Other Initiatives
Here are several other community initiatives that we have contributed to over time:
Hacky Hour
For several years we ran regional programming groups — namely the State College Ruby Group, and “Hacky Hour” — a place for the local developer community to share knowledge and connect with each other. We hosted many speakers and talks, and many jobs, gigs, and partnerships were formed.
New Leaf Initiative
New Leaf is a community-oriented coworking space that’s across the street from West Arete’s offices. It supports creatives, entrepreneurs, and professionals; in addition to providing a beautiful place to work downtown, it connects people in the community. West Arete has provided sponsorship funding, membership, volunteer time, and board direction over the years.
Summer Founders Program
The Summer Founders Program gives $10k each, along with mentoring and space, to several startup teams, so that they can focus on their idea for an entire summer. The goal is to get to one of those breakthrough moments, both for your business and for your confidence. Several successful businesses have come through the program, including Project Vive, Phospholutions, and Gastrograph. West Arete provided the first 2 pilot years of organizing effort.
Other Contributions
Here are some of the other organizations that we’ve contributed to over the years, whether it’s through donations, sponsorships, speaking engagements, or mentorship:
- LaunchBox
- CREN
- Penn State Business, Engineering, Liberal Arts
- The co.space
- HackPSU
- CBICC
- Centre Bike
- Nittany Mountain Bike Association
- The Access Fund