Women Building What’s Next Across Pennsylvania

Women founders and co-founders play an important role in Pennsylvania’s innovation economy. From early-stage startups to growing companies, they are developing new technologies, bringing products to market, and addressing real-world challenges across industries. With support from Ben Franklin Technology Partners, these founders are refining their business models and building companies that contribute to Pennsylvania’s economic strength. The companies featured here represent just a few examples of the women-led innovation taking place across the Commonwealth.

Swift Aeroseed | Carlisle | Central and Northern Pennsylvania

Sector: Food and Agriculture Technology, Robotics
Founders: Molly Cheatum, Co-Founder; Bill Chain, Co-Founder

Swift Aeroseed is using drone technology to modernize how seeds are distributed for agriculture, land restoration, and conservation projects. By combining aerial drone systems with agronomic research, the company is helping farmers, land managers, and conservation groups improve soil health and establish vegetation more efficiently.

Traditional cover-crop seeding and restoration projects can be difficult to time and costly to implement using conventional equipment, especially in fields that are still in production or in areas that are difficult to access. Swift Aeroseed’s drone-based approach allows seeds to be distributed quickly and precisely, helping expand the use of cover crops and improve land-management practices.

Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central and Northern Pennsylvania supported the company with a $10,000 pre-seed grant and strategic guidance that helped refine its business model and strengthen its messaging to investors and partners. Through pitch preparation and ongoing business-development support, the company improved its ability to communicate its value to customers, regulators, and industry partners.

That progress helped Swift Aeroseed secure a $52,000 Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Innovation Grant. The company is also exploring broader applications for its technology, including pollinator-habitat restoration and partnerships focused on environmental conservation. By combining agricultural innovation with conservation goals, Swift Aeroseed is helping expand sustainable land-management practices while building a Pennsylvania-based technology company.

With Meraki Co | Bethlehem | Northeastern Pennsylvania

Sector: Consumer Goods, Healthcare, Life Sciences
Founder: Giana Jarrah, Founder and CEO

With Meraki Co. is a women’s wellness company focused on improving vaginal and urinary health while helping remove the stigma surrounding these topics. The company was founded by biomedical engineer Giana Jarrah after she personally experienced chronic urinary tract infections and growing antibiotic resistance. Her experience led her to develop science-based probiotic and prebiotic supplements designed to support vaginal and urinary health while educating women about preventative care.

As the company grew, With Meraki Co. faced the challenge of expanding sales, strengthening its digital presence, and scaling its brand in a competitive consumer health market. Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania provided funding and strategic support that helped accelerate the company’s growth. That support contributed to the launch of a gut-health probiotic powder in May 2025, which generated the company’s highest sales to date and helped drive continued month-over-month growth. Funding also supported a website redesign, improved SEO, and the launch of an AI chatbot that now handles most customer inquiries.

In addition to financial support, With Meraki Co. participated in Ben Franklin Northeast’s SPARK Mentorship program, connecting Jarrah with experienced business leaders to help refine the company’s growth strategy. Through science-based product development, education, and strong brand positioning, With Meraki Co. is building a Pennsylvania-based company that is helping women take greater control of their health.

AnaOno | Philadelphia | Southeastern Pennsylvania

Sector: Consumer Goods, Healthcare
Founder: Dana Donofree, Founder & CEO

AnaOno is redefining intimate apparel for women who have undergone breast cancer treatment, mastectomies, or other breast surgeries. Founded by Dana Donofree, a breast cancer survivor, the company designs comfortable, functional, and thoughtfully designed lingerie that meets the needs of women who are often overlooked by traditional brands.

After her own diagnosis and surgery, Dana struggled to find undergarments that fit properly, felt comfortable, and restored a sense of confidence. Recognizing a significant gap in the market, she launched AnaOno to create products specifically designed for women navigating recovery and life after surgery.

Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania provided a $200,000 investment along with strategic guidance to support AnaOno’s growth. This included advising on pathways related to the medical device space and reimbursement considerations, as well as connecting the company with other founders facing similar challenges in e-commerce. This combination of funding, insight, and network support helped position the company for continued growth.

Today, AnaOno is a recognized leader in post-surgical intimate apparel, offering a range of products designed to support women physically and emotionally. By addressing an unmet need with purpose-driven design, the company is improving quality of life for women and redefining standards in the apparel industry.

Parcel Health | Pittsburgh | Southwestern Pennsylvania

Sector: Consumer Goods, Healthcare, Life Sciences
Founders: Melinda Su-En Lee, CEO and Co-Founder; Mallory Barrett, CRO and Co-Founder

Parcel Health is working to reduce plastic waste in healthcare by reimagining one of the most common items in pharmacy operations: the prescription pill bottle. Traditional plastic pill bottles are used billions of times each year in the United States, and most are never recycled. To address this challenge, Parcel Health developed the Tully Tube, the world’s first paper-based prescription pill bottle designed to meet the safety, durability, and regulatory requirements of pharmaceutical packaging. The bottle uses significantly less plastic while maintaining the protection required to safely store medications.

Innovation Works has supported Parcel Health since 2021, when the company joined and graduated from the AlphaLab accelerator. Through $430,000 in investments across AlphaLab, the Runway Innovation Investment Fund, and the Innovation Investment Fund, along with intern-program support and strategic guidance, Innovation Works helped the company accelerate development and bring its product to market. AlphaLab also helped the company secure its first pilot with the Department of Pharmacy at Allegheny Health Network, which sparked interest from additional health systems nationwide.

The innovation is gaining traction with health systems andpharmacies across the country. Parcel Health was also named a grand-prize winner of the BNY UpPrize Social Innovation Challenge, receiving $125,000 in non-dilutive funding. The company has leveraged more than $1.5 million in private capital and achieved fivefold annual sales growth from 2024 to 2025. By replacing traditional plastic pill bottles with paper-based alternatives, Parcel Health is helping health systems reduce waste while improving the patient experience, demonstrating how Pennsylvania-based innovation can address global healthcare and environmental challenges.

Innovation Led by Women Across Pennsylvania

The companies featured here demonstrate how women founders and co-founders are turning ideas into growing businesses that create jobs, strengthen industries, and deliver solutions with real-world impact. Through early-stage funding, strategic guidance, and hands-on support, Ben Franklin Technology Partners helps founders build companies that grow in Pennsylvania and contribute to the state’s innovation-driven economy.

Ben Franklin Technology Partners. Fueling Ideas. Powering Pennsylvania’s Jobs.