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The SPARK Business Incubator provides start-up companies with a supportive environment to learn, grow and thrive. Its goal is to mentor and advise incubator companies so that they can hit their critical milestone and take their businesses to the next level.

"When I began working with O'Pake, I didn't even have a business plan," said Jonathan Scaccia, president of PubTrawlr, the first tenant of the SPARK Business Incubator to graduate. "I didn't know how to model out financials. I didn't know that email was important! But O'Pake has guided me through the critical, infrastructure-development areas so that I can focus on the stuff that I do know, and can do well."

In addition to offering business services, the O’Pake Institute owns and operates two SPARK Business Incubator locations at the John R. Post Center in Reading CollegeTowne and Pottsville CollegeTowne. The space is home to early-stage companies, non-profit organizations and leaders in technology. The SPARK Business Incubator is a proud member of Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s Business Incubator Network.

Benefits of business incubation:

• Affordable office space
• Mentorship
• Professional service provider network
• Technical assistance

Regional Business Incubator Network

In addition to SPARK Business Incubator locations in Reading and Pottsville, the O’Pake Institute manages a Regional Incubator Network. Entrepreneurship plays a pivotal role in driving economic growth, fostering innovation, and addressing societal challenges. However, startups and aspiring entrepreneurs often face numerous hurdles, including limited access to resources, lack of mentorship, and difficulty in securing funding. The Regional Business Incubator Network-Powered by O’Pake supports entrepreneurs across diverse sectors, ranging from culinary arts and biomedical innovations to technological and nonprofit ventures. The O’Pake Institute manages or provides direct technical support to numerous regional Incubators. Check out the network.

Professional Service Provider Network

The O’Pake Institute’s Professional Service Provider Network is designed to provide quality assurance and oversight of the student-powered services that the O’Pake Institute provides. Professional service providers enhance the student experiential learning experience by providing mentorship and advice to students in the O’Pake Fellows Program. It encompasses professionals from industries including higher education, business development, marketing, engineering, finance, technology transfer, business law, leadership and more. Diverse industry professionals are essential to provide opportunities to companies in a wide range of industries and sizes as well as students from a wide range of majors. The level of commitment for a professional service provider varies based on services offered.