THE GO PHILLY FUND I BRINGING THE OPPORTUNITY OF PHILADELPHIA’S INNOVATION ECONOMY TO THE WORLD.
THE GO PHILLY FUND I
THE GLOBAL OPPORTUNITY PHILADELPHIA FUND – THE GO PHILLY FUND I–
IS A VENTURE FUND SEEKING GROWTH STAGE FOLLOW-ON INVESTMENTS PULLED FROM THE PORTFOLIO OF BEN FRANKLIN TECHNOLOGY PARTNERS OF SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA.
Formed by Ben Franklin, the Philadelphia region’s most active early-stage investor for over 35 years, and EPAM, a leading global product development and digital platform engineering services company, the Fund leverages its deep insights into Ben Franklin’s 250+ active portfolio companies to facilitate investor participation in the burgeoning opportunity within the Philadelphia region’s technology-based ventures.
The Fund provides capital for early-stage technology companies primarily in the Philadelphia region (which includes the City of Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties).
The Fund makes follow on investments to the early-stage companies that have passed Ben Franklin’s comprehensive due diligence process, supporting the growth of enterprises that build the community of innovation in Philadelphia.
Set within the surging opportunity of Philadelphia’s growth, the Fund is uniquely positioned to expedite investor participation in the region’s emerging technology ventures, while affecting the growth of the region at large.
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.
EPAM
Founded in 1993 in Princeton NJ, and headquarters in Newtown PA, EPAM has leveraged its software engineering expertise to become a leading global product development, digital platform engineering, and top digital and product design agency.
GO Philly Portfolio
Audigent is an audience intelligence platform that provides brands with actionable data, analytics and insights that optimize the targeting, engagement and ROI of online, mobile and social video ads w ...
Biomeme, Inc. empowers anyone, anywhere with the capabilities of a molecular lab in the palm of their hand with the world’s fastest DNA/RNA extraction and the smallest mobile real-time qPCR thermocy ...
Cagent Vascular is dedicated to improving the treatment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of mortality and poor quality of life worldwide. The company’s vision is to be th ...
Clutch’s Customer Data and Marketing Platform act like the brains of the customer’s marketing operation. It performs three key functions for their customers that enable personalized marketing a ...
DrayNow makes moving Intermodal easier than ever by connecting freight with capacity and providing instant visibility. ...
Houwzer is a modern, socially responsible real estate agency for savvy homeowners. They rebuilt the real estate brokerage model around their customers with technology and a team of full service, salar ...
Enabling Surgeons to Repair and Reconstruct the Human Body by uniting 3D Printing, Biomaterials, Biomechanics, and AI. ...
Roundtrip provides healthcare professionals with a simple, web-based portal and mobile platform that connects patients with on-demand, non-emergency medical transportation. ...
Sidecar helps retailers unlock the full potential of today’s fastest growing online discovery and shopping channels. Their approach combines advanced artificial intelligence, a rich, retail-focused ...
TRIDIUUM is a decision/risk analysis company that has developed a Saas-based Behavioral Health platform designed to help identify suicidality, depression, PTSD, substance use and anxiety disorders in ...
GO Philly Fund Partners
GO PHILLY FUND 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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RoseAnn B. Rosenthal
CEO Emeritus, Ben Franklin
roseann@sep.benfranklin.orgHaving served as its President, CEO and member of the Board of Directors for 25 years, RoseAnn B. Rosenthal now serves…
Having served as its President, CEO and member of the Board of Directors for 25 years, RoseAnn B. Rosenthal now servesas CEO Emeritus for Ben Franklin. Praised by regional, national and international leaders as a pioneer of public-private partnerships and an invaluable resource for innovation-focused investment and growth in the Philadelphia region, Rosenthal has over forty-five years of experience in economic development, business investment, and regional planning.
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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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Rick Genzer
Investment Director, IT Investment Group, Ben Franklin
rick@sep.benfranklin.orgRick Genzer is the Investment Director of the IT Investment Group at Ben Franklin. For 30 years before joining Ben Franklin in 2017, …
Rick Genzer is the Investment Director of the IT Investment Group at Ben Franklin. For 30 years before joining Ben Franklin in 2017, Rick was an accomplished founding team member, senior executive and management consultant with direct involvement in many entrepreneurial endeavors, and has played many key roles in the commercialization of leading-edge products and services. As part of his prior commercialization experience, Rick has had direct involvement in a variety of private equity transactions, in a wide range of market sectors. Rick has been in investor in a private equity fund and has served/participated on a number of both non-profit and for-profit boards. Since joining Ben Franklin, Rick has worked with over 100 companies and ultimately invested in 16. He has also participated in 2 exits and 3 debt conversions.
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Jenn Hartt
Managing Director, Healthcare Investment Group, Ben Franklin
jennifer@sep.benfranklin.orgJennifer (“Jenn”) Hartt, MS is the Managing Director of the Healthcare Investment Group at Ben Franklin. …
Jennifer (“Jenn”) Hartt, MS is the Managing Director of the Healthcare Investment Group at Ben Franklin. Hartt directs all of Ben Franklin’s life sciences related investments in companies with technologies ranging from clinical healthcare IT, medical devices and diagnostics to therapeutics. Hartt has closed 139 investments totaling over $33M in over 70 companies for Ben Franklin since early 2006. Hartt is highly experienced in both convertible notes and equity investment instruments. In addition, she has negotiated dozens of exits and conversions of debt to equity. Hartt holds a Master’s in Biology (with a focus on molecular biology and genetics) and Bachelor’s degree in Biology, graduating summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, with both degrees from the University of Pennsylvania.
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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.
