UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Navengage, an education technology company started by Penn State alumni, was recently acquired by Pathify, a higher education digital engagement hub. Navengage's founding team includes Smeal College of Business alum Andrew Strause, College of the Liberal Arts and Eberly College of Science alum Dan Lordan, and Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications alum Colleen McBride.
The company participated in Invent Penn State’s Startup Leadership Network (SLN) Board of Advisors program in 2022. The program is an invite-only, yearlong program that matches Penn State startups with an industry-specific advisory board consisting of seasoned executives with vast industry experience.
Navengage provides a customizable student engagement app to higher education institutions. The app allows higher education communities to access and promote events, student organizations, and campus resources, while also fostering student connections and belonging. Penn State was one of the company’s first customers.
"The SLN Board of Advisors program gave our founding team the opportunity to simulate real board challenges in a safe learning environment,” said Strause, Navengage CEO and co-founder. “Our board members were gracious with their time and gave us the feedback and guidance we needed to navigate milestones like our acquisition. We were prepared to manage our board thanks to this experience and the community of Penn State professionals that supported our growth. This program is invaluable to the Invent Penn State community and founders who want to leap into the next phase of leading a startup.
“This announcement is a testament to our team’s exceptional work in building Navengage into the premier student engagement mobile app it is today. Pathify’s expertise and resources across higher education provide a strong foundation from which we can continue to impact the student experience," Strause said.
Jim Pietropaolo, director of the Startup Leadership Network, said, “I’m excited for Andrew and the Navangage team, and I am not surprised at their early success. All through the Board of Advisors program, the advisers found the team to be smart, persistent and focused on growing their business. Obviously Pathify views them the same way.”
Navengage will remain fully operational, according to Strause, continuing to support its customers and product growth. Pathify and Navengage are hosting several upcoming events to showcase how they are transforming the student experience; the higher education community is invited to learn more and register here.
About Invent Penn State
Invent Penn State is a commonwealth-wide initiative to spur economic development, job creation and student career success. Invent Penn State blends entrepreneurship-focused academic programs, business startup training and incubation, funding for commercialization, and university/community/industry collaborations to facilitate the challenging process of turning research discoveries into valuable products and services that can benefit Pennsylvanians and humankind. Subscribe to the Invent Penn State monthly e-letter and follow Invent Penn State on LinkedIn and Instagram.
This project was financed in part by a grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Community & Economic Development.