Entrepreneurship is shifting into high gear at Penn State Great Valley in Malvern with a new high-octane $50,000 seed grant from Invent Penn State. One of just six campuses to win a share of the competitive funding, Great Valley will use it to drop the hammer on innovative partnerships that connect college researchers with the movers and shakers of the Chester County business world.

“This is a great opportunity to connect our faculty and students to the community in ways that nurture and support an entrepreneurial ecosystem, which has played such a big part of the development of the region,” Chancellor James Nemes said.

The $50,000 will create REV-UP@GreatValley and bring in the Chester County Economic Development Council to support early-stage enterprises, access to engineering fabrication tools, an entrepreneur-in-residence program and an annual Lion Cage competition for entrepreneurs to pitch ideas and potentially receive monetary awards for innovative projects.

“This directly supports the VISTA 2025 economic development strategy for Chester County, which includes strategies to promote an innovation culture that supports entrepreneurship and business growth in Chester County and the region,” CCEDC Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Marybeth DiVincenzo noted.

Invent Penn State took on this “modern-day mission of a land-grant institution” last year by propelling entrepreneurs at six initial campuses with $50,000 grants and followed up with a second round of six again this year, one of which was Penn State Great Valley.

“I congratulate the recipients who share a deep commitment to the economic well-being of their communities,” Penn State Vice President of Commonwealth Campuses Madlyn Hanes said. “They are connecting the talent of Penn State faculty and students with community partners to bring innovation and entrepreneurial activity to the regions we serve. The Invent Penn State initiative is a powerful driver of economic development.”