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ALLEGHENY
ERIE COUNTY
PUBLIC LIBRARY
GANNON
MERCYHURST
PENN STATE BEHREND
PENNWEST EDINBORO

Need free business assistance?

WHO WE ARE

Allegheny college
Allegheny College

ALLEGHENY CENTER FOR
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

PROVIDING SUSTAINABILITY RESEARCH
AND CONSULTING SERVICES TO REGIONAL
BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS

  • Services envisioned for the center include product and manufacturing life cycle assessments, renewable energy systems design and installation, and building energy audits.
  • More details coming soon. 
Erie County

Public Library

THE IDEA LAB

BUILD CREATIVE SKILLS,
ATTEND FREE CLASSES,
AND MAKE COOL STUFF

  • Classes to learn new equipment and technologies.
  • Free access to equipment including 3D printers, laser cutters, audio recording and more.
  • Resources and classes for beginning entrepreneurs.
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Gannon ICON
Gannon University

CENTER FOR BUSINESS 
INGENUITY

ADVANCING IDEAS WITH 
EXPERT CONSULTING
AND HIGH QUALITY RESOURCES

  • Collaborative experience that enhances the delivery of services to entrepreneurs in the community.
  • Services include: crowd-funding analysis, pitch decks, start-up capital analysis, & additional start up resources.
Mercyhurst University

INNOVATION ENTENTE LAB

PROVIDING CLIENTS WITH
MARKET ANALYSIS AND
COMPETITIVE BUSINESS
INTELLIGENCE STRATEGIES

  • Services include: market analysis, competitive business intelligence, funding opportunities research, social media analysis, industry best practices, cyber security, data collection & manipulation.
  • Mercyhurst University’s Beehive IEL team is located in a state-of-the-art innovation and production Lab on the University’s main campus.
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Penn State Behrend ICON
Penn State Behrend

MEEHL INNOVATION COMMONS

BRINGING PLANS TO LIFE 
THROUGH EXPERIENCED 
ENGINEERING, PRODUCT DESIGN,
AND RAPID PROTOTYPING

  • Product design and rapid prototyping.
  • App design with user experience research.
  • Engineering consultation.
  • Industry 4.0 technology implementation.
PennWest Edinboro

CENTER FOR BRANDING AND 
STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION

INCREASING BRAND 
AWARENESS THROUGH
CREATIVE DESIGN 
AND PRODUCT PROMOTION

  • Works in collaboration with clients to enhance brand and marketing strategies.
  • Design services: logo development, branding materials, web design, packaging design & more.
  • PR/Marketing services: social media, digital marketing, media relations, podcasting, SEO & more.
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WHAT WE DO

Since its inception in 2014, the Northwest Pennsylvania Innovation Beehive Network has worked to enhance business expansion and development in the Erie Area and beyond. The Beehive is made up of 6 grant- and donation-funded centers that collaborate to encourage business growth. The centers work together to form the Beehive Network, while each location operates in its own specialized area of expertise.

Erie County Public Library, Penn State Behrend, PennWest Edinboro, Gannon University, Mercyhurst University, and Allegheny College are each responsible for a specific service. By exercising the individual talents of 6 local institutions, the Innovation Beehive can offer assistance in all areas of business development. Originally launched by the Ignite Erie Grant at Penn State Behrend, the NWPA Innovation Beehive has expanded to other regional universities. Each center now includes a fully operational location and employs a mix of students, faculty and staff.

buzz the hive

Interested in our services?

Please Contact any of our centers directly.

Allegheny College

ALLEGHENY CENTER FOR
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

814.332.3381
520 N Main Street
Meadville, PA 16335

Bryon Rich
Allegheny Director of Academic
Innovation Partnerships
brich@allegheny.edu

Erie County
‍
Public Library

THE IDEA LAB

814.451.6939
East Front Street
Erie, PA 16507

Andrew Miller
idealab@eriecountypa.gov

Gannon University

CENTER FOR BUSINESS 
INGENUITY

814.871.7000
900 State Street
Erie, PA 16501

Brad Gleason
Director of Entrepreneurial
Operations
gleason006@gannon.edu

Mercyhurst
University

INNOVATION ENTENTE LAB

814.824.2423
501 E 38th Street
Erie, PA 16546
‍
Brian Fuller
Director of Operations,
Ridge College, Director,
CIRAT
bfuller@mercyhurst.edu

Penn State
Behrend

INNOVATION COMMONS

814.898.6971
108 Burke Center
5101 Jordan Road
Erie, PA 16563

Jacob Marsh
Industry Relations Coordinator
jam522@psu.edu

PennWest Edinboro

CENTER FOR BRANDING AND
STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION

814.732.1275
Baron-Forness Library
2nd Floor, Room 232
200 Tartan Drive
Edinboro, PA 16444

Christopher Lantinen
Director
clantinen@pennwest.edu