Fresh off the release of our new Map of Innovation Ecosystems and local tech economy reports, we at Technical.ly have plenty to say about how startup communities are evolving and telling their story.
Come learn and share when our annual Technical.ly Builders Conference returns in an expanded, two-day format in Philadelphia: Thursday, May 8, and Friday, May 9, 2025.
We’re proudly part of Philly Tech Week, the festival we founded that is now led by our friends at 1Philadelphia.
Attendees will include entrepreneurs (notably, members of our RealLIST Startups) and ecosystem builders organizing to support them. Last May, we welcomed more than 300 people from 20+ US states and at least three countries.
The focus: professional development for those passionate about storytelling, economic mobility and how artificial intelligence tools are changing work right now.
Builders 2025 key links
As you might expect for an event led by a news organization, sessions will get specific on strategies for storytelling (or how anyone ever finds out about your work) and how different regions across the country are approaching economic mobility (or why all this work ultimately matters). Sessions will again include interactive “fishbowls” for entrepreneurs to swap practical advice, and, yup, we’re dedicating an entire room to real, actionable workshops on deploying AI tools.
Early-bird registration is open through March 1, priced at a discount. Like last year, each ticket is also a way to contribute to Technical.ly’s independent journalism. Reserve your spot here.
Sponsor the event to support Technical.ly’s work and to help gather and meet this community of entrepreneurs, innovators and organizers. Find out more here.
What to expect at the conference
- Doors open 9 a.m. Thursday at the historic Science History Institute in Old City Philadelphia, where we first hosted a version of this conference back in 2018.
- Thursday evening at the Science History Museum, what was once-called our Signature Event will now be our Builders Reception, bringing together hundreds of entrepreneurs and organizers.
- Three tracks of content: One focused on economic mobility case studies from around the country; one focused on AI implementations in entrepreneurship and economic development contexts and a third for interactive startup founders.
- Friday morning: A half day focused further on trends across the country.
- All will have the theme of storytelling, or how your work reaches more people
Your ticket supports the Technical.ly Journalism Fund, ensuring our reporting can continue to be freely accessible to communities that rely on our work to stay connected, wayfind and grow.
Are you a founder or ecosystem builder or community member with something interesting to share? Fill out our speaker interest form for consideration by our organizing team. We may find a fit for a solo presentation during a lightning talk session or a place for participation during our keynote panels.
See you in Philadelphia this May!
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