\u201cThe county is pleased to have\u00a0the Penn State Berks\u2019 Flemming Creativity, Entrepreneurship, and Economic Development Center and Berks LaunchBox as key partners to implement our IMAGINE Berks Strategic Plan. They are proven and valuable resources for entrepreneurs and help us provide a supportive and welcoming environment,\u201d stated Pamela Menet, director of community and economic development, County of Berks.<\/p>\n
Awards were presented for two different challenges: The Innovation and Business Idea Challenge, in which the Flemming CEED Center recognized student teams that developed creative, real-world solutions to local and global challenges, and the Imagine Your Business Grant Awards, in which Berks LaunchBox recognized community entrepreneurs who received grant funding to support prototyping, marketing, product development, and more.<\/p>\n
Innovation and Business Idea Challenge awards student creativity![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Student-entrepreneurs-1024x768.jpg\")
Student grant recipients.<\/p>\n
The Innovation and Business Idea Challenge encourages student teams to tackle pressing local or global issues with bold, scalable ideas. This year, submissions focused on reducing hunger and food insecurity.<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s Innovation and Business Idea Challenge was also supported by the college\u2019s\u00a0Food Bank Operations Optimization: Data-driven Societal Impact Approach (FOODSIA) project<\/a>,\u00a0funded by a grant from\u00a0Penn State\u2019s Inter-Institutional Program for Diversifying Research<\/a>\u00a0to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of local food banks.<\/p>\n EggShare Network\u00a0was developed by Hannah Pham, a marketing major. She explained that the mission of EggShare Network is to create a community-based network where local small-scale farmers and backyard producers can contribute surplus eggs via a centralized digital platform. This platform connects suppliers directly with local food banks, schools, and households in need, reducing waste while increasing access to affordable, protein-rich nutrition.<\/p>\n FinishMe\u00a0was developed by Minnich Tang Chuy, a finance major. FinishMe at Penn State Berks is an app that provides information on upcycled, safe cafeteria surplus that can be transformed into affordable meals. High-quality, uneaten food from cafeterias can be repurposed into safe and valuable food products.\u00a0Students would be able to reserve or buy via the app and scan a pickup code to purchase food at discounted rates.<\/p>\n FoodWaste\u00a0was developed by a team of engineering students, including Gage Fulmer, mechanical; Sara Christine, environmental; Amelia Knott, aerospace; and Conner Semel, electro-mechanical engineering technology. The team created an interactive exhibit in Tully\u2019s, the college\u2019s dining hall, that uses scales to show how much money is lost through waste, based on different meal plans. It will also include an infographic highlighting food waste and food insecurity on college campuses.<\/p>\n \u201cThe purpose of this award is to provide seed money to support enterprising and innovative students at Penn State Berks,\u201d\u00a0explained\u00a0Sadan Kulturel-Konak<\/a>, professor of management information systems, director of the Flemming CEED Center, and program chair of the\u00a0entrepreneurship and innovation minor<\/a>. \u201cOur primary objective with this competition is to allow students to utilize their Penn State Berks education to become entrepreneurs and start businesses that can create jobs in our local community.\u201d<\/p>\n IMAGINE Your Business Grants supports early-stage community entrepreneurs<\/p>\n Meanwhile, IMAGINE Your Business Grants were awarded to early-stage entrepreneurs who demonstrated creativity and drive. Grants will support marketing, prototyping, and operational costs. This round of recipients represents a range of industries and services \u2014 from technology and mental health to landscape design and artisan goods \u2014 demonstrating the breadth of innovation within Berks County\u2019s entrepreneurial community.<\/p>\n Wildcraft Landscapes LLC<\/a>, founded by Nathan Tietbohl, designs, installs, and maintains ecologically grounded landscapes using native plants, rain gardens, and stormwater management solutions. Their mission is to blend natural beauty with environmental sustainability, creating thriving ecosystems that benefit both people and wildlife.<\/p>\n Alison Woo Designs<\/a>, founded by Alison Woo, creates one-of-a-kind jewelry using semi-precious stones and fine metals to craft pieces for special occasions and every day. The brand focuses on sustainability and customization, helping clients express individuality through thoughtfully designed, timeless pieces.<\/p>\n LumiVillage<\/a>, founded by Amna and Syed Fahad Hussein, is an app that helps community members connect to teach and learn everyday skills through one-on-one lessons and group classes. Built on trust and safety, with verified profiles, ratings, reviews, and background checks, the app makes it easy for students to find reliable local coaches.<\/p>\n On Brand Moments LLC<\/a>, founded by Danielle Hettler, delivers laser engraving on wood, metal, glass, and acrylic for gifts and to promote branding. Their services are offered through a variety of online platforms and live events. Their innovation lies in \u201cjust-in-time\u201d customization on location, along with color engraving on metal and custom photo engraving.<\/p>\n Emotional Compass<\/a>, founded by Licensed Professional Counselor Hilary Aponte-Chimelis, provides trauma-informed, perinatal, and family therapy services. Aponte-Chimelis offers bilingual counseling for individuals, couples, and families, focusing on holistic well-being and cultural connection during both in-person and virtual settings.<\/p>\n Wolfe Counseling and Wellness LLC, founded by Licensed Professional Counselor\u00a0Jenna Wolfe<\/a>, provides evidence-based mental health treatment with a focus on building strong, trusting therapeutic relationships. Wolfe Counseling creates a safe and supportive environment where clients can achieve meaningful emotional growth and healing.<\/p>\n KimonoMono,<\/a>\u00a0founded by Adrian Heredia, is a marketing and sales alignment agency that helps small- and mid-sized businesses turn brand clarity into measurable growth. They provide integrated services \u2014 brand positioning, digital presence and web strategy, lead-generation systems, and a five-step marketing and sales playbook.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re proud to partner with Berks County to empower early-stage entrepreneurs,\u201d stated Erica Kunkel, director of Berks LaunchBox. \u201cThis support ensures that promising ideas have the funding they need to grow, succeed, and make a meaningful impact right here in our region.\u201d<\/p>\n About the County of Berks \u201cIMAGINE Your Business\u201d grant<\/p>\n \u201cImagine Berks\u201d is Berks County\u2019s strategic economic development plan. The \u201cImagine Your Business\u201d grant provides early-stage entrepreneurs with support for various business needs such as prototyping, marketing, and product\/service development. The initiative aims to foster innovation and economic growth within Berks County.\u00a0Visit Imagine Berks for more information<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"From Penn State Berks Pictured above: Community entrepreneur grant recipients. Student teams and community entrepreneurs were recognized for…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":51978,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[128,130,129],"class_list":["post-51977","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-reading","tag-reading-city","tag-reading-city-headlines","tag-reading-city-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51977","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=51977"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51977\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/51978"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=51977"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=51977"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=51977"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}