Ben Franklin News

Ben Franklin to Invest $150,000 in the Regional Economy

The Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s (BFTP_NEPA) Board of Directors has approved the investment of $150,000 in support of regional economic development. Five companies from BFTP_NEPA’s 21-county service area received funding.

BFTP_NEPA announces the following early-stage company investment, which is provided in the form of loans with warrants.

Molcube, LLC, Ben Franklin TechVentures, Bethlehem –  $50,000

Develop and configure the CubeBuilder platform, a set of software tools for molecular modeling and simulations of complex biological and nanomaterial systems. Initial applications will be in the pharmaceutical sector, followed by the materials sciences market.

Ben Franklin provides 1:1 matching funding for work with a college or university partner on technology-based innovation in established manufacturers.

American Paper Bag, LLC, Sugar Notch – $10,000

University Partner: Wilkes University

Review facility options and recommendations for continued growth at this manufacturer of innovative paper bags. American Paper Bag is a leading U.S.-based producer of customizable and environmentally friendly paper bags and sells to some of the largest retail and e-commerce companies.

Martz Technologies, Inc., Berwick – $40,000

University Partner: Lehigh University’s Enterprise Systems Center

Optimize energy usage, manpower, and extend equipment life for municipal water and wastewater entities using Artificial Intelligence models and advanced data analytics. The VZRscada solution (www.vzrscada.com) integrates hardware, software, and communications technologies to control, monitor, and optimize critical community infrastructure.

Polytek Development Corp., Easton – $25,000

University Partner: Lehigh University’s Enterprise Systems Center

Determine requirements for a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, and identify a vendor and software package that most appropriately meets company needs to maximize its manufacturing footprint and output, and optimize production. Polytek produces liquid rubbers and plastic coating resins based on polyurethane, silicone, and epoxy chemistries for B-to-B markets.

Production Systems Automation, LLC, Duryea – $25,000

University Partner: Wilkes University

Provide facility planning and layout optimization for a plant expansion at this producer of turnkey automation solutions for the manufacturing and military sectors. The company is a systems integrator with full engineering and manufacturing capabilities focused on packaging and materials handling solutions.