Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania (BFTP/SEP), recently celebrated its 30th birthday by giving out presents: nearly $1.9 million to 10 early-stage companies.
They are:
AboutOne, Paoli, ($200,000; Ben Franklin previously committed $100,000) a secure and private online subscription service that provides a location for users to conveniently enter, store, manage and share family memories (text, photos, and videos) and household information (health, possession and education records, contacts and more) and access this data from anywhere, through any device.
Dynamis Skin Science, Inc., Jenkintown, ($500,000) which develops and markets topical skin health and anti-aging products that utilize the meglumine-based substance Supplamine® – a compound proven to interfere with and reverse the breakdown of skin.
Luxtech, LLC, Philadelphia, ($200,000) which, with the global, energy-efficient, LED lighting market growing rapidly, designs and develops AC and DC LED modules to serve the needs of legacy lighting fixture manufacturers in the general ambient lighting space.
MVP Interactive, Philadelphia, ($125,000) a digital interactive software company focused on bringing highly engaging user experiences to client-sponsored events, such as professional sports games, theme parks, movies, and other entertainment venues.
Orion Fleet Intelligence, Conshohocken, ($75,000; Ben Franklin previously invested $100,000) that provides GPS/telematics enhanced business intelligence services to companies who rely on fleet operations as a significant part of their revenue/cost structure, and to their insurance carriers and brokers.
Powerlytics, Philadelphia, ($150,000; Ben Franklin previously committed $150,000) that provides financial statement benchmarking, market sizing and business research products, underpinned by the tax return data of all businesses and households in the United States. The tax return data is harmonized with other government data sources, providing the most complete and accurate business decision tools available in the market today.
QLIDA Diagnostics, Philadelphia, ($200,000; Ben Franklin previously committed $300,000) which develops next-generation biomarker diagnostic tests. The company’s proprietary portable, hand-held platform can be used for diagnosis of life-threatening diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease, through the use of a nanotechnology-based protein detection.
QR Pharma, Inc., Berwyn, ($140,000; Ben Franklin previously committed $610,000) a specialty pharmaceutical company founded to develop novel treatments for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative disorders. The company has two compounds in clinical development: Posiphen® targets early stage Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and may stop or slow the progression of the disease. BNC is expected to work in later stage Alzheimer’s.
RMH Sciences, LLC, Doylestown, ($50,000 through the Technology Commercialization Fund) which aims to commercialize newly discovered antibiotics by Dr. Harvey Rubin, University of Pennsylvania Professor of Medicine. One of RMH’s most promising ventures focuses on creating antibiotics to combat hospital acquired bacterial pathogens, a largely unmet need in the current marketplace.
ZSX Medical, LLC, King of Prussia, ($250,000; Ben Franklin previously committed $50,000, through the Technology Commercialization Fund) a pre-clinical-stage company dedicated to the improvement of internal surgical closure via its Zip-Stitch™ bio-absorbable technology. Zip-Stitch™ clips aim to ease internal closure, often the most difficult part of minimally invasive surgery, reducing procedure time, post-operative infections and tissue adhesions that can cause scarring, pain and additional surgeries.
Source: BFTP/SEP
Writer: Elise Vider