BFTP invests $975K // RJMetrics CEO gets NYTimes column [Startup Roundup]

WHO’S GETTING FUNDED?

Spor, the Drexel-based startup that was developing a solar-powered battery charger, raised $20,000, according to an SEC filing.

Benjamin Franklin Technology Partners invested $975,000 in nine companies, including Sidecar and DreamIt Health companies Fitly and Grand Round Table. BFTP has invested $385,000 in Sidecar, a Center City ecommerce marketing company.

WHO’S MAKING MOVES?

RJMetrics CEO Robert Moore now has his own New York Times column. He previously wrote guest posts for TechCrunch.

Curalate staffer and Venture for America 2013 fellow Kate Leisy won second place in Venture for America’s “Innovation Fund” contest, USA Today reported. Leisy and another VFA fellow raised more than $12,000 for their venture, a Startup Weekend-esque event for creating bands called Bandaloo. They also won $6,000 in prize money.

Speaking of Venture for America, the national organization that works to get college students working at startups, Philly is currently leading the pack with the most fellows (five so far) placed at Philly startups than any of the other 11 VFA cities, said VFA corporate development manager Elisabeth Deogracias.

Two fellows each are working at Biomeme and LeadiD, and one is working at Clutch. If you’re interested in taking on a fellow, as companies like Curalate and Graphene Frontiers did in 2013, email Deogracias ASAP at elisabeth(at)ventureforamerica(dot)org

Check out the 2014 class of Tribe12, the accelerator for Jewish entrepreneurs. It includes Milkcrate founder Morgan Berman and I’m Sorry to Hear founder Rachel Zeldin.

Benjamin’s Desk, the Rittenhouse Square coworking space, is now part of the national 1776 Startup Federation, which allows its members to use each other’s spaces if they’re traveling. Baltimore coworking space Betamore is part of the 1776 Startup Federation.

Rick Nucci‘s stealth-mode startup Guru now has a Launchrock page. His cofounder Mitchell Stewart was the engineering manager at Boomi.

Has Kwelia departed for Austin, Texas? John Njoku, cofounder of the real estate analytics startup that was previously based at Benjamin’s Desk, is now in Austin, according to his LinkedIn. He didn’t respond to a request for comment.

OneTwoSee, the Center City social sports TV companion, hired Rick Bergan as its  new VP of Business Development and Sales, according to a release. Bergan was previously the senior vice president at Music Choice, a Horsham-based music-related content provider.

Is used car sales platform Zenkars finished? The founders of the DreamIt Ventures company are now working at consulting firms in different parts of the country, according to their LinkedIns, and the website search function no longer works. Zenkars won the 2013 Wharton Business Plan Competition. The cofounders did not respond to a request for comment.

WHO’S GETTING BUZZ?

Invisible Sentinel, the University City Science Center-based medical diagnostics company, was featured in the Philadelphia Business Journal.

Socialie, a social media tool for brands, was featured in the Philadelphia Business Journal.

The early story of Curalate, when it was a startup called Storably, was featured on FastCompany.

Stuzo, the Center City social media marketing company, was featured in the Philadelphia Daily News.

Law journal ABA Journal called Hire an Esquire investor Miriam Rivera one of Silicon Valley’s most influential women. Hire an Esquire, the legal staffing startup that recently closed its seed round, was mentioned in the story as one of Rivera’s legal startup investments.

STARTUP ROUNDUP SNAPSHOT

U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah visited Silicon Valley companies last week, including Google and Facebook, spokeswoman Allyson Freeman told us. At Google, he got his Google Glass upgrade.