GEW Penn State 2026

Entrepreneurship rarely unfolds in a straight line. You make one decision, new information appears, priorities shift, and suddenly the path that seemed obvious no longer is. In the Founder Navigation Challenge, you will step into a live, interactive venture experience where your choices determine what happens next. You will face the kinds of decisions that can change the direction of a venture, weigh competing priorities, choose your path, and see how your thinking compares with the choices others make. Along the way, you will discover some of the patterns and questions that led to the creation of Venture Navigator.

You will leave with a fresh way to think about navigating uncertainty, making consequential venture decisions, and figuring out what deserves your attention next. This is not a session where you sit back and take notes. Come ready to choose, reconsider, and find out how you navigate when there is no obvious right answer.

Register Here: https://venturenavigator.ai/founders-navigator-challenge/events

Attending In-person: Eric J Barron Innovation Hub Room 113

Have an idea and want to see what your patent options are? Not sure what a patent even is? This workshop is a great starting point! Attendees will learn all about the world of patents. This workshop introduces how to get started with searching for patents, along with resources and an introduction to the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s Patent Center.
Please RSVP by Monday, November 16th at 12:30 pm
Register Here: Intellectual Property Basics

In-person only
Join us on Tuesday, November 17, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. as we celebrate the 5th annual Community Networking Event during Global Entrepreneurship Week at the Eric J. Barron Innovation Hub in downtown State College. For five years, this event has brought together entrepreneurs, business owners, innovators, community leaders, and professionals from across the region to spark new relationships and strengthen existing ones.

This year, we're celebrating that milestone by rolling out the blue carpet and inviting attendees to join us for an evening of networking, conversation, refreshments, facility tours, and anniversary cake from a local bakery. Whether you're making your first connection or reconnecting with long-time partners, this special anniversary event offers a welcoming space to engage with the people and organizations helping shape our community's future.

Guests will have the opportunity to explore the six-story Eric J. Barron Innovation Hub, home to Happy Valley LaunchBox powered by PNC Bank, OriginLabs, and a vibrant ecosystem of entrepreneurs, startups, and innovators. Tours will be available throughout the evening. The Eric J. Barron Innovation Hub features collaborative spaces designed to accelerate innovation, technology commercialization, and local business growth through peer learning, knowledge sharing, and mentorship.

Whether you're a small business owner, entrepreneur, aspiring entrepreneur, student, community partner, or simply interested in expanding your network, we invite you to join us as we celebrate five years of connections and look ahead to what's next.

Registration is required. This event is free and open to all.

This event is presented by the Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County (CBICC), the Penn State Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Invent Penn State, Centre Region Entrepreneur Network (CREN), and Happy Valley Changemakers Collective.

Register Here: https://business.cbicc.org/ap/Events/Register/v5Fxbg1TKCyCm