Philly's new interim commerce director brings nearly two decades of city experience to the role
Power Moves is a recurring series where we chart the comings and goings of talent across the region. Got a new hire, gig or promotion? Email us at philly@technical.ly.
A management shakeup is taking place at a key Philadelphia government agency.
The Commerce Department underwent a change in leadership, with former Commerce Director Alba Martinez stepping down and longtime city gov employee Karen Fegely taking her place.
Plus, local startups are getting the chance to show themselves off through accelerators and pitch competitions this spring.
Software company Ideate won the Demo Pit competition at the Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technologies' Phorum conference last month. The HiveBio Accelerator, which is focused on support for underrepresented life sciences founders, selected its first cohort.
Check out all the details and more power moves below the chart, where we look at the top 10 desirable skills for jobs right now and how many job postings request each skill.
Longtime city gov employee appointed acting commerce director
Mayor Cherelle Parker appointed Karen Fegely as acting commerce director earlier this month. Fegely is taking over the position from Alba Martinez, who announced her departure from the Commerce Department in March to produce an original musical.
The Commerce Department's role is to help economic development happen by creating initiatives to increase accessibility and equity, Fegely told Technical.ly. This includes creating opportunities for Philadelphians to build wealth through a sustainable career, owning a business, owning property and more.
'Philadelphia is really well-positioned to do that,' Fegely said, 'to be in a place where we grow together.'
Fegely has almost 18 years of experience working in the city's Department of Commerce, most recently as deputy commerce director of policy and strategic initiatives. She was also previously the deputy commerce director of neighborhood business services.
Fegely now oversees initiatives that the Commerce Department already has in place, such as the Small Business Catalyst Fund and the PHL Open for Business initiative, which aims to streamline access to business resources. The goal is to provide one-on-one assistance to businesses, but also partner with orgs across the city that can support the business community in Philly, she told Technical.ly.
'We have all the right ingredients,' Fegely said. 'It's just doing more and bigger, and making sure we're connecting to people, that people know to come to us for help.'
Ideate wins PACT Demo Pit, will pitch at mid-Atlantic conference this fall
Rahmi Halaby, founder of early-stage startup Ideate, won Best in Show at Phorum 2025, securing a spot to pitch at the Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technologies' (PACT) Mid-Atlantic Capital Conference in the fall.
Ideate, which is developing a software product to automate operational tasks for designers so they can focus on creative work, was one of six companies selected to pitch at PACT's Demo Pit competition during the conference.
The companies were all connected to the theme of AI in the workplace, but ranged in stage. Ideate is currently pre-revenue and pre-product launch, so it felt good to win next to other companies that are further along in development, Halaby told Technical.ly.
'What really needs to set us apart is the story that we're able to tell and the vision of the product,' Halaby said. 'To have that recognized was very reassuring.'
The company currently has a closed beta product and plans to launch a full product in the fall. Ideate is also raising a $500,000 seed round that it hopes to close in November, Halaby said.
'I'm really excited to, in the coming months, basically have a product that people can fully sign up for and use and save time within their day to focus on the creative work,' Halaby said.
HiveBio Accelerator selects its first cohort
Ten Philly-area startups were selected for the first cohort of the HiveBio Accelerator, which aims to support underrepresented life sciences founders. The chosen startups include five therapeutics companies, three medical device companies, one digital health company and one biotech supply chain company.
'I'm most proud of the diversity within our underrepresented founder cohort,' said Tia Lyles-Williams, founder and chief innovation officer of HiveBio. 'Of this cohort, eight are BIPOC-led, eight are first-generation-led, seven are woman-led, and seven are immigrant-led. I'm looking forward to working with this impressive cohort and supporting their unapologetic success.'
The chosen startups include Ajaya Bio, BioLattice Ophthalmics, Bound Therapeutics, Cerespectus, DRS.LINQ, Higher Medicine, QuneUp, Trevarx Biomedical, Valfard Therapeutics and Vasowatch.
The nine-month program will provide mentorship, commercialization strategies, opportunities to meet investors and other resources to the companies. The accelerator program is supported by a $250,000 grant from the Knight Foundation.
