Bethlehem, PA – Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania approved $2,316,250 in investments during the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2026.
These investments will support 16 companies—13 early-stage companies and three established manufacturers—fostering innovative product development, workforce expansion, and operational growth across the region.
$2,247,500 in investments will be made to the following early-stage companies:
Clear Skies Hydrogen
Lehigh County
Clear Skies Hydrogen (CSH2) is a climate technology company developing scalable hydrogen refueling infrastructure for heavy-duty transportation. The company focuses on reducing the cost and complexity of hydrogen fueling through modular refueling systems designed to provide fleet operators with diesel-like cost and convenience while supporting the transition to lower-emission transportation. This project was financed [in part] from Pennsylvania Small Business Credit Initiative funds from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Community and Economic Development.
www.clearskiesh2.com
CoStream Technologies, Inc.
Columbia County
CoStream, formerly VZRscada, specializes in monitoring and securing municipal water systems through innovative technology.
https://www.costream.tech/
Global Key Solutions
Lackawanna County
KeyPedia (a Global Key Solutions company) provides a data analytics platform that scrapes and processes regulatory, office, and business documents, turning unstructured inputs into actionable compliance and keyword insights.
https://www.keypedia.com
Hi Yaz LLC
Lehigh County
Hi Yaz has developed a multilingual, conversational, omnichannel AI assistant that transforms the clinical intake experience. The assistant guides patients through the intake process by capturing medical information, booking appointments, and generating EMR-ready notes.
Ideal Semiconductor Devices, LLC
Northampton County
iDEAL Semiconductor develops silicon-based, power semiconductors that handle higher voltages increasingly demanded by servers, AI computers, and electric vehicles. This project was financed [in part] from Pennsylvania Small Business Credit Initiative funds from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Community and Economic Development.
www.idealsemi.com
ImmuNovX Biotech
Northampton County
ImmuNovX Biotech is pioneering a platform for rapid, large-scale treatment of DNA pathogens, creating a new class of live-attenuated, replication-defective DNA vaccines.
www.immunovx.com
NovaData Solutions, Inc.
Northampton County
NovaData Solutions, Inc. is an insurtech firm with an AI-based platform that audits and flags anomalies in property restoration invoices for insurers and adjusters.
www.novadata-solutions.com
OCOA (The Varona Co.)
Berks County
The Varona Co. offers Ocoa Beauty, a line of luxury hair care products designed to nourish and enhance curls, with a focus on clean ingredients and sustainability.
https://ocoabeauty.com/
Redemption Business Solutions, LLC
Wayne County
Redemption Business Solution, LLC delivers a cloud enterprise resource planning system designed for retailers (especially lease to own), helping to modernize operations, payment flexibility, and digital transformation.
www.redemptionbusiness.com
SARAS-3D Inc
Lehigh County
SARAS-3D develops immersive 3D/VR STEM learning tools (Saras 360) that allow students to explore concepts interactively in a cost-free virtual environment. This project was financed [in part] from Pennsylvania Small Business Credit Initiative funds from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Community and Economic Development.
https://saras-3d.us
Spacecraft Automation
Northampton County
Spacecraft Automation develops patented automated drive-thru and walk-up kiosks for QSRs, pharmacies, dispensaries, convenience stores, and more. Their products are designed to streamline item pickup and improve throughput, security, and customer satisfaction.
www.spacecraftautomation.com
Thread Bioscience
Lehigh County
Thread Bioscience is focused on improving healthcare outcomes by leveraging advanced technologies to provide personalized diagnostic solutions. This project was financed [in part] from Pennsylvania Small Business Credit Initiative funds from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Community and Economic Development.
https://threadb.com
Unity Laundry Systems Corporation (UnityLab)
Sullivan County
UnityLab supports businesses that use commercial laundry equipment, industrial steam generators, presses, and boilers. They provide commercial laundry equipment plus expert remote repair support, using proprietary tools alongside experienced technicians. Their model is designed to cut downtime and service costs by solving issues without on-site travel when possible. This project was financed [in part] from Pennsylvania Small Business Credit Initiative funds from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Community and Economic Development.
unitylabcorp.com
$68,750 in investments will be made to the following established manufacturers, incorporating student enrichment work with a college or university partner:
LifeAire Systems, LLC
Berks County
LifeAire designs and installs patented, in-duct medical-grade air purification systems that eradicate up to 99.99% of airborne pathogens and chemical contaminants in a single pass, improving clinical outcomes in healthcare, laboratories, and long-term care facilities.
www.lifeaire.com
Reading Bakery Systems
Berks County
Reading Bakery Systems designs and manufactures industrial baking and snack food production equipment, providing processing systems, engineering expertise, and product development support to food manufacturers worldwide.
www.readingbakery.com
Wacker Silicone Manufactured Innovations, LLC
Lehigh County
Wacker Silicone Manufactured Innovations specializes in silicone adhesive coating solutions for medical device and advanced wound care applications. They will partner with Lehigh University to develop process documentation and training materials to support future improvements.
https://www.wacker.com/cms/en-us/home/home.html