Pennsylvania Invests in Its Tech Initiatives

The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development announced more than $13.6 million in funding from the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority, including $2.5 million for the Pittsburgh Digital Greenhouse and $750,000 for the Idea Foundry.

The Greenhouse, based in Hazelwood, was awarded the money through the BFTDA University Grant Program and the University Investment Grant Program for the Electronic Design Technology Development Program. The program will focus on providing a cost-effective mechanism for greenhouse members to collaborate on advanced technology development. Through this collaboration, member firms and universities will identify precompetitive technology challenges and jointly support a set of advanced technology projects to accelerate the creation of new product concepts.

The Digital Greenhouse is a public-private consortium that includes the state and local companies and universities. It works to foster the technology industry in southwestern Pennsylvania.

The Idea Foundry is an Oakland-based nonprofit that is an initiative of private foundations, government, economic development entities and venture capitalists that works to collectively stimulate innovation, new company creation. The foundry was awarded $750,000 from the BFTDA Technology Company Investment Fund for the utilization of the Transformation Fellowship Program, which provides up to $100,000 per company and is used for commercialization resources to advance an idea.

More here.