Who We Are
For more than 20 years, the Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania has helped this region's technology companies prosper by providing access to capital, business expertise and university resources. As hundreds of companies have experienced, Ben Franklin delivers hands-on support, guidance and investment funds at companies' most vulnerable times, helping clients to achieve and sustain commercial success and competitive advantage.

Capital
Ben Franklin makes investments that typically range from $30,000 to $150,000 per year for up to three years. We take calculated risks investing in young, unproven companies that could not secure seed funding through conventional means. We also assist early stage firms as they prepare to raise additional capital, and provide an important initial endorsement for a new company.

We financially support established companies by providing attractive loan packages for manufacturing innovation. Work is usually technology development or application, and is accomplished with a university partner.

Business Expertise
Each company in the Ben Franklin portfolio benefits from the collective experience of seasoned professionals who focus on turning high-potential ideas into high-growth businesses. In-house expertise is complemented by Ben Franklin's extensive Solutions Network of advisers, service providers and investors, creating a powerful and comprehensive support program for clients.

University Resources
We tap into the research strength of Pennsylvania's colleges and universities, whose faculty and graduate students work directly with clients. Ben Franklin provides a crucial link between the Commonwealth's companies and the wealth of knowledge, facilities and manpower resources in the state's higher education institutions.

The Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania is a nonprofit corporation that is part of a four-center, state-funded economic development initiative. The northeastern center is headquartered on the campus of Lehigh University with regional offices in Lewisburg, Reading and Wilkes-Barre, and operates a technology incubator on Lehigh's Mountaintop Campus.

What We Do
Our mission is to promote, sustain and invest in the transformation of our regional economy through innovation and partnering. Our strategy encompasses three key areas:

1. Developing early-stage, technology-oriented companies
2. Helping established companies creatively apply new technology and business practices to achieve industry leadership
3. Promoting innovative community wide initiatives that foster a favorable business environment for high-growth companies

Ben Franklin works with the most promising technology ventures to deliver on these strategies. To qualify, companies must be located in, or relocate to, our 19-county northeastern Pennsylvania service area (Berks, Bradford, Carbon, Columbia, Lackawanna, Lehigh, Luzerne, Monroe, Montour, Northampton, Northumberland, Pike, Schuylkill, Snyder, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Union, Wayne and Wyoming counties). Companies must also offer significant potential for future growth through the development of an innovative technology, or an innovative application of technology.

Ben Franklin works with clients as integrated enterprises to enhance their entire way of doing business. We are evaluated on the basis of the commercial success achieved by our clients as a result of our assistance.