You've heard the buzz, read the articles, followed the social posts and ventured into the Erie Innovation District at 7th and State, downtown. . . how do you get involved with the Erie entrepreneurial community?

First, check out the comprehensive Erie Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Map created and supported by the Innovation Collaborative. From resource providers to sources of inspiration and guidance, a list of educational opportunities, investors, advocates and idea creators, everything and everyone is in there.

Then, take advantage of these 7 Ways to Get Involved with the Erie Entrepreneurial Community...and, if there's something we've missed, please send a message through LinkedIn and we'll research and add it to this list of doers, manufacturers, makers and entrepreneurs, in Erie and the Northwest PA region.

Stay Informed! New to the scene? Social is where it's at. Tune in to the media that's covering the entrepreneurial community. From spotlights on the companies making a difference to events, educational programs, meetups and more, Erie entrepreneurs are a very social bunch.

Show Up! We've all heard people say, " There is nothing to do in Erie "; turns out, that just isn't true. There are a wide range of activities happening within the Innovation District and throughout Northwest Pennsylvania and anyone can get involved.

Join a Coworking or Makerspace Community! Whether you need an office space or not, co-working is more than just an inexpensive desk. At its core, co-working is about community, a sharing of resources, a pooling of talents and the ability to work around people whom you impress and who inspire you. Plus, there are more than a few makerspaces starting to sprout in the Erie region. All of this connects and contributes to a growing community of makers, manufacturers and doers.

Radius CoWork is Erie's original coworking space and the center of gravity for entrepreneurship at 10th and State in the Renaissance Building. The eastern anchor of the Innovation District in downtown Erie, the views from its 9th floor windows have to be seen; day or night! With a list of members as vast and unique as Erie itself, many of the most important startups in Erie built their foundation at Radius and the next great companies are already growing there, now. Plus, if you like Coffee & Community, you'll find your nirvana at Radius.

is Erie's original coworking space and the center of gravity for entrepreneurship at 10th and State in the Renaissance Building. The eastern anchor of the Innovation District in downtown Erie, the views from its 9th floor windows have to be seen; day or night! With a list of members as vast and unique as Erie itself, many of the most important startups in Erie built their foundation at Radius and the next great companies are already growing there, now. Plus, if you like Coffee & Community, you'll find your nirvana at Radius. The Innovation Commons on the Campus of Penn State Behrend is for more than just the 'college crowd'. From prototyping, to business planning, 3d printing, and the most advanced plastics engineers on the planet, the IC is the place to be.

on the Campus of Penn State Behrend is for more than just the 'college crowd'. From prototyping, to business planning, 3d printing, and the most advanced plastics engineers on the planet, the IC is the place to be. The Idea Lab can help you develop your ideas, learn design skills, and spark your entrepreneurial spirit. The Idea Lab is a hands-on collaborative space for you to explore — you can get connected with community experts and have access to a curated collection of business and maker resources.

can help you develop your ideas, learn design skills, and spark your entrepreneurial spirit. The Idea Lab is a hands-on collaborative space for you to explore — you can get connected with community experts and have access to a curated collection of business and maker resources. The Erie Makerspace has all of the cool tools you'll want to let your mind bending cool things, find their form. In the heart of the Innovation District, TEM is a collaborative workshop and creative think tank for projects, community awareness, and general awesomeness.

has all of the cool tools you'll want to let your mind bending cool things, find their form. In the heart of the Innovation District, TEM is a collaborative workshop and creative think tank for projects, community awareness, and general awesomeness. The Studio at St. Mary's is a place for you to create, learn and engage in the Arts! The former Saint Mary’s elementary school now provides space to visual, literary and fiber artists. Studio Space is available for Monthly Rent or Venue Space available for event rental.

is a place for you to create, learn and engage in the Arts! The former Saint Mary’s elementary school now provides space to visual, literary and fiber artists. Studio Space is available for Monthly Rent or Venue Space available for event rental. The Performing Arts Collective Alliance (better known as PACA) is one of the most creative spaces in Erie. It contains musicians, metal smiths, photographers, writers, clay magicians and the best and most important graffiti art in Erie. There's something very special about PACA and you should see it for yourself.

(better known as PACA) is one of the most creative spaces in Erie. It contains musicians, metal smiths, photographers, writers, clay magicians and the best and most important graffiti art in Erie. There's something very special about PACA and you should see it for yourself. The other main entrepreneurial anchor in the Innovation District is the Erie Technology Incubator , located at 9th and State in the Gannon University Center for Business Ingenuity. While technically an incubator, ETI has a unique community of companies that have grown out of their desks at Radius and needed more space to accelerate. With access to a wide variety of resources, ETI provides 1:1 coaching and the most sophisticated mentoring program in the region, puts on seminars and workshops, can introduce companies to investors and because of its collaborative relationship with the Gannon SBDC (located across the lobby), provides guidance and can make a host of professional services available to member companies.

Expand Your Skills! Erie was first born from builders of great ships and then evolved into a pure manufacturing base which has now evolved into advanced manufacturing while taking advantage of the rapid expansion of our technology-focused culture. We're fortunate to have a wealth of information and experts, right at our finger tips.