More power moves:
The University City Science Center selected five life sciences entrepreneurs for the fifth cohort of its Founders Fellowship program. Grace Akinyele, Top Charoensombut, Tuhin Das, Josh Freedman and Thomas Tam will participate in a year-long program that starts with an educational curriculum about healthcare for aging populations. The second half of the program focuses on commercialization and turning product ideas into companies. Each fellow will receive mentorship, a $50,000 stipend and access to lab space.
Center City District selected Adam Robinson as the new vice president of development and partnerships, where he will lead the org's non-assessment revenue team.
Online safety company Kidas is partnering with esports and gaming platform PlayVS. Kidas' anti-bullying software will be integrated into esports programs across the country.
Comcast Business acquired Nitel, a Chicago-based telecommunications services provider. The company did not disclose the financial terms of the deal.
Data security and privacy consulting firm Zaviant ranked No. 50 on Inc Regionals: Northeast list, which ranks companies in the region based on revenue growth between 2021 and 2023.
Anna Paulson is the new CEO and president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. The Fed also appointed John Grady of Wexford Science & Technology, Warren E. Moore of Inspira Health and Brian Schaller of Wawa to its Economic and Community Advisory Council.
PACT welcomed Amanda Arroyo as its new director of membership and Roland Nichols as its new marketing manager.
Temple University's Institute for Business and Information Technology recognized David McGettigan, Rick Nucci and Craig Conway at the 2025 Information Technology Awards.
Montgomery County Community College's esports team won its fourth national championship from the National Junior College Athletics Association Esports.
The Novella Center for Entrepreneurship launched in Trenton, New Jersey, earlier this month. The Novella Center is licensing business accelerator curriculum from the Baltimore-based Conscious Venture Lab.
Clinical trial payment company Greenphire won best patient portal at the MedTech Breakthrough Awards. It was also recognized as a finalist for the Citeline Awards for Innovative Clinical Trial Solutions.
The Moore College of Art and Design is partnering with the Franklin Institute to support a new entertainment design major. The program will teach students about interactive design for immersive experiences.
Sarah Huffman is a 2022-2024 corps member for Report for America, an initiative of The Groundtruth Project that pairs young journalists with local newsrooms. This position is supported by the Lenfest Institute for Journalism.
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Technical.ly
2 days ago
- Technical.ly
Philly, Pennsylvania risk losing Digital Equity Act programs after Trump administration rules them ‘unconstitutional'
The governments of Pennsylvania and its largest city received federal termination notices related to the Digital Equity Act, cutting money to help Pennsylvanians access devices and digital skills. Memos from the US Department of Commerce said at least one program within the Digital Equity Act violated the constitution because it outlines specific 'racial preferences,' even though advocates say that racial minorities are only one type of underserved population that the law seeks to support. The specific initiative the department highlighted was supposed to bring increased access to devices, digital literacy and other skills needed to effectively use the internet. 'The Digital Equity Capacity Program … is unconstitutional and grants issued pursuant to it were created with, and administered using, impermissible and unconstitutional racial preferences,' read the termination letter received and confirmed by Pennsylvania's Department of Community and Economic Development. The Digital Equity Act is one of two digital access initiatives within the Biden administration's Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). It incorporates three grant programs, including the aforementioned Digital Equity Capacity Program and Digital Equity Competitive Grant. The latter initiative allowed entities to apply for funding directly from the National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA), an agency within the Commerce Department. Recommendations for Competitive Grant recipients were announced in January, and the NTIA selected the City of Philadelphia to receive $11.9 million. These funds were going to support an internet subsidy program, laptop kiosks, esports centers and other efforts to make the internet more accessible to Philadelphians. The city never received a formal contract for this grant, though, according to Kate Rivera, executive director of Philly-based digital equity nonprofit the Technology Learning Collaborative (TLC), which partnered with the city on its grant application. In May, the Department of Commerce sent a notice letting grantees know they would not receive the awards. 