Keystone Innovation Collaborative and M&T Bank Launch Free Small Business Lab for York-Area Entrepreneurs
Keystone Innovation Collaborative (KIC) is announcing the KIC Small Business Lab, a free five-week program for small business owners in York and Lancaster counties, presented by KIC and supported by M&T Bank. The lab opens Wednesday, September 23, and runs five consecutive Wednesday evenings until October 21, 2026 and is hosted at KIC's headquarters in downtown York. Applications are open now at bit.ly/mini-lab
The program is designed for owners who are actually running a business today, not a hypothetical one. Each Wednesday, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., participants leave with something they can use immediately: a one-page business plan built for a lender or landlord, a set of free AI tools configured on their own devices, a checklist for protecting what they've built, and by the final session, a 90-second pitch they have rehearsed and delivered out loud in front of a room.
The Lab is open to owners with under $1 million in annual revenue who have been in business less than five years, pre-revenue businesses are welcome, and those who are based in or serving York or Lancaster County. A small number of seats are reserved for founders who have not yet launched.
There is no cost to attend, and M&T Bank is providing light refreshments at every session. The owner or a co-owner is asked to attend all five weeks; attendance at every session is required to be eligible for a pitch-night prize.
“The first few years of a business are often when access to advice, capital and connections matters most. This program is designed to put those resources directly in the hands of York and Lancaster-area entrepreneurs while they’re building and growing their companies.”
— Martin Fedorko, Interim Executive, Director of Keystone Innovation Collaborative
“Small businesses are key to York’s economic strength. We’re proud to support KIC in bringing local entrepreneurs together to gain practical knowledge, build valuable relationships and strengthen the businesses they’re working hard to grow.”
—Tom Koppmann, Southeast Pennsylvania Regional President, M&T Bank
How to Apply
Applications take about three minutes and are open now at bit.ly/mini-lab. Space is limited to a cohort of roughly 30 businesses, and applications close Wednesday, September 16, 2026. KIC will contact every applicant regardless of outcome.
Program details, eligibility and the full session schedule are available on the application form. Interested owners are encouraged to apply early. The Lab is offered at no cost and seats are expected to fill before the application deadline.
About Keystone Innovation Collaborative
Keystone Innovation Collaborative (KIC) is the connective infrastructure for innovation in Pennsylvania. KIC brings founders, universities, investors and industry into one coordinated hub so ideas move faster from discovery to company, and so Pennsylvania founders find the capital, validation and relationships they need to grow. KIC operates as a nonprofit and is based in York. Learn more at keystoneinnovate.com.
About M&T Bank
M&T Bank Corporation is a financial holding company headquartered in Buffalo, New York. M&T's principal banking subsidiary, M&T Bank, provides banking products and services with a branch and ATM network spanning the eastern U.S. from Maine to Virginia and Washington, D.C. Trust-related services are provided in select markets in the U.S. and abroad by M&T's Wilmington Trust-affiliated companies and by M&T Bank. For more information about M&T Bank, visit www.mtb.com
