CC013: how Pittsburgh leverages state funding to spur innovation // a Coffee Chat with Terri Glueck and Leah Simoncelli (Innovation Works)

Summary: Interview begins: 06:32 Debrief begins: 51:53 Terri Glueck is the Director of Communications at Innovation Works. Leah Simoncelli is the Coordinator of the AlphaLab Gear Hardware Cup. As Director of Community Development & Communications, Terri Glueck leads Innovation Works’ communications efforts. Having joined Innovation Works in its own startup phase, Terri has helped build Innovation Works’ brand as one of the nation’s most active seed-stage investors and a global model for technology-based economic development. Leah runs the AlphaLab Gear Hardware Cup, an international pitch competition for early-stage hardware startups. She leads the outreach, marketing, and event management efforts for the US regional competitions, connecting entrepreneurs, angels, VCs, and the startup community across the nation. She also provides support to partners holding Hardware Cup events around the world, including partners in Israel, Japan, South Korea, Canada, and India. Additionally, she manages marketing for the AlphaLab Gear program, which includes everything from traveling to meet startups around the US to creating and implementing a social media strategy to planning collaborative events in the AlphaLab Gear space. ​ // Innovation Works is the Ben Franklin Technology Partner of Southwestern PA and is supported by the Department of Community and Economic Development. The Innovation Works mission is to introduce, connect, support and expand the startup & entrepreneurial ecosystem within Southwestern Pennsylvania, making the region a center for innovative startups and tech investors from around the country. They are the largest seed stage investor in Southwestern PA, having invested $78M over nearly 400 companies. Founded in 1999, Innovation Works is based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Learn more about Innovation Works: https://www.innovationworks.org/ Learn more about the Alpha Lab Hardware Cup: https://alphalabgear.org/hardwarecup/ Follow upside on Twitter: https://twitter.com/upsidefm