America’s 250th anniversary is more than a historic milestone. It is also a reminder that entrepreneurship, innovation, and practical problem-solving have shaped the nation since its earliest days.
Few figures embody that spirit more than Benjamin Franklin.
Franklin is remembered as an inventor, diplomat, and scientist, but he was also one of America’s earliest and most influential entrepreneurs. Long before the term “startup ecosystem” existed, Franklin was building businesses, creating networks, solving problems, and helping shape the economic foundation of a growing nation.
His first major success came through the printing industry. As the publisher of Poor Richard’s Almanac and The Pennsylvania Gazette, Franklin built one of colonial America’s most influential media enterprises. He understood the power of communication long before modern marketing or mass media existed.
Franklin’s entrepreneurial vision extended far beyond publishing. He helped establish one of America’s first subscription libraries, recognizing that shared access to knowledge could strengthen communities and economic opportunity. He played a major role in founding what would become the University of Pennsylvania, believing practical education and innovation were essential to society’s future growth. He also helped organize one of the nation’s first volunteer fire companies, proving that entrepreneurship and civic responsibility could work hand in hand.
Even Franklin’s inventions reflected an entrepreneurial mindset. The lightning rod, bifocal lenses, and the Franklin stove were practical innovations designed to improve everyday life. He believed innovation should serve the public good. More than two centuries later, that same spirit continues in the state Franklin called home.
Ben Franklin Technology Partners was named in honor of Benjamin Franklin when the Commonwealth established the statewide program more than 40 years ago. The name reflects Franklin’s enduring connection to Pennsylvania and his belief that innovation, entrepreneurship, education, and practical problem-solving could strengthen both communities and the economy.
Ben Franklin Northeast, headquartered in Bethlehem, continues that mission by helping refresh, retain, and reimagine the economy through startup support, manufacturing innovation, and investment in emerging technologies.
“The entrepreneurial spirit that helped build Pennsylvania is still driving innovation across our 21-county region today,” says Angelo Valletta, President & CEO of Ben Franklin Northeast. “From life sciences and advanced manufacturing to energy and robotics, we’re seeing companies develop technologies that have the potential to shape industries for decades to come.”
The companies within the Ben Franklin Northeast portfolio reflect the same qualities Franklin championed centuries ago: curiosity, experimentation, resilience, and practical problem-solving. More than 200 active portfolio companies are currently developing new technologies, products, and solutions, each driven by founders and teams working to solve problems in bold and inventive ways:
- Mussel Polymers (Bethlehem), inspired by natural underwater adhesives created by mollusks, produces ultra-strong, environmentally safe glues that bond exceptionally well in wet and underwater environments.
- CatapalloVR (Reading) produces interactive virtual reality modules for neurodivergent audiences. Their educational content includes modules about social, occupational, and emotional regulation skills.
- FLX Solutions (Bethlehem) builds FLX BOT, a small, modular, snake-like robot designed for maintenance and inspection tasks in hard-to-reach or confined industrial spaces.
- CoStream Technologies, Inc. (Berwick) develops cloud-based software and cybersecurity solutions for municipal water and wastewater systems. Their platform helps protect critical water infrastructure from cyber threats.
- LifeAire (Reading) engineers patented medical-grade air purification systems that eliminate up to 99.99% of airborne pathogens and contaminants in healthcare and laboratory environments.
- Mosqitter (East Stroudsburg), the most recent winner of Ben Franklin Northeast’s Venture Idol pitch competition, offers highly effective, chemical-free mosquito control systems for indoor and outdoor use.
- AWG Contracting (Wilkes-Barre) specializes in atmospheric generation technology designed to provide safe drinking supplies in remote and resource-limited environments.
- Verne (Muncy) delivers behind-the-meter power generation systems designed to provide rapid, reliable power for industrial users.
- iDEAL Semiconductor (Bethlehem) develops silicon-based, power semiconductors that handle higher voltages increasingly demanded by servers, AI computers, and electric vehicles.
From Franklin’s print shop to today’s tech startups and advanced manufacturing facilities, innovation continues to create opportunity, strengthen communities, and shape the next generation of American industry and innovation. And Ben Franklin Northeast proudly supports these incredible Pennsylvanian endeavors.
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