Is it actually hard to find startup-minded people at Penn State, or am I looking in the wrong places

[u/Plane_Tomatillo7260]

I'm an engineering grad student, and I genuinely enjoy building things, solving technical problems, and turning ideas into something real. I've been wanting to build a startup with someone who complements my engineering skills, ideally someone with a strong business background who can evaluate markets, think about distribution, and help figure out whether an idea can become a genuinely large business.

I knew finding the right cofounder wouldn't be easy, but honestly, I didn't expect it to be this hard.

I'm already connected with university entrepreneurship resources, including the HVLB, Nittany Entrepreneur Society, and other programs. I've spent about a month trying to meet people, and so far, I haven't found anyone who seems genuinely interested in exploring the possibility of building something together.

What frustrates me most isn't that people reject an idea. That's completely fair. It's that I often don't even get the sense that people are curious enough to ask what I'm thinking about building, let alone explore the potential market, scale, or business model.

I understand that everyone has different priorities. A stable job, financial security, and a predictable career path are perfectly reasonable goals. But sometimes I wonder: if you're studying business or entrepreneurship, where are the people who are genuinely excited about taking a risk, building something from scratch, and spending years trying to make it work?

I've met a few people working on business ideas, which is great, but most of what I've come across hasn't really been the kind of venture-scale startup I'm interested in pursuing. I'm not saying those businesses are less valuable; they're just different from what I'm looking for.

And to be clear, I'm not sitting around waiting for a business student to hand me an idea. I'm happy to handle the engineering and product development. I want a partner who can challenge my assumptions, identify opportunities I might miss, and take equal ownership of building the business.

I also realize this isn't necessarily a Penn State problem. Finding a compatible cofounder is difficult everywhere. But I can't help wondering whether being an international student adds another layer of difficulty when it comes to networking, trust, or finding people willing to commit to something uncertain.

So I'm curious:

- Have other people at Penn State struggled to find genuinely startup-minded cofounders?

- Where do people who actually want to build venture-scale companies find each other?

- Am I looking in the wrong places, or is there a real gap between entrepreneurship programs and people willing to take the leap?

Mostly venting, but I'd genuinely appreciate hearing other people's experiences.

[u/No_Boysenberry9456]

Check out launchbox for a start.

[u/Plane_Tomatillo7260 → u/No_Boysenberry9456]

I participated in ideatest lab at launchbox. I didn't see much opportunity of finding partners there. Most of the people there are already working on their own idea.

[u/Dirty_Mung_Trumpet]

Maybe it’s you specifically

[u/Plane_Tomatillo7260 → u/Dirty_Mung_Trumpet]

I didn't get what you meant?

[u/Suspicious_Home_4582 → u/Plane_Tomatillo7260]

They mean maybe it's your personality that is making ppl not want to be around you.

[u/Plane_Tomatillo7260 → u/Suspicious_Home_4582]

I don't know how to answer to that. People are often around me and like to hear me out. That's how I learned most people may not be that much into hustling and that's completely fine. I just want to connect with the few having the founder mindset