About Us
Launching Your IdeasAbout
We Are The Hub That Assists Local Entrepreneurs Build Their Businesses
Our mission is to be the hub that connects local entrepreneurs to the support, resources, and facilities they need to build a sustainable and scalable business with a viable plan for growth.
By centralizing our no-cost services, we help entrepreneurs to avoid the common mistakes startups often face and enable them to focus their time on de-risking and growing their businesses.
The Launchbox Matching Program
The LaunchBox Matching Program is designed to provide an operating endowment for each Penn State campus LaunchBox.
Gifts to each LaunchBox operating endowment will be matched by Penn State up to a total of $1 million, providing a $2 million endowment. Multiple donors may contribute and receive matching monies up to the $1 million total from Penn State; however, naming rights are reserved for a single donation of $1 million.
For further information contact:
Christine Ostroski, Director of Campus Development at cro16@psu.edu or by calling 570-963-2538.
Our Team
John Drake
Launchbox Operations Director & Director of The Center for Business Development and Community Outreach
PENN STATE SCRANTON
120 RIDGE VIEW DRIVE
DUNMORE, PA 18512
John C. Drake, MBA, is the Director of Penn State Scranton’s Center for Business Development and Community Outreach. He is responsible for connecting the needs and resources of the campus with those of the region. The center provides short-term educational programs & workshops; credit and non-credit certificates; youth educational programs; and customized employee training programs. John is also a PSU adjunct faculty member specializing in teaching business management and entrepreneurship courses. Before his over 15 years of work in academia; he was in business for over 20 years. He has experience in business start-up, management, marketing, human resources, and personal sales. John serves as a director on various educational, business, and emergency service boards.
Frank Sorokach
Launchbox Education Director & Instructor, Business and Economics
Dunmore, PA 18512
Frank M. Sorokach is a leadership and management expert with both practical and academic experience. His general focus is on organizational improvement through the development of systems and personnel. He has more than twenty years of applied management experience in varied disciplines and has been a lecturer at Penn State University since 2012. He has taught at both the Scranton Campus and the World Campus on topics that include economics, project management, business strategy, risk management, and marketing.
Frank is specifically focused on the application of new concepts and systems to improve efficiency. This includes the integration of not only technology, but also new management theory in both the workplace and the educational environment.
Fred Aebli
Program Co-Coordinator (Internships), Instructor, Information Sciences and Technology
Dunmore, PA 18512
Fred Aebli’s background includes the U.S. military, software development, academia, and entrepreneurship. His general focus is on technology development and creative thinkingl. He has more than twenty years of experience as a lecturer at Penn State and building technology solutions as a consultant, Fred can be found teaching topics on interface design principles, web application development, database development, and project management. Due to his military background, you will also find him teaching a course on terrorism.
As a native of the region, Fred can be found engaged in many of the areas initiatives to grow technology in the state and is involved in nationwide groups fostering entrepreneurship.
Office
611 Cedar Ave
Scranton, PA 18505
Contact Us
scrantonoutreach@psu.edu
- 570-963-2600