Why an incubator at UArts? We formed the Corzo Center Creative Incubator to help UArts students and alumni develop new ideas, launch creative businesses, and establish social enterprises.

• Our purpose? To offer support, advice, funding and the opportunity to collaborate with others.
• Our goal? To give students the chance to control their ideas and make connections between what they create and how they want to work.
• Our audience? Students and alumni who wish to innovate, test the yet-to-be-tested and develop ideas.

More information regarding the Creative Incubator application process here:
http://corzocenter.uarts.edu/programs/creative-incubator

Grants this year are made possible from funds provided by the Wells Fargo Bank and the Corzo Center.  The four grants range from $5,000 to $10,000 and include support for business ideas based on developing local manufacturing, a line of jewelry in support of those with cancer, an educational program for adolescents with Autism, and development of an insulation system that incorporates biological processes.

The grantees of the Spring 2011 Creative Incubator/ Wells Fargo Fellowship Program are:

Andrew Dahlgren:
ADMK is a producer of high quality, well-designed, sustainable limited edition, and small run knit fabrics, knit wear, and knitted products.  It plans to work with local fashion, textile, and product designers to help them move from idea to prototype to the production of finished goods.  ADMK focuses on working with start-ups and up-and-coming fashion, textile, and product designers, especially graduates from Philadelphiabased universities. As a small company utilizing flexible production methods, ADMK expects to take on unique projects, at different scales, while remaining profitable.  Andrew Dahlgren received a Master’s of Industrial Design (2007).

Cassandra Hoo:
Infusion of Hope, Love, and Wellness is a jewelry line designed specifically for people with cancer,  their family or friends, and cancer survivors. This jewelry is the first line that addresses the emotional needs of those with cancer and family and friends.  It consists of doubled stranded bracelets paired with matching single stranded bracelets for family and friends and is designed to be suitable for both women and men.   In addition to providing a continuing bond between members of the family, 10 percent of the profits will be donated to the American Cancer Research Institute or a similar organization.  Cassandra Hoo received a BFA in Writing for Film and Television (2007).

Michele McKeone:
Autism Expressed [LLC] provides highly synthesized training in digital media literacy for adolescents with Autism (14-21 years old) with the intention of helping support the education of its participants and preparing them for employment in a digital society.   A program of this kind is not currently available in the marketplace.  It is dynamic in its design and application and elementary in its promise, which is to support and develop post-secondary educational goals.  Michele McKeone received a BS in Communication (2005).

Eric Zola:
BioSkin is a project based on the principles of biomimicry, which means that nature drives the design process. The outcome is to be development of  building panels that can be used to help solve heating issues by requiring less energy to heat and cool and, as a result, should lower the amount of carbon emissions produced.  The innovation behind BioSkin is not that it saves material and energy like countless building materials do today but that it covers these necessities and elevates the built environment by being founded on nature.  Eric Zola received a BS in Industrial Design (2011).