Barron, Thompson discuss status of entrepreneurship initiative

Originally, the plan was to go to graduate school.

After four years of working in a lab, Hunter Swisher thought continuing his education was a given. The Penn State plant sciences major was knee-deep in a research project, and with only a few semesters before graduation, his future seemed neatly laid out.

But graduate school, if it’s still in the cards, can wait. Swisher, 22, has a company to run.

“I quickly realized I was the type of guy (who) likes to bring things out of the lab and into the real world,” he said.

In May, Swisher founded Phospholutions, an agriculturally focused startup working to commercialize a buffering agent for phosphorus. While a key mineral for soil, phosphorus can then leach from farmland into nearby waterways, causing eutrophication and its attendant ecological problems. Swisher’s company is finding an innovative solution to the problem.

His work hasn’t gone unnoticed. On Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson, Penn State President Eric Barron and others spoke about the progress of Invent Penn State, an initiative to spur entrepreneurship in the area, which was launched by Barron’s office last year. Gathered at the Happy Valley LaunchBox, one of 13 startup accelerators across the state, the group pointed to different examples of entrepreneurial growth over the past year. Swisher’s company, which went through the 10-week startup boot camp offered though the LaunchBox, was just one of them.

“As an ag chairman, that’s the exact type of science and technology that we need,” Thompson, R-Howard Township, said. “When phosphorus and similar types of nutrients are on the farm fields, they’re valuable assets. When they go into the watersheds, they’re terrible liabilities.”

Barron pointed to the $1.5 million Fund for Innovation and investing in the infrastructure necessary to get ideas into the marketplace. He also referenced an intellectual property fair, set for Oct. 6-7.

“This is kind of the first step for moving a business forward,” he said. “We want to make sure we have every step in place.”

Neil Sharkey, Penn State’s vice president for research, said garnering attention from already established companies was vital to continuing the intiative’s success. In July, his office announced a deal with Morgan Advanced Materials, a U.K.-based global engineering company, and a research-and-design center to open at the university’s Innovation Park by late 2017. The ecosystem for startups, he added, is more conducive to growth with experienced players.

“We just had our first win with (Morgan Advanced Materials),” he said. “In five years, I’d like to see at least one a year, so let’s say attracting five more established business to the area. I think that would be a huge win.”

“The startups are going to come,” he said. “We’ve got what it takes to get that aspect going, so right now I’m thinking that’s a given and that we’ll keep this rolling. But will they be able to get a foothold and stay in our communities and thrive? So if we could have a win that’s even over 50 percent in that regard, that would be fantastic.”

As for Swisher, he’s hoping to continue his company’s momentum. Through the Summer Founders Program, which provided him $10,000 to further his company during the summer, Swisher was able to build interest in Florida, where the hotter temperatures can choke roots and contribute to nutrient runoff, said Erin Knabe, his business partner. Before the program was over — and the fall semester started — he had made his first sale.

“My story is kind of interesting because it kind of ties all of these resources that Penn State has together,” Swisher said.

Tom Sharbaugh, the director of the Entrepreneur Assistance Clinic and professor at Penn State Law, also spoke about the legal services the clinic provides to startups. Happy Valley LaunchBox Director Lee Erickson also commented on the success of the initiative.

This story was originally published August 31, 2016 at 11:49 AM with the headline "Barron, Thompson discuss status of entrepreneurship initiative."