Whether you long chose what side you’re on in the Mac vs. PC debate or you’re obsessed with all things tech, be sure to leave room in your schedule for Philly Tech Week, taking place from April 16 – 25. It’s a week full of technology and events for the creative, the business-savvy, and the app-crazed alike. The week is packed full of events, including everything from a Robotics Expo and networking mixers to seminars about how to find work in the industry. Want a breakdown of which events are the most student friendly? Check out my top picks below:
When: Friday, April 17, 6 pm – 9 pm.
Where: Dilworth Park, 1 South 15th Street
What: Part of the Philly Tech Week Kickoff Event, there will be an app arcade, classic arcade games, live music and performances, and food and a beer garden (for the 21 and up crowd).
A Web Designer’s Guide to the Real World
When: Friday, April 17, 5 pm – 7 pm.
Where: The Tactile Group, 109 South 15th Street, Suite 3S
What: Perfect for anyone who is wondering how to put their web designer skills to use after graduation. Tactile Group lead designer Christopher Pross will lead a discussion on the “real world” of web design and what to look out for that you may not have been taught in the classroom.
When: Monday, April 20, 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Where: Pipeline Philadelphia, 30 South 15th Street, 15th Floor
What: Come hear change makers from Philadelphia and beyond speak about everything they’re doing in their cities to cultivate the entrepreneurial ecosystem (both inside and outside government) and how to sustain those efforts over a period of time. Civic hackers should definitely check it out!
The Inclusive Technology & Entrepreneurship Movement
When: Tuesday, April 21, 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Where: Pipeline Philadelphia, 30 South 15th Street, 15th Floor
What: As ITEM puts it, “as democratic as the technology space appears to be, if you look around any given room filled with techpreneurs in Philadelphia, you will see that there are not many minorities or women in the room.” Their goal is to bring female and minority techpreneurs together to talk about the projects they are working on and to collaborate to address the issue of poverty in Greater Philadelphia.
When: Wednesday, April 22, 3 pm – 5 pm
Where: University City Science Center, Quorum, 3711 Market Street, Suite 800
What: Behind every successful tech venture is one or two (or forty-seven) fails — strategies that didn’t quite pan out, great ideas that weren’t able to successfully reach a market, or initiatives that failed to make it beyond the startup stage. Come listen to some local entrepreneurs talk about their fails (and also successes) and learn from their hard-earned wisdom. This is part of the Business Conference Day, the whole of which is FREE for students with the code PTW15BizStudent!
PTW Scavenger Hunt: The Green Challenge
When: Wednesday, April 22, 6 pm – 9:30 pm
Where: Washington Square Park, Walnut and 6th Street
What: A scavenger hunt that challenges participants to live the life of a sustainable tech startup. You can create teams or join one the day of the event. Each team will be given clues, and you can use your smartphone to snap photos. The only transportation methods allowed are bikes, public transit, or walking.
Philly Student Startup Summit 3.0
When: Saturday April 25, 10 am – 6 pm
Where: Location TBA
What: If you’re a student entrepreneur, then the Philly Student Startup Summit 3.0 is the place to be on April 25. This is a day-long conference where you’ll be able to hear from experts in the field from Philadelphia, such as Josh Kopelman of First Round Capital and Alisha Slye of Blackstone Launchpad. Get excited to hang out with the next wave of student entrepreneurs!
