What SXSW attendees think about the Philly tech and startup scene

Cheesesteaks. The Liberty Bell. Go Birds. That’s what the rest of the country knows Philly for. 

But they’re missing one of the city’s biggest assets: a booming entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem. While Philadelphia slowly gains more recognition for those attributes — it is, after all, ranked No. 25 on Startup Genome’s list of the world’s best places to found a startup — the majority of attendees we spoke to at SXSW last week had no idea what the hidden gem has to offer.

“Nothing,” said one person on the streets of Austin. “Nothing,” said someone in the SXSW registration line, echoing what many others responded when comedian TaTa Sherise ased what they know about the Philly tech scene. “I don’t really know a lot … but I got ChatGPT!” another attendee quipped.

That said, some people did have an inkling. “I would expect them to have a really good tech scene,” one person offered. “I have heard of it, I know it’s thriving,” another person said.

Good news for anyone who wants to get to know the community better: Technical.ly, Select Greater Philadelphia and Visit Philly are giving away a trip to the city just in time for Philly Tech Week. 

The inventions stemming from Philadelphia’s life sciences scene have the potential to save lives. The US Economic Development Administration officially designated it as a Tech Hub, with a concentration on biotech, cell and gene therapy and precision medicine, showcasing its national prowess on the topic.

Its success in part stems from its many academic institutions, including the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University and Temple University. Philly ranks in the 99.8th percentile when it comes to institutional research and development spending, making it a hotbed for academia.

Plus, it’s a city of firsts. Reminders of the Founding Fathers and their contributions to the United States’ early beginnings are everywhere. As we look ahead to what innovations could bring to the region next, it already has a well-established history of invention — from cupcakes, bifocals and bubble gum to world-changing breakthroughs like computers and COVID vaccines.

Philadelphia has affordability that other East Coast regions can’t compete with. It has all the benefits of a big American city — great arts, culture, restaurants, neighborhoods, parks — but the overall cost of living is much lower than New York, DC or Boston. 

The Philadelphia innovation ecosystem is on the rise, and it’s time to get more regions to recognize it. The rest of Pennsylvania is already tapping in, thanks to efforts like the Amplify Philly-led Keystone House at SXSW this year, and now it’s time to spread the word even further. 

Our premium getaway package — including hotels, travel vouchers and more — will show off all that Philadelphia Innovation has to offer, including our annual Builders Conference on May 8 and 9.

All you have to do to for a chance to win the trip? Fill out this form by April 14. And if you’re reading this from Philly, don’t forget to spread the word! Bring your long-distance colleagues to the city for a chance to show it off.