Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania and its partners have announced a huge funding initiative to support regional tech startups working to solve social, environmental and health problems.
While each of the companies serves different markets and are in various stages of development, they all took an important step towards turning a good idea into a business reality by applying for Ben Franklin funding.
While some Commonwealth communities are tackling the problem of urban food access with farmers' markets and boutique food shops, a pair of entrepreneurs are thinking big in the capital city with a new grocery store.
The Center for Online Innovation in Learning is merging with the Penn State EdTech Network, furthering the university's mission to promote education technology and generate new businesses in the Commonwealth.
At the 9th annual Regional Affinity Incubation Network (RAIN) Conference, attendees tackled the quest to build a more diverse and inclusive entrepreneurial community. Keystone Edge chatted with two panelists about the Philadelphia Region's specific strengths and challenges.
Started while the founder was still a Penn State student, Phospholutions has developed a product that boosts the survival rate of transplanted seedlings, makes them more drought-resistant and reduces the environmental consequences of wasted fertilizer. They're coming to a golf course or playing field near you.
At the long-abandoned 7,000-square-foot Smith Paint Building in downtown Harrisburg, two men are churning out handcrafted vodka, rum, moonshine and more. They are part of a wave of micro-distilleries across Pennsylvania, spurred by an easing of the state's liquor laws.
The organization's goal is to help lead northeastern Pennsylvania to a better economic future by building partnerships that develop and apply technology for competitive advantage. This latest funding round will boost startups in a wide range of sectors.
On October 10, Case and J.D. Vance, author of the best-selling memoir Hillbilly Elegy, will ride into Lancaster, Harrisburg and York on the "Rise of the Rest" tour bus. With its goal of boosting startups outside coastal tech hubs, the initiative is a tremendous opportunity for the region and for fledgling companies seeking a big boost.
Counter to many narratives about the death of manufacturing in southwestern PA, in 2016 the sector accounted for the most investment dollars ($6.1 billion), the most deals (50 companies expanding or relocating), and the most new and retained jobs (3,667).