'All Digital Equity Competitive and Digital Equity Capacity grant awards have been terminated, except for grants to Native Entities, which are pending further legal review,' read the notice received and confirmed by the city's Office of Innovation and Technology. The other funding streams within the Digital Equity Act are the State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program and the Digital Equity Capacity Program. Each state received funds from the Planning Grant Program to create a digital equity plan, then was recommended for additional money from the Capacity Program to put the in motion. Pennsylvania received $1.6 million to create a Statewide Digital Equity plan, which was completed in January 2024. The commonwealth was supposed to get $25 million to implement that plan, for which the state would then issue a request for proposal to subgrant much of those funds to orgs across the state. Pennsylvania was not as far along in the process of distributing this funding as some other states were, said Drew Garner, director of policy engagement at the advocacy organization the Benton Institute for Broadband and Society. Many states were in the process of administering their subgrant programs, but Pennsylvania hadn't even opened up applications yet. This was partially due to delays in approving the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority's Digital Skills and Community Capacity Program guidelines in April. Digital Equity Act removal could affect most Pennsylvanians In early May, shortly before these termination notices were sent out, President Donald Trump called the Digital Equity Act 'unconstitutional' and 'racist' in a post on Truth Social. These concerns seem to come from the fact that the Digital Equity Act defines a list of eight 'covered populations,' or groups of people most impacted by the digital divide, Rivera said. The goal of identifying those groups was to make sure the funded projects address the needs of people who need it most, Rivera said. Applicants had to show that they could reach these populations. One of the designated populations is ethnic and racial minorities, which the president appears especially focused on, she said. The other populations include seniors (people over 60), people with disabilities, veterans and residents of rural communities. 79.4% of Pennsylvania's population falls under covered populations, according to the Census Bureau. 'Just one out of the [eight] covered populations really has a reference to race and ethnicity,' she said. 'But it's not a discriminatory requirement where people would be turned away from receiving services if they're not a racial and ethnic minority.' reached out to the NTIA, asking why the Digital Equity Act was deemed unconstitutional, but did not immediately receive a response. Federal decisions hurt digital equity beyond dollars The end of the Digital Equity Act doesn't just impact the programs that were supposed to receive direct funding: It also affects the wider strategy of what was supposed to be a historic investment in digital inclusion, Rivera from TLC said. The Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program is the other digital access initiative administered through the IIJA. Pennsylvania was supposed to receive $1.16 billion to build out broadband infrastructure that would bring internet service to unserved and underserved parts of the state. This funding is now delayed. However, even if BEAD moves forward as planned, the program won't have as much of an impact without the Digital Equity Act, Garner from the Benton Institute said. That funding supported programs to ensure people can actually use the internet to improve their lives. 'It is only through digital adoption, having devices, having skills, that Pennsylvania will really see the economic benefit of BEAD,' Garner said. The Digital Equity Act is a law, so the expectation is that state attorneys general will sue the Trump administration for breaking the law, he said. Pennsylvania's attorney general did not immediately respond to request for comment. In the meantime, organizations can't do much besides continuing to advocate for the program with legislators and preparing as if the money will return, Rivera said. 'Eventually, when the tide turns again, and there is funding again for digital equity work,' Rivera said, 'we will be ready, like we were ready for this funding.'
