Join us in making great things happen locally and globally.
At Venture Café Philadelphia, we tap into the expertise and network of the University City Science Center to partner with companies and organizations that are evolving business, education, technology, social justice, science and the arts within Philadelphia and beyond. Along with pitch nights, thought provoking content and one-on-one sessions, our flagship program – Thursday Gathering – provides you with hundreds of connection and action opportunities each week, both online and at our inspiring venues. When you take part in a Venture Café event, you can meet hundreds of creative, resourceful people who are just as invested in improving life in Philadelphia as you are.
For over 60 years, the University City Science Center has powered progress that changes lives, grows companies, uplifts our region, and improves our world. The Science Center is a mission-driven nonprofit that commercializes technology, cultivates talent to support a 21st century economy, and convenes people to inspire action. Paramount to the Science Center’s convening activity is its Venture Café Philadelphia programming. This programming, along with a variety of other touchpoints offered by the Science Center, serves as the connective tissue that binds together the region’s innovation ecosystem.
Venture Café began as a simple idea within the Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC) in Massachusetts. A longtime global leader in building innovation campuses and shared workspaces, CIC began evolving from its concept of physical spaces to one of greater meaningful community in 2009. This new iteration grew into a global movement known for its entrepreneurial resources and inclusivity. Today, Venture Café Global Institute – now its own enterprise – expands to new cities on its own as well as alongside other CIC ventures.
Venture Café Philadelphia is part of the growing Venture Café global network – and that means you are, too! Through our collaborations in cities from Tokyo to Warsaw to Rotterdam, we’ll connect you with change-makers and resources to help you expand innovation both locally and globally. Together, let’s ignite creativity and catalyze action to solve humankind’s challenges while meaningfully supporting entrepreneurs and innovators, many of whom have traditionally been underserved. Check out the benefits of worldwide collaboration!
