Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania in Bethlehem just invested $150,000 in local businesses, including one-to-one funding for an established manufacturer to work with a college or university partner on technology-based innovation.

Weidenhammer, a Berks County-based digital transformation consulting firm, announced it will partner with UiPath, a global software company for robotic process automation (RPA). RPA is a software technology that enables users to build, use and manage software robots that can emulate human actions.

Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania has rescheduled its annual iXchange event for May 18 of next year. The event, originally set for May 12 of this year, was called off because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Two Bethlehem companies were among the startups that received funding from the Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Since COVID-19 forced the shutdown of gyms across the state, some smaller, boutique-style gyms have shifted their focus to virtual classes and training sessions, offering a service to members even though their doors are closed.

With restaurants and other hospitality businesses facing some of the earliest and largest financial losses from COVID-19, one local company established an online resource to help raise more than $200 million for them.

LifeAire Systems, an Upper Macungie Township company that creates in-duct air purification systems that remove airborne pathogens such as COVID-19, is looking to produce more. The company developed the technology for the in vitro fertilization industry and installed it in its first hospital a couple years ago.

Penn State Lehigh Valley has started construction of a $14.4 million expansion project that will include a STEM wing, organic chemistry lab, new dining facility and veteran and adult learner lounge.

Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania announced the winners of this year’s Innovation Awards.

Robo-advising and some aspects of artificial intelligence have started picking up in the areas of wealth management and financial advising and banking professionals and other money managers have taken notice.