The Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania's (BFTP/NEP) Board of Directors has approved the investment of $1,144,400 in support of regional economic development.

The board approved investments in nine early-stage technology companies:

Cambrian Bio-Technologies
Jim Thorpe, Carbon County
Approved Investment: $75,000
Brand and commercialize Cambrian Bio-Technologies' health and beauty, agricultural and animal care products made from Ecklonia kelp. Awareness of the beneficial health and other properties of sea kelp as a natural component in products is growing in America.

Discovery Machine
Williamsport, Lycoming County
Approved Investment: $150,000
Complete a commercialization plan for a suite of software tools that allow subject matter experts to capture knowledge easily using graphical and visual methods. This facilitates a company's efforts to replicate the knowledge of its experienced staff and transmit it to other staff.

DMI Manufacturing
East Stroudsburg, Monroe County
Approved Investment: $150,000 
Complete documentation of fitting, installation and testing procedures, documentation of functionality and independent certification of electrical energy savings for this manufacturer of electrical power control units. DMI's patented EBU® product line improves energy efficiency and reduces electrical consumption in residential, commercial and industrial settings.

eVendor Check
Hawley, Pike County
Approved Investment: $35,000
Assist the company in developing a comprehensive business plan to commercialize its web-based reference system for procurement professionals. Also build the software platform required by each of the five beta sites.

Icon Legacy Custom Modular Homes
Selinsgrove, Snyder County
Approved Investment: $150,000
Establish an efficient manufacturing facility, develop products and create customer service procedures for this new manufacturer of modular homes.

Johnson-McCormick Technologies
Ben Franklin TechVentures
Bethlehem, Northampton County
Approved Investment: $50,000
Continue commercialization and improvement of proprietary "rVibe" and "rVibe Live" software for the online music industry. Johnson-McCormick's patent-pending rVibe software system provides financial incentives to artists, live concert venues and owners of digital music to participate in the network.

Pennsylvania Sustainable Technologies
Bethlehem, Northampton County
University Partner: Lehigh University
Approved Investment: $50,000
Demonstrate the feasibility of the company's new integrated fuel synthesis process for the production of alternative fuels. Increased oil demand from developing economies and limited supplies in consuming regions continues to drive demand for renewable fuels.

Target-In
Bethlehem, Northampton County
Approved Investment: $150,000
Advance Target-In's lead compound, a protein that selectively, safely, and effectively identifies and kills cancer cells and treats inflammatory diseases. Develop the compound to the point of filing for an Investigational New Drug application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Viddler
Ben Franklin TechVentures
Bethlehem, Northampton County
Approved Investment: $150,000
Continue commercializing Viddler's online video distribution and sharing platform through which businesses and individuals upload, tag and share their videos worldwide through the Internet. Viddler offers the only platform that allows in-line text or video commenting. This has been proven to increase the number and duration of a video's viewership. The product has been designed to appeal to businesses, serious video bloggers, video professionals and video enthusiasts.

The Ben Franklin board approved investments in two established manufacturers:

Clark Technology Systems
Milton, Northumberland County
University Partner: Susquehanna University
Approved Investment: $50,000
Implement Stage One of the Suppliers Excellence Alliance's Roadmap, which involves establishing a process management system for continuous improvement at this fabricator of lubrication equipment for chemical industries and refineries worldwide. This will help Clark compete by producing systems better, faster and cheaper.

Michelman-Cancelliere Iron Work
Lehigh Valley, Northampton County
University Partner: Lehigh University
Approved Investment: $14,400
Analyze all manufacturing and support areas at this structural steel fabrication, construction and engineering firm. Develop a plan to increase productivity, reduce costs and track operational costs during each job so immediate corrections can keep jobs within or under budget.

The board approved four investments in the northeastern Pennsylvania technology business support infrastructure:

NCC Coatings and Ink Research Institute
Bethlehem, Northampton County
Approved Investment: $75,000
Support NCC's Coatings and Ink Research Institute, a division of NCC's Electrotechnology Applications Center. This industry-specific Center of Excellence is a resource to suppliers and manufacturers of inks and coatings, equipment manufacturers and B-to-B consumers.

Northeastern PA Keystone Innovation Zone
Lackawanna and Luzerne counties
Approved Investment: $20,000
Provide financial support to this KIZ that includes Lackawanna and Luzerne counties and 13 colleges and universities. KIZs provide seed grants to early-stage technology companies and bring them close to research-based colleges and universities, supporting student internships and technology transfer to the benefit of both the companies and the students. This helps attract new technology companies to the region.

Pennsylvania Angel Network
Throughout Pennsylvania
Approved Investment: $10,000
Support the Pennsylvania Angel Network's efforts to coordinate and foster the growth of existing angel investor groups, and promote the formation of new angel investor groups. Angel groups are composed of high-net-worth individuals who invest in the growth of emerging companies.

Pocono Mountains Keystone Innovation Zone
East Stroudsburg, Monroe County
Approved Investment: $15,000
Provide financial support to this KIZ that includes areas close to East Stroudsburg University. KIZs provide seed grants to early-stage technology companies and bring them close to research-based colleges and universities, supporting student internships and technology transfer to the benefit of both the companies and the students.