PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship: Amplifying and growing a legacy of innovation
BIG IDEA Spotlight: PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship
By Jodie Dello Stritto
Editor’s Note: Designed to shine a spotlight on the services available to entrepreneurs, this article is part of a series that features the core partner organizations that supported and implemented the 2022-2024 PA Wilds Big Big Idea Contests.
Building on the region’s legacy of innovation, the PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship supported the three-year PA Wilds BIG IDEA Contest series with a storytelling campaign aimed at connecting local entrepreneurs to the opportunity.
“We know how much innovation comes from this region, and we wanted to be able to shine a spotlight on that history and uplift today’s entrepreneurs by highlighting their ideas and ventures,” said LaKeshia Knarr, Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Director. The organization also used its networks and marketing platforms to spread the word among entrepreneurs in the Wilds Cooperative.
The PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship supports rural entrepreneurs and innovators by working with partners like Ben Franklin Technology Partners, the region’s Small Business Development Centers, the Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program and other organizations to connect aspiring and existing entrepreneurs with resources that can support their business development efforts and growth. In addition, the organization helps small businesses tap into the power of the PA Wilds brand and the outdoor recreation economy.
“PA Wilds Center is building an entrepreneurial ecosystem that helps connect entrepreneurs to PA Wilds-branded markets and resources and also promotes the region’s businesses to each other and visitors,” Knarr explained. “Small businesses can join the Wilds Cooperative of Pennsylvania to tap into regional branding and promotion, commerce opportunities and more, for free. Ultimately, we want to build rooted local and regional wealth, diversify local economies, create jobs, inspire stewardship, attract investment and improve the quality of life for residents who call the PA Wilds home.”
“The contest made a big contribution toward advancing this mission. So many of the applications in the contests have been from members of the Wilds Cooperative of PA, and we’ve seen how our promotional activities and outreach related to the contest have also generated additional awareness and applications. When all is said and done, more than $150,000 in direct investments will have been made into several regional businesses,” Knarr shared.
“Ultimately, these investments support our communities and the region as a whole,” she continued. “PA Wilds Center is incredibly proud of this partnership with Ben Franklin and how it has significantly impacted so many fledgling and growing businesses in the region.”
Knarr said it was gratifying to see the BIG IDEA contest benefit all the contest participants, whether they won funds or not. “Some of the entrepreneurs have come away with thousands of dollars to help jumpstart their idea or to take it to the next level, and even those who did not were able to meet mentors and find resources that can help them along their entrepreneurial journey. It’s been great to learn even more about the resources that are out there and to be able to play a part in helping others understand all that is available to them,” she said.
Recognizing the passion and determination it takes to turn an idea into reality, Knarr also enjoyed witnessing the entrepreneurs work through the process. “Seeing an entrepreneur making the leap to bring their innovative idea to fruition and watching how they leverage and tap into available resources is always rewarding. Being able to see it firsthand through the contest has been amazing. The breadth of ideas alone has been pretty remarkable!” she said.
Each of the companies in the contest illustrated that they are looking at local applications and filling a need in the market through their respective areas of expertise and interest. For example: researching specific genetics and cultivation of PA Wilds mushrooms and the applicable uses across industries; new technologies aiming to make government processes more efficient; and agricultural innovations that aim to offer sustainable alternatives for fuel and regenerative soil.
Knarr wants aspiring entrepreneurs in the region to know there are many resources available at no cost. “If you’re considering bringing a new product, process or technology to market, there are a lot of resources out there to support your journey. Many of those resources are free and confidential. Start small and take it step by step by reaching out to your local Small Business Development Center. There’s no wrong door,” she said.
This story was created in partnership with The PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship.
About the PA Wilds BIG IDEA Contest Series: The PA Wilds BIG IDEA Contests were part of a three-year initiative funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission. Made possible by a collaboration between Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central and Northern PA, PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship, the Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program and Small Business Development Centers that serve the Pennsylvania Wilds, the contest took place annually, with each contest focusing on a different portion of the rural 13-county region and offering a chance to win up to $50,000. The 2022 contest included counties in the I-80 Frontier landscape, the 2023 contest included counties in the Allegheny National Forest & Surrounds and Elk Country landscapes, and the 2024 contest focused on counties in the Dark Skies and the Pine Creek Valley & PA Grand Canyon landscapes. After the three-year series concluded, more than $150,000 was invested in rural entrepreneurs, while participants who did not win cash prizes received invaluable technical assistance and business support. Additional details can be found at CNP.BenFranklin.org/BigIdea.
About Ben Franklin Technology Partners: The largest seed investor in our region, Ben Franklin Technology Partners (an initiative of the PA Department of Community & Economic Development and funded by the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority) has been providing investment capital, business support services, and operational assistance to emerging tech-startups and small manufacturers for nearly 40 years. Since the start of the BIG IDEA contests, more than $3 million in cash prizes have been awarded throughout Ben Franklin’s 32-county footprint in central and northern Pennsylvania. The contest offers start-ups and entrepreneurs some much-needed seed funding, as well as business training, pitch experience, and industry contacts – often more valuable than the prize money itself. Learn more at www.CNP.BenFranklin.org. For more information, contact Karly Scala at karlyscala@cnp.benfranklin.org.
About the PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship: The PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship, Inc., is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to integrate conservation and economic development in a way that inspires the communities of the Pennsylvania Wilds. The Pennsylvania Wilds is a 13-county region that includes the counties of Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Forest, Jefferson, Lycoming, McKean, Potter, Tioga, Warren, and northern Centre. The PA Wilds Center promotes the region and its 2+ million acres of public lands as a premier outdoor recreation destination as a way to diversify local economies, inspire stewardship, attract investment, retain population and improve quality of life. The PA Wilds Center’s core programs seek to help businesses leverage the PA Wilds brand and connect with new market opportunities, including: the Wilds Cooperative of PA, a network of more than 575 place-based businesses and organizations, and the PA Wilds Conservation Shop, a retail outlet primarily featuring products sourced from the WCO. For more information on the PA Wilds Center, visit www.PAWildsCenter.org. To learn more about the WCO, visit www.WildsCoPA.org. Explore the PA Wilds at www.PAWilds.com. Find regionally made products at www.ShopThePAWilds.com.
