An array of firms across the commonwealth, mostly startups, are beneficiaries of investments made in the last week by The Ben Franklin Technology Partners, Pennsylvania's venerable technology-based economic development programs.
BFTP of Central and Northern PA (BFTP/CNP) announced investments totaling $1.8 million in 11 firms. In Northeastern Pennsylvania, BFTP/NEP announced nearly $560,000 in investments in six early-stage companies and six established firms working with academic partners on technology-based manufacturing innovation. And BFTP of Southeastern PA is making $1.375 in new investments.
The companies funded by BFTP/CNP are:
- AgIntegrated Inc., State College, a tech consultant to the agriculture industry;
- BRL Solutions, Kane, for a new lubricant for use on boats;
- Conduit Marketing, Girard, software for purchase of in-home medical equipment;
- Dataforma Inc., York, web-based business management software;
- ECKey, Lancaster, turning Bluetooth-enabled cellphones into access keys;
- Eduplanet21, Mechanicsburg, a social learning platform;
- Flashpoint Informatics, Bellefonte, cloud-based computing services;
- Lewis Designs LLC, Waterford, innovative brake designs;
- Strategic Polymer Sciences, State College, animation for mobile devices and smart phones;
- TM Filtration, Erie, systems to serve the shale gas industry;
- USIC LLC, York, a web-based marketplace for artists/entrepreneurs.
The early-stage companies funded by BFTP/NEP are:
- A Sound Strategy, East Stroudsburg ($30,000), to roll out a national sales effort on software-as-a-service products;
- Cernostics, Danville ($100,000) to validate tests for risk of esophageal cancer in certain patients;
- Micro Interventional Devices, Bethlehem ($100,000) to develop a new, minimally invasive heart repair product;
- OPTiMO Information Technology, Bloomsburg ($25,000) for sales and marketing of IT products and services;
- Pivitec, Bethlehem ($70,000) design and commercialization of hardware and software products for audio streaming;
- Walton Motivation, Allentown, ($20,000) sales and marketing of cloud-based employee recognition system.
BFT/NEP is also investing in these established manufacturer/academic partnerships:
- Crispin Valve, Berwick and Bloomsburg University ($18,302) for an enterprise resource planning system at this maker of valves for the municipal water industry;
- Fidelity Technologies Corporation, Reading and Northampton Community College's Emerging Technology Applications Center ($50,000) power systems for military field applications;
- Georg Fischer Havel, Easton and Lehigh University, ($50,000) to cut energy use in manufacture of PVC piping;
- Longo's Bakery, Hazleton and Lehigh University's Enterprise Systems Center, ($25,000) for an enterprise resource planning system;
- Medico Industries, Wilkes-Barre and Northampton Community College's Emerging Technology Applications Center, ($26,500) to cut energy use in manufacture of machined metal components;
- Sharp Corporation, Allentown and Lehigh University's Enterprise Systems Center, ($45,000) to cut energy use in packaging for pharmaceutical companies.
In Southeastern PA, the recipients are:
• ARB Geowell, West Conshohocken ($125,000): The company uses a unique design to promote heat transfer for its geothermal heating/cooling platform, which offers higher energy efficiency and eliminates significant construction costs for commercial buildings, schools and developments.
• Brad’s Raw Chips, Pipersville ($100,000): Founder Brad Gruno wants others to discover the benefits of eating raw food like he did. He uses an advanced dehydration system to keep raw chips crunchy and tasty.
• Drakontas, Glenside ($250,000): The company provides mobile collaboration software solutions for police, military, fire, emergency response and public service teams. Its flagship DragonFroce product utilizes geo-tracking and shared media and files to help those teams act faster and enhance public safety.
• Kerathin, Chester ($200,000): The company previously received $150,000 from Ben Franklin for its PodiaPro nail debridement system for the diabetic population.
• OneTwoSee, Devon ($150,000): Formerly Mobile Reactor, the company targets television broadcasters and producers to help them deliver interactive TV experiences through connected devices.
• S4 Worldwide, Doylestown ($250,000): The company provides a variety of safety, security and regulatory solutions for drilling companies working in the Marcellus Shale.
• Tangent Energy Solutions, Kennett Square ($300,000): Commercial and industrial companies can save up to 20 percent on energy costs thanks to Tangent’s grid optimization technologies.
Source: Ben Franklin Technology Partners
Writer: Elise Vider