COVID19

SINK OR SWIM Inside the Covid-19 Impact on Philadelphia’s Startups, Investors

April 27, 2020

Running a startup is hard. Talk to any founder and they’ll have a story about hard-fought survival and how grit or a few strokes of luck meant the difference between shutting their company’s doors or raising that next round of cash. During the Covid-19 pandemic, their jobs – and the work of investors who back […]

Ben Franklin Technology Partners Companies Affected by COVID-19 are Getting $4M From the State

April 27, 2020

Gov. Tom Wolf announced Thursday that Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) had made $4 million in new funding available to help tech-based companies in Ben Franklin Technology Partners’ (BFTP) portfolio that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding will be distributed equally between the state’s four BFTP entities, which operate […]

Ben Franklin to Deploy $2M to Help Struggling Philly-Area Startups, but Funding Threat Looms

April 24, 2020

The most active seed fund in the Philadelphia region is preparing to deploy $2 million in new capital to help struggling startups stay afloat and help fight the Covid-19 pandemic, but a potential threat to its state funding looms in Harrisburg. Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania, a state-backed nonprofit, announced late Thursday it […]

Mental Health Resources Must be ‘Available and Accessible to All at Scale’

April 20, 2020

With the isolation of social distancing and the fear of the unknown due to coronavirus, mental health matters now more than ever. As stay-at-home guidelines stretch indefinitely, many at home are experiencing increased levels of anxiety and depression fueled by a 24-hour news cycle, misinformation on social media platforms, and the worry that they, too, […]

Ben Franklin Clients Answer Call to Combat COVID-19

April 17, 2020

By Ryan E. Glenn, Director of Statewide Initiatives Ben Franklin Technology Partners Ben Franklin Technology Partners has long been focused on supporting revolutionary technological developments that improve the human condition and address critical challenges now and in the future. That mission takes on an entirely new meaning today as our state and nation come together […]

Watch the Webinar: “Seeing Capital Options When Visibility Isn’t Clear”

April 15, 2020

Yes, capital is active amidst seemingly crazy conditions, but seeing a path to it isn’t always clear. We spoke to experts from banking, national VC, and local angel networks for insights on how to find new capital, and position your business for its best engagement. Moderated by Scott Nissenbaum, you’ll hear from our panelists David […]

Watch the Webinar “Talk to Ben: Managing Human Resources Through Challenging Markets”

April 9, 2020

Your team is your most critical resource, and managing it through uncertainty takes special care. We talked to experts from HR, accounting, and legal for insights on operating through economic challenges to maximize present and future potential for your business. With discussion moderated by our Scott Nissenbaum, you’ll hear advice from Marcia O’Connor (The O’Connor […]

This Doctor is Giving Away her Startup’s Software to Help Health Providers Handle COVID-19 Chaos

April 2, 2020

As health care providers tackling the ongoing COVID-19 crisis face shortages of personal protective equipment and ventilators, they’re also dealing with the chaos created by an influx of critical patients and constantly changing policies and procedures. Dr. Subha Airan-Javia wants to help them cut through the confusion. Her startup TrekIT Health will be offering a […]

Watch the Webinar – “Talk to Ben: Our Investors Respond to COVID-19”

April 2, 2020

Ben Franklin’s Scott Nissenbaum led a discussion with Ben Franklin board members Mindy Posoff (Golden Seeds), Doc Parghi (SRI Capital), and Nate Lentz (Osage Venture Partners), to hear how these leaders are responding to these ever-changing market conditions, and get their advice on what companies can do to handle this volatile period. This event kicked […]

Leading VCs Discuss how COVID-19 Has Impacted the World of Digital Health

April 1, 2020

In December 2019, Extra Crunch spoke to a group of investors leading the charge in health tech to discuss where they saw the most opportunity in the space leading into 2020. At the time, respondents highlighted startups in digital therapeutics, telehealth and mental health that were improving medical practitioner efficiency or streamlining the distribution of […]