It’s not just a minor, it’s a mindset.
Gain experience solving real-world problems
and prepare to navigate an increasingly entrepreneurial world.
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Ready to revolutionize your college experience?
Minor and Certificate available to fit your schedule
Entrepreneurship and Innovation Minor (ENTI)- Product Innovation Cluster
Product Innovation Entrepreneurship Certificate
Real-world problem solving
Business fundamentals
Practical applications
About the Program
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Developing crucial skills, whether you plan to become a founder or bring the entrepreneurial mindset to your workplace
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Be fearless - manage risk and success
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Reawaken your creativity
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Recognize opportunity and act
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Take charge of your future
What Students Say
Product Innovation Classes
Relevant learning for solving real-world problems.
All of the following courses are required to complete the Product Innovation Cluster of the 18-credit Entrepreneurship and Innovation Minor. Complete ENGR 411 and choose two of any of the courses marked with an asterisk to complete the 9-credit Product Innovation Entrepreneurship Certificate.
For Commonwealth Campus students, ENGR 310 and ENGR 411 are available online. Contact us to learn about other certificate course options at your campus.
Discuss your future with us at eship@engr.psu.edu!
ENGR 310 *
Minor Core Course 1: Entrepreneurial Leadership. Develop leadership and entrepreneurial skills in collaborative, problem-based projects and make friends with students from diverse majors. Create a businesses in the class and earn money! Don't be scared of the ENGR prefix! Take this class first to be set up for the minor or the certificate.
MGMT 215
Minor Core Course 2: Entrepreneurial Mindset. Learn to think like an entrepreneur in the broader context of social entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship, creative problem solving, opportunity recognition, and innovation.
ENGR 407 *
Product Innovation Entrepreneurship: Enjoy immersive, practical entrepreneurial experiences. One of the most unique classes at Penn State. Declare the minor or certificate and sign up early, it’s always full!
ENGR 411 *
Business Fundamentals for Entrepreneurs: Learn business fundamentals including finance, marketing, sales and operations with a start-up perspective from experienced entrepreneurs. It’s an MBA for entrepreneurs in a semester!
ENGR 415 *
Technology Launch for Entrepreneurs: Develop business plans for an existing company of your choice as an intrapreneurial product manager and your own business as an entrepreneur. Learn the characteristics of an intrapreneurial company and find the company you want to work for!
ENGR 425
Minor Core Course 3: New Venture Creation. Develop leadership skills, self-efficacy, creativity and the ability to deal with ambiguity. Attain a working knowledge of ways for identifying a new product or business opportunity, quantifying the potential, understanding the key competitive factors, researching the audience, and producing a convincing plan for financing and launch.
New Program!
Product Innovation Entrepreneurship Certificate
Discover your entrepreneurial potential with the Product Innovation Entrepreneurship Certificate. In this three class program, you will learn to think creatively, tackle challenges, and lead with innovation. Whether you are looking to start your own business or introduce fresh ideas in an existing organization, this certificate will help you stand out by showcasing your entrepreneurial mindset and your ability to drive innovation. To earn this certificate, you need to complete ENGR 411, Business Fundamentals for Entrepreneurs, and choose two additional classes from the following options: ENGR 310, ENGR 407 and ENGR 415.
The ENtern Program
The ENtern Entrepreneurship Intern Program pairs entrepreneurship students with startup companies in order to:
Gain exposure to the startup environment
Build their resumes and potentially identify future employment opportunities
Explore your entrepreneurship interests
Gain real-world experience at an early-stage venture
The Product Innovation Grant Program
So you have an idea that you and your team of Penn State students believe could become a real business—but need a little seed funding to get started? The Product Innovation Grant Program can help you take that first step.
This Engineering Entrepreneurship grant program provides up to $500 per team to cover essential startup costs in the Creator Stage. Funds can be used for early-stage needs like building a prototype, purchasing materials, hiring design or coding help, securing licenses, or applying for a trademark. Follow-on Starter and Runner grants of up to $1000 are available upon completion of milestones in each phase.
The goal? To help you prepare for Penn State’s business competitions—and position your team for larger opportunities like the Happy Valley LaunchBox FastTrack Accelerator or Summer Founders Program.
To apply, simply fill out this short form outlining your idea and team. Have questions or want to talk through your application? Reach out to Ted Graef, Director of the Engineering Entrepreneurship Program. The Product Innovation Grant Program is proudly supported by the Penn State College of Engineering’s School of Engineering Design and Innovation
Top-Ranked Program
Penn State is currently ranked as the No. 23 school for undergraduate entrepreneurship studies in the United States, and No. 3 among schools in the Northeast, by The Princeton Review. In 2022, Penn State was ranked No. 21 on the national list.
Updates
Why Every Student Should Consider Engineering 310
At Penn State, innovation is not just for engineers. It is for anyone who wants to create, lead, and make an impact. That is the spirit behind Engineering 310: Entrepreneurial Leadership, a course that is open to all students across campus. Whether you are majoring in communications, business, science, liberal arts, or engineering, this class […]
Welcome Back – This Is Where Entrepreneurial Mindset Meets Career Readiness
If you ask past students what they got from Engineering Entrepreneurship courses, they won’t just tell you about assignments or grades — they’ll tell you it was “the greatest learning experience I’ve ever had in a school setting” and “the classes that completely changed how I see my future.”
Learn to Lead in a World That Needs Problem-Solvers. Get the Skills Companies (and Startups) Are Looking For
You started this journey with one course — and now, you’re just two classes away from earning your Certificate in Product Innovation and Entrepreneurship. That’s more than a credential — it’s proof that you’ve built real-world skills for a future that demands innovation, leadership, and agility.
Contact Us
Get in touch with us at eship@engr.psu.edu
Ted Graef
Director of Engineering Entrepreneurship
I have worked for several small companies and ran my own traffic equipment company. I’m an expert in rapid product development and the business of startups. From these experiences, I know the entrepreneurial mindset will help you in life no matter what you do. What are you passionate about, and how can you apply the entrepreneurial mindset? How can you apply it to your lifelong goals? Let us help you answer these questions!
“The ENGR Entrepreneurship Program taught me how to produce results in a non-academic setting. Dealing with real companies taught me how to communicate my objective in a more convincing manner”.
Masen Nartatez Mechanical Engineering