BFTP News

Capitolwire: Corbett says more start-up help, regional input will spur job creation. As reported by Capitolwire Staff Reporter:  Laura Olson ALTOONA (March 9) – Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Corbett says a key piece of his administration’s job-creation plan would be to work with the state’s private investors to expand the funding and resources available to new businesses. Making it easier to access ... (more)

Funding Available for Applied Research in Clean/Alternative Energy-Related Fields State College, PA - Research institutions and other non-profits engaged in research related to energy, alternative energy, or clean technologies are eligible to apply to Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central and Northern PA for a matching grant. The purpose of this initiative, which is called the Translational ... (more)

Annual TECHQuest Gala Names SchoolWires® “Technology Company of the Year” FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  February 16, 2010 STATE COLLEGE, PA – A Centre County-based company, SchoolWires®, was named Technology Company of the Year at the 18th Annual TECHQuest PA Technology Innovation Awards Gala.  More than 100 nominations were recognized in various categories at the event which ... (more)

Ben Franklin Welcomes PEPRO to Virtual Energy Incubator FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 4, 2010 STATE COLLEGE, PA - Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central and Northern Pennsylvania has created a dynamic virtual incubator to develop an entrepreneurial community surrounding the concepts of clean, alternative energy. The heart of the Virtual Energy Incubator (VEI) is a set of programs designed ... (more)

Ben Franklin Program Makes an Investment in the New Year! STATE COLLEGE, PA – Ben Franklin Technology PArtners of Central and Northern PA, Inc., part of a statewide network that promotes innovation, job opportunities, and economic growth, recently made an investment of more than $522,000 in five Pennsylvania-based companies.  The BFTP/CNP Board of Directors approved the ... (more)

Ambry Genetics and SoftGenetics Form Exclusive Alliance for Extended Bioinformatics Support for Next Generation Sequencing Projects FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  December 3, 2009 Aliso Viejo, CA and State College, PA - Ambry Genetics and SoftGenetics today announced the signing of an agreement to provide extended bioinformatics genomics services using SoftGenetics’ NextGENe software for next-generation sequencing projects performed at Ambry. Anja Kammesheidt PhD, Ambry’s CSO said, “Our team at Ambry ... (more)

Ben Franklin Technology Partners Joins Boeing Technology Alliance Harrisburg, PA – The Ben Franklin Technology Partners (BFTP) – Pennsylvania’s leading statewide network for catalyzing and investing in the transformation of the Commonwealth’s economy through technology, innovation and strategic partnerships – has joined the Boeing Technology Alliance (BTA), a network of trusted, technology referral agents throughout the world ... (more)

Hershey Company Wins Ben Franklin Venture Idol Competition A Hershey company, Apeliotus Vision Science, captured the top award on November 5, 2009, in an entrepreneurial competition in Scranton, Pennsylvania. "It's important that the community came out and that there's this level of interest for startup entrepreneurship in Pennsylvania," John Edwards, chief executive of Apeliotus Vision Science, said after his company won ... (more)

Pepro: Protecting Expensive, Sophisticated Communications Equipment Major strides have been made in computer and communication technology—but comparatively little has been done to protect all that sophisticated equipment from the random and often disastrous effects of Mother Nature. (more)

A Cleaner, Greener Economy for Pennsylvania Despite the global recession, worldwide investments in renewable energy projects and companies jumped to $155 billion in 2008 and—according to Pennsylvania's top technology investment official (more)

BFTP/CNP Announces Bob Bales as New Board Member Adding to its talented and highly experienced board of directors, Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central/Northern PA announced the appointment of Bob Bales, (more)

Rochester Newspaper Reports Pennsylvania’s BFTP Model Needed According to a recent article in the Rochester (NY) Democrat, a Rochester-based venture capital fund is conducting a study about how New York State funds translational research—high-tech research happening within New York's colleges and universities. The article states that Pennsylvania annually puts $20 million in taxpayer dollars toward new technology businesses ... (more)

Funding from New State Budget Invested in 27 Pensylvania Companies FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  October 26, 2009 Twenty-seven emerging, tech-based businesses located in the footprint serviced by Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central and Northern Pennsylvania were especially happy to hear that a new state budget was passed.  Ben Franklin’s funding, a line item in the Governor’s budget, has been utilized for ... (more)

