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.