FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contact:
Kim Blomquist
872.222.5279
kim@mhubchicago.com
Landis Family Foundation Partners with mHUB and Names Fellowship Program for HardTech Engineering and Entrepreneurship
Landis Family Foundation and mHUB today announce a partnership to support and name mHUB’s fellowship program focused on skills development for underrepresented engineers and entrepreneurs
(CHICAGO May 17, 2022) – The mHUB program previously named the HardTech Development Fellowship will become the Landis Family Fellowship over the course of a three-year partnership between the foundation and mHUB organization, effective immediately. Through the Landis Family Fellowship, the Foundation will support 10-20 underrepresented engineers and entrepreneurs including women and people of color working to build early-stage businesses each year.
The Landis Family Foundation is the private foundation for the Landis Family, which founded Landis Plastics Inc. in 1954 and grew it from a one-machine operation to become a leader in thin-wall injection-molded packaging with five plants across the U.S. and more than 2,000 employees. Landis Plastics Inc. was acquired by Berry Plastics in 2003 where it became the anchor for its dairy division. Co-Founder H. Richard Landis was inducted into the Plastics Hall of Fame in 2012.
Natives of Chicagoland, the Landis Family is committed to developing and funding programming and entrepreneurial opportunities focused on the manufacturing industry. The Landis Family Fellowship will provide 6-months of full access to the mHUB prototyping labs, curriculum, mentor network, and more alongside paid opportunities for contract work through mHUB HardTech Development Services. These contract opportunities include joining a project team to support corporate and SME innovation for a possible $2,000 - $5,000 in income each month. These opportunities are paired with targeted programming centered around product development and access to all mHUB member benefits.
“We’re thrilled to have the Landis Family Foundation as a partner for this program, which is creating direct pathways and enabling equitable access to workforce and entrepreneurial opportunities,” said Shannon McGhee, Director of Community Impact and Engagement, mHUB. “Naming the Fellowship after an important Midwestern manufacturing legacy is a wonderful way to recognizing the Landis Family’s contribution to the industry and now, their continued commitment to its equitable future.”
“There’s an estimated 2.1 million unfilled manufacturing jobs in the U.S., and the lack of skilled labor continues to be a challenge for industries across the country. Our foundation has been searching for a way to create enthusiasm, change perceptions of industrial careers, and provide workforce development in order to bridge the massive talent gap we have in the U.S. manufacturing sector,” adds Lynda Russo, Executive Director of the Landis Family foundation. “This fellowship opportunity will provide paths for talented entrepreneurs to grow under our mentorship with mHUB and its amazing Chicago facilities.”
The program has supported more than 25 engineers and entrepreneurs since its launch in 2020. Applications will open for the next Landis Family Fellowship cohort early this summer for engineers and HardTech entrepreneurs that are women or people of color with skills in mechanical, electrical, and industrial system engineering; project management; UX/UI design; software and firmware development; and embedded systems. More information can be found on the mHUB Landis Family Fellowship page.
For questions regarding this partnership or partnership opportunities, please contact Shannon McGhee.
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About mHUB
mHUB is a leading independent hardtech and manufacturing innovation center that exists to convene the entrepreneurial ecosystem around physical product innovation to ensure that the manufacturing industry continues to accelerate, grow and thrive. The mHUB community includes over 350 active and alumni startups and small businesses supported by a deep talent pool of product designers and developers, entrepreneurs, engineers and manufacturers, corporate leaders, industry experts, mentors and investors. mHUB provides a hyper-resourced environment to entrepreneurs with the goal of commercializing new hardtech innovation that will lead to new businesses, intellectual property, investment, revenue and job creation. Since launching in 2017, the mHUB community has generated more than $721M in revenue, launched more than 1,398 products, hired more than 3,987 employees, and raised over $1B in capital.
