Landmark partnership bridges Penn State research expertise and Ben Franklin commercialization resources to accelerate company formation in Central Pennsylvania
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central & Northern Pennsylvania (BF CNP) welcomes James Delattre in a first-of-its-kind joint appointment shared with Penn State’s Office of the Senior Vice President for Research (OSVPR). Effective July 1, Delattre will serve as Associate Vice President for Research Ventures at both BF CNP and Penn State, creating a formal bridge between two of Central Pennsylvania’s most active forces in innovation and entrepreneurship.
The joint appointment is designed to close one of the most persistent gaps in the regional innovation ecosystem: the distance between university research and the commercialization resources needed to bring discoveries to market. By working across both organizations, Delattre will identify promising opportunities emerging from Penn State labs and pursue grants and philanthropic investment to benefit both institutions and the region.
“James brings a depth of knowledge and relationships that will help us unlock new pathways from university research into the market,” said Steve Brawley, President & CEO of BF CNP. “We have been working toward this kind of deep, formalized partnership for a long time, and having James at the table for both organizations is exactly the kind of move that creates real momentum for Central Pennsylvania.”
In his role at BF CNP, Delattre will lead business services collaboration, regional economic development strategy, state relations, and fundraising and grant development, while leveraging his continued leadership of Penn State’s venture and entrepreneurship programs to strengthen the pipeline between university innovation and regional opportunity.
The appointment is complementary to a broader reorganization announced by Penn State’s OSVPR, which is restructuring its entrepreneurship and commercialization functions to strengthen the University’s statewide economic impact. Delattre will continue to lead Penn State’s Research Ventures unit, overseeing research commercialization, startup formation and venture development.
“Penn State generates an extraordinary volume of research with genuine commercial potential, and Ben Franklin has the tools, the network, and the track record to help bring that potential to life,” said James Delattre, Associate Vice President for Research Ventures. “This role lets me work across the full continuum, from lab to launch, in a way that neither organization could achieve alone. I’m energized by what we can build together for entrepreneurs and communities across Central Pennsylvania.”
BF CNP and Penn State have a long history of collaboration on technology-based economic development in the region. This joint appointment formalizes that relationship at the leadership level and creates new infrastructure for coordinated action on company formation, grant development and regional economic strategy. Both organizations describe the arrangement as a peer partnership built on shared goals, with each contributing distinct and complementary capabilities.
About Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central & Northern Pennsylvania
Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central & Northern Pennsylvania (BF CNP) is a publicly funded economic development organization that invests in technology-based businesses and initiatives across 21 counties in Central and Northern Pennsylvania. Since 1983, BF CNP has helped create and sustain thousands of jobs and hundreds of companies throughout the region. Learn more at cnp.benfranklin.org.
About Penn State’s Office of the Senior Vice President for Research
Penn State’s Office of the Senior Vice President for Research supports the full spectrum of research, scholarship and creative activity at Penn State, driving discovery, innovation and economic impact across Pennsylvania and beyond. Learn more at research.psu.edu.