ASSETS

What a night for our largest Idea Incubator cohort yet!

Last month, 16 entrepreneurs took the stage at Pitch & Brew to share their business ideas with a packed house. This cohort was so large, we ran two pitch rooms at the same time, with eight entrepreneurs pitching in each.

Following the pitches, our judges selected five finalists to move on to the 2026 Great Social Enterprise Pitch on September 10th.

But Pitch & Brew was about all 16 entrepreneurs who stepped up, shared their ideas and put weeks of hard work into practice.

Take a look back at a few moments from the night.

Meet all 16 entrepreneurs in our 2026 Idea Incubator cohort:
assetspa.org/meet-the-2026-idea-incubator-cohort/

📸 Julie Liz Photography

A year ago, Denzel Kabasele stepped onto the Great Social Enterprise Pitch stage with an idea for SubZero Suit.

Today, that idea is getting closer to market, and a SubZero prototype has already made its way onto the world stage.

As we count down to this year’s Great Social Enterprise Pitch on September 10th, we’re checking in with past participants to see where their businesses are now.

Read the latest update on our blog to see how SubZero Suit has grown since the Pitch and what’s next for Denzel: tinyurl.com/ASSETS-SubZero-Suit

In partnership with Northwest Bank, ASSETS is building opportunities for entrepreneurs in Central PA, brick by brick.

You make the product. Now, let’s talk about the business behind it.

Makers to Market is a new 3-day small-scale manufacturing accelerator from ASSETS designed for local makers and product-based entrepreneurs.

With both morning and evening cohorts available this October, you can choose the option that works best for you.

Registration closes September 25, 2026.

Learn more and choose your cohort:
assetspa.org/makers-to-market-accelerator

The Final Five are here!

After 12 weeks of learning, refining their business models and putting their ideas to the test, five entrepreneurs are moving on to the 2026 Great Social Enterprise Pitch!

Congratulations to this year’s finalists!

Julia Morrell, Custom Clean Commercial Cleaning Services
Malia Burris, The Live Well Experience
Michael Bradley, Aftercare Compass
Sharon Allen-Spann, Coach Sharon
Susanna Wurtz, Mountain Laurel Sewing Company

On September 10, they’ll take the stage at Zoetropolis Cinema Stillhouse to pitch their businesses and compete for cash and prizes.

Get to know the Final Five, the businesses they’re building and the ideas behind their work.

Read the full story on the ASSETS blog: tinyurl.com/ASSETS-GSEP-2026

📸 Michelle Johnsen Photography

What happens when your business is growing, your customers know your value, but your online presence doesn’t tell the same story?

That’s the gap Ariana Garcia is working to close through The Socials Fairy.

After joining the ASSETS Idea Incubator in 2024, Ariana took an idea she wanted to validate and built it into a creative visibility partner helping growing businesses show up online at the level they’re already operating.

Now, she’s preparing for the next chapter of The Socials Fairy.

Read the latest entrepreneur story on our blog to learn more about Ariana’s journey, how The Socials Fairy took shape and what she’s building next.
tinyurl.com/ASSETS-Socials-Fairy

In partnership with TCW-GAV, ASSETS is building opportunities for entrepreneurs in Central PA, brick by brick.

Setting financial goals and knowing how to stay on track are essential to growing your small business.

Join ASSETS and Northwest Bank for Setting Financial Goals & Tracking Progress, a seminar designed to help you set meaningful financial goals and build simple habits for measuring your progress.

You'll learn how to track key financial metrics and make adjustments as your business grows. This session can help you better understand where your business stands and where it’s headed.

Join us Thursday, 8/27, 6pm at Southern Market Lancaster. Register today at tinyurl.com/ASSETS-Financial-Goals

Some dreams take time and a whole lot of persistence.

After competing in the ASSETS' 2025 Great Social Enterprise Pitch, Colleen Herko has continued working toward her vision for Daisy Willow Early Learning. While the path hasn't always been easy, she's making meaningful progress and is one step closer to opening her doors.

Read the latest update on our blog at tinyurl.com/ASSETS-Daisy-Willow to see where the journey has taken her and what's next for Daisy Willow Early Learning.

In partnership with Northwest Bank, ASSETS is building opportunities for entrepreneurs in Central PA, brick by brick.

This August, we’re celebrating Black Business Month by recognizing the business owners whose work strengthens our local economy and enriches our communities.

Small businesses play an important role in creating jobs, bringing new ideas to life, and helping our neighborhoods thrive. This month, we encourage you to discover and support Black-owned businesses in your community.

Happy Black Business Month!

July was a month of building connections and celebrating community at ASSETS.

We welcomed community leaders and partners into our space, creating opportunities for collaboration and learning. Along the way, we supported several small businesses as they took important steps forward, from refining their plans to reaching new milestones. There was even a little World Cup action.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this month meaningful. Here’s a look back at the people, partnerships, and progress that shaped July at ASSETS.