THE FUND
The Global Opportunity Pennsylvania Fund II – the GO PA Fund –
is a venture fund seeking growth stage follow-on investments pulled from the statewide portfolio of Ben Franklin Technology Partners.
Formed by Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania, with collaboration from Ben Franklin of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Ben Franklin of Central and Northern Pennsylvania, and Innovations Works from Southwestern Pennsylvania, the GO PA Fund invests in technology-based ventures throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The GO PA Fund primarily invests as a follow on fund to companies selected from Ben Franklin's statewide portfolio of more than 600 burgeoning ventures throughout Pennsylvania. The fund leverages Ben Franklin’s best-in-class multi-year/multi-round due diligence to ensure access to qualified and vetted opportunities while minimizing costs of investment.
LEAD PARTNERS
Ben Franklin Technology Partners
Since its beginning in 1982, Ben Franklin has invested more than $200 million into over 2,000 emerging technology enterprises in Greater Philadelphia, making it the most active seed investor in the Mid-Atlantic region, and ranked top 10 in the United States.
Fulton Bank
Since Fulton Bank opened its doors in 1882, they have strived to deliver the best banking experience. With over $25 billion financial services holding company, Fulton Bank offers a broad array of financial products and services in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia.
Our Team
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Scott Nissenbaum
Managing General Partner, GO PA Fund & GO Philly Fund; President & CEO, Ben Franklin of Southeastern Pennsylvania
scott@sep.benfranklin.orgScott is President and Chief Executive Officer, bringing more than 20 years of venture capital, entrepreneurial, and operational…
Scott is President and Chief Executive Officer, bringing more than 20 years of venture capital, entrepreneurial, and operationalexperience to Ben Franklin. He spent 11 years investing in early stage technology companies as managing director at Novitas Capital, a $235 million family of early stage venture funds. In 2008 he founded Finite Carbon which, as president, he led to a position of market leadership for carbon offset in California’s regulated market for forestry. He has held seats on the Boards of more than 14 companies including Traffic.com (NASDAQ:TRFC), USA Technologies (NASDAQ:USAT), EZ Prints, Inc. (acquired by Café Press), Haley Systems (acquired by Ruleburst), ClickEquations (acquired by Channel Intelligence) and ImageTree (acquired by GeoDigital). Nissenbaum is a frequent speaker on the topics of venture capital and entrepreneurship at such industry meetings as The Wharton Energy Conference, The CFA Society of Philadelphia, and the National Science Foundation’s University Startup Conference. Nissenbaum also served as an adjunct faculty member at University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton school teaching the graduate course on Venture Capital and in the Management Information Systems Department at St. Joseph’s University focusing on business software applications. Mr. Nissenbaum received an MBA in Finance from St. Joseph’s University and a B.S. degree in Finance and a Minor in Economics from the Pennsylvania State University.
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Ven Raju
President & CEO, Innovation Works; Managing Director, Riverfront Ventures
More than 20 years of experience in venture capital and private equity investing, including origination, due diligence, transaction structuring and portfolio management with strategic oversight via board and executive-level participation.…More than 20 years of experience in venture capital and private equity investing, including origination, due diligence, transaction structuring and portfolio management with strategic oversight via board and executive-level participation. -
Angelo J. Valletta
President & CEO, Ben Franklin of Northeastern Pennsylvania
40 years of progressively responsible managerial experience in diverse industries with companies ranging in size from small consultants to multi-national firms, with a track record of building effective internal and outsourced distributed teams.…40 years of progressively responsible managerial experience in diverse industries with companies ranging in size from small consultants to multi-national firms, with a track record of building effective internal and outsourced distributed teams. -
Steve Brawley
President & CEO, Ben Franklin of Central and Northern Pennsylvania
Responsible for the implementation of the Ben Franklin investment program in the 32-county footprint served by Ben Franklin CEP, he oversees a portfolio of more than 150 early-stage companies, and has developed a variety of new, innovative entrepreneurial programs.…Responsible for the implementation of the Ben Franklin investment program in the 32-county footprint served by Ben Franklin CEP, he oversees a portfolio of more than 150 early-stage companies, and has developed a variety of new, innovative entrepreneurial programs. -
Elaina Shekhter
Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer, EPAM Systems, Inc. (NYSE: EPAM)
Leads EPAM’s global marketing and strategy, with a material influence on the strategy, positioning, and global brand of the company. She has held a number of leadership roles within EPAM, including most recently as the Global Head of Business Development and the Travel and Consumer Business Units.…Leads EPAM’s global marketing and strategy, with a material influence on the strategy, positioning, and global brand of the company. She has held a number of leadership roles within EPAM, including most recently as the Global Head of Business Development and the Travel and Consumer Business Units. -
Omar G. Mencin, DBA
Managing Director, Tech Investment Group, Ben Franklin SEP At Ben Franklin
omar@sep.benfranklin.orgAt Ben Franklin, Omar has closed over $18M in 63 companies. He has led GO Philly Fund investments in SideCar, Clutch, Houwzer, Audigent, and DrayNow. He was an analyst in the Merchant Banking Division at Goldman Sachs and was the founding CEO of the US Market Access Center, a SV based accelerator.