Hanson Technologies, Inc. Awarded Patent for its Advanced Food Pathogen Detection System PRESS RELEASE:  September 9, 2009 Company's OmniFresh(TM) System and UltraRapid(TM) Technology Continue to Set a New Standard in Food Safety CARLISLE, Pa., Sept 09, 2009 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Hanson Technologies, Inc., an innovator in rapid biosensing solutions for food pathogen screening, today announced the issuance of a U.S. ... (more)

Apeliotus Vision Science Selected to Present at 3 Rivers Venture Fair Hershey, PA – July 23, 2009 – Apeliotus Vision Science has been selected to present at the 3 Rivers Venture Fair in Pittsburgh, PA on Sept. 15-16, 2009.  The 3 Rivers Venture Fair is among the nation's most prominent showcases of breakthrough innovations in technology, life sciences and energy. Apeliotus was ... (more)

Funding Available for Applied Research in Energy, Energy-Related Fields, and Clean Technology  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  July 22, 2009 STATE COLLEGE, PA - Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central and Northern Pennsylvania is offering research institutions and other non-profit organizations engaged in research related to energy, alternative energy, or clean technology the opportunity to apply for a "matching ... (more)

Murata Business Center Receives International Honor FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  July 9, 2009 CARLISLE, Pa. - The National Business Incubation Association has awarded the NBIA Soft Landings International Incubator designation to the Murata Business Center in Carlisle. Through its Soft Landings program, NBIA recognizes incubators that are especially capable of helping nondomestic companies enter the ... (more)

Inc. Magazine Columnist Shares Tips on Building a Successful Business At an event on May 5, 2009, at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, Inc. magazine columnist, Norm Brodsky, and Inc. editor-at-large, Bo Burlingham, co-authors of The Knack, shared their personal and professional experiences on what it takes to succeed in building and growing a successful business.  To view video segments ... (more)

Ben Franklin Awarded Special Recognition from Altoona Blair County Development Corporation Friday, May 8, 2009 - At an event held at the Jaffa Mosque in Altoona, PA, Stephen Brawley, President and CEO of Ben Franklin Technology Partners/CNP was presented with a Special Recognition Award from the Altoona Blair County Development Corporation. A plaque was awarded to commemorate Ben Franklin’s years of commitment  to providing excellence in regional economic development.  The emcee for the event, Mr. John Moore said, “We are truly honored to have such a quality partnership with BFTP so that we may continue the advancement of Blair County and the region as a whole.”     (more)

Ben Franklin Technology Partners Announce Recipients of Clean Energy Grant $55,000 Awarded to Four  Pennsylvania Companies to Develop Alternative and Clean Energy Technologies  Harrisburg, PA-May 14, 2009 - Ben Franklin Technology Partners Alternative and Clean Energy (ACE) Applied Research Fund has selected and approved $55,000 each to four Pennsylvania companies. The funding was made possible through a $250,000 ... (more)

INRange Sytems, Inc. Selected as one of the North America’s Finest and Most Promising Tech Venture Companies Red Herring 100 North American Award Granted to INRange Systems Altoona, PA (May 18, 2009) - INRange Systems, Inc. (www.inrangesystems.com), the developer and supplier of EMMA®, the first and only FDA cleared device for Remote Medication Management, announced today that is has been named as one of the "2009 ... (more)

PSI Medical Wins $100,000 Big Idea Business Plan Contest 2009 The winner of the $100,000 Big Idea Business Plan Contest—PSI Medical Catheter Care, a division of Problem Solving Innovations, LLC—was announced at a special event that featured Inc. Magazine columnist Norm Brodsky and editor-at-large, Bo Burlingham. PSI Medical's founders, Anthony Colantonio, MD, and Menno Jager, DVM, accepted the ... (more)

