NEPA Scene Staff

Wilkes-Barre Chamber opens tech and multimedia THINK Center and launches Connect service

Wilkes-Barre Chamber opens tech and multimedia THINK Center and launches Connect service
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From a press release:

On Wednesday, April 20, the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce officially opened the Wilkes-Barre THINK Center, a state-of-the-art technology workshop and multimedia center at its Innovation Center building in downtown Wilkes-Barre.

“The nearly 6,000 square foot facility provides individuals with the tools and support they need to turn a concept into a business,” according to Chamber Vice President of Economic Development Joseph Boylan. “The facility features three tech-driven private conference rooms, a co-working space with plug-and-play tables for students and entrepreneurs to meet, work, network, share ideas, and collaborate.”

“A fifty-seat theatre and lecture hall is the focal point of the center,” Boylan added. “With equipment to host virtual meetings, podcasts, lectures, competitions, training programs, mentoring sessions, and teleconferences, this is something brand new for the region.”

In addition to the THINK Center (7 S. Main St., Wilkes-Barre), the chamber launched its new “Wilkes-Barre Connect” initiative. Connect brings together partner service providers to ensure that all start-up and existing businesses have access to the resources, services, and facilities they need to grow their business in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

“The connect program brings the best mentoring, training, networking, technical assistance, and financial opportunity curation into one system,” said Chamber President Wico van Genderen. “The program brings together the resources of seven initial partners all working to help both new and existing businesses grow and thrive.”

The program has been in development over the past year that Boylan says has been “ensuring we understand what each partner does and leveraging it accordingly, all while adopting a common language to assist entrepreneurs.”

Partners include the Wilkes University SBDC, Family Business Alliance, Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Allan P. Kirby Center for Free Enterprise & Entrepreneurship, Diamond City Partnership, and the Institute for Public Policy and Economic Development. The chamber serves as administrator of the initiative.

“Connect is designed to handle the needs for all businesses and industry sectors and requires no membership or fee – it is absolutely free to join,” added Boylan.

More information is available at connect.wilkes-barre.org.

Photos by Steve Husted and Michael John Gentle of Knot Just Any Day