Using Franklin's Vision to Drive Today's Technology

The inspiration for Ben Franklin Technology Partners derives from a most fitting source – Benjamin Franklin, the legendary Pennsylvanian celebrated for his curious mind, multiple talents, and desire to foster American innovation far beyond the limitations of his time.

Most Pennsylvanians learn in school about Franklin’s many inventions, which included bifocals, the lightning rod and the Franklin stove. Yet few Pennsylvanians realize that, through his will, Franklin provided for the financial support of future inventors and entrepreneurs more than 200 years after his death. Today, Franklin’s earliest form of seed money continues to bring about numerous technological and societal advances that benefit Pennsylvania.

Although the Ben Franklin Technology Partners does not receive funding from Franklin’s estate, entrepreneurs supported by the program are keeping Benjamin Franklin’s vision alive by inventing products and processes that enhance and improve our entire way of life.

As we celebrate Franklin’s 300th birthday (January 17, 2006), it is fitting to note how Benjamin Franklin’s legacy continues to live with us today. At times the link between Benjamin Franklin and BFTP is very direct. Consider, for example, the striking connection between The Philadelphia Contributionship, a property insurance company founded by Benjamin Franklin, and Millbrook, Inc. a startup company supported by the Ben Franklin Technology Partners.

The Philadelphia Contributionship was formed by a group of Philadelphia fire fighters in 1752 to protect the city’s homeowners. Today, The Contributionship continues to operate as the oldest fire insurance company in the nation. In 1997-1998, Millbrook partnered with The Contributionship to beta test Millbrook’s revolutionary management information software for the insurance industry. By bringing together the genius of Pennsylvania’s past and present entrepreneurs, this successful business venture demonstrates the ongoing need for the visionary thinking of individuals like Benjamin Franklin and organizations like BFTP to drive tomorrow’s technology.

Although less direct, but no less inspirational, is the story of Vivisimo, the creator of innovative web-search software that clusters information according to topics. On behalf of the National Science Foundation Vivisimo has unveiled a special Ben Franklin web portal in honor of Franklin's 300th birthday.

Located at ben.clusty.com, the new tool is a comprehensive one-stop site for searching Franklin's own writings and a selectively curated collection of tens of thousands of web pages related to him. Befitting Franklin's leadership in establishing the country's first public library, the site is free and accessible to anyone with an Internet connection.

Pittsburgh-based Vivisimo's development work began at Carnegie Mellon, an institution with a legacy of significant contributions to web search tools starting with the creation of Lycos as a university spin-out in the '80's. "Vivisimo got its start thanks to the National Science Foundation and Pennsylvania's own Ben Franklin Technology Partners.

The company was supported over many years through Small Business Innovation Research grants awarded by the National Science Foundation. In addition, Vivisimo received a total of $500,000 from Ben Franklin Technology Partners between July 2000 and April 2002. Aside from the NSF awards this is the only outside investment the company sought to get off the ground.

In early 2006, Vivisimo's Velocity 4.2 was chosen as the "Best Enterprise Search Solution" at InfoWorld's 2006 Technology of the Year Awards. InfoWorld's annual Technology of the Year Awards recognize the top ten technologies that made the greatest impact during the past year, as well as products that best exemplify the implementation of those technologies.

For more information about Benjamin Franklin, visit Benjamin Franklin Institute’s Tercentenary website.