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

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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. 

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