INNOVATE® Philadelphia

Innovations of the World

INNOVATE® Philadelphia

The sixth most populous city in America is known for its arts, culture, and colonial history. But INNOVATE® Philadelphia proves that the city is so much more. We sought the people and companies making the biggest waves in their industry, those forging ahead to make a brighter future for all. And we found them.

Supported by Thomas Jefferson University and the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, INNOVATE® Philadelphia is one of our heaviest volumes yet, packed with innovation stories and original pieces by some of the city’s most recognizable thought leaders—plus others you ought to know.

Featured Thought Leaders

Featured Thought Leaders

Featured Innovators

Featured Innovators

HRP GROUP

REIMAGINING A LEGACY SITE

The Bellwether District and Philadelphia’s New Hub for Innovation On 1,300 acres in South and Southwest Philadelphia, a former oil refinery is being transformed into one of the most ambitious redevelopment projects in the United States, with more than 14 million square feet of innovation and industrial space planned. For...

DesignPhiladelphia

From Foundation to a Future Designed For and By All

In 2009, AIA Philadelphia launched an ambitious initiative to ignite public interest in architecture and design, resulting in the creation of the Center for Architecture at 1218 Arch Street. Conceived as both a physical destination and a community resource, the Center served as a hub for exhibitions, programs, and dialogue....

Finpay - Industry Leader In Pre-Care Patient Engagement

Finpay - Industry Leader In Pre-Care Patient Engagement

Finpay is the industry leader in pre-care patient engagement, specifically as it relates to enhancing a patient’s financial experience with their healthcare provider. It seems everyone in healthcare today is talking about re-thinking their Patient Financial Management strategy and the need to manage patient financial responsibility more effectively. Today in...

SHARE FOOD PROGRAM

FOOD IS A HUMAN RIGHT AND HUNGER CAN BE SOLVED

Hunger is solvable, and one organization headquartered in North Philadelphia maintains that they know exactly how. Founded 40 years ago, Share Food Program is the leading hunger-relief organization on food bank in the Greater Philadelphia region. Though food distribution, education, and advocacy, Share serves around 500,000 individuals each month, more...

Oat Foundry

Custom Signage and Analog Technology That Becomes Part of the Brand Experience

Our durable, low-energy Split Flap, Picture Flap, and Chroma Flap displays are designed to last for decades, and are crafted for spaces where permanence and presence matter. Founded in 2013, Oat Foundry was started by a group of engineering students from Drexel University. Fueled by the ambition to “build cool...

DeVal Lifecycle Support

Powering Philadelphia’s Defense Industrial Base

In a city defined by its grit and passion, DeVal Lifecycle Support represents the strength of American manufacturing and the people who built it. Headquartered in the Tacony section of Philadelphia for more than 70 years, the company plays a critical role in supporting the U.S. Department of War, manufacturing...

SW BIO CARE, LLC

BRIDGING THE GAP

A New Paradigm for Equitable Life Science Innovation in Southwest Philadelphia The establishment of the SW Biotech Park in Southwest Philadelphia represents a transformative shift in urban development, moving beyond traditional real estate to a mission-driven model of “equitable bio-innovation.” Spearheaded by SW BIO CARE, LLC—a strategic joint venture between...

Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia

Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia flag raising ceremony at City Hall

Bridging Cultures, Building Prosperity

In the vibrant mosaic of Philadelphia, where generations of Asian immigrants have shaped the city’s restaurants, corner stores, tech startups, and professional services, the Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia (AACCGP) serves as a vital bridge between heritage and horizon. Founded in 1999 as a volunteer-led initiative, the...

AIA Philadelphia

A Legacy of Advocacy, Design, and Community Impact

AIA Philadelphia is a membership association representing more than 1,800 architects, over 250 architecture firms, and more than 175 allied members, organizations that collaborate with architects across a wide range of disciplines, including engineering, construction, planning, and design technology. As the second-oldest chapter of the American Institute of Architects in...

Stateside Brands

An Innovative Leader

Few ready-to-drink beverage brands have captivated the market like Surfside. Since its 2022 launch, Surfside has taken off like a rocket ship, becoming the fastest-growing brand within the entire alcoholic beverage sector. At the close of 2025, Surfside achieved 11.1 million case sales, growing an astounding 6.2 million cases from...

TEMPLE UNIVERSITY

OUT OF THE LAB, INTO THE WORLD

Temple University researchers are expanding the frontiers of knowledge and turning breakthroughs into solutions that hold the power to change lives. Every day at Temple University, faculty researchers are translating groundbreaking discoveries into innovations that improve lives, strengthen communities and drive economic growth in Philadelphia and beyond. “A vital anchor...

AFRICAN AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

INNOVATION THROUGH RESILIENCE

How the African-American Chamber of Commerce of PA, NJ & DE continues to pave the way 33 years later About the AACC Founded in 1993, the African-American Chamber of Commerce of PA, NJ & DE (AACC) was born out of a burning need to innovate. After decades of persistent discrimination...

