When Comcast LIFT Labs brings startups to Philly, it also encourages them to stay
The program, developed in 2018, brings young companies to Philadelphia to work with the telecom giant on new tech ideas. While the pandemic helped turn the program hybrid, with some remote access, it still aims to connect founders to the region, and maybe even choose to build their businesses here, said Luke Butler, executive director of startup engagement at Comcast NBCUniversal.
'Activating that space [in Philadelphia], bringing new people into it, is absolutely a mandate for our team,' Butler told Technical.ly, Temple University Entrepreneurship Academy Director Geoff DiMasi and a live audience at the Innovation Leaders Speaker Series.
In practice, that looks like collaborating with Philly startups, companies and other organizations that make the ecosystem what it is today, he said. At large, the city has put on a coordinated marketing effort to showcase the region's 'great bones,' Butler said, which include academic institutions, high quality of life and proximity to the rest of the East Coast megalopolis.
LIFT Labs also prioritizes helping those founders have fun while they're here. The program has brought them to Flyers games, local restaurants, Philly Tech Week and even music festivals.
'It's been fantastic as well just to introduce them to the city,' Butler said.
How to land a spot in the next LIFT Labs cohort
When sorting through hundreds of applicants, Comcast looks for uniqueness, opportunities for mutual benefit and powerful founders, according to Butler.
It goes both ways, he said. While the program has its own list of qualifications, it encourages startups to do the same.
'We always encourage the startup [to] focus on the thing that you do best. Have a strong point of view about what you do,' Butler said. 'Don't allow us to drag you into building something that is not on your roadmap.'
A strong founder at the helm, with a competent team, helps that happen. Because Comcast has its own teams working with those startups and puts capital behind them, it wants 'good people that we feel comfortable standing behind,' Butler said.
While this could all help with crafting an application, it doesn't mean every startup will get in. It's a competitive process, but Comcast keeps the door open for future ways to work together even when it doesn't work out as planned, according to Butler.
'There's a lot of things that all have to come together at a particular time in order for them to be successful,' Butler said. 'The time might not be right now, but if you built relationships with both our team and the decisionmakers that are relevant to you across the business, we're going to remember that and come back to you.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Technical.ly
22-07-2025
- Technical.ly
This Week in Jobs: Shoot for the moon with these 20 tech career opportunities
Let's go back to this day in history, 1962. It was July 22 — John F. Kennedy was president, 'Roses are Red (My Love)' by Bobby Vinton was the #1 song, and NASA launched Mariner 1, the first spacecraft intended to fly by Venus. Mariner 1 was a failure. Due to a tiny coding error, it veered off course and had to be destroyed mid-air. NASA got right back on the metaphorical horse. The failure of Mariner 1 paved the way for Mariner 2, which successfully made it to Venus just a few weeks later. The truth is, big goals often lead to big flops. But each attempt moves you closer to success. Whether you're aiming for a whole new career or a step up, this is your reminder to stay on course and keep launching. The News VC funding plummets in Philly, DC and Baltimore. Economic instability, tariffs and AI are among the reasons experts give for the slowdown. Over a dozen corporations have pledged billions in investments for Pennsylvania data centers needed to keep up the increased energy demands of AI. Why Pennsylvania, why now? How Lancaster County, PA is growing as a tech hub, without losing its rural roots. DC middle schoolers learn robotics over summer break, as the mayor moves to increase public school funding on the local level. A King of Prussia, PA electric vehicle charger startup presses on as the federal government disinvests in clean energy. New research out of DC rated different chatbots for safety, including measuring misinformation, impersonation and hate speech. The highest rated bot scored a B. Partner Spotlight From your first day at Comcast, you'll have the support and resources you need to grow your career. You'll work on the cutting edge, impacting the lives of millions as you help create amazing experiences and groundbreaking products. Learn more about the culture and career opportunities at this client. Want to feature your company or program? Learn more about advertising opportunities here. The Jobs Greater Philly Capital One is hiring a Lead Software Engineer, Full Stack (Bank Tech). TherapyNotes in Horsham has an open listing for a Systems Administrator. Crossbeam is seeking a hybrid . Kleer and Membersy is hiring a hybrid Director of IT. Noblis is looking for a C++ Software Developer. DC + Baltimore Leidos in Chantilly is looking for a System Engineer. BAE Systems in Rockville is seeking a PLM Application Developer. Link Solutions in Adelphi has a listing for a Software License Manager. DataAnnotation in DC is seeking a Data Engineer – AI Trainer. Pittsburgh Gray Swan AI has listings for a Software Engineer and a Marketing Manager/Director. Arcadis is seeking a Senior Toll Systems Analyst. AMN Healthcare needs a Computed Tomography Technologist. Proofpoint is hiring a Staff Product Manager. The End Good luck on your next big leap.
