DUNMORE, LACKAWANNA CO. (WOLF) — The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, along with Ben Franklin Technology Partners and Lackawanna County, hosted the final presentation for the TechCelerator program Tuesday at Marywood University.

TechCelerator is one of several incubator projects within the Chamber’s IGNITE program, a platform designed to grow businesses across industries and create jobs by fostering entrepreneurs through education, counseling, networking, and mentorship.

Eight emerging business owners recently completed the TechCelerator program, a ten-week entrepreneurial boot camp that equips early-stage entrepreneurs with resources to accelerate business growth.

On Tuesday evening, they pitched their innovative products, shared progress, validated ideas, and connected with community partners.

These pitches range from AI accessibility tools and mental health technology to interactive education models, music distribution, and telehealth solutions:

MillionMinds (Norman Zin): AI tools helping DBA students complete dissertations, including literature reviews, questionnaire design, simulation, and data analysis.Notea (Alexandria Small): A customizable project management platform offering templates, integrations, and workflow optimization for teams and individuals.Optimust Intelligence (Luis Vazquez): AI-driven tools improving communication in mental health, including an emotionally intelligent, multilingual therapy assistant.Sweeney Education Innovations (Dr. Terry Sweeney): Interactive physiology learning tools based on patented cardiovascular and arterial demonstration models.TechA11y (Brian Jagger): AI-powered platform that fully remediates websites for ADA and WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility compliance.VoiceBridge (Jonathan Lau): An AI-powered, wearable-free accessibility app translating sign language to speech and speech to signing or captions.Zach James Music (Zack Sprowls): Creation and digital distribution of religious music, sheet music sales, and exploration of a new subscription model.Ross Capoccia Co. (Ross Capoccia): Telehealth group therapy practice model integrating AI, CRM systems, and human support for personalized mental health care.

Bob Durkin, President and CEO of the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, announced that all graduates of the TechCelerator program will have access to up to $10,000 in grant reimbursements through Lackawanna County to help launch their businesses.

“The entrepreneurial ecosystem, as we refer to it here in Lackawanna County and Northeastern Pennsylvania, is alive. We have people coming out, wanting to start their businesses, wanting to live their dream. And as a chamber of commerce, we’re just happy to be there to help facilitate things and hold their hands through this early stage,” said Durkin.

IGNITE is designed for individuals looking to start businesses.

Throughout the program, participants learn from experienced educators about critical aspects of running a business such as finance, marketing, legal issues, and more to help bring their ideas to life.

For more information about the IGNITE program, visit the Chamber’s website.