Apprennet awarded $150K Science Foundation grant [Startup Roundup]

WHO’S GETTING FUNDED?

Apprennet, an online learning startup, was awarded a $150,000 National Science Foundation grant to study whether or not teacher participation on their platform affects teacher effectiveness, said cofounder Emily Foote. The startup is looking for fourth-eighth grade math teachers to participate in the study. If you’re interested, email emily AT apprennet.com

Speaking of Apprennet, a recent law school grad has been blogging about his experience taking one of the startup’s massive open online courses. Find his blog here.

DreamIt Ventures is one-third of the way finished raising a $30 million fund to invest in its portfolio companies, we reported this week.

WHO’S GETTING BUZZ?

Revzilla, the motorcycle apparel ecommerce retailer based at the Navy Yard, was named one of the best places to work in Pennsylvania by the Team Pennsylvania Foundation, among other organizations. Revzilla recently blogged about the list, which was published in September. Other Philly-area companies on the list include: AWeber, eMoney Advisor and Monetate.

Brand.com, an online reputation manager that recently moved from West Chester to Washington Square West, was featured in the Philadelphia Daily News. The company has about 90 employees in its Philly office and 45 employees elsewhere, CEO Mike Zammuto said.

WHO’S MAKING MOVES?

Katherine High, CEO of Spark Therapeutics, the gene therapy company that received a $50 million investment from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, was awarded the E. Donnall Thomas Lecture Prize from the American Society of Hematology, according to a release. The prize recognizes “pioneering research achievements in hematology,” or the study of blood. Spark Therapeutics is a CHOP spinout company.

Rumble, the mobile platform for reading news, has left Philadelphia for New York City, said cofounder Uyen Tieu. The startup, which participated in the Project Liberty Digital Incbuator, could not find the talent it needed to grow in Philly, Tieu said, and most of its clients are in New York. Rumble still works with the Philadelphia Daily News and a few other Philly publishers, Tieu said. In February 2013, Benjamin Franklin Technology Partners invested $150,000 in Rumble.

Share My Space, a new marketplace for physical spaces, helped find a space for City Year‘s holiday celebration, according to a release. The AmeriCorps-affiliated nonprofit will hold its party at the Field House in Center City.

Santa‘s Chief Data Scientist apparently signed up for RJMetrics. This blog post from the Center City business analytics firm outlines her findings.