The mission of the Software Productization Center (SPC) at Millersville University is to provide emerging technology-focused entrepreneurs within the Central Pennsylvania region with assistance in advancing software products from concept to marketable product. The Center will accomplish this mission utilizing faculty expertise, the assistance of student interns from various disciplines, and support from community business leaders and technology experts. The Center will:

• Serve regional economic and community development needs
• Enhance the quality of instruction and learning resources available to students
• Link the University community to regional business, government, and non-profit resources

The SPC will collaborate with selected applicants to (1) implement a working prototype of the software product, (2) develop business and marketing plans for the launching of the product, and (3) design branding and physical packaging of the product. Eligible projects are restricted to software products that are intended to generate revenue and are still in the conceptual or very early development stages. Projects that are intended to support the business, but that would not be a source of revenue for the business, are not eligible and will not be considered. The assistance provided by the SPC will be in the form of guidance, expertise, and labor. No funds will be directly provided to the selected applicants, and no payment will be solicited for these services. Once the collaboration with the SPC is complete, the applicant will be prepared to sell the software product, either by attempting to raise additional funds through existing companies or venture capitalists, or by directly selling to a customer base.

Eligible applicants will be entrepreneurs or businesses with revenue that comes (or will come) from selling software products. Applicants must be located in one of the following Central Pennsylvania counties: Lancaster, Lebanon, Dauphin, Cumberland, York, or Berks. Applicants may fall into three categories:

• Individuals
• Startups (businesses with five or fewer employees which have existed for less than two years)
• Small businesses seeking to develop a new software product

The SPC is not currently accepting applications, but look for announcements of our next call for applications (we expect this to be during the summer of 2009). Meanwhile, the SPC is currently reviewing the first round of applications, and will be announcing our pilot collaborations in November.

The SPC is a cross-disciplinary project, bringing together faculty and students from Computer Science, Business/Marketing, Public Relations, and Art/Graphic Design. The faculty steering committee consists of Center Director Dr. Stephanie Elzer (Computer Science), Dr. Theresa Russell-Loretz (Communication), Dr. Pat McCaskey (Business/Marketing) and Ms. Nancy Mata (Art) who supervised Center interns in the development of the SPC identity/logo. The SPC Advisory Board plays a vital role in the success of the center, and consists of the following members:

• Mr. Daniel Betancourt, President and CEO. Community First Fund
• Mr. Charles Crystle, CEO, Mission Research
• Mr. G. Yale Eastman, General Partner, Eastman Family Partnership
• Ms. Jennifer Hammaker, Director of Business Development for the Innovation Transfer Network
• Ms. Cheryl Irwin, Vice President, Lancaster Chamber of Commerce and Industry
• Mr. Scott Landis, Barley Snyder, LLC
• Mr. Jesse Stauffer III, CTO, GeographIT

The Center is funded by a PASSHE Business Infrastructure Grant. For more information on the SPC, or to get involved, contact Dr. Stephanie Elzer via email at stephanie.elzer at millersville.edu.