The program helps stimulate the growth of financial technology start-ups in the Philadelphia region.

The Accelerator combines award-winning curriculum and a peer-review investment process with unprecedented access to a who’s who of decision makers from the Philadelphia region’s finance sector including high value advisors, investors, and potential customers.

Entrepreneurs selected for the program will be the first in our region to participate in the Village Capital-created peer-evaluation model that received the Harvard Business Review/McKinsey M-Prize for Innovation.

The curriculum includes significant participation from industry decision makers and investors, allowing startups to engage and build relationships throughout the program. This kind of high value exposure is priceless for early stage ventures. This initiative has the support of an outstanding advisory committee and the broader Ben Franklin network.

Location

The program will take place at the offices of Ben Franklin in the Navy Yard.

Building 100 Innovation Center
4800 S 13th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19112

Advisory Committee

Martina Aufiero, Senior Vice President and Managing Partner, Safeguard Scientifics

Debbie Buchwald, Executive Director, Corporate Relations, Drexel University

Timothy Cogswell, Vice President and Relationship Manager, Wells Fargo – Technology Banking Group

Alan J. Cohn, CFP, Co-President, Principal, Sage Financial Group

Holly Flanagan, Managing Director, Gabriel Investments

Carl Guarino, Board Member, SEI Investments

David Hayne, Chief Digital Officer, Urban Outfitters

Ryan Hicke, Vice President, SEI Investments

Dave Kurtz, Managing Director, KMS Capital Group, LLC

Vincenzo La Ruffa, Head of Financial Technology and Services Group, Aquiline Capital Partners

William Marvin, Chief Executive Officer, InstaMed

Frank Mastrangelo, Managing Director, Sapere Advisory

Jim Murphy, Chief Executive Officer, Greenphire

Jim Narron, First Vice President, Federal Reserve

Warren Pennington, Principal, Vanguard

Mark Pinsky, President, FiveFour Advisors

Jeff Rosenblum, Executive Vice President, Corporate Strategy & Operations, FS Investments

Robert Thielmann, Chief Information Officer, Janney Montgomery Scott

Jayson Tischler, Principal, Rittenhouse Ventures

Brett Topche, Managing Director, Red & Blue Ventures

Michelle Wilkes, Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers