New Kensington-area small businesses are invited to participate in the upcoming, free Small Buisness Reboot Co-op starting April 20. A networking and information session is scheduled for April 6 during The Corner's Startup Week events.
NEW KENSINGTON, Pa. — Penn State New Kensington’s innovation hub, The Corner, and Bridgeway Capital are launching a free, four-session program for New Kensington-area small-business owners and entrepreneurs called the Small Business Reboot Co-op program. Anyone interested in learning more about the program is invited to attend an open house and networking event from 7 to 9 p.m. on April 6 at The Corner.
The formal Small Business Reboot Co-op program will include four sessions, scheduled April 20 to May 1, that will focus on crucial topics for small-business owners and entrepreneurs, including business plan development, marketing, loan readiness and accounting. Small businesses within the New Kensington downtown area are encouraged to participate.
“This co-op is an excellent opportunity for new businesses in the New Kensington area to lay a foundation for sustained success,” said Kim Louis, community entrepreneur liaison at Bridgeway Capital. “The collective strength of the small businesses in New Kensington stems from their collaboration, pride and desire to make the town a destination for the region. Developing their business foundation together in the Small Business Reboot Co-op will further strengthen this collaboration.”
New Kensington has added more than 50 new businesses since March 2020, when COVID-19 shutdowns profoundly affected small businesses. Today, many of these businesses are occupying revitalized spaces downtown along the Corridor of Innovation, a five-block stretch of Fifth Avenue located between The Corner and Westmoreland County Community College – New Kensington and Fourth Avenue.
“The Corner and the New Kensington campus are excited to partner with Bridgeway Capital in our longstanding campus-led initiative to promote and galvanize entrepreneurship and small-business support in our local communities,” said Alyssa Pistininzi, community operations manager at The Corner and business operations manager at The Digital Foundry at New Kensington. “This new program and collaboration will serve to amplify the existing no-cost services at our facility, which includes business coaching, training, and legal and intellectual property services through Penn State Law’s Entrepreneur Assistance Clinic."
In conjunction with Penn State Startup Week powered by PNC, a weeklong celebration held each spring featuring leading minds in entrepreneurship and innovation throughout the commonwealth, Bridgeway Capital and The Corner will host the April 6 open house information session for the Small Business Reboot Co-op. The information session will be held from 7 to 9 p.m.at The Corner, which is located at 701 Fifth Ave. in downtown New Kensington. The session is open to all local business owners and entrepreneurs interested in joining the Reboot program. Registration is not required, but strongly encouraged, by emailing Pistinizi at [email protected] or registering online here.
About Bridgeway Capital
Bridgeway Capital is a nonprofit and community development financial institution certified by the U.S. Treasury Department. Since 1990, Bridgeway has been at the forefront of community and economic development in western Pennsylvania and serves 15 counties. As a mission-driven lender, Bridgeway works to combat injustices and advance opportunities by building capacity, investing capital, and developing underserved areas to grow businesses and revitalize places. Bridgeway has invested $208 million in communities to support small businesses, community facilities, and commercial and residential real estate projects that create economic opportunities for disadvantaged populations. For more information, visit www.bridgewaycapital.org.
About Penn State New Kensington's Corner LaunchBox
The Corner, Penn State New Kensington's Invent Penn State innovation hub, is one of 21 hubs founded by the University across Pennsylvania. In addition to providing signature LaunchBox programming, the space also serves as a location for area co-workers, entrepreneurs and small businesses via an affordable membership-based system. Throughout the year, the hub hosts free and low-cost programming, resources, workshops and events through The Corner LaunchBox with partners such as Innovation Works, Penn State Law's Entrepreneur Assistance Clinic, the Small Business Development Center, Westmoreland SCORE, and more. Open since 2017, The Corner has been a foundational component to the city of New Kensington's ongoing downtown revitalization and economic development efforts. To learn more about The Corner and to see a current listing of events, visit https://thecorner.place/.
