Philly daily roundup: Teen-led tech startups; Are coding bootcamps still worth it?; New SportsTech cohort

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Philly teens are brainstorming tech startups

Two tech-focused youth organizations, Coded by and Launchpad, showcased young people looking to launch their own startups earlier this month.

Their teachers hope the takeaway is teamwork, collaboration and other soft skills, all of which will help young people excel in their career — no matter what they decide to do. 

➡️ Read about the next generation’s startup ideas

Do coding bootcamp grads think it worked?

Bootcamps were all the rage in the 2010s, but over the last few years, people have declared the bootcamp hype to be over. Enough time has passed now to see if bootcamps really do build the tech workforce they promise. 

Bootcamps lower the barrier to entry for tech jobs, but no one is guaranteed a great job right after graduating. Graduates differ on whether they think bootcamps are the right way to go. 

➡️ Read more about the ROI on coding bootcamps

News Incubator: What else to know today

• Pittsburgh’s location and culture are attracting businesses and technologists from Europe. [Technical.ly]

•  The City of Philadelphia released final impact reports for the Sixers’s proposed arena in Center City. The reports found that the arena would have positive economic impacts for the city, but ultimately hurt Chinatown, the neighborhood closest to where it would be built. [City of Philadelphia/Philly Biz Journal]

• Comcast NBCUniversal announced the 10 startups it chose to participate in the fourth class of its SportsTech program. [Comcast SportsTech]

• The US Small Business Administration’s Eastern Pennsylvania District Office opened nominations for the 2025 National and District Small Business Week Awards. [SBA]

🗓️ On the Calendar

• Don’t miss Technical.ly CEO Christopher Wink talking entrepreneurship in the US Southeast on Aug. 28 at 11:15. [Register]

• Ladies that UX is hosting a happy hour on Aug. 29. [Find out more]

• Technical.ly is partnering with Back Pocket Media to bring Story Fest back to Philly and host local journalism live on stage. The event on Sept. 25 and 26 at the Bok Building is sponsored by the Knight Foundation and Comcast NBCUniversal. [Buy tickets]