PHILADELPHIA--(October 13, 2011) – The videogame industry represents $4.9 billion in value added to the U.S. GDP and employs 32,000 US workers, according to the Entertainment Software Association. As home to two of the country’s most respected game development programs at the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University, Philadelphia creates a highly educated workforce with specialized game development skills. The unique combination of creative and technology culture in the Greater Philadelphia region offers a fertile environment for video game studios.
The University City Science Center’s new Angel Education program will shine a spotlight on the videogame sector when it launches October 19, 2011. Angel Education is designed to educate angel investors on emerging technology industries, opening the door for more investments in these growing companies and industries – thus benefitting entrepreneurs in those sectors. In addition to investors, the audience will include videogame development entrepreneurs who will share their experiences.
Sponsored by the Citizens Bank Foundation, Angel Education is part of the Science Center’s new Quorum initiative, which is designed to unite the region’s entrepreneurship and innovation communities through a central gathering space on the Science Center campus and related programs.
“Connecting entrepreneurs and investors is a sweet spot for Quorum, and Angel Education is one more tool to help bridge that gap,” says Science Center President & CEO Stephen S. Tang, PhD., MBA. “Ultimately, Angel Education is intended to facilitate interactions between startup companies and funding sources, helping entrepreneurs to strengthen their businesses and enabling them to create jobs as they grow their companies. We’ve been delighted to work with the entrepreneurs of the Videogame Growth Initiative to put this first program together.”
About The Science Center
The University City Science Center accelerates technology commercialization, regional economic development, and the market availability of life-enhancing scientific breakthroughs by bringing together innovations, scientists, entrepreneurs, funding, laboratory facilities, and business services. Established in 1963 and headquartered in Philadelphia, PA, the Science Center was the first, and remains the largest, urban research park in the United States. Graduate organizations and current residents of the University City Science Center’s Port business incubators have created more than 15,000 jobs that remain in the Greater Philadelphia region today and contribute more than $9 billion to the regional economy annually. For more information: www.sciencecenter.org.
About Quorum
Quorum is a strategic initiative of the University City Science Center that is designed to unite the region’s entrepreneurship and innovation communities through a central gathering space and related programs that enable idea generators to meet, share and learn, promoting the success of companies, individuals and the Philadelphia region.
