RHV members recently attended an event Philly Start-Up Leaders' Founders Factory. (Our Executive Director was on the advisory committee for this event). The energy and enthusaism for this event was tremendous.
It started with Steve Goodman providing an overview of the history of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Philadelphia region, included three fishbowls, where entrepreneurs got to ask a panel of experts for help with strategy, and had keynote speeches from several entrepreneurs in Philadelphia - Josh Kopelman, Lucinda Duncalfe Holt, Bob Bickel and Gil Beyda.
There were several takeaways from this session:
- Investors are still investing, but they want to ensure that the entrepreneurial ventures have good fundamentals.
- The economic situation will continue for another 12-18 months, but companies that can survive this period will come out much strong.
- Entrepreneurs need support from the community, and not just cash. Mentoring, contacts, a forum to come together....