Linear Acoustic e2 (e-squared)™ System Supports the 2009 Academy Awards® Broadcast LANCASTER, Pa. — Feb. 23, 2009 — The 81st Academy Awards® ceremony was broadcast with the help of the Linear Acoustic e2 (e-squared) multichannel audio and metadata distribution system.  The 5.1 channel surround sound telecast aired live from Hollywood’s Kodak Theatre.  Click on the following link for full press release ... (more)

Ben Franklin Technology Investment Grew Pennsylvania Economy by $9.3 Billion, Pennsylvania Economy League Study Shows FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  FEBRUARY 12, 2009  Impact study shows job creation, 3.5 to 1 payback for every dollar invested HARRISBURG, PA – Government investment in early-stage technology companies and in innovation in established manufacturers in Pennsylvania from 2002 to 2006 injected billions into the state economy, returned $3.50 for each $1 spent ... (more)

Ben Franklin Technology Partners Announce a Request for Proposal $55,000 available for applicants to develop alternative and clean energy technologies Harrisburg, PA—January 19, 2009 - Today Ben Franklin Technology Partners (BFTP) issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) seeking applicants capable of accelerating the commercialization of promising alternative and clean energy technologies. Multiple awards of up to $55,000 are made possible through a $250,000 grant provided by the United States Small ... (more)

NINE PA ENTREPRENEURS RECEIVE INVESTMENTS FROM BEN FRANKLIN STATE COLLEGE, PA – Ben Franklin Technology PArtners of Central and Northern PA, Inc., part of a statewide network that promotes innovation, job opportunities, and economic growth, recently invested nearly $1 million in nine Pennsylvania companies. The BFTP/CNP Board of Directors approved the investments at the December 18, 2008 meeting ... (more)

Centre County Company Received $100,000 in State Funds Rep. Kerry Benninghoff (R-Bellefonte) announced that Solarity LLC, a local company based in State College, will be receiving a risk-capital investment worth $100,000 from the Ben Franklin Technology Partners. Solarity LLC is currently involved in the development of technology that will decrease the costs associated with the manufacture of solar cells ... (more)

Ultran Group Innovates High-Tech Solutions for Transportation Infrastructure Safety As rising fuel prices spur demand for expanded public transportation services, a State College firm specializing in non-contact materials analysis may hold the key to safer and more cost-effective transportation infrastructure. (more)

Telkore Gains Altitude in Cell Tower Industry With Turnkey Approach Before you ask people to spend their workday dangling 300 feet in the air from a cell phone tower, there are two basic requirements. First, you have to earn their trust. Second, you have to treat them right. (more)

Ed Harrell: Why Ask Why? When Investing, That’s the Most Important Question When it comes to evaluating startup companies, angel investor Edgar Harrell believes that "why?" is a much more important question to ask than "what?" or "how?" (more)

Ben Franklin Venture Investment Forum: Helping Entrepreneurs Conquer Their Most Common Fear The old adage "You only get one chance to make a first impression" is just as true for entrepreneurs as it is for blind dates. (more)

Videon Central: A Different Kind of Company Powering Blu-Ray Electronics Worldwide Walk into a Circuit City or Best Buy and pick up any Blu-ray player made by Samsung or LG Electronics, and you can bet some of the technology inside came from Videon Central in State College, Pennsylvania. (more)

Collaboration and Innovation Go Hand in Hand in Central & Northern Region of State Companies with tremendous growth potential don't always take root in big metropolitan areas. That's why connecting promising, high-growth companies with the capital they need—regardless of where they are located in Pennsylvania—is one of Ben Franklin Technology Partners' core commitments. (more)

PestPatrol: Battling Trojan Spyware on Your Computer For all the improvements that computers have brought to the world, they have also made it easier for criminals to prey on unsuspecting victims. (more)

Aeris Water Technologies: A New Spin on Energy-Efficient Clean Air MOUNT JOY, PA - With their tightly sealed high-tech windows and impenetrable doors, today's buildings are more energy efficient than ever before. (more)

Penn State Energy Institute: Developing New Energy Technology for Pennsylvania and the World UNIVERSITY PARK, PA - As the conversations in Harrisburg about the importance of Pennsylvania's role in developing alternative fuel and other energy sources grow more intense, energy researchers at Penn State University are developing new innovations and ideas faster than ever. (more)