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Momentum Fund
Also known as: Penn State Momentum Fund
Pennsylvania State University · University Park, PA
The Momentum Fund is a philanthropic evergreen investment fund providing early capital ($50K-$100K) to Penn State technology-based startups. Helps bridge the gap from lab discovery to market. Managed by the Office of Entrepreneurship and Commercialization. Director: Steve Carpenter. Founding gift from Dr. Richard Gottscho.
Quick fit check
- Offers direct funding
- Currently active
- Verified by research
Key numbers
Funding range
$50,000 – $100,000
Investment
Equity
Varies by investment
Application
Rolling
System Wide
Last activity
2026-06-24
High confidence
Application and Timing
Rolling. Apply via Google form on Momentum Fund site. Contact Steve Carpenter (sbc135@psu.edu).
Participants
Penn State faculty, researchers, and startup companies formed around Penn State intellectual property. Must have: legal entity, fully executed Penn State IP license/option, proof of concept, I-Corps or equivalent customer discovery, and potential for follow-on investment.
Funding and Equity
$50K-$100K per startup. Evergreen model — returns reinvested. Investment structure (equity vs. convertible) not specified on public site.
Recent Activity
- 2026: Fund launched with founding gift from Dr. Richard Gottscho.
- 2026: Additional supporters include Laurence and Mary Shenk Thorwart.
Known Startups or Winners
No funded startups publicly listed yet (new fund).
Verification Gaps
- First cohort of funded startups not yet public.
- Exact investment instrument (equity vs. convertible note) not specified.
- Total fund size not disclosed.
Additional research notesShow
Evidence
- Momentum Fund official site with criteria, investment range, and evergreen model.[1]
News & articles
News articles and official sources documenting Momentum Fund at Pennsylvania State University.
1 source
