Philly daily roundup: Behind the Cesium acquisition; A booming economy in the southeast US; PA startup gets $5M

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Open source ethos sparked this acquisition

Exton-based Bentley Systems and Old City-based Cesium have been working together for years, partially thanks to Cesium’s open source 3D visualization software. 

Last week, the companies announced they were officially coming together under an acquisition. The deal allows Cesium to better integrate its products in Bentley’s platform. 

➡️ Read more about why the companies are aligned

Entrepreneurship booms in the US Southeast

There has been significant growth for tech and innovation startups in the United States Southeast over the last few years. 

Leaders in these states are facing challenges attracting talent, but they are trying to create momentum with more education and job opportunities, writes Technical.ly CEO Chris Wink. 

➡️ Read more about what’s going on in the Southeast US

News Incubator: What else to know today

• Ben Franklin Technology Partners invested $5 million into Pittsburgh-based startup Rimsys from its GO PA Fund II. This fund launched last November as a collaboration among all the Ben Franklin organizations across the state.  [Email/Technical.ly]

• 1Philadelphia is accepting nominations for its annual Innovation Awards. There are six award categories recognizing tech and innovation leaders in Philadelphia. This is the third year the nonprofit has hosted these awards.  [1PHL/Technical.ly]

• The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is asking the public for feedback about its plans for electric vehicle charging infrastructure. [PennDOT]

• The City of Philadelphia marked the completion of its summerlong cleaning project. The program addressed litter, illegal dumping, graffiti, abandoned cars, vacant lots, and “nuisance properties.” [City of Philadelphia]

🗓️ On the Calendar

• Philly Data Visualization is having its monthly meetup on Sept. 11. [Details here]

• Service Design Philadelphia is hosting a symposium called “Healthy Aging, AI Technology and Hope” on Sept. 12. [Details here]

• Partner event: Calling all Phounders, Phunders and Phans! Connect with fellow climate tech enthusiasts, eat some vegan food and maybe even sign up to table and promote your own venture. [Sign up]

• 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]