Program Description
TechCelerator @ Luzerne County is a ten (10) week program offering weekly educational workshops and one-on-one mentoring sessions to 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:
City skyline
Eligibility Guidelines & Participant Expectations
The program will be structured in one (1) cohort consisting of 8 early-stage Luzerne County business participants. 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 September-November 2026. 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 or product based, for-profit business concept.
Timeline and Applications
August 10th - September 7th
Applications open for submissions
September 8th - 13th
Review committee finalizes selection of participants
September 14th
Notify teams of selection status
September 22th
Cohort 2 begins
November 17th
Cohort 2 ends
December 8th
Pitch Competition
January 2027
Follow up mentorship, goal execution, and business launch begins
2025 Winner
BedRez
James Monahan
Our Partners
Pitch Showcase
Join us for our upcoming pitch showcase!
December 8th from 5:30 – 8 PM at the Wilkes-Barre THINK Center
7 S Main St. Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711
RSVP will open soon!