Blog Posts

Gov. Thornburgh’s Legacy Spans Generations, Provides a Blueprint for Pennsylvania’s Future

As Pennsylvania fights back from the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the decisions our elected leaders make while facing the preeminent challenge of their time will have a resounding influence on current and future generations in the decades to come. Such was the case 38 years ago when Governor Dick Thornburgh rose to the…

Most Older Americans Might Not Realize They Have Already Lived Through Several Pandemics

Recent Pandemics and Historic Precedents for COVID-19 / D. Brian Krier – Ben Franklin Technology Partners/CNP Table of Contents: Introduction Virus Primer Recent Historical Pandemics Asian Flu, 1957 Hong Kong Flu, 1968 Spanish Flu, 1918-1919 H1N1 Pseudo-Pandemic, 1947 The Pandemic That Wasn’t, 1976 SARS & MERS, 2003 and 2012 H1N1, 2009 Analysis and Conclusions Introduction…

Where does Pa. rank for tech-based investments?

Everyone knows a good thing when they see it. That’s why Ben Franklin Technology Partners, created more than 35 years ago with broad bipartisan support, has become one of the most widely known and emulated state technology-based economic development programs in the nation. Since its inception, Ben Franklin has invested in more than 4,500 technology-based…

INVESTMENT DECISIONS IN STARTUPS ARE BEST MADE WITH YOUR HEAD – NOT YOUR HEART

Investing in a friends’ startup can be risky business -especially for seniors. A recent article in a Philly paper, relayed the story of how in 2013 a father, who was then 82, and his daughter lost nearly a quarter of a million dollars investing in a startup run by a friend whose expertise was in…

How Much Would You Spend To Be Able to Sell Your Products in the Largest Mall in the World?

This one mall sells more than Target, Walmart, Staples and Sears combined. Their growth in 2016 was ten times higher than the next eight largest retailers combined. Every second, shoppers spend more than $140,000 buying a vast array of products that range from clothing to household goods to car parts – new and used! By…

SHOULD YOU ENTER A PITCH COMPETITION?

Back in the day, developing a business plan was typically part of an academic exercise.  Student teams came up with product ideas and then pitched their plans to classroom rivals or a panel of instructors from the Business and Engineering Departments.   But, in the past few years – maybe because of Shark Tank, there has…

Ben Franklin’s Business StartUP Boot Camps

Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central & Northern PA (BFTP/CNP) provides startup funding not only for tech-entrepreneurs and small manufacturers, but we also invest in innovative, entrepreneurial development programs that mentor and support emerging startups. With a large footprint comprised of areas with diverse needs, BFTP/CNP has developed a systematic approach to engaging with potential tech entrepreneurs at the…

Where Do You Go If You Need #Startupfunding In PA?

If you are developing a new tech-product, process, or software application, that you intend to commercialize, your personal assets and credit are only going to go so far. Many of the folks we’ve worked with have taken second mortgages on their homes, maxed out their credit cards and raided their pension accounts by the time they get…

Why enter a Business Plan Contest?

Why enter a Business Plan Contest? After all, when done properly, writing a business plan can be very time consuming. A panel of judges you have never met will pass judgment on not only your idea for a new product or service, but how well you define the opportunity and explain the market execution.

“Practice Makes Perfect”

If equity funding is part of your company’s financing strategy, it’s more than worth the time and effort to learn how to make a good pitch