Ben Franklin Tech announces $2M in awards

Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania said it has awarded $2.03 million in investments to eight early-stage Pennsylvania technology companies.

The Philadelphia economic-development agency has approved funds for:

Achieve X L.L.C., Conshohocken, $150,000. The company's expansion includes an online social networking arm, AchieveNext, that will initially target accounting and financial professionals.

CeeLite Technologies L.L.C., Colmar, $500,000. The company develops light emitting capacitor (LEC) technology - thin, flexible and lightweight light sources that can be used on flat or curved surfaces.

Clear Align L.L.C., Eagleville, $251,000 (there was a previous investment of $251,000). The company supplies advanced optical engineering, prototyping and manufacturing for the aerospace, defense, communications, and medical markets.

Community Energy Inc., Radnor, $400,000. The company wants to bring wind and solar energy power into widespread, commercial production at the utility scale. It will use its Ben Franklin investment to expand its solar development and marketing operations.

GreenPhire Inc., King of Prussia, $200,000. The company will use its grant to more quickly commercialize its prepaid debit card used to pay participants in clinical trials.

OxiCool Inc., Philadelphia, $200,000 (there was a previous investment of $150,000). The company is working with the Navy to develop environmentally friendly air-conditioning technologies. Ben Franklin's investment will be used for field testing their products.

Quanta Technologies Inc., Malvern, $250,000. The company is developing energy-efficient storm windows, and will use its grant to find a manufacturing site in Pennsylvania.

Spectrum Devices Corp., Hatfield, $75,000 (there was a previous investment of $120,000). The company makes high-power transistors for RF and microwave applications, and also develops ways to bring obsolete or discontinued transistor products up to date.    - Inquirer staff