250+ Philly Comcast RISE Award Recipients Gathered at The Wells Fargo Center to Celebrate Comcast RISE Day

This summer, we helped to announce the latest iteration of Comcast RISE: Comprehensive grant packages for 100 Philadelphia small businesses, which included consultation services, educational resources, $5,000 monetary grants, creative production, media schedule and a technology makeover.

Well, the recipients were chosen and on Monday November 13, Comcast invited past and current Philadelphia Comcast RISE recipients to the Wells Fargo Center to be recognized on Comcast RISE Day. The event featured networking, a partner marketplace offering connections to local business resources, as well as complimentary professional headshots. There was also a panel presentation on artificial intelligence and social media. To cap off the night, Former Eagles Safety, Pro Football Hall of Famer, and motivational speaker Brian Dawkins spoke to the crowd.

“The pandemic was devastating for our business, and the recovery process has been a struggle – we have had to learn to operate differently. Comcast RISE gives businesses, like ours, that are in transition and trying to stabilize in a new market environment, the help we need,” said Nima Etemadi, co-owner of Cake Life Bake Shop.

The Comcast RISE recipients this year are among the more than 13,500 entrepreneurs nationwide who have received grants through the program to date – with 816 of them in Philadelphia. Since its launch in November 2020, Comcast RISE has awarded over $125 million – including more than $10 million here in Philly – in monetary, marketing, and technology grants and was created to help businesses and their communities thrive, with a focus on economic growth.

“Last year, we introduced Comcast RISE Days as a way to continue supporting the long-term success of small businesses in the communities we serve,” said Loren Hudson, SVP and Chief Diversity Officer for Comcast Cable. “Comcast RISE began to help businesses survive during the pandemic, today we are helping businesses and their communities achieve stronger economic growth over the long term by building meaningful connections and relationships.”

In addition to Philly, Comcast RISE Days took place in Baltimore, Detroit, Memphis, and Portland, OR. A total of 100 grants per city, or 500 grants overall were awarded in September 2023.

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