Interested in leveraging digital marketing to help grow your business. . . or even find a business to grow? The eMarketing Learning Center provides best practice and how-to training in digital marketing, media and ecommerce so you can improve your skills to succeed and compete online.

provides best practice and how-to training in digital marketing, media and ecommerce so you can improve your skills to succeed and compete online. The Erie Day of Code is a one-day, single-track conference for web developers, computer scientists, creatives, tech enthusiasts, and more! But, the best thing about #EDoC is the after party...get your geek on and talk some binary!

is a one-day, single-track conference for web developers, computer scientists, creatives, tech enthusiasts, and more! But, the best thing about is the after party...get your geek on and talk some binary! Ice House helps to unleash human potential and instills confidence and problem solving attitudes in everyone that experiences it.

helps to unleash human potential and instills confidence and problem solving attitudes in everyone that experiences it. Innovating Through Collaborative Teams is a program sponsored by Ignite Erie and run by PennState Behrend. An ITC project starts with an industry partner looking for specific support from a team comprising a faculty champion, an MBA student, and two undergraduate research assistants from relevant fields.

is a program sponsored by Ignite Erie and run by PennState Behrend. An ITC project starts with an industry partner looking for specific support from a team comprising a faculty champion, an MBA student, and two undergraduate research assistants from relevant fields. Every other month, Radius Cowork sponsors ' Coffee & Consultations ' where you can ask CPAs, attorneys, human resource experts, digital marketing professionals, videographers, web designers, investors, graphics professionals and more pretty much anyone that can help you start and grow your business...any question you have about starting or running a business, for FREE. Watch Radius on Twitter to see when the next C&C will occur.

' where you can ask CPAs, attorneys, human resource experts, digital marketing professionals, videographers, web designers, investors, graphics professionals and more pretty much anyone that can help you start and grow your business...any question you have about starting or running a business, for FREE. Watch to see when the next C&C will occur. Sometimes, the most important thing you can do is to 'give back' and if you're in Erie, there's plenty of opportunities to do that. From an entrepreneurial perspective, share your experiences and help the next generation of business builders grow their ideas by volunteering for Junior Achievement of Western PA. It's easy to get involved and you can help prepare today's students for a bright future.

of Western PA. It's easy to get involved and you can help prepare today's students for a bright future. The Coderie (Facebook link) is a group of software developers in and around the Erie area that believe strongly in the power of community and information sharing. Plus, their name is kind of clever because of the homonym with Coterie, meaning a "gathering of friends".

(Facebook link) is a group of software developers in and around the Erie area that believe strongly in the power of community and information sharing. Plus, their name is kind of clever because of the homonym with Coterie, meaning a "gathering of friends". Want to learn from some of the smartest people on earth? Feeling like you just need to know more about what you're doing or want to do? Programs offered by higher education institutions – from formalized entrepreneurship curriculum to on-campus resources dedicated to students – as well as informal information sessions and community programs are available and here's a list compiled by the Innovation Collaborative !

! Get started with CO.STARTERS in Erie , the Starting Point for a Startup Community. CO.STARTERS in Erie is a nine-week cohort based program that equips aspiring entrepreneurs with the insights, relationships, and tools needed to turn ideas into action and turn a passion into a sustainable and thriving endeavor.

Pitch Your Ideas! Having a great idea is just the start and it's where everyone has to start to get a sense of the next steps to take. And in Erie, the community is always open to listen to new ideas and help the next generation of entrepreneurs to get pointed in the right direction. Here are just a few organizations and people you can 'pitch' to:

Invest! Interested in investing in what might be the next big thing? You don't have to be rich, or even an accredited investor, to learn more. Here are a variety of resources for potential investors to investigate and see how to get involved with exciting entrepreneurial opportunities.

1855 Capital is a seed and early stage venture capital fund investing in companies with an affinity to Penn State University. We develop investment opportunities by actively engaging with current faculty/staff and students involved in world-class research efforts and the 600,000+ alumni network.

is a seed and early stage venture capital fund investing in companies with an affinity to Penn State University. We develop investment opportunities by actively engaging with current faculty/staff and students involved in world-class research efforts and the 600,000+ alumni network. Blue Tree Allied Angels formed in 2003, is Western Pennsylvania’s leading angel network. We are a members-only group of accredited investors focused on funding promising start-up companies.

formed in 2003, is Western Pennsylvania’s leading angel network. We are a members-only group of accredited investors focused on funding promising start-up companies. Second Stage Capital is led by John Sider who is responsible for assisting the Ben Franklin Technology PArtner's portfolio companies to attract additional investment capital from sources such as angel investors, institutional venture capital, and banks.

is led by John Sider who is responsible for assisting the Ben Franklin Technology PArtner's portfolio companies to attract additional investment capital from sources such as angel investors, institutional venture capital, and banks. Not only do entrepreneurs need capital, but they also need mentoring, guidance and in many cases, emotional support that they're on the right path; or if they're not, how to get on the right path. If you want to add your skills and experience to the entrepreneurial effort, here are a few organizations that are always looking to put amazing talent to good work: Erie Technology Incubator , ATHENA Erie , Coffee Club Divas , Erie SCORE

, , , One of the most economical investments you can make, in yourself and your business, is to join the Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership . It's an investment that continues to pay off month after month after month!