James L. Kosco

After retiring from the chemical industry, James Kosco spent 10+ years seeking out, funding, and mentoring promising start-up companies in Northwest PA area through Ben Franklin Technology Partners which is one of the nation’s longest running technology-based economic development programs.

He also assisted promising companies in raising millions of dollars in startup capital. One company, first recognized and funded by Ben Franklin, won the Amazon Web Services worldwide business plan contest (2000 applicants from 22 countries). That company had a successful exit. Prior to Ben Franklin, Dr. Kosco earned a Ph.D. from Northwestern University, and then joined Engelhard Industries as a bench chemist. His work eventually led to a role in manufacturing where he rose to Director of Manufacturing Technology, heading a group responsible for developing and commercializing on a large scale both internal technology and external toll manufacturing of products for major chemical and pharmaceutical companies.

He was also responsible for technical liaison and transfer of technology to international subsidiaries. Duties included house account manager for German licensed technology that was sold to three major U.S. based chemical companies. He devised a predictive inventory control system to manage $1 million per month in precious metals. Dr. Kosco had major director roles in technology development, interfacing closely with sales/marketing at Degussa corporation and Mallinckrodt corporation. Groups under his oversight successfully developed and commercialized over 100 products in 30 years. He became General manager of the Chemical Catalyst U.S. division at Degussa, where he oversaw a turnaround of a business with a raw material throughput of $80 million per year. For two years Dr. Kosco was a consultant to a chemical startup business in Princeton N. J. funded by an Italian industrialist. He was responsible for setting up the manufacturing process, recruiting, and hiring of technical staff. That business was successfully sold to a Russian entrepreneur.