Ben Franklin Technology Partners Angel Investor Network
Angel investing has long been an important source of financial support and mentoring for new and growing businesses bridging the gap between individual (friends and family) and institutional venture capital rounds of financing. Over the past several years, Ben Franklin Technology Partners and this sector of the private capital market has been formalizing in response to both growing demands and complexity.
Ben Franklin Technology Partners - The Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania (BFTP/NEP) links Pennsylvania entrepreneurs and companies with people, technology, ideas, funding, and other resources to help them prosper in today's knowledge-based economy. BFTP/NEP is part of a four-center, state funded economic development initiative that was created in 1983 and has been recognized nationally and internationally as a model program.
Ben Franklin focuses on innovation as key to companies' success. We challenge companies to:
Look beyond what is immediately apparent.
Recognize and drive market trends.
Achieve sustainable competitive advantage.
BFTP/NEP works with clients as integrated enterprises to enhance their entire way of doing business. We are measured on the basis of the commercial success achieved by our clients as a direct result of our assistance.
The Center's strategy encompasses three key areas:
Developing early-stage, technology-oriented manufacturers.
Helping established, small to medium-sized manufacturers creatively apply new technology and business practices to achieve industry leadership.
Promoting innovative community-wide initiatives that foster a favorable business environment for high-growth companies.
Our mission is to transform our regional economy into a vibrant community that is driven by innovation and collaboration. We lead forward-thinking organizations and communities on their search for new avenues to success, through partnerships that amplify regional strengths in people and technology.
The Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania is located on the campus of Lehigh University in Bethlehem, and has regional offices in Pocono Northeast and Upper Susquehanna.
Contact:
Bethlehem PA
PA Angel Networks are as unique as the private investors that make them up. Ben Franklin Technology Partners is a group of accredited investors (sophisticated investors) who get together to review companies for potential investment. The investments can be made by accredited individuals belonging to the PA network or by the network itself as a limited partnership.
Some angel networks charge a fee to the entrepreneur for the business plan to be reviewed, or for an in-person presentation to be made to the "angels" group and other angel networks don't.
Learn about as many angel networks / groups in your area as possible.
Like Ben Franklin Technology Partners, the number of organized angel groups / networks has grown in response to several factors:
- The growth of venture capital funds and the attraction of venture investing
- Social camaraderie among investors.
As a result, angel investment screening by Ben Franklin Technology Partners, is consistent when compared to other angel investment groups. Specific organizational and legal structures, however, remain varied. Most groups, including Ben Franklin Technology Partners (Bethlehem PA) develop their own organizational structures and processes independently. For entrepreneurs and other PA angel investors, the net results of this change are mostly positive. Although the models of business angel groups continue to evolve, these groups are generally better financed than ad hoc groups of individual / private investors in Bethlehem PA.
Ben Franklin Technology Partners (Angel Investment Network) provides an extended network that benefits both funded companies and private co-investors / other angels by providing greater due diligence, operational support and domain expertise. Business angel groups, such as Ben Franklin Technology Partners and other groups (PA) can also provide a key source of qualified deal flow for venture firms - PA - as well as provide intermediate capital for companies with financing requirement levels between individual / private investors and institutional venture capital.
