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Philly weekly roundup: A Penn dean’s career journey; AnitaB.org leadership change; Alloy raises $1.5M

Plus, AI-based employee engagement platform the Best Answer acquired local startup Lluna.

Attendees browse the schedule at BarCamp, Philly's unconference (Sarah Huffman/Technical.ly)

An academic-turned-founder on his approach

After teaching at the University of Pennsylvania for over 15 years, Boon Thau Loo considers himself an educator first. But after founding two companies, he’s also an experienced entrepreneur

Loo founded his companies because he wanted to take a more active role in getting his research out into the world in a way that could help people. He learned about how technology and business interact through those experiences, he said. 

➡️ Read more about the connections Loo makes between business and education

Local advocate Gloria Bell joins AnitaB.org

Bell, founder of the Women in Tech Summit, is AnitaB.org’s new head of pathways and communities. The move comes right before AnitaB.org comes to town for its annual Grace Hopper Celebration. 

Also in the month’s Power Moves, ImpactPHL welcomed its first CEO after changing its leadership structure. Plus, GreenLight Philadelphia’s executive director is leaving for a philanthropy role at Comcast. 

➡️ Get all the details about these Power Moves

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News Incubator: What else to know today

• Storytelling is an increasingly important element of growing tech and innovation ecosystems. Despite this, there aren’t a lot of publications doing hyperlocal reporting on the industry. [Technical.ly]

• Alloy, an online platform that helps users sell jewelry for cash, raised $1.5 million. [Technical.ly/Philly Biz Journal]

• AI-based employee engagement platform the Best Answer acquired local startup Lluna. The Wayne-based HR tech company participated in Comcast’s LIFT Labs Accelerator in 2022 and was a 2023 RealLIST Startup. [PR Newswire/Technical.ly]

• New Jersey-based Legend Biotech Corp chose Philadelphia to build its new research and development center. [Philly Biz Journal]

• Ben Franklin Technology Partners received funding from the Federal and State Technology Partnership Program. Ben Franklin was one of 49 organizations across the country to receive up to $200,000. [US Small Business Administration]

• Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development is announcing an investment in Millersville University’s pilot Robotics WorX program. [Inbox/Millersville University]

• Temple University’s CARE Lab, Digital Equity Center and Women in Cybersecurity student chapter are hosting community cybersecurity clinics this month. [Temple]

• Bucks County edtech startup MentoMind announced a new version of its AI SAT test prep platform. The updated platform includes expanded AI capabilities and parent access to the platform. The company is also working with over 50 tutoring companies. [Technical.ly/Inbox]

• Philadelphia’s Department of Revenue announced applications are open for the Low-Income Tax Freeze program. This new program pauses real estate tax bills for eligible Philadelphians. [City of Philadelphia]

🗓️ On the Calendar

• The AI Accelerator Institute is coming to Philly on Tuesday, Oct. 8 for a Navigating AI Risk meetup. [More details]

• Code for Philly’s October Hack Night is on Tuesday, Oct. 8. [More details]

• PACT’s next Life Sciences Roundtable on Oct. 9 will discuss patents in the pharmaceutical industry. [Register here]

• Startup Valley’s Networking and Pitch event is on Oct. 9 [Details here]

• Techqueria Philly Meetup is getting together for the end of Hispanic Hertitage Month on Saturday, Oct. 12. [More details]

• Partner event: 1682 makes it’s post-COVID return on Oct. 18. Hosted in Center City at the fun Five Below HQ, the ticketed event ($500-$650) features a full day of workshops, panels and more on how AI and innovation are impacting the tech scene. [Register]

• Drexel University is partnering with YellowDig for the Human Connection Summit on Oct. 23. [Buy tickets]

Sarah Huffman is a 2022-2024 corps member for Report for America, an initiative of The Groundtruth Project that pairs young journalists with local newsrooms. This position is supported by the Lenfest Institute for Journalism.
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