Ben Franklin News
The Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s (BFTP/NEP) Board of Directors has approved the investment of $275,000 in support of regional economic development. Five companies from BFTP/NEP’s 21-county service area received funding.
BFTP/NEP announces the following early-stage company investments, which are provided in the form of loans with warrants.
Raven Biomaterials, LLC, Ben Franklin TechVentures, Bethlehem, Northampton County
Ben Franklin Investment: $100,000
Further develop, test, and prepare to manufacture fundamentally new magnetic beads that are used to separate biological components out of blood. Raven Biomaterials’ first application targets improving cell therapeutic manufacturing for cancer treatment, increasing the yield of targeted cell material at a significantly lower cost than current methods. Other applications of Raven’s bead include patient monitoring, gene therapy, antibody production, blood banking, vaccine manufacturing, and scientific research.
Mussel Polymers, Inc., https://www.musselpolymers.com/, Ben Franklin TechVentures, Bethlehem, Northampton County
Ben Franklin Investment: $100,000
Streamline production processes utilizing Poly(catechol-styrene) (PCS) to develop new adhesives and adhesive primers that have superior performance when used underwater or on wet surfaces. PCS- based adhesives and primers have applications in the medical, dental, electronics, roofing, automotive, defense, and marine sectors. The project also includes scaling up manufacturing to create an efficient and commercially viable pathway to meet existing and future demand for Mussel Polymers’ products.
Ben Franklin provides 1:1 matching funding for work with a college or university partner on technology-based innovation in established manufacturers.
American Polarizers, Inc., https://www.apioptics.com/, Reading, Berks County
Ben Franklin investment: $25,000
College Partner: Northampton Community College’s Emerging Technology Applications Center
Further develop a processing method for a new circular polarizer lens, and expand the company’s product line to include small lenses and small batch custom laminations using various substrates. American Polarizers manufactures polarized and non-polarized optical products that are used for scientific and medical instrumentation. The company also produces for the aerospace, electronics, photographic, and animated display industries.
BRD Noise and Vibration Control, Inc., https://hushcore.net/, Wind Gap, Northampton County
Ben Franklin investment: $25,000
University Partner: Lehigh University
Incorporate new scanning and modeling techniques into the engineering process and streamline standard product management, to make the process for assessing new noise and vibration control projects more efficient. BRD Noise and Vibration Control specializes in HVAC acoustic design and manufacturing to help architects, MEP and acoustical consultants, and design/build contractors in the specification of cost-effective approaches to keep mechanical equipment quiet. The firm also troubleshoots and implements remediation treatments for sound problems in existing construction.
GENTEX Corporation, www.gentexcorp.com, Simpson, Lackawanna County
University Partner: Lehigh University’s Enterprise Systems Center
Ben Franklin investment: $25,000
Optimize the Manufacturing Resource Planning tool and inventory management system to increase production efficiencies at this manufacturer of personal protection and situational awareness products for military, emergency response, and industrial personnel. The company’s products include helmets, respiratory protection, communication equipment, and advanced optics.
