Only during Philly Tech Week can you start the day attending a panel about workforce trends and end it by playing a game of Tetris on the side of a skyscraper.
Those activities were just a few of the nearly 100 events on the community calendar during Philly Tech Week (PTW) 2026, more than double the number of gatherings hosted during last year’s 15th anniversary celebration.
“People are not just talking about what Philadelphia could be. They are building it, right now, in real time.”
Kirsten King, Pennovation
The lineup included conferences dedicated to startup resources, pitch competitions, hackathons, an AI summit, workforce development panels, meetups and, of course, a revival of the world’s largest video game.
For Danae Mobley, executive director of PTW organizer 1Philadelphia, the week left her feeling “hopeful and excited” about what’s to come for the ecosystem.
While the motivation behind PTW has always been to bring the region together, this year felt more energized than the past few, organizers told Technical.ly. It spotlighted the things that Philly tech does best — collaboration, community and accessibility.
The work doesn’t end here, they say. Now, innovation stakeholders need to take that momentum and scale.
“This is our breakthrough year as a tech ecosystem,” Tempest Carter, director of business development and strategic technology initiatives for the City of Philadelphia, told Technical.ly. “Nationally, people are grappling with the harms of tech and I love that Philly is stepping up to showcase that tech can be impactful and helpful.”
Here’s a look inside more than a dozen get-togethers you may have missed during PTW 2026.
Better together
Orgs across sectors opted to partner with each other for many of this year’s events.
An all-inclusive AI Summit
For the first time, Pennovation partnered with Philly AI Connect, Code & Coffee, PhilaCon Valley, Philly Tech Council, VetsinTech, Penn Vet, AgriGates, Philly Tech & AI Alliance, and m2i to put on the day-long (Co)nnect: Philly’s AI Summit. The conference convened founders, researchers, investors and other stakeholders.
“What we got out of it was confirmation,” Kirsten King, Pennovation associate director of engagement and experience, said. “The talent is here, the capital is here, and the hunger is absolutely here. People are not just talking about what Philadelphia could be. They are building it, right now, in real time.”
Founders meet investors
PACT partnered with law firm Cozen O’Connor to host its Startup Sprint. Selected entrepreneurs had the chance to pitch to investors privately, and scored to decide who moves on to the next round. The top three then made their case in front of the room to win a slot at PACT’s Mid-Atlantic Capital Conference in the fall.
The event itself was an opportunity for business owners to connect with each other and investors, membership coordinator Tori Chamberlain said.
Tech and talent mixer for young people
We Love Philly, Launchpad Philly, the Urban Technology Project and Hopeworks hosted a networking and cybersecurity workshop for professionals across their programs.
“Watching those young people find each other, swap contact info and start forming their own community right in front of me was something I won’t forget,” Dannyelle Austin, executive director of Launchpad Philly, said. “That’s not networking in the traditional sense. That’s peer power.”
High school seniors attend Tech Career Discovery Day
“A week full of welcome, kindness, learning and connection.”
Joshua Park, Per Scholas
Per Scholas Philadelphia showed off in-demand jobs to high school seniors and recent graduates from Heights Philadelphia, Launchpad Philly, Philadelphia Academies and We Love Philly.
Students had a chance to network with technologists, practice interviewing and learn about tech careers.
“It perfectly reflected my experience during Philly Tech Week 2026,” managing director Joshua Park said. “A week full of welcome, kindness, learning and connection.”
Real-world impact through online games
Nerd Street’s event featured gaming and discussions around how experiences in virtual spaces can change people’s real lives, Jumaani Haskins, operations lead at Nerd Street, said. The org also partnered with Hands of Woodstock, a North Philadelphia nonprofit, for the event.
“We’re incredibly proud to be a part of the greater Philly tech community and we are so excited to see all the great work that’s being done under the tech umbrella and across industries in the city,” he said.
A spotlight on internet access
In an effort to spread awareness about the region’s digital equity scene, the Technology Learning Collaborative (TLC) worked with Philly Community Wireless and Tech Impact to discuss internet access.
“We were excited to see so many new faces from the tech community in Philly come out to learn more about the role of nonprofits in expanding internet access in the city,” David Cooper Moore from TLC said.
Spaces for connection
Many of the events in this year’s lineup focused on creating room for attendees to build meaningful networks.
