As we wrap up Women's History Month, we're spotlighting some of the women who play a crucial role in the daily operations of the companies within Pennovation Works. Through this month-long series, we've discovered that entrepreneurship and STEM careers can be challenging paths. However, with the right support, determination, and mentorship, we can uplift each other, shatter glass ceilings, and inspire future generations!

Jill Harris, VP of Operations at Tozuda
How has a female mentor impacted your career?

As part of Women's History Month, we are recognizing some of the inspiring founders and leaders from the Pennovation Works ecosystem. Women have long held pivotal roles in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers and Pennovation Works is proud to work with, and support numerous women-led companies.  Learn more about the all the women making HERstory at Pennovation Works in the interviews below. 

In celebration of Black History Month, Pennovation Works would like to shine a spotlight on UHP Wireless Networks and recognize the contributions they’re making to help Philadelphia reach its technology goals. We recently sat down with John Cureton, co-founder of Urban Harvest Partnership (UHP Wireless Networks). As part of his role, John focuses primarily on program management for delivering wireless technologies. Learn more about UHP Wireless Networks in the interview below.

On February 1st, Pennovation Works hosted Launchpad students and faculty for a tour of the ecosystem, a Q&A session, and demonstrations from a robotics company and the Polyhedral Structures Lab, a University of Pennsylvania Weitzman School of Design research unit.

Construction Notice

Construction crews will be working on Grays Ferry Avenue at the main exit from the Pennovation Works property at 35th Street beginning the evening of Sunday, January, 14, 2024. Beginning at 5:00PM, the main exit will be closed and all vehicle traffic leaving the property must exit at the 36th Street gate.

The PCI Ventures at Pennovation Works Showcase took place on November 2nd at the Pennovation Center, where attendees enjoyed an evening of education and networking. In celebration of its 13 years of service to the Penn community, PCI Ventures hosted a diverse group of entrepreneurs, faculty members, investors, and industry leaders. Startup companies from the PCI Ventures portfolio as well as Pennovation Works member companies participated in a poster and demo session. The full list of featured companies can be found below.

The Purina Pet Care Innovation Prize, in conjunction with Ben Franklin Partnership, the Penn Center for Innovation, and Pennovation Works held the Pet Care Meetup on September 21st at the Pennovation Center. Throughout the evening, attendees enjoyed a panel discussion featuring successful pet startup entrepreneurs, investors, and industry executives, a showcase of the most innovative pet startups in Delaware Valley region, and learned more about the Pet Care Innovation Prize.

The GRASP Treehouse officially opened for use on Friday, August 25th with the New Student Orientation event for incoming ROBO students, followed by the grand opening celebration. Located in Suite 250 of the Lab Building on Pennovation Works’ campus, the Treehouse marks GRASP’s third official location within the Pennovation Works ecosystem. The main room of the Treehouse suite contains lab space and benches, work desks, faculty office space, a student/collaborator conference room, and a multi-purpose room for hosting any GRASP-related events.

On Wednesday, July 26th, the Pennovation Accelerator held their sixth annual Pitch Day at the Pennovation Center. The culminating event for the six-week program focused on business development. In case you missed it, you can find a recording of the event here.  

We are excited to announce the 2023 Pennovation Accelerator Cohort! The program's sixth summer officially kicked off on Wednesday, June 14th, 2023, with the launch of the program's first event.