“You can’t create an entrepreneurial ecosystem by proclamation, you have to do it by actions”

Open Data, Inclusion, and Access

The City of Philadelphia’s Office of Innovation and Technology was selected as one of CIO magazine’s CIO 100, an annual awards program that recognizes organizations around the world that exemplify the highest level of operational and strategic excellence in information technology, for its Open Data and digital access and inclusion efforts.

“From the early days of our Administration, we have been committed to being an effective, efficient, modern government that used technology and innovation principles to improve service delivery,” said Mayor Michael A. Nutter.  “I want to congratulate Adel Ebeid and the entire Office of Innovation and Technology team on this impressive distinction.”

The CIO 100 cited the Office of Innovation and Technology’s focus on Open Data, including releasing 190 data sets to the public through the OpenDataPhilly portal, creation of civic technology tools, like the Philadelphia Property Search and AVI Calculator, and its digital inclusion and access efforts, specifically through the KeySPOTs Computer Centers that have served more than 750,000 clients.

Chief Innovation Officer Adel Ebeid said, “We appreciate this recognition because it credits our entire organization and isn’t typically awarded to government.”

Startups and Entrepreneurs

Mayor Michael Nutter was also recognized recently by Ernst and Young at their Entrepreneur of the Year Awards Ceremony. The annual event highlights the leading entrepreneurs in the Philadelphia region.

“My Administration has tried to do its part under the leadership of Deputy Mayor Alan Greenberger, but we are only playing a supporting role,” said Mayor Nutter.  “The people responsible for Philadelphia’s success as a startup city are the founders, innovators and investors who are building great companies here and changing the narrative about our city.  The job of city government is to help you where we can, get out of the way where we need to, and to celebrate the incredible work that so many are doing in this great city.”

Mayor Nutter highlighted a number of effort, including:

• A $6 million Startup PHL angel and seed stage investment fund, a partnership between PIDC and First Round Capital.
• The Startup PHL Call for Ideas, which has provided grants to fourteen organizations in Philadelphia that that are building the next generation of entrepreneurs and expanding opportunity to all communities in the city.
• Changes to the city’s business taxes to help new businesses grow by exempting the first two years of Business Income and Receipts tax for qualifying new businesses, and providing Job Creation Tax Credits for growing companies in our city.

A ceremony video tribute featured from Amy Gutmann, President of the University of Pennsylvania; Josh Kopelman, Partner at First Round Capital; and Sylvester Mobley, Founder of Coded by Kids.

“You can’t create an entrepreneurial ecosystem by proclamation, you have to do it by actions,” said Kopelman.  “The Mayor’s leadership led to the creation of Startup PHL and to date we have funded eight companies that are now growing and building real businesses inside the city of Philadelphia.”

Image via the City of Philadelphia / Kait Privitera