Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania

Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania is a non-profit organization established in 1982 that serves as a vital capital provider and supporter of technology development in the region. Based in Philadelphia, it has invested over $170 million in more than 2,000 early-stage and established technology companies, fostering innovation primarily in information technology, health, and physical sciences. The organization not only provides financial support but also develops partnerships between universities and industries to accelerate the commercialization of scientific discoveries. By strengthening the local entrepreneurial ecosystem, Ben Franklin Technology Partners plays a crucial role in job creation and economic transformation in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

Jonathan Beschen

Investment Director, Information Technology Investment Group

Anthony George

Analyst

Mark de Grandpre

Investor

Kevon Gray

Analyst

Roze McDevitt

Analyst

Adare McMillan

CFO

Omar Mencin

Managing Director, Information Technology Investment Group

Kathie Jordan Ph.D

Managing Director, Healthcare Investment Group

Past deals in Advertising

LeagueSide

Debt Financing in 2020
LeagueSide, Inc. is a youth sports marketing company that facilitates connections between regional and national brands and families involved in youth sports. Through its online platform, LeagueSide allows youth sports leagues to join its network and secure sponsorships from various companies. Sponsors can customize their engagement by selecting from a range of options, such as displaying logos on jerseys, hosting tables at games, or running sweepstakes. The platform also enables sponsors to target specific demographics and geographic locations to effectively reach their desired audience. Additionally, LeagueSide offers resources for entrepreneurs, including multi-channel marketing recommendations and campaign management support, along with summary reports to assess campaign performance. Founded in 2015 and based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, LeagueSide aims to enhance community engagement through youth sports sponsorships.

Switchboard Live

Convertible Note in 2020
Switchboard Live Inc. operates a live audience network that connects advertisers and brands with targeted viewers across various online channels. The company specializes in live video and social media management, enabling content creators to manage their live streams and extend their reach to online audiences. Its offerings include a solution called Producer, which allows brands to access audiences tailored to their budget and demographics, and Joicaster, a stream-sharing tool that consolidates live chats into a unified cross-platform experience. The company serves a diverse range of content creators in fields such as entertainment, government, gaming, worship, sports, podcasts, and keynote events. Founded in 2014 and based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Switchboard Live was previously known as Joicaster Inc. before rebranding in February 2016.

Switchboard Live

Seed Round in 2017
Switchboard Live Inc. operates a live audience network that connects advertisers and brands with targeted viewers across various online channels. The company specializes in live video and social media management, enabling content creators to manage their live streams and extend their reach to online audiences. Its offerings include a solution called Producer, which allows brands to access audiences tailored to their budget and demographics, and Joicaster, a stream-sharing tool that consolidates live chats into a unified cross-platform experience. The company serves a diverse range of content creators in fields such as entertainment, government, gaming, worship, sports, podcasts, and keynote events. Founded in 2014 and based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Switchboard Live was previously known as Joicaster Inc. before rebranding in February 2016.

Audigent

Venture Round in 2016
Audigent is an audience intelligence platform that specializes in providing brands with actionable data, analytics, and insights to enhance the targeting and effectiveness of online, mobile, and social video advertisements. By enabling brands to discover and monitor key audiences, Audigent helps optimize media performance and improve return on investment. Additionally, the platform supports artists and social influencers by offering tools and technology to monetize their influence and engage with their fan base effectively. With teams based in New York, Philadelphia, and London, Audigent focuses on creating strategies that drive advertising success and open new revenue opportunities for influencers.

LeagueSide

Seed Round in 2016
LeagueSide, Inc. is a youth sports marketing company that facilitates connections between regional and national brands and families involved in youth sports. Through its online platform, LeagueSide allows youth sports leagues to join its network and secure sponsorships from various companies. Sponsors can customize their engagement by selecting from a range of options, such as displaying logos on jerseys, hosting tables at games, or running sweepstakes. The platform also enables sponsors to target specific demographics and geographic locations to effectively reach their desired audience. Additionally, LeagueSide offers resources for entrepreneurs, including multi-channel marketing recommendations and campaign management support, along with summary reports to assess campaign performance. Founded in 2015 and based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, LeagueSide aims to enhance community engagement through youth sports sponsorships.

Ajungo

Seed Round in 2014
Ajungo Holdings LLC operates a customer acquisition platform designed to help businesses convert web traffic into foot traffic. Founded in 2011 and based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the company supports both brick-and-mortar establishments and e-commerce businesses in acquiring and engaging customers. Ajungo achieves this by leveraging social media, facilitating the development of email lists, monitoring performance metrics, and providing rewards to loyal customers. Additionally, Ajungo offers a social travel website that assists travelers in exploring global destinations by utilizing their social networks to generate personalized recommendations and connections. Through these services, Ajungo aims to enhance customer engagement and drive business growth.

Sidecar

Series A in 2014
Sidecar Interactive, Inc. is an e-commerce technology company that specializes in providing software solutions for retailers to enhance their online marketing efforts. The company's primary offering is the Sidecar Predictive Bid Engine, which optimizes advertising bids for intelligent product groupings based on real-time data analysis. This system ensures that products receive appropriate bids to maximize visibility and return on advertising spend, while also allowing high-performing products to be managed individually. Additionally, Sidecar's solutions include dynamic product advertisements on social media platforms, enabling retailers to showcase their entire product catalogs effectively. By leveraging machine learning and extensive data analytics, Sidecar assists online retailers in managing their product listing advertisement campaigns, ultimately improving business performance and efficiency. Founded in 2007 and based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Sidecar was previously known as Snipi, Inc. until its name change in 2011.

LiftDNA

Debt Financing in 2011
LiftDNA operates a yield optimization platform specifically designed for publishers, integrating directly with their ad servers. This unique first-party integration allows LiftDNA to maximize demand competition for every ad impression, which is essential for increasing revenue yield. The platform provides real-time bidding and analytics, enabling publishers to enhance inventory demand through effective management of various demand-side partners, including ad networks and direct advertisers. By focusing on data-driven optimization and audience segmentation, LiftDNA offers insights that improve campaign performance and inventory value, ensuring that the quality and editorial standards of advertisements are maintained across both remnant and premium inventory.
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