1Philadelphia has launched the Incline Fund to support local founders and technologists in expanding their reach at national conferences and events, writes Sarah Huffman for Technical.ly.

These founders are building on the region’s existing tech reputation, including the city’s recent ranking among the top 25 markets for tech talent in CBRE’s annual Scoring Tech Talent report.

The fund, which was launched in August, will cover travel to conferences, events, and pitch competitions. The program aims to help city founders gain exposure with the ultimate goal of securing funding.

“Too often, promising entrepreneurs in Philadelphia lack access to the visibility and networks available to their peers in other markets,” said Danae Mobley, executive director of 1Philadelphia. “The Incline Fund changes that — helping Philly founders step into the rooms where capital is raised and opportunities for scale take root.”

The hope is that the momentum will attract more investment to Philadelphia, so founders do not have to relocate to other cities for funding. Applications for a 1Philadelphia cohort for a specific event are currently open and can be found here.

Read more about 1Philadelphia’s new Incline Fund and how Philadelphia ranks among the top tech cities in the nation in Technical.ly.

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