We are excited to announce the 2026 Pennovati

For many veterans, the hardest part of transitioning out of service isn't the discipline, the work ethic, or the resilience, it's knowing where to start in a civilian tech landscape that doesn't always speak the same language. On March 24th, the Vets in Tech Greater Philadelphia Chapter tackled that challenge head-on with Pathways into Tech, their first event of the year and a milestone moment for a chapter that's quickly becoming a vital hub for the region's veteran tech community.

What happens when you clear away the slide decks, ditch the long pitches, and put founders face-to-face with investors on an open demo floor? You get the Philly Startup Expo — and in March, Code & Coffee Philadelphia and OneSixOne Ventures brought that energy to Pennovation Center for one of the most hands-on, high-signal events the Philly startup ecosystem has seen in recent memory.

AI tools are getting smarter by the day. But are we? That was the main question behind Philly AI Connect's March event, The Human Edge in the Age of AI, held at Pennovation Center. And it set the tone for one of our most thought-provoking evenings yet.

Former Penguin Random House executive and industry veteran Brendan Cahill has launched Navigator Books, a Philadelphia-based publisher focused on history, biography, memoir, and historical fiction. The company plans to publish three titles this year, beginning in July, with plans to expand to six in 2027.

Cahill emphasized that the company's model centers on cultivating long-term relationships with authors, working with them to develop ideas and establish careers.

AgriGates has been awarded a 2026 grant from the Pennsylvania Center for Poultry and Livestock Excellence (CPLE) to support the establishment of the Data, Analytics, and Technology for Artificial Intelligence in Livestock Animal Behavior Laboratory (DAT-AI-LAB) at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.

Some of the most important members of our workforce have four legs. At the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine's Working Dog Center (WDC) — located right here at Pennovation Works — a landmark gift is set to deepen the science behind keeping those workers healthy, capable, and on the job.

Philly’s AI scene is officially alive and thriving! Philly AI Connect partnered with Google on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at Pennovation Works to host a fantastic community gathering: “Turbocharge Your SDLC with Gemini.”

This special event provided founders, engineering leaders, and technical teams with the actionable insights needed to deploy AI effectively within their product workflows.

The Philadelphia tech community gathered at Pennovation Works on November 21, 2025, for the highly anticipated fourth installment of the Philly Tech Council's AI for Everyone series. This popular event delivered an afternoon of high energy, expert insights, and powerful networking, reinforcing Philly's position as a vibrant tech hub.

This year's program dove deep into the most critical trends in artificial intelligence, focusing on AI Agents, the pace of innovation, cybersecurity risks, and AI’s impact on the job market.

In recognition of World Mental Health Day, Pennovation Works hosted Mentor Connect's panel, Lessons Learned: The Messy Side of Being a Founder at the Pennovation Center.