A national spotlight
Technical.ly hosted its annual Builders Conference, bringing together economic development leaders, founders and technologists from 35 states. Dozens of sessions focused on AI, fundraising and more happened across two days.
Take a hike
Helen Horstmann-Allen, Lindsay Tabas and Wale Olaleye organized a Tech Walk, leading attendees up the Benjamin Franklin Parkway to meet new people and see local sights.
“We always host our Tech Walk on Monday, so newcomers have an easy way to meet folks heading into all their other events,” Horstmann-Allen said.
From idea to IP
Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC) kicked off the week with IP to Impact, a summit for entrepreneurs and researchers to learn how they can take their IP to the market. The sessions fostered connection and opportunity, according to Hope Acquaye, assistant director of programs and partnerships.
“The energy was strong, the conversations were real, and it’s exciting to see how collaborative and supportive the Philly tech ecosystem continues to be,” Acquaye said.
Connecting Black STEM professionals
Camille Smith, founder of STEM So(ul)cial, hosted a meetup for Black professionals in STEM during the week. She runs events regularly, but wanted to get involved in the momentum of PTW, she said.
“Especially with the current job market, I think it’s very important for early- to mid-career professionals to really be able to network across, as opposed to just networking up,” she said.
A space for women founders
Local startup leaders Meredith Tretiak and Trish Golderer organized a brunch for women founders and investors with the intention of connecting women in the industry, they said.
“There’s such a need for bringing together women in this space,” Tretiak said. “If somebody took away one next conversation or one next step, [for] whatever they’re building … that would be my hope.”
Cocktails and conversations
“Philly’s startup ecosystem is at its best when we build together.”
Erik Caputo, Founders Alley
Founders Alley and ICW Capital invited entrepreneurs, investors and other leaders to a kickoff party at the beginning of the week with the goal of creating meaningful introductions that lead to long-term relationships, Founders Alley organizer Erik Caputo said.
“I hope [attendees] walked away with new relationships, a stronger sense of community, and a reminder that Philly’s startup ecosystem is at its best when we build together,” he said.
Students meet their futures
Mary Szurgot and Michael Dobruskin, cofounders of Philly Biotech Connect, held a panel of biotech investors and executives at uCity Square. The mix of students, mid-level professionals and leaders in attendance was the most exciting part, Szurgot said.
1 year of VetsinTech
VetsinTech, a meetup group for veterans and military spouses in the industry, celebrated its first anniversary during PTW. For organizer Andrew Maza, the genuine connection stood out the most, he said.
“The rooms were filled with people from across Philadelphia’s tech ecosystem, all actively sharing resources, building relationships and engaging in thoughtful dialogue,” Maza said.
A moment of momentum
Philadelphia’s tech network felt full of new momentum throughout the week, with participants sharing excitement to grow in the region.
New ways to break in
PhillyCHI, a local meetup group for HCI and UX professionals, hosted designers and community members at its 20th annual Design Slam.
The attendees worked to redesign the application process for Launchpad Philly, with input from a few current Launchpad students, according to Hannah Nguyen, an organizer with PhillyCHI.
“The energy in the room was electric,” Nguyen said. “Designers, students, and community members came together with creativity, collaboration, and a shared passion for making a difference.”
Data workforce comes together
The attendance and engagement at DataPhilly’s PTW meetup “exceeded expectations,” organizer Miguel Di Tolla said. It showed the group that people are interested in connecting with others in the data ecosystem.
AI plans what’s next
Tech startup Siah Labs organized an event about AI, the Great Wealth Transfer and business succession planning. Cofounder Deanna Blackwell found that her personal story really drew people in, not just the AI, she said.
“This was my first Philly Tech Week, and I’m genuinely inspired by this community,” she said. “People here are solving real, meaningful problems, not just building tech for tech’s sake.”
Ready to keep building
Waskar Paulino, founder of meetup group PhilaCon Valley, said that PTW showed him that people are “hungry” for community. He saw people having conversations about how to collaborate and shape a more inclusive industry, he said.
“I’m feeling optimistic about the Philly tech community right now,” he said. “We’re at an inflection point where the conversation is shifting from ‘Do we belong here?’ to ‘How do we reshape what tech looks like from the ground up?’”
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