Innovation Works (IW) is the Pittsburgh region’s most active investor in and supporter of early-stage companies developing hardware, software and life sciences technologies. Though focused exclusively on helping startups in the southwest PA region, IW’s level of investment activity makes it one of the most active investors in the U.S. Innovation Works is part of the statewide Ben Franklin Technology Partners, a network of four centers developed to help diversify PA’s economy and retain the state’s high caliber innovations that are invented and incubated here. The Ben Franklin Technology Partners are partially funded by the Commonwealth of PA and overseen by the Department of Community and Economic Development. To date, IW has financially supported over 700 companies that have brought in an additional $3.3 billion in outside funding, making it one of the most productive uses of state dollars. Founder of AlphaLab (http://alphalab.org)--one of the nation's top startup accelerators--and AlphaLab Gear (http://alphalabgear.org)--its hardware and robotics program. Learn more at www.innovationworks.org.