Axis Philly: Innovation, Inc.

“He took a place that was just a bunch of laboratories and some office buildings, and made it a vibrant centerpiece of our entrepreneurial ecosystem.”

That’s Steve Goodman W’62,L’65, longtime Morgan Lewis startup lawyer and WE board member, talking about Steve Tang WG’92, and all he’s done to transform the University City Science Center. MORE

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New York Times: LiveSafe, a Safety App, Raises $6.5 Million From IAC and Others; Diller Joins Board

Big congrats to LiveSafe, founded by Jeff Grass WG’99, for raising $6.5M!
Fun fact: Jeff’s team was a finalist in the very first Wharton Business Plan Competition in spring 1999. See where the WBPC takes you? MORE

Fast Company: Warby Parker’s New Store Delivers Your Glasses Via Pneumatic Tube

Totally out of new ideas, Warby Parker installs pneumatic tubes. No, wait, that’s completely brilliant in a charmingly twee, surprisingly useful fashion. MORE

NPR Marketplace: AirBnB got 99 problems but going public ain’t one

2 reasons to click & listen:
1) Awesome quirky segment title: “AirBnB got 99 problems but going public ain’t one.”
2) Quote from our very own serial entrepreneur and Wharton lecturer, Patrick Fitzgerald! MORE

CBS News: Who’s America’s No. 1 CEO? He’s not a household name

Jeff Weiner WG’92 and winner of the Wharton Entrepreneurship Alumni Achievement Award may just be America’s #1 CEO. He got a 100% approval rating from subordinates on Glassdoor.
Check out this interview with CBS This Morning: MORE

Philadelphia Business Journal: Startup PHL awards five Philadelphia groups Call for Ideas grants

Fabio Fleitas ENG’16, Sean Lynch, and Ascanio Guarini just got a $25K grant from Startup PHL to help fund their PennApps Fellows Internship Program. They’re going to bring college students from around the country to Philly to intern at local startups. MORE

Fast Times: CommonBond extends MBA loan scheme

Great news from CommonBond (founded by Wharton alums David Klein and Mike Taormina) — they’re expanding their student loan refinance program to include grads of Law, Medical, and Engineering programs, in addition to MBAers. MORE

Entrepreneur: How Warby Parker Used the Element of Surprise to Win Over Customers

What would you do differently, if you could do it all again?
Neil Blumenthal WG’10, co-founder of Warby Parker, tells Entrepreneur Magazine that he’d “take more creative risks”. For what else 20/20 hindsight has taught Neil, read on: MORE

Trend Hunter: Building Around the User Experience

JibJab co-founder Gregg Spiridellis WG’99 on how to create and grow a culture of innovation. And be really, really funny while you do it.
A cabin in the woods does come in to play. MORE

Forbes: Now, It’s The Big Time Consultants That Are Getting Disrupted

Disrupt, disrupt, disrupt.
Big time consulting is the next industry that’s under attack by new ways of doing business. Like, for example, Skillbridge, founded by Wharton (and Venture Initiation Program) alumni Raj Jeyakumar and Brett Lewis.
That’s what Forbes thinks, anyway. MORE

TechCrunch: Reelio Raises “Seven-Figure” Seed Funding To Connect Advertisers And Creators On YouTube | TechCrunch

The self-described “Match.com of brands and creators on YouTube”–Reelio, founded by Pete Borum WG’13–landed nearly $1.3 million in seed funding. MORE

Business Insider: The One Statistic That Matters Most To Warby Parker’s Founders

Their high Net Promotor Score (NPS) may be the secret to Warby Parker’s success. Business Insider explains: MORE

Nature: In business as in science, prejudice holds women back

Wharton prof Laura Huang is surprised by the findings of her own study: not only are investors 60% more likely to invest in pitches presented by men than by women, but good looking men get an advantage, whereas good looking women do not. Huh. Read on for more insight: MORE

Wall Street Journal: South by Southwest turns more of its focus to health care

The Wall Street Journal spotted Josh Stein WG’12, founder of AdhereTech, talking to investors at SXSW!
“I can’t imagine an executive of his stature listening to health-technology pitches even a few years ago,” Mr. Stein said. “Now we’re at the forefront.” MORE

Technically Philly: These 10 Philly tech founders made Business Journal’s ’40 under 40′

Hey, that’s Eric Heil, president and CEO of RightCare Solutions, the 2012 WBPC Grand Prize winner, on the Philadelphia Business Journals annual ’40 under 40′ list! MORE 

US News: Rankings and Reviews, Business Programs

US News rankings are out! Wharton moves up to a tie for #1 as best business school, and for entrepreneurship we place #6. Hold your heads high, alumni. MORE

Huffington Post: Can Silicon Valley Save Hollywood? Twitter Co-Founder’s Surprising Answer

A chat with Twitter co-founder Biz Stone gives Jonathon Youshaei C’13/W’13 insight into the Hollywood business model — and how entrepreneurial thinking could fix it. MORE

New York Times: Digital Trade School Raises $35 Million in Financing Round

Congratulations are due to General Assembly, school for “digital business skills” and supporter of entrepreneurs, founded by Jake Schwartz WG’08, for raising $35M in funding: MORE

Technically Philly: ChargeItSpot to offer charging stations in 20 Urban Outfitters stores

Wharton grad Doug Baldasare’s ChargeItSpot is gong into 20 Urban Outfitters in New York, New Jersey, and Philadelphia, and 5 Sports Authorities later this month. Now you know where to go to charge your phone while shopping. MORE

TechCrunch: Blend Lands $2.7M in Seed Funding Led by NEA

Social networking with the brands built in: Blend (co-founded by Wharton alum Matt Geiger and current student Evan Rosenbaum) pays college students Blend Currency for the best photos on the theme of the day. That currency is good for rewards from advertisers. Nice model.
That must be why they just landed $2.7 in seed funding. MORE

Technically Philly: PopInShop: ‘online dating service for stores and brands’

“It’s like an online dating service for stores and brands,” says Allison Berliner WG’13 about PopInShop, the business she and Roopak Majmudar G’13/WG’13 co-founded to help online-only brands find “the perfect partnership” with a retail store.
Technically Philly has the story: MORE

Her Campus: WICK: A Collegiate Clothing Line

“I think the business and entrepreneur resources at Penn are unparalleled.” — This from Penn student an entrepreneur Sanibel Chai, who is partnered with her Princeton friend to make party dresses out of workout fabrics for comfort and style.
A little black dress with pockets and moisture-wicking ability? I kind of want one. MORE

International Business Times: The Private Equity Recruiting Rush Has Begun

“It’s becoming a joke,” says Patrick Curtis WG’10, founder of finance forum Wall Street Oasis, about private equity recruiting. Find out what else he told the International Business Times: MORE

CNN Money: 10 Questions: Jake Schwartz, CEO and co-founder, General Assembly

Jake Schwartz WG’08, CEO and co-founder of General Assembly, answers 10 questions for CNN Money.
Check out his thoughts on self-driving cars, Wharton, and the banjo: MORE

Forbes: Elon Musk’s 500,000 Unit Battery Plant – Myth or Reality?

Elon Musk C’97/W’97 is investing $2 billion in car batteries — with a goal of producing 500,000 annually by 2020.
Forbes asks: do the numbers add up? MORE