Resolution 170840

..Title Honoring and congratulating the honorees of the 2017 Stellar StartUps competition. ..Body WHEREAS, The Stellar StartUps competition hosted by the Philadelphia Media Network and sponsored by MassMutual Greater Philadelphia and Drexel University's Close School of Entrepreneurship, gives recognition to the startup community in and around Philadelphia; and WHEREAS, Honorees are selected by an outside panel of judges and represent entrepreneurs who are dedicated to creating products and services that improve people's lives while also fueling the economic growth of their company; and WHEREAS, During this second annual Stellar StartUps competition, the judges named 26 finalists which is an increase from the 18 finalists named last year; and WHEREAS, A total of 86 startups divided among eight categories were rated on three criteria: overall concept; economic impact; and profitability/revenue potential; and WHEREAS, Winners include everything from entertainment services to life-saving products ranging from a game studio to a feeding management app to a company working with small farming cooperatives in rural sub-Saharan Africa bringing U.S. consumers organic dried fruit; and WHEREAS, Philadelphia is home to a lively and growing startup community and has a growing network of incubator, maker spaces, and co-working spaces across the City; and WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia is proud to support entrepreneurs in the City who bring energy, ideas and vitality to Philadelphia; and WHEREAS, We are very proud of these innovators who are part of the unique, vibrant, living and breathing startup community we have; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby honors and congratulates the honorees of the 2017 Stellar StartUps competition. ..End