Philly EnterpriseTech Daily Roundup 11/5: CloudMine, Amazon HQ2, Billtrust, Uber


Tom Paine




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CloudMine, the Center City-based startup that Safeguard Scientifics had financed to the tune of $11 million, declared Chapter 7 Bankruptcy today .


Lender Comerica Bank "declared a default and swept the company’s bank account during the week of October 29." an attorney representing CloudMine's board said in an email Monday, the Philadelphia Business Journal reported.

A highly rated vendor of 'Backend as a Service' (BAAS), which is important in facilitating mobile apps. Cloudmine had honed in on the healthcare
for its product / market fit. But apparently there wasn't enough revenue there and CloudMine was out of financing alternatives.

Healthcare-related BaaS apps require considerable client development time and expense, complicating cashflow management.

Cloudmine had already downsized considerably, but the closure cost 11 remaining employees their jobs.

CloudMine had raised total funding of $15.6 million.

Co-founder and ex-CEO Brandon McCorkle left last year.





A story by the Washington Post over the weekend suggesting that Amazon had settled on Arlington, VA's Crystal City development as its HQ2
site and was negotiating final terms led to a very annoyed response from Amazon.

After the Post story came out, Amazon’s Mike Grella addressed “the genius leaking info,” saying: “You’re not doing Crystal City, VA any favors. And stop treating the NDA you signed like a used napkin.”

Of course, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns the Post.


Later reports pointed to a multi-city solution, and then to a two-city solution possibly including Dallas or New York in addition to Crystal City.




Lawrenceville, NJ-based Billtrust has launched a B2B payments platform for buyers and suppliers in conjunction with Visa .

The Billtrust Business Payments Network (BPN) is built upon a database of suppliers' preferred payment methods. The goal is to facilitate transactions more quickly and efficiently by helping buyers find out how to pay. Billtrust CEO Flint Lane told Pymnts.com that BPN will do what other B2B payment platforms have struggled to do: put paper checks on the path to extinction.




Uber has asked Pennsylvania for permission to resume self-driving car testing on public roads, claiming it has improved the autonomous vehicle software, the company said on Nov 2, more than seven months after it suspended testing following a deadly crash in Arizona.

The company disclosed in a report to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that it would resume testing with two employees in the front seat, enable an automatic braking system at all times, and more strictly monitor safety employees.



Utah-based software firm Qualtrics is about to raise up to $500 million in an IPO. Qualtrics CEO Ryan Smith in July 2015: "Congratulating me for raising VC is like congratulating someone for taking out a mortgage."




at 10:20 PM 0 comments

SAP's McDermott on Bloomberg: Cloud, CRM, China



at 11:42 AM 0 comments

Moore College of Art & Design Hosts Game Changers: Women in Animation and Games

Moore College of Art & Design
Hosts Game Changers: Women in Animation and Games

Philadelphia, PA – Moore College of Art & Design is proud to once again host Game Changers: Women in Animation and Games, a panel discussion featuring women who work in the industry, on Thursday, November 8, 2018. The event, presented by the Animation & Game Arts department, will be held from 7 – 8 pm in Moore’s Graham Auditorium, 1916 Race Street, with a reception to follow from 8 – 9 pm. It is free and open to the public. For more information, visit moore.edu/gamechangers.

The moderator is Lauren Brown of EA Mobile. Panelists include Rachel Sima of PHL Collective, Shayla Hall of Floyd County Productions and Zoe Smith of QC Games. They will discuss their creative process, careers and how they are effecting change in the industry. The panel will be followed by a Q&A with the audience and a reception with the panelists.

“Women have long been underrepresented in an industry that more than half of all women have engaged with,” said Brown. “We want to encourage an environment where women of all backgrounds will feel empowered to create and have their voices be heard.”

“In today’s world, it is more important than ever to highlight women working in animation and games, which is still a male-dominated industry,” said Steve Wood, assistant professor of Animation & Game Arts. “I also feel it is important to give women in these industries a platform to discuss what they feel is most important to them and the work that they do.”

Panelists:

Lauren Brown is a professional illustrator and graphic designer. She is currently the lead environmental artist for EA Mobile in Austin, Texas.

Rachel Sima has been working in the game industry for five years as a writer, designer and producer, working with clients such as the Tourette Association of America and Cartoon Network. She currently works as a producer at PHL Collective, a Philadelphia-based game development studio.

Shayla Hall is a background artist for the TV series Archer on FX. She was also the background art director for the animated episode "BuzzKill” in Misfits and Monsters on TruTV. She is a background artist for Floyd County Productions in Atlanta, and has been developing and working on her own webcomic series, RotAngel.

Zoe Smith is a 3D character artist currently working at QC Games in Austin, Texas, on the recently announced game “Breach.” She enjoys creating 3D models in her spare time.


