Congratulations to everyone who made the March happy hour such a success. With 70-80 startup leaders, investors and stakeholders in attendance, I think we may have outgrown Loie.

Stay tuned for a possible new venue for April, and mark your calendars for the next happy hour, April 9 at 7:30PM.

For those of you who missed it, here’s a recap of our special guests.

First-time guests:

• President of University of the Arts, Sean Buffington, and Neil Kleinman, Dean of the College of Media and Communications
• Ben Franklin Technology Partners – Alan Kraus
• Osage Ventures – David Drahms
• Safeguard Scientifics – Mark Mitchell
• Select Greater Philadelphia – Jeanne O’Connor and Phil Hopkins

Returning special guests:

• ETF Venture Fund – Scott Bohrer
• BVB Capital Group – Rob Van Naarden
• Emerald Stage2 Ventures – Saul Richter
• MentorTech Ventures – Brett Topche
  

Save the date for the March Happy Hour!

Philly Startup Leaders — Happy Hour
Weds Mar 12 @ 7:30 PM
Location: Sent via E-mail to Members

As part of our mission to connect startups with tech talent, PSL is co-hosting a kickoff party for the Emerging Tech for the Enterprise Conference. This conference will bring developers and technologists from around the country to Philadelphia–in addition to attracting many of Philadelphia’s finest developers.

I encourage all startups in the technology space to check it out. This a great opportunity to meet talent. Sly Fox Brewery will be providing beer samples–in case you needed an excuse!

This event is free and does not require that you register for the conference.

Great job to Tracey Welson-Rossman from Chariot Solutions for organizing the event.

Kickoff Party for Emerging Tech for the Enterprise Conference
March 25th, 5:00 - 7:00pm
Drexel’s Creese Student Center, 32nd and Chestnut Streets

If your startup needs an intern, check out CampusPhilly’s Online Internship Fair. Philly Startup Leaders is a proud partner in this event.

Don’t wait to post your opportunity, do it now. The fair only lasts from Feb 23-29 and interns are already browsing the site.

Anthillz has an internship opportunity posted there, and if you don’t act quickly, I will be sure to snatch up all the best candidates.

Congratulations to Jon Herrman at CampusPhilly for putting this together!

Continue Reading »

I couldn’t be prouder to be an entrepreneur in Philadelphia.

At last night’s event, we saw the first hints of something truly remarkable–a thriving startup community, built from the collaboration of entrepreneurs, investors, policy makers, and city leaders.

For the 50+ of us in that room, I think we discovered a powerful bond that holds us all together:
We each chose to pursue unlikely dreams in an unlikely city.
And we will be damned if we don’t make those dreams come true.

Our latest batch of new members brings all of us one step closer. Welcome especially to our new investors, policy makers, and city leaders:

• ETF Venture Funds– Wayne Kimmel and Scott Bohrer
• DreamIt Ventures– David Bookspan and Steve Welch
• Golden Seeds – Gloria Rabinowitz and Cristiane Andrade
• Emerald Stage2 Ventures – Saul Richter and Shelby Zitelman
• MentorTech Ventures – Brett Topche
• Delaware Crossing Angel Investor Group – Vanaja Ragavan
• Innovation Philadelphia – Kelly Lee
• City of Philadelphia – Josh Sevin

Great to have you all on board!

Join us for the biggest Philly Startup Leaders happy hour yet!

• Our leadership will announce their big plans for 2008.
• Several very special guests.
• Dozens of impressive startup leaders .

Philly Startup Leaders — Happy Hour
Weds Feb 13 @ 7:30 PM
Location: Sent via E-mail to Members

More good news in the effort to unite the Philadelphia startup community. Recognizing our shared vision and overlapping membership, the Philadelphia Internet Professionals Meetup group has decided to join Philly Startup Leaders and redirect traffic from its website to PhillyStartupLeaders.org. The Philadelphia Internet Professionals Meetup brings its 49 members into the Philly Startup Leaders community.

Mark Spangler, the founder of the Philadelphia Internet Professionals Meetup and co-founder of Classicwines.com, will continue his leadership in the Philadelphia startup community as an active member of Philly Startup Leaders.

Welcome to the startup leaders from the Philadelphia Internet Professionals Meetup!

Philly Startup Leaders is setting an exciting new course for 2008. We are
looking for leaders to take charge of this group-and the future of this
city.

Please join us on January 29 at 7:30PM for an important leadership meeting.
Together, we will choose our goals and recruit leaders for each.

I encourage everyone to attend, including new members. Thank you to
Drexel’s Baiada Center for Entrepreneurship for hosting this event. Please
RSVP by e-mail to be added to the guest list.

Philly Startup Leaders-Leadership Meeting
January 29 @ 7:30 PM
Location: Sent via E-mail to Members

Happy New Year! Philly Startup Leaders is back with our inaugural meeting
of 2008, which kicks off next Weds Jan 9. We expect a high-powered
mix of entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators.

Bring your ideas, energy, and resolutions-and help make 2008 an historic
year for entrepreneurship in Philadelphia.

Please RSVP by e-mail if you know you are coming.

Philly Startup Leaders — Happy Hour
Weds Jan 9 @ 7:30 PM
Location: Sent via E-mail to Members

You can look forward to good drinks, great ideas, and even better company.
We expect a strong turnout and a few special guests as well.

Please RSVP to me if you have not done so already. See you on Wednesday!

Philly Startup Leaders — Happy Hour
Weds 12/12 @ 7:30 PM
Location: Sent via E-mail to Members