Ben Franklin Technology Partners Shale Gas Innovation and Commercialization Center

Partner With Us in Accelerating Innovations in Shale Gas Production, Utilization, and Environmental Stewardship.

The mission of the Shale Gas Innovation and Commercialization Center (SGICC) is to establish a collaborative that will engage a wide range of partners with the intent to accelerate technology break-throughs related to the Shale Gas resource in Pennsylvania. The efforts of the partners will include the identification of funding sources for research and new product/process developments, expanded uses for natural gas, and tools that support environmental and regulatory issues.

Goals

Identify and support research of new technologies that will facilitate efficient and environmentally safe extraction and transport of natural gas in Pennsylvania.
Identify new products and markets for natural gas through industry collaboration and market research and encourage university researchers to seek innovative solutions to those problems.
Convene industry experts and leading researchers to define the potential of new products and expanded utilization applications that can be made possible with advanced research.
Establish a funding mechanism to substantially support joint university industry collaborations.
Support product maturation and commercialization.
Stay abreast of regulatory and environmental issues as they lead to new demands for technological solutions.

Strategies

Create a partner approach between universities and industries to identify real market driven needs. Foster communication among industry, research institutions, regulatory agencies and economic development partners.
Seek to identify and support increased utilization of natural gas through research into new products, new applications, and new markets.
Create a fund that will focus on identifying and investing in technologies found in universities as well as companies. Provide the means for moving the emerging technology along the path to commercialization.
Create a strong link between industry research partners to efficiently advance technology development to include test protocols, economic viability studies, and field testing.
Create an efficient path to appropriate use of Intellectual Property to the benefit of industry, research institution and Pennsylvania.

Research. Innovation Commercialization. Collaboration

About Ben Franklin Technology Partners

Ben Franklin Technology Partners/CNP, an initiative of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and funded by the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority, provides investment capital, operational assistance, and entrepreneurial support to emerging tech-based companies and small, existing manufacturers for the purpose of creating and retaining jobs in Pennsylvania.

William Hall, Executive Director
(814) 863-4881
Email Bill