Plus, a full breakdown of Pennsylvania's long-overdue budget.

November 17, 2025

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Pennsylvania finally has a budget! After months of negotiations, the commonwealth passed funding for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, which includes millions for tech and innovation. Scroll for a breakdown of those initiatives. 

 

Plus, Gopuff is once again making headlines. This time, it's for a massive $250 million raise. Read on for details about what this means for the startup. 

 

— Sarah Huffman, lead reporter in Philadelphia

 

P.S. Check out this year's nominees for the Technical.ly Awards. Make sure to submit your votes by Nov. 30

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Image of the Day: Sylvester Mobley, Heath Naquin, Antonia Dean and Jonathon Beschen on a panel at the Future Forward Summit  (Sarah Huffman/Technical.ly)
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Gopuff raises $250M for enhanced delivery and AI

 

Local unicorn Gopuff announced it raised $250 million, upping its total amount raised to over $5.2 billion. This funding will support AI implementation, faster fulfilment and an enhanced consumer offering.

 

The raise follows a tough couple of years for the convenience delivery startup. After multiple rounds of layoffs, the company most recently dismissed its CTO and faced a stop-work order at its Philly headquarters.

 

This funding round is a signal of the company's next chapter, according to Yakir Gola, co-CEO and co-founder of Gopuff. 

 

“We’re back on offense, and we’re just getting started," he said. Continue reading ... 

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 PA's $50B budget invests in tech and life sciences

 

Months after the deadline, Pennsylvania finally passed a $50 billion budget for the current fiscal year. Some of that money is allocated to support tech companies, life sciences and workforce development. 

 

Philly's robust life sciences sector will get a boost from the $3 million allocated to the Life Science Greenhouse Initiative, which provides funding and support to those early-stage companies.

 

Southeastern Pennsylvania will also benefit from the reupped $17 million going toward Ben Franklin Technology Partners, a statewide org that provides investments and resources to local tech companies. Continue reading ... 

shapiro-signs-budget

Technical.ly Partner Updates

Audience seated in a modern conference room listens to a speaker on stage; some people have backpacks, and cameras are set up in the back.

How Certara turned the FDA’s surprising decision on animal testing into a launchpad for innovation

The company’s AI-powered biosimulation platform is guiding the pharmaceutical industry through a historic transition.

For technologists:

Graduates of Temple's Geography, Environment and Urban Studies program get competitive and meaningful jobs.

For entrepreneurs and innovators:

The University City Science Center is drives economic growth locally and advances transformative healthcare solutions globally.

For jobseekers:

Accelerate your career in a single day. Learn more about Perpay's Super Day Series, a week of one-day, invite-only hiring events.

💵 Funding check-in

 Relevant SEC filings from the past week

  • LifeLens Technologies, $15M, [Biotech]
  • IsoBio, $1.7M, [Biotech]
  • Docuverus, $500k, [Software]
  • Phio Pharmaceuticals, $1.4M [Biotech]

📰 News Incubator: What else to know

Stories from our newsroom and around the web  

  • Can Philly's creator economy help rewrite the city's upward mobility story? [Technical.ly]

  • How a $100 South Philly experiment grew to a citywide composting movement [Technical.ly]

  • How to build — and get the most out of — a startup advisory board [Technical.ly] 

  • Meet Chatbot Jesus: How Philly area churches tap AI to save souls [Axios] 

  • Biolyst Scientific closing Montgomery County site, impacting 76 employees [Philly Biz Journal 🔒]

  • ThirdLaw Molecular raises $5.5M and rebrands to Ladder Bio [Press release]

  • Legend Biotech expects to grow to over 50 employees at new cell therapy 'launch pad' in Philly [Philly Biz Journal 🔒]

On the Calendar

Want to see your event here? Reply and let me know 

 

🔐 Partner event: BSides Philadelphia: Where Cybersecurity Meets Innovation, Dec. 5, 8 a.m., $90

 

💎 Philly.rb Project Night, Nov. 18, 5:30 a.m., FREE

 

🌱 SaaS and Tech Growth Meetup, Nov. 19, 5:30 p.m., FREE

 

💓 Empathy Tech 2025, Nov. 19, 9 a.m., $25

 

⌨️ CTRL+ALT Philly, Nov. 20, 6:00 p.m., FREE

 

📖 Philly Story Fest, Nov. 21, 8 p.m., $33

💼 Job market: Find your place

Data QA Engineer, Analytics at Clerri

At Clerri, we’re a team of builders, believers, and bold thinkers driven by one mission: to remove the barriers between patients and providers through memberships that improve access to care and help...Find out more »

Senior Data Scientist at Perpay

About the Role: As a Senior Data Scientist at Perpay, you will be a critical player in the day-to-day success of the business, supporting new and existing product initiatives through strong...Find out more »

Database Administrator – MariaDB | Experienced Hire at Susquehanna International Group

Overview Susquehanna International Group is seeking a MariaDB Database Administrator to join our team! This role offers the opportunity to leverage your current knowledge of relational database...Find out more »

➡️ Search all open jobs and hiring companies

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