Technical.ly
28-05-2025
- Technical.ly
EDA Tech Hubs get another shot at funding, thanks to a Trump administration overall that canceled 6 awards
The future of a historic effort to boost local innovation scenes with federal funds will get a defense-friendly overhaul under the Trump administration. Earlier this month, Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said he directed the agency to 'revamp' the Economic Development Administration's (EDA) Tech Hubs program. In its place, Lutnick pledged a redone version 'to prioritize national security, project quality, benefit to the taxpayer and a fair process.' It also stripped six regions of $210 million in previously awarded funding, which Lutnick said wasn't available anyway. 'The process was rushed, opaque and unfair — administration officials did not make prospective applicants aware of the competition and chose awardees using outdated applications submitted nearly a year earlier,' Lutnick said. Lutnick and the Commerce Department neither elaborated on what flaws they found with the program nor provided any concrete examples. Instead, the EDA plans to open new funding opportunities this summer and announce 'selections' early next year. Lutnick also said that currently designated tech hubs can seek out funding alongside other possible ones. For regions that missed out on past grants, like Philadelphia and Baltimore, the announcement provides a new opportunity to compete for funds. But tech hubs facing the cancellation are now leaning more heavily on local partners to still try to accomplish their missions. The Commerce Department did not immediately return answers to questions about how it determined the process's flaws, including the lack of available funds for the awards the Biden administration gave to hubs in places like Alabama, Washington, Idaho and Vermont. It also did not answer questions about the status of any of the 31 tech hubs the last admin designated in 2023. Shifting priorities doesn't kill faith in PROPEL's mission The Philadelphia region's Tech Hub consortium is excited that the program will continue and that there will be another opportunity to submit their proposal, Tony Green, chief scientific officer for Ben Franklin Technology Partners, told 'EDA's goals for the program and our goals for the PROPEL Hub are in alignment — to bring innovation, manufacturing and jobs back to the US,' he said. Philly's hub is PROPEL: the National Center for Precision Medicine, which focuses on advancing biomanufacturing infrastructure, creating a strong workforce development pipeline, providing resources to local startups, and advancing commercialization and access to precision medicines. The consortium that put together the original $80 million proposal consists of over 100 organizations across southeastern Pennsylvania, northern Delaware and southern New Jersey. PROPEL was not selected for phase two funding or for the most recent round in January. However, stakeholders welcomed EDA leaders to Philly last fall to gather feedback and show off the work consortium members were already doing. At the time, Tech Hubs program director Eric Smith told the consortium should focus on refining its vision, emphasizing collaboration and providing more specifics in its proposal. Since then, members have been working to apply those critiques, Green said. 'We are confident we have addressed the important feedback we received from EDA while ensuring consistency with the current Administration's priorities,' Green said. 'In the end, the mission and vision of the Hub has not changed and remains vital to the health and economy of our region and to national security.' Baltimore's bid head evaluates fit under Trump priorities CEO Mark Anthony Thomas of the Greater Baltimore Committee said that his organization, which led the $70 million bid behind The Baltimore Tech Hub, learned about the pivot straight from the Commerce Department about two weeks ago. The agency specifically said that money granted in January would be reallocated; like PROPEL, the region's own biotechnology- and AI-focused project missed out on funding then, as well as the prior July, and also hosted a visit from EDA officials. Thomas saw Lutnick's memo as a positive development and a sign of confidence in the program. 'It's a validation of what created the need for the program, and then the continuation of the program under this administration,' he said. 'Which is a good sign, not even just for Baltimore, but for the overarching future of America's economy.' Going forward, the GBC aims to determine how its various projects, including the Tech Hub, can best align with the Trump administration's priorities for innovation. That will involve seeking out another partner, like it found in Accenture during the phase two process, to help translate the project into that shifted focus. 'What I want is a partner who truly can speak to the way this administration is thinking about economic development and global competitiveness,' he said, 'and help our existing projects and partners align their work with those federal goals and the broader market opportunity.' The region is well-positioned for at least one of the priorities mentioned in Lutnick's memo. The counties under the GBC's purview already boast several major national security assets, too, from a massive cybersecurity industry to defense installations like Aberdeen Proving Ground and Fort Meade. Despite funding pullback, Vermont's bid moves 'full steam ahead' One Tech Hub impacted by the funding cut, Vermont Gallium Nitride, acknowledged the award pullback with plans to draft a highly competitive proposal for its semiconductor project in the next round of funding. In the meantime, it already has the money and partnerships to continue making progress, according to Douglas Merrill, the University of Vermont's regional innovation officer. 