Penn State initiative.
next phase of the Innovation Squared Project, an economic development project that will foster job creation, as well as develop and implement a dual entrepreneurial ecosystem and mentorship program for downtown Wilkes-Barre. Penn State President Eric Barron and Penn State Wil- kes-Barre Chancellor Charles Davis , in conjunction with the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce , hosted a dedication and ribbon
inski, and the Commonwealth Finance Authority,” said Wico van Genderen , president and CEO of the Greater Wilkes- Barre Chamber of Commerce. “We expect the Technology Workshop and Wilkes-Barre Connect Initiative to be fully operational during the first quarter of 2016, in our contin- ued efforts to establishWilkes- Barre as an Innovation Center of Excellence.” Penn State provided a $50,000 grant to support Inno- vation Squared, that is aimed at creating jobs and develop- ing a mentorship program and what Barron called an entrepreneurial “ecosystem” in downtown Wilkes-Barre. The 5,000 s/f, cutting-edge technology workshop and multi-media center will provide local professionals, businesses, and colleges and universities access to shared workshops for research and development; private conference rooms for training, presentations and virtual meetings; and a multi- service center to be utilized for virtual board meetings, podcasts, lectures, technology competitions, and mentorship activities. The Wilkes-Barre Connect Initiative is the pro- gram that will run within the workshop and media center to provide mentoring, training, networking and technical as- sistances, as well as access to capital, facilities, and other resources, to startup and exist- ing businesses. “Today we begin a new chap- ter of inspiring innovation through collaboration in this region,” Barron said. “We’re glad we could provide a loca- tion where academics and en- trepreneurial leaders can meet and develop initiatives and programs, driving innovation in the Greater Wilkes-Barre area.” Michael Jones, CEO of eBay Enterprise, who has been in the Innovation Center for more than 10 years, said a technol- ogy workshop and multi-media center is needed in the down- town Wilkes-Barre building and marks the start to a jour- ney “toward creating a true world-class asset.” n
nology Workshop and Multi- Media Center, represents a true collaborative effort be- tween our ABC’s: the Aca- demia led by Penn State; the Businesses led by eBay; and the Community led by the city of Wilkes-Barre, Sen. John Yu- dichak, Rep. Eddie Day Pash-
cutting on Thursday, Dec. 17, at the site of the Innovation Center Technology Workshop andMulti-Media Center, home
to the Wilkes-Barre Connect Initiative . “The Innovation Squared Project, specifically the Tech-
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