news & events

Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. - By Colin McEvoy on March 4, 2022 Lehigh Valley LaunchBox and Penn State Lehigh Valley hosted a virtual discussion with Lehigh Valley bank representatives to discuss information, incentives, resources, and advice that could help entrepreneurs support their business needs. “There are so many resources here in the Lehigh Valley,” said Dinoli Rowlands, Regional Business Banking Relationship Manager with PNC Bank. “We’re so lucky to be in a place with such a vibrant entrepreneurial spirit; a place that supports entrepreneurs so well.” The event, entitled “Community Banks Small Business Funding Opportunity,” was hosted online via Zoom on March 3 as part...

By Colin McEvoy FLX Solutions, a Bethlehem-based startup that creates modular snake robots, has received national recognition on the Pepperdine Graziadio Business School’s fourth annual Most Fundable Companies List. The company was one of 16 early-stage U.S. companies to receive the prestigious designation, and one of only three to receive a Platinum registration. FLX Solutions competed against over 3,300 other companies under consideration for the list. “It is a great honor to be named as one of the 3 Platinum level Most Fundable Companies of 2021,” said Matt Bilsky, CEO & Founder of FLX Solutions. “The entire FLX Team had...

By Josh McAuliffe CENTER VALLEY, Pa. — Continuing to spotlight the talents of women entrepreneurs, Lehigh Valley LaunchBox powered by Penn State featured sisters and business owners Cory Dahlia Varona and Nicol Varona Cancelmo at its most recent LaunchBox Ladies Speaker Series talk held at Penn State Lehigh Valley. At the event, titled “The Next Entrepreneur: Steps to Starting Up,” the Penn State Berks graduates shared the story behind their natural women’s hair products company, DN Organics, and offered the campus community some hard-earned wisdom on the challenges of running a business. The sisters, who refer to themselves as “sister-preneurs,”...

Lehigh Valley LaunchBox (LVLB) partnered with Factory, LLC on StartUp Lehigh Valley in November 2020 where ten entrepreneurs, selected to participate through an application process, presented a virtual, two-minute live pitch with their business ideas to the panel of judges and virtual audience in a lively shark-tank style event. Participants had a chance to win an award that was part of the $10,000 in prize money from event sponsor Penn State Lehigh Valley LaunchBox. JPMorgan Chase & Co. also served as an event sponsor. Now LVLB checks in with event winners on their progress, their advice for other entrepreneurs and...

Lehigh Valley LaunchBox (LVLB) partnered with Factory, LLC on StartUp Lehigh Valley in November where ten entrepreneurs, selected to participate through an application process, presented a virtual, two-minute live pitch with their business ideas to the panel of judges and virtual audience in a lively shark-tank style event. Participants had a chance to win an award that was part of the $10,000 in prize money from event sponsor Penn State Lehigh Valley LaunchBox. JPMorgan Chase & Co. also served as an event sponsor.  Now LVLB checks in with event winners on their progress, their advice for other entrepreneurs and how they are benefitting...