A long-standing partnership between the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Penn State University, Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central and Northern PA is the largest early-stage investor and supporter of tech startups and small manufacturers in the program’s 32-county footprint. Headquartered in State College, the program has satellite offices in Erie, Harrisburg, and Johnstown. Role:…
YOUR BIG IDEA COULD BE WORTH BIG BUCKS!
Ben Franklin Technology Partners, an award-winning, tech-based economic development program, is offering emerging entrepreneurs and small manufacturers the opportunity to participate in our fun, risk-free $50,000 BIG IDEA Contest. In the past few years – maybe because of the popularity of the TV show, Shark Tank – there has been a growing interest in pitch…
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…
Ben Franklin Grew Pa.’s Economy by $4.1 Billion, Created 11,407 Jobs from 2012 to 2016: Challenges remain because of state funding shortfalls
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (Jan. 9, 2019) — With a focus on startups and innovation, Ben Franklin Technology Partners (BFTP) remains a powerful job creation and high-tech economic development engine for Pennsylvania, according to the latest independent economic analysis of the organization. But state funding shortfalls are starting to curtail the partners’ ability to fund companies…
LARGE MULTI-NATIONAL CORPORATION PUTS A “NEW SPIN” ON A SMALL LOCAL MANUFACTURER
ERIE, PA – More than 15 years ago, a Penn State Erie faculty member, Tom Briselden and his team at Spin-Works LLC, developed an innovative, silicon-carbide radiant tube insert called a SpyroCor. The twisted “Y” design produced non-turbulent, high convection flow creating a high rate of uniform heat transfer. At the time, there were more…
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…
Central PA has all the Resources, Assets, and Talent Necessary to Support Emerging World-Class Startups.
For the past fifteen years, I’ve had the privilege of leading the largest early-stage investor group in the region, Ben Franklin Technology Partners. Our particular Center covers a 32-county footprint in the Commonwealth that naturally includes Central Pennsylvania. During my tenure as President and CEO, I’ve had the opportunity to meet first-hand hundreds of tech-entrepreneurs…
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…
