Ben Franklin Technology Partners — Seed Investment Program
Ben Franklin Technology Partners (statewide — 4 regional offices)
$50,000–$500,000
PA seed capital for tech startups with payback structure
Ben Franklin Technology Partners provides seed investments of $50,000–$500,000 to technology-focused Pennsylvania startups and early-stage companies — in exchange for a payback obligation (not equity, but a revenue-based repayment). Four regional offices serve different PA geographies: Southeastern PA (Philadelphia metro), Central & Northern PA (State College), Northeastern PA (Scranton/Wilkes-Barre), and Western PA (Pittsburgh). Cash investments come alongside technical assistance, mentoring, and connections.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- State
- Amount range
- $50,000 – $500,000
- Realistic amount
- Most first-time investments are $50,000–$200,000. Companies with more advanced technology and market traction reach $300…
- Deadline
- Rolling — Healthcare applications reviewed continuously. Technology applications on scheduled review cycles. Contact your regional office for current dates.
- Status
- active
- States
- PA
- Payment model
- advance
Who qualifies
- Technology-focused business with significant Pennsylvania presence (headquarters or primary operations in PA)
- Located in the regional office's service area — verify geography with the correct BFTP regional office
- Demonstrate substantial technological differentiation and strong growth potential
- Sound corporate governance and financial management
- Ability to match BFTP's investment with capital from other sources (investors, grants, or founder funds)
- For-profit business only
Hard requirements
- Must be incorporated
- Location restriction: Pennsylvania — regional office service area
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- R&D and technology development costs
- Salaries for key technical and management staff
- Equipment and laboratory supplies
- Market development and customer acquisition
- IP protection (patent applications)
- Alternative and renewable energy development (via the Challenge Grant program)
Ineligible expenses
- Real estate acquisition
- Routine operational overhead with no R&D connection
- Payments to founders without documented work deliverables
- Activities outside Pennsylvania
How to apply
-
1
Identify your regional office and make contact
Contact the BFTP regional office covering your PA county. Southeastern PA: sep.benfranklin.org (Philadelphia/suburbs); Central & Northern PA: cnp.benfranklin.org; Northeastern PA: nep.benfranklin.org; Western PA: wpa.benfranklin.org. Introduce your company and request an initial meeting.
-
2
Present to sector-specific investment committee
Submit your pitch to BFTP investment professionals. Healthcare applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Technology applications follow scheduled review cycles. Expect 1–2 rounds of committee review.
-
3
Third-party due diligence
BFTP conducts third-party due diligence on the technology, market, and team. This typically takes 4–8 weeks.
-
4
Full investment group and board approval
Applications are reviewed and approved by the full investment group, executive team, and BFTP board. Upon approval, BFTP executes a payback agreement (revenue-based repayment, not equity).
-
5
Receive investment and access technical assistance
Funds are disbursed in tranches tied to milestones. BFTP also provides ongoing mentoring, connections, and technical assistance as part of the investment relationship.
BFTP is a relationship program — the first meeting matters more than the application. Contact the sector-relevant investment manager before submitting anything formal.
Deadline & timing
Apply through your regional office: Southeastern PA (sep.benfranklin.org), Central & Northern PA (cnp.benfranklin.org), Northeastern PA (nep.benfranklin.org), Western PA (wpa.benfranklin.org). Review cycles vary by region and sector.
Programs that stack well
Related programs
Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.