Philly Tech TidBits 11/27/2012: Lehigh Valley Tech gets new look; Coworking grows in burbs & more
Tom Paine
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Lehigh Valley Tech, the hyperactive organization behind Lehigh Valley Tech Meetup, the recent Lehigh Valley Startup Weekend and other events and activities in that area, has received a rebranding and new look courtesey of Philadelphia branding agency At Media. The agency launched its "Brand Refresher" contest in June, and Lehigh Valley Tech was the winner out of over 100 applicants. At Media provided a new logo and business card design, as well as an ample supply of business cards.
Lehigh Valley Tech's original homemade logo emphasized the transition from the area's steel industry legacy. The new logo retained some of the old color scheme including Bethlehem Steel's trademark International Orange shade, but aims to present a more modernistic and forward looking appearance.
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| Lehigh Valley Tech's old (left) and new (right) logos |
Lehigh University launched a new professional master's program in technical entrepreneurship this spring. The one year program, which utlizes many assets within the University's ecosystem, is designed to be more relevant to students with an entrepreurial bent who otherwise might leave school altogether to go it alone. The inaugural class has 15 students, and Lehigh's goal is to grow enrollment to 30. Also, Lehigh's Baker Institute for Entrepreneurship, Creativity and Innovation has opened a new Creativity and Innovation Lab, including 3-D printers, power tools, routers, modeling clay and plastic parts. Presumably Lehigh has these types of tools within its Engineering school but the new resources and lab space are dedicated to the Baker Institute. Since the launch of the Baker Institute in 2010, enrollment in entrepreneurship courses at the University has grown from 193 to 524 students.
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| Reworkwc Interior |
Coworking is expanding in the burbs. Reworkwc, founded by Tom Hudzina, opened a few months ago in downtown West Chester. Also in downtown West Chester is Central Casting, a private (not open to the public) shared coworking setup between what member John Young describes as "four programmers and a seamstress sharing a lease". Young also said they learned alot from Philly's Indy Hall. "We think Indy Hall is great -- one of the best coworking space(s) in the country. Alex Hillman has his head in the right place, and he knows perfectly well that the hard part, and the important part, is community," Young wrote in an email to me.
Skylight Coworking opened early this month in the center of Phoenixville, which is just west of King of Prussia. Individually owned and operated by founder Shannon Coghlan, Skylight features 2,000 square feet, a conference room and kitchen. Skylight is also building an events schedule, including its "Geeks with Talent" show on January 24.
I've provided a helpful map for those who get lost beyond City Line Avenue.
View REWORKWC in a larger map
NextFab Studio, Philly's high tech prototyping workshop, is in the process of relocating from its original 3711 Market Street location to a larger facility at 2025 Washington Avenue. The old location closed to the public on November 15, and the new place is scheduled to open to the public on December 29, with a grand opening party on January 17. The Washington Avenue space will be five times larger than its space at 3711 Market.
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