Newsroom

How Patent Reform Impacts Your Small Business The implementation of Patent Reform takes place in March 2013.  Between now and then, if your company develops new ideas that may be patentable, you need to know how the rules will change so you can prepare your company and your ideas. Ben Franklin Venture Investment Forum is sponsoring a seminar ... (more) Ben Franklin Technology Partners’ $50,000 Business Plan Contest is Back! State College, PA – The Ben Franklin Venture Investment Forum in partnership with the Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central and Northern PA  announced today that the BIG IDEA Business Plan Contest is back!   A grand prize of $50,000 will be awarded to one tech-based startup company to further develop and grow a business in the 32-county footprint served by the program in Pennsylvania. (more) The Innovation Partnership Announces Recipient of a $100,000 SBA Federal and State Technology (FAST) Grant FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  October 25, 2010  October 25, 2010 — Harrisburg, PA — The Innovation Partnership today announced it has received notification that it is the recipient of a $100,000 Federal and State Technology (FAST) partnership program grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).   The FAST Program is designed to ... (more) The eMarketing Learning Center is Now Part of the Ben Franklin Program ERIE, PA - The Ben Franklin Venture Investment Forum (BFVIF) and Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central and Northern PA (BFTP/CNP) are pleased to announce that the eMarketing Learning Center (eMLC), formerly an initiative of the Center for eBusiness and Advanced IT, will now offer its training through ... (more) Centre County Resident Wins $35,000 “New Energy Idea” Contest! For immediate release: July 27, 2010 State College, PA — The Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program (PennTAP) and Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central and Northern PA today announced the winner of their "New Energy Idea Contest." The grand prize of $35,000 was awarded to Mr. Mark Leiby at a check presentation ... (more)

Events

How Patent Reform Impacts Your Small Business Event Date: March 1, 2012 The implementation of Patent Reform takes place in March 2013.  Between now and then, if your company develops new ideas that may be patentable, you need to know how the rules will change so you can prepare your company and your ideas. Ben Franklin Venture Investment Forum is sponsoring a seminar ... (more)

Webinars

Trade Show Basics Webinar Each industry sector has major regional or national trade shows that can provide important sales opportunities for your company.  Yours may be a young company with a terrific story to tell, but cash and staffing are limited.  You want to squeeze every dollar of advantage out of your trade show investment, but you ... (more) Federal SBIR and STTR Programs This webinar provides an overview of the federal SBIR and STTR programs, advice from prior awardees on how to be successful, how to search topics to see if federal agencies are interested in research you're planning to do and the assistance available through the Innovation Partnership.  (more) Business Accounting Software Webinar This webinar introduces basic accounting software and other functions. (more) Business Finance 101 Webinar How many times have you sat in your banker's office while she was discussing your company's financial statements, smiling and nodding as she spoke, while you thought to yourself, "I don't understand a single word she just said." But you continue to smile and nod because you don't want your banker to think you're an idiot. (more) Developing Online Survey Tools Effectively Webinar Series Information that impacts marketing or product decisions is no longer a luxury—it is a necessity in being competitive. Ben Franklin Venture Investment Forum and the Center for E-Business and Advanced IT offer a 3-session in-depth webinar series on constructing online surveys (more)