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This week in Philly, biotech stakeholders react to the shakeup at Spark Therapeutics, Piano secures $120 million on the path to profitability and more.
Read on for Technical.ly’s weekly roundup of top news in the region.
📰 News Incubator: What else to know
• Montgomery County-based SFA Therapeutics, led by the scientist behind Effexor and Rapamune, is developing drugs to treat autoimmune diseases. [Technical.ly]
• Check out the data behind our 2025 RealLIST Startups. Philly’s Gemma Biotherapeutics stood out as the company with the most employees — by far. [Technical.ly]
• Mayor Cherelle Parker gave her second budget address last week, outlining a $6.7 billion plan including cuts to Philadelphia’s business tax. [The Inquirer]
• Biotech company Iovance Biotherapeutics is planning to expand its manufacturing capabilities and add hundreds of jobs at its Navy Yard site. [Philly Biz Journal]
• The University of Pennsylvania Board of Trustees appointed Larry Jameson as the University’s president. Jameson formerly served as interim president after Liz Magill resigned in 2023. [The Daily Pennsylvanian]
• Transportation technology startup Jawnt is partnering with parking platform SpotHero to allow members to reserve parking spots using their Jawnt Pass commuter debit card. [PR Newswire]
• Philly-based entrepreneur Sunny White made Inc.’s list of the top 500 female founders in the US. White is the founder and CEO of healthcare marketing company Xavier Creative House. [Inc.]
• Creative Mornings is launching an Indie Business Club for entrepreneurs looking for community. You can sign up for the monthly meetup here. [Philanthropy Network]
• Mural Arts Philadelphia launched its new website thanks to funding from Bloomberg Philanthropy’s Digital Accelerator Program. [Mural Arts]
• WURD Radio is accepting nominations of local Black woman-owned businesses for its Level Up Contest. Finalists will have the opportunity to pitch at a live event on April 8. [WURD Radio]
🗓️ On the Calendar
• If you’re interested in data, check out this workshop about survey data gathering and analysis at the Parkway Cenrtral Library on Mar. 19 [Register here]
• Meet founders and other stakeholders at the University City Science Center’s Venture Cafe on Mar. 20 [Register here]
• Data Science Philly is partnering with Temple Univesity for its March data talk on Mar. 20 [More details]
• Diverse talent platform Tribaja’s annual conference Diversitech is back Mar. 20 – 22. [Sign up]
• Join NFT Philly for a Bored Trading Cafe Web3 pop-up on Mar. 22 [Sign up]
.• Get to know a community of women of color in tech at Tech Sistas Coffee & Connect on Mar. 22 [Sign up ]
.• Partner event: Looking to meet with entrepreneurs from around the globe? From April 5 – 9, they’ll be convening in Philly at the 39th International Conference on Business Incubation for sessions on ecosystem mapping, the green economy, founder support and more. [Register]
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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