Seven startups have been selected to participate in the 2025 AgeTech TechCelerator, which is designed to fast-track technologies that improve the lives of aging adults, according to Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Central and Northern Pennsylvania (Ben Franklin CNP).
This year’s cohort includes entrepreneurs from across Pennsylvania — some are university researchers, others are caregivers, engineers, or returning founders, according to Ben Franklin CNP.
“These founders are not just building companies — they’re building futures,” said Sherry Davidson, Ben Franklin CNP director of operations. “From mobility to mortality, they’re solving real problems that matter to families, caregivers, and communities.”
The TechCelerator started July 16 and runs through Sept. 9, with weekly training, one-on-one coaching, and hands-on support.
At the end of the eight weeks, teams will pitch for a chance to win $15,000 in funding.
The 2025 cohort is comprised of:
- Pittsburgh-based OP Clinical Innovations, a collaboration between prosthetists and medical innovators creating software and 3D-printed prosthetics that restore dignity through lifelike design and adaptive fabrication.
- Entertainment Buddy LLC of Harrisburg, Pa., a flexible, medical-grade phone holder with wireless charging, safety alarms, and hands-free controls to empower users in nursing homes, hospitals, or at home.
- Simulations and Interactive Media in Indiana, Pa., an AI-powered, emotionally intelligent content ecosystem for older adults that adapts and learns alongside the user.
- State College, Pa.-based TalkingSick, a research-driven tool that uses voice analysis to detect early signs of respiratory illness using devices people already own — like smartphones, smartwatches, or voice assistants.
- Arro AI of Philadelphia, an AI-powered, secure knowledge platform designed to help aging service organizations scale smarter and streamline communication, care, and workflows.
- Setas Eternal Living of Huntingdon Valley, Pa., makes MyCoffin, the first U.S.-grown, fully biodegradable burial vessel made of mycelium and hemp. The carbon-negative approach gives families a way to leave a legacy of regeneration.
- Lancaster’s Nomo Innovations, creators of the Smart NightLite, an affordable, motion-sensing device that provides daily passive monitoring and text alerts to caregivers without requiring a wearable.
“AgeTech is one of our most urgent and underserved markets,” said Roger Dagen, TechCelerator director and entrepreneur-in-residence. “We’re proud to support founders whose innovations put dignity and independence at the center.”
The AgeTech TechCelerator builds on the success of Ben Franklin CNP’s AgeTech Big Idea Contest and is part of a larger push to support technologies with both social and economic value.
The program is funded through the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority and is free for all participants.