Technical.ly
21-07-2025
- Technical.ly
Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs Enterprise Accelerator Fall Info Session
Are you an enterprise-ready AI startup looking to accelerate your path to collaboration? Join us for an Info Session to learn how our equity-free, hands-on program connects AI-Native startups to high-impact decision-makers across Comcast, NBCUniversal, and Sky to accelerate the road to partnership.
Technical.ly
15-07-2025
- Technical.ly
Here's what's fueling Pennsylvania's gold rush for AI and data centers
National and state political leaders are rushing to regulate and incentivize the rapidly growing data center industry fueled by artificial intelligence. Data centers — sometimes nondescript buildings located in former manufacturing areas — are popping up across the state. And lawmakers are pushing for incentives and accelerated permitting to make the commonwealth more attractive to data center developers. Rep. Stephenie Scialabba (R-Butler), chair of the state's Artificial Intelligence Opportunity Task Force, said Pennsylvania needs to 'act in the next year or two' to attract the companies or risk losing them to other states. 'I frankly don't think that we are moving quickly enough,' she said. 'I think that there's initiative there and there's interest. I believe, though, that we're going to need to really keep pushing. If we let up on the gas, even for a minute, we're going to lose.' The promise and possibility of animating regions with a new industry is part of an AI and energy summit today at Carnegie Mellon University, where President Donald Trump and U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick announced $90 billion in AI, energy, and data center investments. Data centers have been around for years, but artificial intelligence is driving demand for more centers across the country. Pennsylvania has all the makings of a future data center hub, proponents say, with available land, natural energy resources, and universities such as Carnegie Mellon to attract and develop the needed workforce. It's also a cause that Democrats and Republicans have come together to support. Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro and McCormick, a Republican, joined to announce a $20 billion investment from Amazon to build two data centers in Bucks and Luzerne counties. Legislators and data center proponents warn that, without speeding up permitting and lowering development costs, Pennsylvania could miss the metaphorical gold rush of billions in investments that states like Virginia have capitalized on. 'Their states were getting sites ready four or five years ago,' said Joanna Doven, executive director of the AI Strike Team, a group aiming to bring the artificial intelligence industry to Southwestern Pennsylvania. 'There is some speeding up that needs to be done. And I do see that speeding up happening.' Southwestern Pennsylvania in particular is flush with former industrial sites where data centers could be built, said Rich Fitzgerald, Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission executive director and former Allegheny County executive. And bipartisan support will play a key role in whether data center developers choose to build in Pennsylvania, he said. 'Companies that locate and build and invest in a community or in a state, they don't want to get in the middle of a political fight where one side is against it and one side is for it,' Fitzgerald said. There's also a bipartisan interest in incentivizing and accelerating the development of data centers. Pennsylvania incentivized the Amazon investment, spending $10 million on workforce development and charging no sales tax on purchases of some operating equipment. But some caution that data centers use a significant amount of electricity and water and could raise electric bills for households. A 2024 Department of Energy report found that data centers consumed about 4.4% of U.S. electricity in 2023 and could account for as much as 12% by 2028. Sen. Nick Miller (D-Lehigh/Northampton), co-chair of the Senate Communications and Technology Committee, said data centers and their energy demand are a 'priority issue' for the committee. 'Data centers present a dual challenge: they can drive major economic development, but they also create significant energy demands that, if not managed properly, could increase costs for consumers and strain our grid,' he said in an email statement. Sen. Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) pointed to Shapiro's Lightning Plan — a proposal to, among other things, fund new projects through legislation, create a board to speed up approvals, and lower household energy bills — as an example of how elected officials are grappling with Pennsylvania's energy future. It's an issue the state will need to address, with or without new data centers, Fitzgerald said. 