KeystoneREN was established in August 2023 by KINBER, a 501c3 non-profit organization, to serve as the advanced infrastructure division that operates and manages the statewide research and education network called KeystoneREN. Prior to KeystoneREN’s establishment the statewide network (formerly called PennREN) was operated and owned by KINBER. While part of the KINBER parent 501c3 umbrella entity, KeystoneREN is a separately run and managed organization with separate, independent governance, leadership, and overarching mission. 

KeystoneREN’s mission is to foster a community of collaboration by providing access, services, and support for research and education in Pennsylvania and the region. As Pennsylvania’s statewide hub for research and education, KeystoneREN offers advanced cyberinfrastructure and researcher engagement programs and support enabling cost-effective, scalable connectivity to regional, national, and global Research and Education Networks (RENs). KeystoneREN’s core competency is advanced networking and R&E cyberinfrastructure. KeystoneREN offers advanced cyberinfrastructure powering our region’s most important work. 

KeystoneREN is the statewide infrastructure provider for the National Science Foundation sponsored Pennsylvania CC* Regional Science DMZ (PA Science DMZ) (NSF 2346589) that enables and enhances access to cyberinfrastructure-based resources and services in support of science driven applications and use cases for under resourced PA institutions of higher education.

Over 40 research and education institutions connect to the KeystoneREN backbone including four 100G connections, multiple 10G connections and the remainder 1-10G connections. Connectivity to national Research and Education Networks includes 400G capable access to Internet2 and a 100G connection to ESnet, the national Energy Sciences Network. In 2025, KeystoneREN added a core Point of Presence (PoP) in State College PA in addition to its main core POP facilities in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.