Moore College of Art & Design educates students for careers in art and design. Founded in 1848, Moore is the nation's first and only women's visual arts college for undergraduates. The College's career-focused environment and professionally active faculty form a dynamic community in the heart of Philadelphia's cultural district, surrounded by world-class museums. The College offers ten Bachelor of fine arts degrees for women and four coeducational graduate programs. In addition, Moore provides many valuable opportunities in the arts through The Galleries at Moore, Continuing Education Certificate programs for professional adults, the acclaimed Young Artists Workshop, The Art Shop and Sculpture Park. For more information about Moore, visit www.moore.edu


at 10:49 PM 0 comments

Annual Lion Cage pitch competition set for Nov. 10 at PSU Great Valley, includes $5,000 in prizes

Student presenting business idea to panel of judges in auditorium
The second annual Lion Cage pitch competition will be held on Nov. 10 for both the Penn State community and the public to present business ideas and compete for $5,000 in prizes.
Image: Elizabeth Palmer
Student presenting business idea to panel of judges in auditorium
The second annual Lion Cage pitch competition will be held on Nov. 10 for both the Penn State community and the public to present business ideas and compete for $5,000 in prizes.
Image: Elizabeth Palmer

Annual Lion Cage pitch competition set for Nov. 10, includes $5,000 in prizes

October 3, 2018
MALVERN, Pa. — Penn State Great Valley will hold the second annual Lion Cage pitch competition from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 10.
Designed for early-stage entrepreneurs, Lion Cage creates an opportunity to pitch business products or ideas to a judging panel of startup and business experts, receive valuable feedback, and compete for prizes. A total of $5,000 will awarded this year, and the contest is open to both the Penn State community and the public.
The event is held through the campus’ REV-UP Center for Entrepreneurship, which was established in May 2016 through a grant from the Invent Penn State Initiative. Operating in partnership with the Chester County Economic Development Council, REV-UP aims to engage and encourage Penn State students, faculty and community members to generate innovative, commercially-viable solutions to address existing and emerging business and social needs, and to support their entrepreneurial efforts as they serve the Philadelphia region.
In its first year, Lion Cage saw 10 pitches from students, alumni and community members. Their ideas ranged from an Esports strategy app, to an on-demand child care center, to a community-centered coffee shop. Speakers included Michael Dermer, founder and author of the Lonely Entrepreneur, and Anthony Gold, co-founder of ROAR for Good.
“Last year's inaugural event was a great success,” said Doug Schumer, faculty director for the REV-UP center. “Participants and attendees came together to celebrate entrepreneurship. This year we will build on that success, featuring a pitch contest with bigger awards and a keynote address by the entrepreneur and author Wayne Kimmel.”
Wayne Kimmel, managing partner of SeventySix Capital
Wayne Kimmel, managing partner of SeventySix Capital, will deliver the keynote address at Lion Cage.
Image: Wayne Kimmel
A sports tech venture capitalist and philanthropist, Wayne Kimmel has been named a top innovator by Philadelphia Magazine and is included on Philadelphia Business Journal's Power 100 list. He is the managing partner of SeventySix Capital, a venture capital company that invests in startup consumer facing tech companies in the sports, health and retail industries. Other partners include Jon Powell, CEO of Kravco Company LLC, a leading real estate company that developed the King of Prussia Mall, and Ryan Howard, former National League MVP and 2008 World Series champion with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Competitors for this year’s event will be preselected through an application process. Interested individuals must complete the online application by Friday, Oct. 19. Lion Cage is open to the public, but advance online registration is required. The event is sponsored by American Crane. More information is available at greatvalley.psu.edu/lioncage.
October 3, 2018
MALVERN, Pa. — Penn State Great Valley will hold the second annual Lion Cage pitch competition from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 10.
Designed for early-stage entrepreneurs, Lion Cage creates an opportunity to pitch business products or ideas to a judging panel of startup and business experts, receive valuable feedback, and compete for prizes. A total of $5,000 will awarded this year, and the contest is open to both the Penn State community and the public.
The event is held through the campus’ REV-UP Center for Entrepreneurship, which was established in May 2016 through a grant from the Invent Penn State Initiative. Operating in partnership with the Chester County Economic Development Council, REV-UP aims to engage and encourage Penn State students, faculty and community members to generate innovative, commercially-viable solutions to address existing and emerging business and social needs, and to support their entrepreneurial efforts as they serve the Philadelphia region.
In its first year, Lion Cage saw 10 pitches from students, alumni and community members. Their ideas ranged from an Esports strategy app, to an on-demand child care center, to a community-centered coffee shop. Speakers included Michael Dermer, founder and author of the Lonely Entrepreneur, and Anthony Gold, co-founder of ROAR for Good.
“Last year's inaugural event was a great success,” said Doug Schumer, faculty director for the REV-UP center. “Participants and attendees came together to celebrate entrepreneurship. This year we will build on that success, featuring a pitch contest with bigger awards and a keynote address by the entrepreneur and author Wayne Kimmel.”
Wayne Kimmel, managing partner of SeventySix Capital
Wayne Kimmel, managing partner of SeventySix Capital, will deliver the keynote address at Lion Cage.
Image: Wayne Kimmel
A sports tech venture capitalist and philanthropist, Wayne Kimmel has been named a top innovator by Philadelphia Magazine and is included on Philadelphia Business Journal's Power 100 list. He is the managing partner of SeventySix Capital, a venture capital company that invests in startup consumer facing tech companies in the sports, health and retail industries. Other partners include Jon Powell, CEO of Kravco Company LLC, a leading real estate company that developed the King of Prussia Mall, and Ryan Howard, former National League MVP and 2008 World Series champion with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Competitors for this year’s event will be preselected through an application process. Interested individuals must complete the online application by Friday, Oct. 19. Lion Cage is open to the public, but advance online registration is required. The event is sponsored by American Crane. More information is available at greatvalley.psu.edu/lioncage.


at 4:19 PM 0 comments

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