Founding Philly
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BFTP GO PA Fund, Director Aston Pierce | Founding Philly Ep. 53

This episode is sponsored by Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs. --- In this episode of Founding Philly, I sit down with Aston Pierce, Director of the BFTP GO PA Fund, to explore how Ben Franklin Technology Partners has supported Pennsylvania startups for nearly 40 years — and why building a durable ecosystem requires more than early-stage checks. We unpack the funding gaps that can stall promising companies and how Ben Franklin’s for-profit follow-on funds were created to keep backing the ...

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Recent Episodes

BFTP GO PA Fund, Director Aston Pierce | Founding Philly Ep. 53
Feb. 19, 2026

BFTP GO PA Fund, Director Aston Pierce | Founding Philly Ep. 53

This episode is sponsored by Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs. --- In this episode of Founding Philly, I sit down with Aston Pierce, Director of the BFTP GO PA Fund, to explore how Ben Franklin Technology Partners has supported Pennsylvania startups for nearly 40 years — and why building a durable ec…

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1Philadelphia Executive Director & Coded By CEO, Danae Mobley | Founding Philly Ep. 52
Jan. 12, 2026

1Philadelphia Executive Director & Coded By CEO, Danae Mobley | Found…

This episode is sponsored by Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs. --- In this episode of Founding Philly, I sit down with Danae Mobley, CEO of Coded By and Executive Director of 1Philadelphia, to explore what it really takes to build a durable startup ecosystem — and why talent, endurance, and consisten…

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Robin Hood Ventures, Executive Director Ellen Weber | Founding Philly Ep. 51
Dec. 9, 2025

Robin Hood Ventures, Executive Director Ellen Weber | Founding Philly…

This episode is sponsored by Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs. --- In this episode of Founding Philly, I sit down with Ellen Weber, Executive Director of Robin Hood Ventures, to unpack what really happens when founders pitch angel investors — and what early-stage investors are actually listening for.…

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Roundtable Series w/ Ted Mann, Joe Biancaniello, Michael Crossey, and Mike Petrakis Ep 3 | Founding Philly
Aug. 27, 2025

Roundtable Series w/ Ted Mann, Joe Biancaniello, Michael Crossey, and…

This episode is sponsored by J.P. Morgan and Cozen O'Connor. --- In this episode of Founding Philly, I sit down with Ted Mann, Mike Petrakis, Mike Crossey, and Joe Biancaniello for a roundtable conversation on what it really takes to start, fund, and scale a company in Philly. This episode is part …

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The Roundtable Series w/ Helena Jaramillo, Tito Obaisi, and Lilly Chen Ep 2 | Founding Philly
June 23, 2025

The Roundtable Series w/ Helena Jaramillo, Tito Obaisi, and Lilly Che…

This episode is sponsored by JP Morgan. --- In this episode of Founding Philly, we bring you the second installment of our Roundtable Series—recorded live at the Fitler Club—where we gather Philadelphia's top founders and ecosystem builders for a candid conversation about what it’s really like to b…

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The Roundtable Series w/ Tiffanie Stanard, Adit Gupta and Tom Falzani Ep 1 | Founding Philly
April 29, 2025

The Roundtable Series w/ Tiffanie Stanard, Adit Gupta and Tom Falzani…

This episode is sponsored by Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs . --- In this episode of Founding Philly, I sit down with three Philly founders—Tiffanie Stanard, founder and CEO of Stimulus, and Adit Gupta and Tom Falzani, co-fou...

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Reviews

Legendary host and podcast

"Zach is an incredible host with great questions, great insights, and great guests. He’s a gem that the city of Philadelphia is and should be thankful for. Keep up the great work!"

Hayhayrayjay193842 | June 23, 2023

A must listen!

"The Founding Philly podcast is both educational and enjoyable. There are really great stories about local start ups and I always look forward to the new episodes!"

Rob84729 | Oct. 12, 2023