Impact

Gov. Wolf’s Proposed Budget Would Give Ben Franklin Technology Partners $8M to Fund More Startups

February 10, 2022

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s ambitious $43.7 billion budget proposal includes an $8 million boost for Ben Franklin Technology Partners, a move that the organization’s leadership says could get more Philadelphia-area startups funded. Wolf’s budget proposal sets aside $2 million for each of the four Ben Franklin Technology Partners offices — located in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, State […]

The Delco Company Where Corporate America’s Old Phones and Computers go to Die

January 31, 2022

CyberCrunch is totally bent on destruction. Its two plants, in Aston and out west in Greensburg, Pa., are places where familiar electronics from Philadelphia’s biggest employers go to die. More precisely, to be shredded into high-tech confetti that data thieves can’t pillage, then sold to recyclers. The more digitized and data-dependent our working lives become, […]

13 Philadelphia-Area Startups to Keep Your Eye on in 2022

January 10, 2022

Soaring investor confidence in 2021 led to accelerated funding activity for enterprising technologies, entrepreneurs and businesses in Greater Philadelphia. Startups throughout the region raised record amounts of capital last year while posting tremendous growth, even as the Covid-19 pandemic continued to impact the global workforce and supply chain. Recognizing some of the most promising startups, […]

Deals That Transformed Philly’s Tech Scene in 2021

December 28, 2021

The relentless rise in U.S. tech stock prices since the last recession, and the private-company valuations that follow those stock trends, this year fueled a rush of deals by Big Tech and private-equity giants, reshaping the landscape of Philly’s technology employers alongside everyone else. Just last week, Oracle, the Silicon Valley business-software giant, which has […]

Avanos Medical To Acquire OrthogenRx for $160 Million

December 15, 2021

Avanos Medical, Inc. (NYSE: AVNS) today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire OrthogenRx, Inc., an emerging leader in viscosupplementation therapies for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (OA) pain, for a total consideration of $160 million. The purchase price consists of $130 million in cash at closing plus an additional $30 million […]

GoCoach Raises $3.5 Million Seed Round Led by Panoramic Ventures to Help Organizations Coach and Upskill Workforces

December 14, 2021

GoCoach, an upskilling, workplace learning, and coaching platform, has secured an oversubscribed venture round led by Panoramic Ventures. Other investors participating in the round include Early Light Ventures, Zane Capital, WGU Labs, RevUp Capital, Gaingels, Ben Franklin Technology Partners, and Global Super Angels Fund. The caliber and variety of investors participating in this round demonstrates […]

What is 1Philadelphia? Sylvester Mobley on Building Infrastructure For Racial Equity in Philly Tech

December 9, 2021

“Systemic” is just buzzwordy enough to become meaningless without context. But Sylvester Mobley can offer one stark example of the real-world effects of a systemic issue hindering Philly young people’s futures. After launching the Innovation League, a competition-driven tech skills development initiative, this year, he kept hearing from parents that they didn’t feel comfortable about […]

Revolutionizing the Manufacture of Medicine and More

December 2, 2021

Making new drugs, vaccines and gene therapy can take up to a decade or longer, and cost hundreds of millions of dollars or more. The process is complex and it requires many steps to go from conception to market. And a new platform from ChromaTan, a startup with roots in Happy Valley, is poised to […]

How Can Entrepreneurs Tackle Health Inequities with Tech Solutions?

December 1, 2021

Tennis icon Serena Williams was vocal about her difficulties as a Black woman who experienced a scary childbirth. Track and field star Allyson Felix also spoke out about the life-threatening complications she faced during her pregnancy. While these mothers — both wealthy celebrities — had access to financial resources and support to assist them during […]

WizeHive Combines Forces with Bright Funds to Create Comprehensive Corporate Giving Solution

November 18, 2021

WizeHive, a leading provider of Grants Management software, today announced a merger with Bright Funds, a leading provider of workplace giving and volunteerism solutions. By bringing together two best-of-breed software providers that power corporate philanthropic missions, WizeHive and Bright Funds will deliver a single SaaS solution that meets the full range of corporate giving needs […]