Ben News

Ven Raju Named Innovation Works CEO

October 14, 2022

Ven Raju has been named president and CEO of Innovation Works, a North Shore-based seed stage investor in tech startups, replacing Rich Lunak, who is retiring. Mr. Raju, 43, was chosen from among more than 135 candidates nationwide after a competitive search by Korn Ferry, an executive and recruitment firm. His first day of work […]

Pennsylvania’s Innovation Economy Driving Growth

October 10, 2022

A new national report that ranks states for business performance and competitiveness shows Pennsylvania making significant gains over the last year, with technology and innovation among the driving forces behind the economic resurgence. Pennsylvania jumped six spots from 23 to 17 in CNBC’s annual rankings for America’s Top States for Business in 2022, now in […]

The 4th Annual PHL Innovation Picnic Was A Big Success

September 1, 2022

Thank you for making the picnic so special. The PHL Innovation Picnic is a staple in our innovation ecosystem, and you made it possible. We brought together more than 400 entrepreneurs, investors, and community builders for Philadelphia’s largest outdoor networking event dedicated to this audience. You can watch the recap video here. We Raised Over […]

‘Is It The Right Time To Do This?’

July 28, 2022

Omar Mencin, Ben Franklin Technology Partners’ managing director of tech, has some suggestions on whether now is the best moment to build a company — and how the investor can help. As a founder or entrepreneur, when you concentrate hard on the headlines, you’re bound to get a headache. Even amidst the seemingly strange news […]

Philadelphia on The Cusp of Becoming a Top 10 Startup Ecosystem in The U.S., Report Finds

June 15, 2022

Philadelphia has the world’s 27th-best startup ecosystem and ranks at No. 11 in the U.S., according to an annual report by Startup Genome. The city inched forward one spot in both the international and national rankings after coming in at No. 28 and No. 12, respectively, in 2021. This year, the report lauded Philadelphia for […]

Philly is Movin’ on Up in the Top 30 List for Global Startup Ecosystems

June 15, 2022

For the third year in a row, Philly is trending upward on the Startup Genome’s Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER) report. After ranking No. 28 on the org’s global list for best ecosystems for startups in 2021, Philadelphia lands at No. 27 in 2022. In 2020, Philly was ranked as the top “emerging” startup ecosystem […]

Welcome new CFO Saniah Johnson!

June 9, 2022

Saniah Johnson joined Ben Franklin this week as our Chief Financial Officer. Previously as a key leader at organizations like Macquarie Investment Management (formerly Delaware Investments), Cigna, and Deloitte, Saniah brings a wealth of experience in finance and corporate development, strategy, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate finance to the Ben Franklin team. Saniah’s board experience […]

Total Impact Summit 2022 Convenes 300+ Local & National Impact Stakeholders

June 8, 2022

OVERVIEW: TOTAL IMPACT SUMMIT 2022 Total Impact Summit 2022 convened 300+ thought leaders and practitioners from across the United States on May 16–17, 2022 in Philadelphia. The two-day event featured 75+ speakers across 25+ sessions, connections, conversations, insights, and best practices at the forefront of a growing impact investing field. The summit was hosted by […]

JVS Philadelphia Fund for Women Invests and Provides Grants of $650K to 12 Philadelphia Women Led Regional Businesses

June 6, 2022

PHILADELPHIA, June 3, 2022 — The JVS Philadelphia Fund for Women (JVS Fund) and Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania (Ben Franklin) today announced that within five months of launching their partnership, they have made three grants to women-owned businesses, and nine investments in technology-based ventures led by women in the Philadelphia region. “The […]

How Do You Raise Your First VC Round or Set Your Startup Valuation? These Philly Investors Have Some Advice

May 17, 2022

If you’re a first-time founder looking to raise an institutional round of venture capital for the first time, how do you know where to start? How does one know how much to raise or where their valuation lies? It’s a position many startup founders will find themselves in within their first few years. It’s also […]