Ben Franklin Bootcamp
Winners Announced

The Ben Franklin TechCelerator@Altoona, an important component of the Startup Alleghenies initiative, enabled six entrepreneurs to participate in an intensive 8-week Business Startup Bootcamp.  The program offered those from the community, who had a business idea they wanted to explore, the opportunity to receive entrepreneurial training in a fun, relaxed environment at Catalyst Space in downtown Altoona.

On Tuesday, March 13, 2018, those six entrepreneurs pitched their business concepts to a team of local judges for the chance to win a cash prize of up to $10,000 from Ben Franklin Technology Partners. Attended by nearly 50 community and economic development partners, as well as family members, the graduation/pitch event was the culmination of hours of hard work by all the individual participants who also became friends and part of an overall supportive team during the 8-week bootcamp.

A three-member panel of judges from the community made the decision to award two cash prizes:

• First Place and $7,500 was awarded to Tony Biddle, with Site Rite, who has developed a clip-on rear site for hand guns that dramatically improves accuracy. Biddle will use the prize money to further market his product and develop additional sizes.

• Second Place and $2,500 was awarded to Benjamin Hutchinson, with Your Reptile Company, who has a concept to create a way to protect pet reptiles through proper caging techniques.  Hutchinson will use the prize money to develop a prototype.

“Two area entrepreneurs took home a check from Ben Franklin’s TechCelerator@Altoona.  But, this is a rigorous process, and everyone who participated is a winner in our book,” said Bob Dornich, program manager.

Other presenters included: Mark Kasterko, with M&T Arms, who has developed a device for securing an officer’s weapon during an incident where he/she needs to restrain a perpetrator; Daniel Bowers, with Advanced Diabetes Technologies, who is developing an app that allows for the safe and easy monitoring of blood glucose; Jobe Matula, with The LiveFirst Company, who has developed a product that protects pets from accidental poisoning; and Joey DiGangi, with AssureTech, who is developing a technology that helps people with food allergies keep their medication easily on-hand.

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New Business Takes Off at
Altoona LaunchBox

With a passion to own and build a successful business, Rob Wentz, known by his radio name as Rob Z, decided to leave his full time radio DJ job and pour his energy into a project he had been developing on the side. But working out of his basement wasn’t getting him to where he wanted to be fast enough.  Then he heard about the Altoona LaunchBox. Rob had a triage meeting with Donna Bon, John Horell, Rich Lasiak, and Steve McKnight. He left that meeting with financial information to better set up his business, a new office space, and new connections to expand the scope of the business.

Nearly a year after setting up his podcast booth at the Altoona LaunchBox, Rob says his client base has grown to a point where he is looking for an assistant to help with his expanding social media marketing services. He’s also expanding his business model to include a 30-part video series for businesses to learn how to build their social media. Rob foresees holding free seminars at the Altoona LaunchBox to introduce area start-ups and entrepreneurs to this series, which they can then purchase. He still continues to enjoy his podcasts talking about anything local and promoting his sponsors and their businesses, but being part of the Altoona LaunchBox atmosphere, where he interacts with other like-minded entrepreneurs who bounce ideas off each other, has jump-started his social media marketing segment and the instructional video aspect.

Rob encourages everyone he talks to who is thinking of turning their dream into a business, to make a triage appointment at the Altoona LaunchBox, use the space, network with the people there, and focus on the next steps of launching their business.

For more information on the Altoona LaunchBox and to set up a triage appointment, call 814-949-5500 or stop by at 1331 12th Avenue, Suite 103, Altoona, PA 16601.

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Penn State Altoona Enactus
Regional Champs!

Penn State Altoona’s Enactus team has once again been named Regional Champions at the Enactus USA Regional Competition, held Monday, March 19, 2018, in Philadelphia, PA.

As a regional champion, the Penn State Altoona Enactus team advances to the 2018 Enactus USA National Competition, to be held May 20–22 in Kansas City, MO.

Conducting Research in Bolivia

Eat, Sleep, Change the World, Repeat! The Enactus Project International Impact Bolivia team spent spring break in Bolivia. Six students went to Guayaramerín, Bolivia, in partnership with Love in Action International Ministries. The goal was to see if opening a coffee shop would be a feasible idea for the orphanage, Andrea’s Home for Hope and Joy. The students were able to conduct market research, analyze the landscape of the area, and hold interviews with locals. They are now working to complete a marketing mix, situational analyses for each target market, and a cost analysis from their findings. In addition to the research, the students spent time each day with children at the home. They witnessed the arrival of two new children as well as attend a quinceañera. The team returned with real-world business experience and unforgettable memories.

 

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Sheetz Fellows Gain Global
Business Perspective