Spurred by a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem, the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce invested more than $2 million to provide more opportunities for budding business owners.<\/p>\n
The Scranton Lackawanna Industrial Building Company, the chamber\u2019s business development division, completed an expansion project at the TekRidge Enterprise Center along Alberigi Drive in Jessup, building out the final 11,500 square feet of the facility.<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/STT-L-TEKRIDGE-0908-03.jpg\")
The Scranton Lackawanna Industrial Building Company , the business development division of The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, completed a multimillion-dollar expansion project at the TekRidge Enterprise Center in Jessup. (CHAD SEBRING\/STAFF PHOTO)<\/p>\n
As part of the renovations, officials added a new collaborative workspace to encourage collaboration between entrepreneurs, said Amy Luyster, vice president of business and workforce development for the chamber.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe built a collaboration space in one of the bays to provide additional space for entrepreneurs to network, exchange ideas, and hold meetings and pitch sessions,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019ve equipped the space with various elements that are conducive to entrepreneurship growth.\u201d<\/p>\n
Financial support from the Pennsylvania Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program \u2014 $900,000 \u2014 and U.S Small Business Administration \u2014 $777,000 \u2014 helped offset the approximately $2.4 million project cost, said Aaron Whitney, the chamber\u2019s director of facilities and asset management.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had eight bays in the back and built those out as we had tenants ready for them,\u201d he said. \u201cWe were able to find the two tenants so we finished the last three bays to include the collaboration area.\u201d<\/p>\n
The chamber established the TekRidge Enterprise Center in June 2013 and gradually developed the facility, Whitney said. It currently holds 10 anchor tenants and five incubator tenants.<\/p>\n
\u201cNortheast Pennsylvania is ripe with entrepreneurs,\u201d Whitney said. \u201cWe ran the four cohorts of the TechCelerator (program) over the past few years, and that\u2019s proved to be very successful and a feeder into the Ignite program.\u201d<\/p>\n
Additionally, Ryan Leckey Media \u2014 which started as an incubator tenant in the chamber\u2019s Ignite program \u2014 recently moved into a roughly 3,800-square-foot anchor tenant space and Martina Bacarella Architect, another anchor tenant secured about 2,000 square feet in the facility. Whitney added there is about 3,800 square feet of space left in the building for a prospective tenant.<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/STT-L-TEKRIDGE-0908-02.jpg\")
The Scranton Lackawanna Industrial Building Company , the business development division of The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, completed a multimillion-dollar expansion project at the TekRidge Enterprise Center in Jessup. (CHAD SEBRING\/STAFF PHOTO)<\/p>\n
Ken Okrepkie, regional manager for Ben Franklin Technology Partners\u2019 northeast division, lauded Leckey\u2019s determination to his craft.<\/p>\n
\u201cRyan\u2019s company is an example of an entrepreneur who saw an opportunity, took a space in the incubator where you identify additional customers, figure out your market opportunity, and then start to hire your first people,\u201d he said. \u201cThat company started as a small entrepreneurial venture, picked up some momentum, and became an anchor tenant which allows (the chamber) to provide lower office rates to entrepreneurs who don\u2019t have the cash flow to pay market rates.\u201d<\/p>\n
Okrepkie also praised the chamber\u2019s commitment to supporting early-stage firms.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a pleasure to partner with organizations like the Scranton Chamber of Commerce as they enhance the opportunities for entrepreneurs to pursue their dreams and collaborate to deal with the hurdles that are inevitable as part of building a technology company,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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