Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s (Ben Franklin Northeast) Board of Directors has approved the investment of $1.1 million in support of regional economic development. 11 companies, including six technology startups and five established manufacturers, from Ben Franklin Northeast’s service area received funding, including many in Northampton and Lehigh counties.

Ben Franklin Northeast announces the following early-stage company investment:

Venseca, Inc. Lehigh County

Ben Franklin Northeast Investment: $100,000

Venseca is a cybersecurity platform that creates a comprehensive network of trust between service providers and the organizations that use them by creating standardized, independent cybersecurity risk assessments and evaluations of suppliers’ cybersecurity risk postures. The investment supports product development and go-to market execution.

Ben Franklin Northeast announces the following investments in established manufacturers, which is provided in 1:1 matching funding for work with a college or university partner:

BRD Noise and Vibration Control, Inc. Northampton County

Ben Franklin Northeast Investment: $10,000

BRD Noise and Vibration Control designs and manufactures materials for noise and vibration control for large commercial HVAC systems and industrial equipment. This investment supports the implementation of parametric drawings which will enable the company to improve the productivity of engineering resources, on-time delivery and resource utilization, customer service, quality of product, and support top-line growth plans. BRD Noise and Vibration Control will partner with Lehigh University’s Center for Supply Chain Management on this project.

Straight Arrow Products Northampton County

Ben Franklin Northeast Investment: $20,000

Straight Arrow Products produces hair and skin care products for the equestrian and human markets. The investment supports the implementation of new modules to their Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to enhance forecasting and reporting. Straight Arrow Products will partner with Lehigh University’s Center for Supply Chain Management on this project.

US Specialty Formulations, LLC Lehigh County

Ben Franklin Northeast Investment: $25,000

US Specialty Formulations, LLC (USSF) is a biotech firm, commercializing an oral-mucosal vaccine – QYNDR – recently successfully completed its Phase I clinicals. This oral vaccine targets multiple COVID-19 variants and may be adapted to other viruses such as flu, Group A Strep and RSV. USSF also produces sterile injectable pharmaceuticals for hospitals, physicians, and is a key supplier in the perfusion market. The investment supports implementing an electronic quality control system to improve its operational workflow and tie into its anticipated new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. USSF will partner with Lehigh University’s Enterprise Systems Center on this project.

Ben Franklin Northeast announces the following early-stage company investments as part of the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI). These projects were financed [in part] from Pennsylvania Small Business Credit Initiative funds from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Community and Economic Development:

LifeAire Systems Lehigh County

Ben Franklin Northeast Investment: $340,000

LifeAire Systems manufactures air purification equipment for the In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), hospital, long term care, and life science markets. LifeAire Systems patented multi-stage air purification technology eliminates 99.99 percent of all known airborne contaminants that compromise the success of the in vitro culture of living cells, development and production of biological and pharmaceutical products, and contribute to illness and infections in healthcare acute care spaces and senior living residential spaces. The investment supports continued new product and technology development, increased inventory, and improvements to their supply chain.

Spoke Sciences, Inc. Northampton County

Ben Franklin Northeast Investment: $400,000

Spoke Sciences develops technologies to deliver insoluble lipidic ingredients in water-based formulations. This investment supports scale up of research, development, and commercialization efforts.

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