…At Ben Franklin, Omar has closed over $18M in 63 companies. He has led GO Philly Fund investments in SideCar, Clutch, Houwzer, Audigent, and DrayNow. He was an analyst in the Merchant Banking Division at Goldman Sachs and was the founding CEO of the US Market Access Center, a SV based accelerator.
In his role with Ben Franklin, Omar is responsible for sourcing deals, managing due diligence, negotiating deal terms, and serving as a board observer and portfolio manager. During his tenure at Ben Franklin and in investment roles prior, he has led over 30 seed to Series A equity and convertible debt investments across the e-commerce, digital media, Ed-Tech, wearable technology, Finetch, Blockchain, and healthcare IT sectors including Practice (acquired by Instructure), Ridekleen (Acquired by COX Automotive), Snip Snap (acquired by Slyce), and Clarity Payment Systems (Acquired by TYSYS). He has also led Ben Franklin fund to fund investments in partner accelerator programs such as the UPENN based EDSI ED-Tech accelerator program, the Philadelphia Media Network (Philadelphia Inquirer) Project Liberty Incubator, and the DreamIT Ventures Accelerator. -
Kathie Jordan, Ph.D.
Managing Director, Healthcare Investment Group, Ben Franklin SEP
kathie.jordan@sep.benfranklin.orgPreviously led the Coulter-Drexel Translational Research Partnership, an endowed non-dilutive fund with a portfolio of 70+ technologies, ranging from small molecule therapeutics to medical devices and diagnostics. Kathie turned the program from a 3x to 33x leverage of funds invested relative to follow-on funding.
…Previously led the Coulter-Drexel Translational Research Partnership, an endowed non-dilutive fund with a portfolio of 70+ technologies, ranging from small molecule therapeutics to medical devices and diagnostics. Kathie turned the program from a 3x to 33x leverage of funds invested relative to follow-on funding.
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Aston Pierce
Investment Director, GO PA Fund
aston.pierce@sep.benfranklin.orgPierce brings a blend of venture capital, growth equity, and alternative investment expertise to the Ben Franklin team, spanning a broad range of sectors and technologies. Pierce served as a growth equity investor at Edison Partners focused on enterprise solutions, healthcare information technology, and financial technology. Before joining Edison, Pierce was a venture capital investor at Blu Ventures focused on enterprise software. He also held positions at the Rock Creek Group, Target Corporation, and an E-commerce startup. Pierce earned a BA in Economics and a minor in Business Administration from the University of Michigan.…
Pierce brings a blend of venture capital, growth equity, and alternative investment expertise to the Ben Franklin team, spanning a broad range of sectors and technologies. Pierce served as a growth equity investor at Edison Partners focused on enterprise solutions, healthcare information technology, and financial technology. Before joining Edison, Pierce was a venture capital investor at Blu Ventures focused on enterprise software. He also held positions at the Rock Creek Group, Target Corporation, and an E-commerce startup. Pierce earned a BA in Economics and a minor in Business Administration from the University of Michigan.
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Jonathon Beschen
Investment Director, Tech Investment Group, Ben Franklin SEP; Fund Manager of the Global Opportunity Philadelphia Fund
jon@sep.benfranklin.orgJonathon Beschen is the Go Philly Fund General Partner with responsibilities for day-to-day activities and technology oversight.…
Jonathon Beschen is the Go Philly Fund General Partner with responsibilities for day-to-day activities and technology oversight.Jon’s responsibilities include day-to-day activities and technology oversight of the GO Philly Fund. In his six years at Ben Franklin SEP, he has closed $4.4M in 51 investments. A founding partner of SparkNET Technologies, a software consulting startup which he led for 10 years, investing in 12 early-stage tech companies.
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Margaret Berger Bradley
Vice President, Strategic Initiatives at Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania
margaret.bradley@sep.benfranklin.orgMargaret Berger Bradley is the VP of Strategic Initiatives. She joined Ben Franklin to lead the development and implementation of strategies and projects focused on creating partnerships that expand Ben Franklin’s access to capital and further the overall mission, with a particular focus on emerging impact investment strategies. …Margaret Berger Bradley is the VP of Strategic Initiatives. She joined Ben Franklin to lead the development and implementation of strategies and projects focused on creating partnerships that expand Ben Franklin’s access to capital and further the overall mission, with a particular focus on emerging impact investment strategies. She has spent more than 25 years focusing on community and economic development, building organizational capacity and managing philanthropic investments, and has had a particular focus on communications, strategic planning and implementation and organizational systems and growth.Contact
