Five Reasons to Attend the PHL Innovation Picnic


By now you have probably heard about the PHL Innovation Picnic, and for good reason (see below), but you might not have purchased your tickets yet. No worries, we are here to give you five more reasons to click accept on our ticketleap page. Don’t get us wrong, there are many more than five reasons to attend, but if the obvious doesn’t appeal to you, we are hoping these five reasons will.

  1. We are partnering with some pretty incredible people

We’re joining forces with local partners to drive home our collective mission of building a stronger Philadelphia tech community. The picnic is a joint effort hosted by Ben Franklin Technology PartnersLife Sciences PAPACTPhilly New Tech MeetupPhilly Startup LeadersSafeguard Scientifics, and University City Science Center.

  1. You are going to have fun 

There will be cornhole!—a summer necessity to get any outdoor party started. If cornhole isn’t your game, we’ll have plenty else to keep you entertained, like giant Connect Four, additional lawn games, and music. Food will be provided from Local Stove, Jerry’s Kitchen, and Chewy’s. Oh, and there will be beer…again, another summer necessity.

  1. It’s for a good cause 

Proceeds from ticket sales are going towards local nonprofits: iPraxis, Spark, and TechGirlz.

iPraxis: iPraxis works to inspire middle school aged students in undeserved Philadelphia communities to explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics by connecting them with professional scientists and providing hands-on learning experiences.

Spark: Spark inspires 7th, 8th and 9th grade students to succeed in high school and beyond by connecting them with mentors in leading workplaces and supporting their academic journey with skill-building and resources. By engaging working professionals and connecting businesses with local communities, Spark empowers the next generation to perform better in school, graduate on time and lead fulfilling careers and lives.

TechGirlz: TechGirlz is a nonprofit that ignites a love for technology in middle school girls. Our free, open source workshops inspire curiosity, impart confidence, and build community as the foundation for the application of technology throughout a girl’s career and life.

  1. Your friends will probably be there 

This event is for YOU. Whether you are an entrepreneur, investor, startup, or simply a tech enthusiasts, this picnic is meant to bring together a strong network of innovators and encourage them to mingle. We promise there will not be any name tags!

  1. It’s a good reason to be outside 

Soak up the sun at the Marine Parade Grounds in front of the Historic Building 100, home to us, Ben Franklin Technology Partners. If you haven’t been to the Navy Yard this is a great excuse to check out the grounds: “The Navy Yard is home to more than 12,000 employees and 152 companies in the office, industrial, manufacturing, and research and development sectors, occupying 7.5 million square feet of real estate in a mix of historic buildings and new high-performance and LEED® certified construction.”