Investing in New Student Companies at Penn State
2021 Inc.U Competition – Winning Teams
Congratulations to the winners of the 2021 Inc.U Competition, each winning $10,000 for their startup:
- Girls Code the World, from Penn State University Park, seeks to provide opportunities, resources, and role models for young girls in STEM-related fields through a series of engaging programs and extended mentorships.
- Miss Monroe Collection, from Penn State University Park, is an organic and protective hair care company established to empower people of color to embrace their natural hair.
- Table Rock Markets, from Penn State Mont Alto, is an e-commerce platform for connecting consumers to local farmers.
Past Winners
Since the Inc.U Competition officially launched in 2015, it has produced 13 winning teams and provided $150,000 in prize money. Those 13 startups have since grown, shifted, and encountered new challenges and successes.
Check out our Q&A’s with past winners to find out where they are now:
- Purpose Therapy Box – 2019
- Vitable Health – 2019
- CastPak – 2019
- Moichor – 2018
- Reflexion – 2017
About Inc.U
Inc.U began in 2015 as a pilot program funded by a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. It was originally a collaborative effort between the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, Bucknell University, and Penn State to foster undergraduate entrepreneurship. Each of the three university partners worked in their local areas to support and grow programs for this initiative.
Starting in 2016, the Penn State Inc.U competition, managed by PennTAP, evolved to become a Penn State program partially funded by a five-year grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (USEDA) in partnership with Invent Penn State and their entrepreneurial assistance centers. Part of the USEDA grant funded the development of “The Investment,” a student competition where Penn State student start-ups go head-to-head to win significant investment dollars for their companies.
Funding for the competition prize money was made possible by:
