Startups + Founders

Ben Franklin supports fledgling enterprises at their most vulnerable point – the early stages of development and commercialization – and provides vital support services that help entrepreneurs and established manufacturers innovate and grow.

Providing Early Support

With a reputation for success, and because of its rigorous vetting process, Ben Franklin’s investment often serves as a key endorsement for clients as they seek to raise additional capital.

Membership in the Ben Franklin portfolio enables companies to attract follow-on investments that help them move beyond start-up to full-fledged market operation.

Investing More than Money

Ben Franklin provides clients access to a wide range of:

mentoring
business
technology development services

It also provides hands-on technical and business expertise in accounting and finance, marketing, intellectual property protection, supply chain management, and other disciplines.

Highly Engaged Portfolio Management

Many clients cite these high-value support services, which have been developed and fine-tuned over nearly four decades of experience, as being key factors in their eventual success.

Work may begin with the investment, but it does not stop there. Ben Franklin often partners with client companies for many years to help them continue to grow and thrive.

Pennsylvania is a big state, and there are substantially different economic development needs in each region. With four centers in Pittsburgh, State College, Bethlehem, and Philadelphia, Ben Franklin is strategically positioned to serve clients throughout the Commonwealth, with supports tailored to each region.

That includes efforts in the state’s cities, suburban, and rural areas to foster innovation and create economic opportunities.