'Improving the electrical infrastructure is something we need to do, again, irrespective of the data center opportunities,' he said. 'You add to it with the data center opportunities and some of the predictions of how much of an increase you're going to have to provide in megawatts over time [and it] is just something that's going to have to happen.' For many legislators, making permitting quicker for data centers appears to be the biggest legislative priority. Multiple bills to do just that have or will be introduced in the coming weeks. Sen. Greg Rothman (R-Cumberland) introduced legislation with co-sponsor Sen. Tracy Pennycuick (R-Berks/Montgomery) that would speed up some permitting and limit how municipalities could regulate data center development. 'That's what investors want. They want to be able to deploy their capital and build what they want to build and start getting a return on their investment. Time is money,' Rothman said. It's one of several pieces of current and upcoming legislation aimed at improving conditions for data center development. Rep. Eric Nelson (R-Westmoreland) said he plans to introduce a bill creating an expedited permitting process in the coming weeks with co-sponsors Rep. Kyle Mullins (D-Lackawanna) and Rep. Jamie Barton (R-Berks/Schuylkill). Nelson's bill would allow data center companies to pay an additional fee to go through an accelerated permitting process that requires a commitment to meeting environmental standards. It also requires site visits from the state Department of Environmental Protection to ensure compliance. 'We're not looking to bypass or minimize any environmental standards or thresholds that Pennsylvania already has,' Nelson said. 'We're shifting from paperwork and tabletop reviews, which sometimes takes several years, to performance-based environmental standards focused on the field and what's really happening on the job site.' The bill would also suspend permits during lawsuits that challenge data center projects so the permits don't expire during legal proceedings. Rep. Jason Ortitay (R-Allegheny/Washington) introduced a bill that would create a Keystone Artificial Intelligence Authority to streamline permitting for data centers and other AI industry developments alongside co-sponsors Rep. Bud Cook (R-Greene/Washington) and Rep. Jeff Olsommer (R-Pike/Wayne). Permitting reform, particularly if it concerns the DEP, has historically been a partisan issue with little to no collaboration across party lines, but conversations around data center permitting has broken from that trend, Ortitay said. 'I genuinely think if Gov. Shapiro leads on this by example, then I think we'll be able to get everybody, both Republicans and Democrats, on the same page, to agree to something that is productive and helpful in this space,' he said. 'But if he doesn't lead and he leaves it to the Legislature to figure out, then I have zero hope that we'll be able to work on it.' Scialabba said she plans to introduce an AI legislative package with Rep. Robert Leadbeter (R-Columbia) and Rep. Joe D'Orsie (R-York) to incentivize AI development and create an Artificial Intelligence Consortium to examine regulatory barriers. But crafting legislation — regulation or incentive — hits the roadblock of a divided Legislature. Passing data center legislation without widespread political support is a challenge, Nelson said. 'One of the keys to success in Harrisburg is we have to coordinate across both chambers and the governor's office, so communication is almost a prime driver for success,' he said. Costa, who is on the advisory committee for the AI Strike Team, urges patience while legislators weigh regulations. 'I think we have sufficient things in place right now that I think would protect consumers and residents, but at the same time, we need to be nimble in terms of how we manage this going forward,' he said. He said he couldn't point to specific regulations to protect consumers but that agencies such as the DEP and the Public Utility Commission have protections in place. And some of the changes might happen within state agencies, not in the Legislature. 'At the legislative level, we don't move very quickly, and that's unfortunate, but I think in the administrative level or executive level through the agencies, there's opportunities,' he said. The state PUC held a hearing in April to discuss large-load electric customers like data centers and is now reviewing testimony from industry executives and public comments, said press secretary Nils Hagen-Frederiksen. The hearing generated dozens of comments, though it is not clear what the PUC might recommend or change in the Public Utility Code, if anything.
