According to the Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania (BFTP/NEP), 904 Pennsylvania jobs were created or retained in 2013 as a result of its work. The organization’s 21-county service area includes Berks, Bradford, Carbon, Columbia, Lackawanna, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, Monroe, Montour, Northampton, Northumberland, Pike, Schuylkill, Snyder, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Union, Wayne and Wyoming counties.
“Creating high-paying, sustainable jobs in growing technology sectors is a proven way to build a region’s economy,” said R. Chadwick Paul, Jr., President and CEO of BFTP/NEP in a release. “Our investments and support have accelerated the success of start-up technology firms and have helped established manufacturers to apply technology to increase their competitiveness.”
BFTP/NEP connects clients with universities, funding, and other resources, with a focus on supporting early-stage tech companies, boosting innovative manufacturers and developing a favorable entrepreneurial ecosystem. Since its inception in 1983, the organization has created 16,214 jobs, retained 22,155 existing jobs, fostered 458 new companies, and developed 1,279 products and processes.