Pennsylvania has a long history of entrepreneurship dating back to the colonial era when it was one of the 13 original colonies the states industrial revolution in the 19th century saw the emergence of industries such as steel coal and railroads which helped to create a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship that still exists today pennsylvania is a large state located in the northeastern region of the united states with a population of approximately 1296 million people the states major cities include philadelphia pittsburgh and harrisburg which are all home to vibrant startup communities pennsylvania is home to a number of innovative startups in industries such as biotechnology healthcare and fintech the state has also seen significant growth in the areas of robotics artificial intelligence and cybersecurity in recent years pennsylvania has been home to a number of successful startups including duolingo and venmo the state is also home to many established companies such as hershey comcast and us steel pennsylvania has played a significant role in many historical events including the signing of the declaration of independence in philadelphia in 1776 and the famous battle of gettysburg during the american civil war in 1863 pennsylvania is home to many top universities including the university of pennsylvania carnegie mellon university and penn state university which are known for their worldclass research programs and innovative academic curricula the living wage in pennsylvania varies depending on the individuals circumstances but the minimum wage for fulltime workers is around 725 per hour however many employers in the startup scene offer salaries that are well above the minimum wage reflecting the high demand for skilled workers in the tech industry the unemployment rate in pennsylvania is slightly higher than the national average it is around 53 which is a concern for policymakers and local businesses the rate of new companies starting and ending in pennsylvania is difficult to quantify but the state has a reputation for being a dynamic and innovative business environment despite the challenges of starting and growing a business in pennsylvania many entrepreneurs are drawn to the states entrepreneurial spirit and its location in the heart of the northeastern us so is pennsylvanias startup scene thriving or struggling the answer like with most things is somewhere in between pennsylvania has a lot going for it including a highly skilled workforce a strong culture of innovation and a welldeveloped infrastructure however the state also faces significant challenges including an aging population a lack of venture capital funding and a slowmoving political system overall though the future looks bright for the pennsylvania startup scene as entrepreneurs continue to innovate and push the boundaries of whats possible