Empowering early-stage entrepreneurs

with education, mentorship, and resources.

Program Description

TechCelerator @ Luzerne County is a ten (10) week program offering weekly educational workshops and one-on-one mentoring sessions to early-stage entrepreneurs, covering topics such as successful business models, customer development, value propositions, basic financials (balance sheet, income statement, cash flow), estimating operating and startup costs, funding options, and basic legal (business structure and ownership), and offering extended goal planning for after the program has ended. Throughout the course of the program, participants will develop a completed business plan and pitch it to a panel of business experts at a closing graduation ceremony. That pitch showcase offers an opportunity for a participant to win prize money up to $2500.


Any participant who successfully completes the program will receive benefits provided by the presenting partners following their graduation, including but not limited to:

A black and white icon of a building with trees in front of it.

Free Co-working Space and Business Development Services

A black and white icon of a man standing next to a light bulb.

Ongoing Pitch Training

A black and white drawing of a man standing in front of a group of people.

Speaking Opportunities

A black and white icon of a microphone on a white background.

Podcast Interviews

Eligibility Guidelines & Participant Expectations

The program will be structured in one (1) cohort consisting of 8 early-stage Luzerne County business participants. Early-stage businesses are defined as businesses that are either pre-incorporation or pre-revenue generation. Each business will be allowed a maximum of two (2) participants in the program with a maximum of sixteen (16) participating entrepreneurs in each cohort. The first cohort will take place from January-April 2025. Program participants must commit to a minimum of five (5) hours of program participation per week for a minimum of 9 out of 10 sessions.
 

Classes are held weekly in-person during evening hours and will cycle throughout Luzerne County locations – spanning from Wilkes Barre to Hazleton. Each class session will last for three hours and include classroom work and guest lectures. Cohort members will also be required to meet with a designated mentor for one session per week in addition to class and homework requirements. Mentor sessions can be virtual.

To be eligable to participate in TechCelerator @ Luzerne County, applicants must

Be a resident or business owner(s) located in Luzerne County

Have a technology-based, for-profit business concept

Have no more than $15,000 in gross revenue for their business

Timeline and Applications

November 15th - December 15th

Applications open for submissions


December 16th - 19th

Review committee finalizes selection of participants


December 20th

Notify teams of selection status


Week of January 6th

Launch Party/networking event

Week of January 20th

Cohort 1 begins


Week of March 24th

Cohort 1 ends


Wednesday, April 2nd

Pitch Competition


May 1st

Follow up mentorship, goal execution, and business launch begins

Our Partners

The logo for the greater hazleton chamber of commerce
A logo for a company called hazleton launchbox
A logo for a company called can be innovation center.
A blue and white logo for cando greater hazleton
The logo for the greater wyoming valley chamber of commerce

Applications are Closed

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