For the second time in two weeks, a crew of out-of-towners is taking a tour of Philly’s tech hotspots.
This one is for the Forbes Under 30 Summit, which kicked off earlier this week and ends Wednesday. Forty people are expected to be on the tour, said Comcast’s Danielle Cohn.
Comcast, a financial sponsor of the Under 30 Summit, worked with the city and Philly Startup Leaders to put the tour together.
Comcast is also working with the city for its day of service with the Under 30 Summit, where summit speakers and attendees are visiting local schools to talk to students. We’ll note the timing: Comcast is nearing the end of historic contract renegotiations with the city. Activists recently called for the city to ask that Comcast fund technology in schools. It’s an issue that City Council has asked questions about, too.
Spokesman John Demming said Comcast’s support of the Under 30 Summit has nothing to do with the contract negotiations. It’s the corporation’s way of showing off Philadelphia to out-of-towners, he said. Comcast sponsored the Under 30 Summit last year, too, he said.
.@CMMarkSquilla: #ComcastPhilly & @ForbesUnder30 are excited to be at #Academy@Palumbo – 1 of Philly's best magnet schools!!
— Comcast Philly NJ (@ComcastPhillyNJ) October 7, 2015
In a statement, Mayor Michael Nutter spoke of Comcast as “one of our city’s most committed corporate citizens.”
It’s not clear if Comcast funded the day’s activities — mayoral spokesman Mark McDonald told us to ask Comcast that question and we haven’t heard back from a spokesman yet. (We just sent an email this morning.)
See the tech tour’s itinerary below. It’s pretty similar to the Rise of the Rest tour, except with more of a Comcast presence.
10:00 a.m.
Depart Marriott on Market Street
Yuval Yarden, Archna Sahay, Luke Butler, Desiree Peterkin-Bell to meet bus
(City to discuss StartUp PHL)
10:15-10:45 a.m.
Tour Indy Hall (some go there, others to GURU, WebLinc)
11:10-11:50 a.m.
Tour NextFab (with pop-by from Biomeme team)
12:15-1:30 p.m.
Lunch and presentation at Comcast Center, featuring Comcast employees like Arpit Mathur, Leslie Chapman and Sean Brown
1:50-2:15 p.m.
Tour of Drexel ExCITe Center
https://twitter.com/holaolah/status/651822381917466625
2:25-2:50 p.m.
University of Pennsylvania showcase or lab visit
Singh Nanotechnology Center of the University of Pennsylvania
3:05-3:20 p.m.
Tour Curalate
3:25 p.m.
Bus departs to Pennsylvania Convention Center
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