'The Vermont Tech Hub continues to move forward full steam ahead, having attracted over $3.9 million in funding and 60 members and partners to date,' Merrill said. 'A new agreement with the Northeast Microelectronics Coalition (NEMC) will fund a key element of our Tech Hub — a semiconductor test and characterization laboratory, which will be available to Tech Hub and NEMC members by early 2026.' The other five Tech Hubs that lost funding did not immediately respond to request for comment. First round of funded Tech Hubs moves forward as planned For all Tech Hubs that have been awarded funding, the recent announcement has been a time to reflect on the work their doing and push ahead, leaders tell The 12 2024 grant awardees will be able to move forward as planned. Montana's Headwaters Tech Hub, Wisconsin's Biohealth Tech Hub, Tulsa's Tech Hub and South Florida's ClimateReady Tech Hub all confirmed with that they are doing as much. The other eight did not immediately respond to request for comment. 'All Tulsa Tech Hub initiatives are moving ahead as planned and fully funded,' said Hayden Hinchey, senior associate of marketing and communications at Tulsa Innovation Labs. The hub's mission focuses on securing autonomous systems for everything from agriculture to regional transportation. In Wisconsin, the Biohealth Tech Hub will remain focused on 'biohealth innovation that strengthens both our regional economy and national security,' said Rissa Guffey, senior director of marketing and communications at Bio Forward Wisconsin. The Biohealth Tech Hub's EDA webpage does not mention a focus on national security, though Lutnick stated it as a priority in his recent memo. The Headwaters Tech Hub in Montana is using AI and machine learning to build smart sensing systems that can be employed in rugged terrain, precision agriculture and roadway settings. The project was not directly impacted by the recent announcement and continues to maintain strong bipartisan support, according to Tim VanReken, executive director and regional innovation officer at the Headwaters Tech Hub. 'As we move forward, we're going to continue to bring attention to the importance of the technologies we develop in Montana,' he said. 'Highlighting these wins help [sic] highlight our region and the brand of innovation we're building, and our hope [that] it will also bring greater attention and understanding of the catalytic value of the Tech Hub Program investments.'
Technical.ly
21-05-2025
- Technical.ly
Philly's new interim commerce director brings nearly two decades of city experience to the role
Power Moves is a recurring series where we chart the comings and goings of talent across the region. Got a new hire, gig or promotion? Email us at philly@ A management shakeup is taking place at a key Philadelphia government agency. The Commerce Department underwent a change in leadership, with former Commerce Director Alba Martinez stepping down and longtime city gov employee Karen Fegely taking her place. Plus, local startups are getting the chance to show themselves off through accelerators and pitch competitions this spring. Software company Ideate won the Demo Pit competition at the Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technologies' Phorum conference last month. The HiveBio Accelerator, which is focused on support for underrepresented life sciences founders, selected its first cohort. Check out all the details and more power moves below the chart, where we look at the top 10 desirable skills for jobs right now and how many job postings request each skill. Longtime city gov employee appointed acting commerce director Mayor Cherelle Parker appointed Karen Fegely as acting commerce director earlier this month. Fegely is taking over the position from Alba Martinez, who announced her departure from the Commerce Department in March to produce an original musical. The Commerce Department's role is to help economic development happen by creating initiatives to increase accessibility and equity, Fegely told This includes creating opportunities for Philadelphians to build wealth through a sustainable career, owning a business, owning property and more. 'Philadelphia is really well-positioned to do that,' Fegely said, 'to be in a place where we grow together.' Fegely has almost 18 years of experience working in the city's Department of Commerce, most recently as deputy commerce director of policy and strategic initiatives. She was also previously the deputy commerce director of neighborhood business services. Fegely now oversees initiatives that the Commerce Department already has in place, such as the Small Business Catalyst Fund and the PHL Open for Business initiative, which aims to streamline access to business resources. The goal is to provide one-on-one assistance to businesses, but also partner with orgs across the city that can support the business community in Philly, she told 'We have all the right ingredients,' Fegely said. 