KCF Technologies is an innovation hub for government funded research. Some projects are top secret but we’re giving you an inside look on how the company is embracing new technology.
Welcome to KCF Technologies, where innovation is more than welcome.
But before entering the workshop every visitor is asked the same question.
Ben Lawrence, Vice President of KCF Technologies, said they’re asked if they are a U.S. citizen.
For good reason, the office is home to classified U.S. military projects.
Employees use government funding to create things like a “smart prosthetic” designed to help wounded warriors get back in the service and perform with a fully functional foot.
“That Department of Defense funding allows us to continually innovate and develop new technologies,” Lawrence said.
He said once projects get cleared they can open it up to the commercial market.
Its most popular product is the “Smart Diagnostics.”
Think of a FitBit that monitors your health, well this is a FitBit for machinery.
It helps manufacturing companies keep track of how their machines are operating.
“Essentially a crystal ball so they can look into the future and see where the next failure is going to happen before it actually does,” Lawrence said.
So where did all this start; three engineering students at Penn State, whose last initials stand for KCF.
“Our company was born here and we’re committed to staying here….We have a lot of Nittany Lions walking around in this office,” Lawrence said.
He said Central PA may be underestimated, and people may not realize the success coming out of Centre County.
And they measure that success not only by profits, but by how much they help other American companies save.
“We’re proving that Happy Valley can keep pace and often surpass what we think is only possible in Silicon Valley,” Lawrence said.
In the last three years Lawrence said their number of employees has more than tripled and they plan to expand even more in State College.