Category philly startup leaders

Philadelphia as a “supercharged” start-up hub

Philly Startup Leaders
Learn more about PSL at PhillyStartupLeaders.org

 

I found this article interesting because it not only talks about Philadelphia’s history as a start-up city, but also how Philadelphia is doing in the busy entrepreneurial world of today.

As stated, “Philadelphia’s start-up scene today is scrappy, vibrant, and inclusive.” All good adjectives, and all very reminiscent of a city like Philadelphia.

Classic companies such as Comcast, Urban Outfitters, QVC, and Vanguard, as well as Philadelphia newcomers Monetate, Revzilla, and NextDocs, are all big reasons why entrepreneurs have chosen (or are choosing) Philadelphia as a home base for their company.

As I have mentioned on numerous occasions, Philadelphia has one of the most convenient geographical locations in the country (located in the NE US, right between NYC & DC). The Northeastern US is lauded as the nation’s most economically developed, densely populated, and culturally diverse area of the country. Not only does Philadelphia have a prime location, but we also have access to one of the world’s best talent pools; graduating from one of our many academic institutions (e.g. UPenn, Drexel, Temple, etc).

So why am I even blogging about start-ups? This has never been a tech-centric blog, but I try to relate everything I read to the local real estate market.

In today’s global environment, a robust start-up economy is a sign of strong growth. Where there are thinkers/doers, there are opportunities for jobs. Where there are opportunities for jobs, local residents spend their hard-earned money. When local residents spend their hard-earned money, real estate performs well.

Since buying is cheaper than renting today (in all of the 100 largest US metro areas), a healthy job market will increase the buying and selling of Philadelphia real estate. This then leads to even more jobs in other complementary industries (e.g. construction, home improvement stores, retail, etc).

There are 5 areas, as stated by DreamIt Ventures’ managing partner Karen Griffith Gryga, that can make Philadelphia one of the top spots in the US for start-ups and entrepreneurship; and they/re very doable.

Read on to learn more.

Philadelphia’s “underdog” start-up scene

 
Philadelphia is truly a city of firsts for the US (and even the world):

  • Grammar School – William Penn Charter, 1689
  • Botanical Garden – Bartram’s Gardens, 1728
  • Public Library – The Free Library of Philadelphia, 1731
  • Hospital – The Pennsylvania Hospital, 1751
  • Electricity – Big, Bad Ben Franklin, 1752
  • US Capital – For a short time … 1790-1800
  • Zoo – The Philadelphia Zoo, 1874
  • Modern Skyscraper – PSFS Building, 1932
  • Computer – ENIAC, 1946
  • We were even the first “Planned City” in North America; and that same, simple grid system still works unbelievably well today.

I’ve only scratched the surface; this list literally goes on and on. The funny thing is, almost every one of these “firsts” is still thriving today in most major US cities.

In order to carry on this entrepreneurial tradition, Philly Startup Leaders (PSL) has been helping local businesses get started right here in the City of Brotherly Love.

Please read this article to learn anything and everything about Philadelphia’s local start-up scene to date.