'It's just doing more and bigger, and making sure we're connecting to people, that people know to come to us for help.' Ideate wins PACT Demo Pit, will pitch at mid-Atlantic conference this fall Rahmi Halaby, founder of early-stage startup Ideate, won Best in Show at Phorum 2025, securing a spot to pitch at the Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technologies' (PACT) Mid-Atlantic Capital Conference in the fall. Ideate, which is developing a software product to automate operational tasks for designers so they can focus on creative work, was one of six companies selected to pitch at PACT's Demo Pit competition during the conference. The companies were all connected to the theme of AI in the workplace, but ranged in stage. Ideate is currently pre-revenue and pre-product launch, so it felt good to win next to other companies that are further along in development, Halaby told 'What really needs to set us apart is the story that we're able to tell and the vision of the product,' Halaby said. 'To have that recognized was very reassuring.' The company currently has a closed beta product and plans to launch a full product in the fall. Ideate is also raising a $500,000 seed round that it hopes to close in November, Halaby said. 'I'm really excited to, in the coming months, basically have a product that people can fully sign up for and use and save time within their day to focus on the creative work,' Halaby said. HiveBio Accelerator selects its first cohort Ten Philly-area startups were selected for the first cohort of the HiveBio Accelerator, which aims to support underrepresented life sciences founders. The chosen startups include five therapeutics companies, three medical device companies, one digital health company and one biotech supply chain company. 'I'm most proud of the diversity within our underrepresented founder cohort,' said Tia Lyles-Williams, founder and chief innovation officer of HiveBio. 'Of this cohort, eight are BIPOC-led, eight are first-generation-led, seven are woman-led, and seven are immigrant-led. I'm looking forward to working with this impressive cohort and supporting their unapologetic success.' The chosen startups include Ajaya Bio, BioLattice Ophthalmics, Bound Therapeutics, Cerespectus, Higher Medicine, QuneUp, Trevarx Biomedical, Valfard Therapeutics and Vasowatch. The nine-month program will provide mentorship, commercialization strategies, opportunities to meet investors and other resources to the companies. The accelerator program is supported by a $250,000 grant from the Knight Foundation. More power moves: The University City Science Center selected five life sciences entrepreneurs for the fifth cohort of its Founders Fellowship program. Grace Akinyele, Top Charoensombut, Tuhin Das, Josh Freedman and Thomas Tam will participate in a year-long program that starts with an educational curriculum about healthcare for aging populations. The second half of the program focuses on commercialization and turning product ideas into companies. Each fellow will receive mentorship, a $50,000 stipend and access to lab space. Center City District selected Adam Robinson as the new vice president of development and partnerships, where he will lead the org's non-assessment revenue team. Online safety company Kidas is partnering with esports and gaming platform PlayVS. Kidas' anti-bullying software will be integrated into esports programs across the country. Comcast Business acquired Nitel, a Chicago-based telecommunications services provider. The company did not disclose the financial terms of the deal. Data security and privacy consulting firm Zaviant ranked No. 50 on Inc Regionals: Northeast list, which ranks companies in the region based on revenue growth between 2021 and 2023. Anna Paulson is the new CEO and president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. The Fed also appointed John Grady of Wexford Science & Technology, Warren E. Moore of Inspira Health and Brian Schaller of Wawa to its Economic and Community Advisory Council. PACT welcomed Amanda Arroyo as its new director of membership and Roland Nichols as its new marketing manager. Temple University's Institute for Business and Information Technology recognized David McGettigan, Rick Nucci and Craig Conway at the 2025 Information Technology Awards. Montgomery County Community College's esports team won its fourth national championship from the National Junior College Athletics Association Esports. The Novella Center for Entrepreneurship launched in Trenton, New Jersey, earlier this month. The Novella Center is licensing business accelerator curriculum from the Baltimore-based Conscious Venture Lab. Clinical trial payment company Greenphire won best patient portal at the MedTech Breakthrough Awards. It was also recognized as a finalist for the Citeline Awards for Innovative Clinical Trial Solutions. The Moore College of Art and Design is partnering with the Franklin Institute to support a new entertainment design major. The program will teach students about interactive design for immersive experiences. Sarah Huffman is a 2022-2024 corps member for Report for America, an initiative of The Groundtruth Project that pairs young journalists with local newsrooms. This position is supported by the Lenfest Institute for Journalism.
