2026 was Philly’s moment.
After years of preparation, the city finally had its chance on the global stage via events like America 250 and the World Cup. Beyond those major events, the region’s tech ecosystem saw a steady flow of community programming, major deals and company progress.
The annual Technical.ly Awards give us a chance to look back, reflect and celebrate.
After updating our six award categories, we asked for your nominations and reviewed past reporting. Then we curated a list of finalists that represent the biggest moments.
Now, it’s your turn to decide the people, products and organizations that had the most impact this year.
The deadline to vote is Nov. 25, and winners will be announced in December.
Keep scrolling to read about this year’s nominees and submit your votes.
Launch of the Year
The new company, product, service or go-to-market approach in your ecosystem this year that had the most impact, either locally or globally.
- Philly Parking Buddy: The app uses city data to alert drivers to parking restrictions, helping them avoid tickets and plan where to leave their cars.
- Sindri Graphene cryo-EM grids: Sindri Materials’ product improves the results from cryogenic electron microscopy, an imaging technique used in structural biology, drug discovery and disease research.
- Philly Budget Data: Engineer Aaron Couch used open-source data visualization tools to turn Philly’s budget data into an accessible breakdown of how the city spends.
- AirJoule’s Prime System: Unveiled at its Newark, Delaware, facility this summer, the Prime system pulls moisture from the air and uses heat from industrial facilities, like data centers, to turn it into liquid.
Programming of the Year
The activation, program or event that made the most difference in the local innovation community this year.
- AINPHL AI Forum: Hosted during Philly Tech Week, AI Innovation Network Philadelphia gathered government, higher education and private sector leaders to discuss responsible deployment of AI.
- Capital House: 1Philadelphia organized a day-long conference that connects founders and investors as part of Innovation Weekend.
- Science Inc. accelerator: The Innovation Space finished its first accelerator cycle after restructuring the program last fall, separating it into two industry-specific cohorts.
- 1682 Conference: O3 World’s annual innovation conference focused on “AI for All” this year, featuring programming about how company leaders could practically apply AI tools.
Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year
The newcomer (someone who started their entrepreneurship journey within the past 2 years) who made the biggest splash this year, whether locally, regionally or globally.
- Shahrukh Tarapore: Tarapore, cofounder and CTO of Seedless, won PACT’s Top Pitch and secured investment from Ben Franklin Technology Partners. The company creates realistic but synthetic legal data that firms can use to test their systems without exposing sensitive information.
- Nathan Noyes: Noyes is developing a new use for an abundant natural resource through Perennial Polymers, which transforms fallen leaves into biodegradable plastic.
- Ted Baumgardner: Drawing on frustrations he encountered in his family’s construction business, Baumgardner built contractor tech startup Guthrie AI, which raised $4 million this year.
- Jenn Schoen: Schoen’s AI platform Poppins connects parents with healthcare professionals, and it recently secured $2 million.
Visionary of the Year
The person who changed the most minds, inspired the most conversation or spurred the most progress to your ecosystem this year.
- Cameron Baston: A clinician advisor with Penn Health-Tech, Baston brings clinical and engineering perspectives together, mentoring healthcare innovators and helping turn ideas for better medical technology into viable products and companies.
- Lilly Chen: After moving FSH Technologies from San Francisco to Philadelphia, Chen has become a champion of building practical technology that solves everyday problems, while growing her govtech company into a nationally expanding business.
- Celine King: Since bringing GreenIRR to Philadelphia, King has become involved in the city’s startup community, crediting its collaborative network with helping her emissions-tracking company close a $2 million funding round and win the Philadelphia Startup World Cup.
- Erin Feeney: A founding member of Philly Builds AI, Feeney helps bring attention to Philadelphia’s tech companies through initiatives like the alliance’s founder profile series, which highlights entrepreneurs building and growing businesses in the region.
Deal of the Year
The financial transaction that made the most difference to the local ecosystem this year.
- Novartis acquires Pikavation: The global pharmaceutical enterprise bought Pikavation Therapeutics, a solid-tumor treatment program and subsidiary of Synnovation Therapeutics, for $2 billion.
- Agilent Technologies buys Proscia: After a years-long partnership, the lab tech giant purchased digital pathology platform Proscia for $240 million.
- FORT Robotics plans to go public: FORT Robotics announced plans to go public via a special purpose acquisition company at a $556 million valuation.
- Exyn Technologies IPOs: Penn spinout Exyn Technologies debuted on the stock exchange in May, trading 2.5 million units on the Nasdaq Capital Market for $7.75 each.
Discourse of the Year
The theme, topic, industry, group, people, company or organization that dominated discussion across the ecosystem this year.
- Philadelphia’s AI future: Groups like Philly Builds AI and AI Innovation Network brought regional attention to the opportunities and challenges of AI adoption, including how businesses can use the technology to strengthen the local economy.
- Life sciences manufacturing in Southeastern PA: At least seven major life sciences companies, including Eli Lilly and Johnson & Johnson, unveiled new or expanded manufacturing facilities in the region, proving the legitimacy of Philly’s growing biotech industry.
- Robots on Philly’s streets: Uber Eats introduced delivery robots while Waymo continued testing self-driving cars, leading to headline-worthy run-ins between the public and autonomous tech.
- Academy of Natural Sciences closing: The beloved 200-year-old science museum closed at the end of September, leading to efforts from residents and local government to save the institution.
