Sanofi Pasteur Sponsors 15th TecBridge Business Plan Competition

Jun 7, 2017 4:05 PM ET
Campaign: Sanofi Pasteur
Ellyn Schindler announcing the collegiate winners at the 15th TecBridge Business Plan Competition

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi, once again served as a lead sponsor for the TecBridge Business Plan Competition – a regional competition, located in Northeast Pennsylvania, designed to stimulate innovative thinking to leverage a technology-driven economy while retaining area talent.

Students from the area’s fourteen colleges and universities, along with young people representing non-collegiate teams, competed for $100,000 in cash and in-kind business services to launch their tech-based companies. Pennsylvania is the only comprehensive U.S. location for Sanofi Pasteur Inc. housing commercial operations, research & development and industrial affairs activities.

Ellyn Schindler, Sanofi Pasteur director, North America Corporate Social Responsibility and Community Engagement; CSR Communications, presented the award to Collegiate Winner Fader Plugs LLC from East Stroudsburg University. During the presentation, Schindler said, “As a supporter of the TecBridge Business Plan competition since its inception, Sanofi Pasteur and VaxServe are proud to support a program that fosters the spirit of innovation in talented young entrepreneurs and encourages them to become entrepreneurs and begin their own technology-based businesses right here in the Northeast Pennsylvania region.”

Globally Sanofi is committed to corporate social responsibility, which includes a focus on supporting colleges and universities and driving entrepreneurship for future generations.

In addition to sponsoring the program, The TecBridge Smit-Webster Award, given to the “Best in Class” program supporting the Collegiate Winner Institution of Higher Education, is named in part for former VaxServe and Sanofi Pasteur General Manager Jaco Smit.

Ellyn, along with TecBridge Executive Director Don Webster, reflected on the event during a 30-minute radio interview. To listen to the interview click here: http://www.tecbridgepa.org/radio/episode-18-ellyn-schindler-sanofi-pasteur/