FSH Technologies

People need to believe their government can meet their needs, and trust that it will happen.

Philadelphia served as the catalyst city for dreaming about a new form of government during the American Revolution. The status quo was monarchs. People were being taxed to fund foreign wars, not public services. Philadelphians believed, and built, a better government for the people. 250 years later, FSH Technologies and...

United Bank of Philadelphia

So Much More than Banking

Since opening in 1992 under founder Dr. Emma C. Chappell, United Bank of Philadelphia (“the Bank”) has upheld its mission: driving economic inclusion and opportunity in urban communities. Philadelphia has always been a city of visionaries and entrepreneurs, but vision does not turn into a successful business without capital. As...

SHIFT CAPITAL

INVESTING WHERE IT MATTERS MOST

SHIFT Capital’s Blueprint for Just Communities A Philadelphia-born B Corporation is rewriting the rules of real estate — proving that purpose and profit can build something greater than either alone. In the neighborhoods that have long been overlooked by conventional real estate investment, SHIFT Capital has spent nearly a decade...

Hopeworks

Reflecting the Evolving Spirit of Philadelphia

Reflecting the evolving spirit of Philadelphia Hopeworks is a nonprofit workforce accelerator that connects young adults ages 17–26 to living-wage careers while helping employers meet growing talent demands. Through paid, self-paced training, real-world work experience, and trauma-informed support, participants move from unemployment to careers with long-term growth and stability. Training...

OSHUN Family Center

Rebuilding the Future of Maternal Health in Philadelphia

Philadelphia is home to some of the most respected hospitals and medical institutions in the country. And yet Black mothers in this city are still more likely to experience severe maternal complications, more likely to report feeling unheard, and more likely to navigate postpartum anxiety, depression, and trauma without sustained...

Pennovation Works

Where Ideas Go To Work

Pennovation Works stands as one of the University of Pennsylvania’s most dynamic contributions to Philadelphia’s innovation landscape, a 23-acre urban technology park designed to bring ideas out of the lab and into the world. Situated at the intersection of research, entrepreneurship, and industry, Pennovation Works embodies a simple but powerful...

Farm to Fishtown: Philly's First Urban Winery

Mural City Cellars | Urban Winery

Mural City’s commitment to minimal intervention is central to its identity. Grapes are sourced exclusively from trusted growers within 300 miles of Philadelphia, including vineyards in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Maryland, highlighting the potential of a winemaking landscape that has long been overlooked. The resulting wines are fresh,...

Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC)

Driving Growth to Every Corner of Philadelphia

PIDC is Philadelphia’s public-private economic development corporation founded by the City of Philadelphia and the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia in 1958. Its mission is to create quality jobs and grow a global economy through economic development that ultimately achieves a high quality of life for all who live...

GIRL CONCRETE

BUILDING THE NEXT 250 YEARS

Philadelphia is the birthplace of American independence – a city where ideas of democracy, access, and public responsibility were first debated, documented, and declared. Two and a half centuries later, those ideals are sustained not only by words, but by infrastructure. Streets, sidewalks, schools, hospitals, transit hubs, and public spaces...

Naval Welding Institute

Forging the Workforce Behind America’s Maritime Future

Long before a vessel reaches open water, inspectors, welders, and engineers influence how it will perform under pressure. That responsibility continues shaping the work of the Naval Welding Institute, a Philadelphia-based organization focused on strengthening America’s industrial workforce through advanced manufacturing education, technical training, and workforce development. When Kristoffer Jones...

Penn Medicine

First then, first now: 275 years of medical innovation at Pennsylvania Hospital and Penn Medicine

As the nation celebrates its semiquincentennial, Penn Medicine’s Pennsylvania Hospital marks its own milestone anniversary year with a new museum. This immersive experience highlights the hospital’s unique role in the history of medicine—while still actively making history. For nearly three centuries, Pennsylvania Hospital has been at the forefront of innovation....

LABORATORY TESTING

BUILT FOR WHAT MATTERS MOST

For more than 40 years, Laboratory Testing (LTI) has inspected the parts that keep aircraft flying, Navy submarines diving, and defense platforms operational. The work is quiet, exacting, and non-negotiable. When an aircraft engine spins up at takeoff, or a submarine eases away from a pier on its first underway...

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The Publisher

Glen Edwards

Glen Edwards was born and raised in Philadelphia. He graduated from Pennsylvania State University and served in the United States Marine Corps Services. For the next 10 years, Glen worked as a Juvenile Probation Officer in Philadelphia, counseling underprivileged children in North and West Philadelphia. In 1983, Glen left the court and went to work... click to read more

The Publisher

Glen Edwards

Glen Edwards was born and raised in Philadelphia. He graduated from Pennsylvania State University and served in the United States Marine Corps Services. For the next 10 years, Glen worked as a Juvenile Probation Officer in Philadelphia, counseling underprivileged children in North and West Philadelphia. In 1983, Glen left the court and went to work... click to read more

Other Ecosystems