Pennovation: Spurring Growth and Innovation in Philadelphia

In September 2016, the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) officially opened The Pennovation Center, a 58,000 square-foot facility that allows researchers, innovators, and entrepreneurs to plant and grow a business. To learn more about this new center and the economic and community development it is spurring in West Philadelphia, we spoke to Anne Papageorge, Vice President for Facilities and Real Estate Services at Penn, and Paul Sehnert, Director of Penn Real Estate Development.

What is Pennovation and how does it encourage company growth?

Pennovation Works, a 23-acre innovation ecosystem where ideas go to work, was born at the University of Pennsylvania adjacent to its campus a few years ago, with the goal of bridging the gap between tech transfer and the schools where the discoveries were being made.

The first phase of Pennovation Works was the Pennovation Center, a hub which had an official grand opening last fall. Young companies need fertilization to grow, and Pennovation provides several resources that give them that support. Led by Penn Center for Innovation (PCI) Ventures, the space gives them the ability to rent starter labs, expand operations, loan equipment, and participate in valuable networking and educational programming. PCI Ventures identifies and supports Pennovation Center members with training, mentoring, and guidance on the path to commercialization. Benjamin’s Desk, the building operator, manages the co-working experience for individuals and teams.

Since opening, we’ve hosted close to 75 events which brought more than 6,000 people through the Pennovation Center’s doors, including a seminar on implementing Keystone Innovation Zones and events during Philly Tech Week and the Philadelphia Science Festival.

Read the rest of this blog post at https://dced.pa.gov/paproudblog/pennovation-spurring-growth-innovation-p...