Benjamin's Desk Launches Eighth Floor Space Rittenhouse Square Coworking Space Becomes Event Venue, Adds Corporate Partners

A new co-working space, Benjamin's Desk, in Philadelphia, PA. End Quote

(1888PressRelease) January 30, 2014 - PHILADELPHIA - Benjamin's Desk, a coworking space in the Allman Building at 1701 Walnut Street, announces their expansion to now include the seventh and eighth floors of the building. Benjamin's Desk now comprises 6,100 square feet and has doubled their footprint after just one year of operation. There are over 100 members of Benjamin's Desk, representing 55 companies. The extra space brings a new Corporate Partners Program, new public events and allows Benjamin's Desk to serve as a private event venue for small corporate and social gatherings of up to 100 people.

"With first-class corporate partners, best of breed events, and a plethora of services, Benjamin's Desk is no longer just a coworking space," said Michael Maher, Founder and CEO of Benjamin's Desk. "The eighth floor space addition allows us to achieve my goal of serving as the epicenter of innovation in Philadelphia. We can now help startups and entrepreneurs launch and grow their companies."

The eighth floor acquisition allows for a new corporate partners program, where member businesses will have access to advisory consultation from a select group of business leaders, exclusive in each category. The corporate partners will maintain an active presence at the space and co-develop programming and events. Corporate Partners include:

Communications: Comcast Business is our signature provider of communications solutions. Our members will have access to a blazing fast 500MB Fiber Optic Dedicated Internet connection as well as Comcast Business Voice and Television services. Comcast Local Media Development will also custom build a Benjamin's Desk online community dedicated to innovation in Philadelphia that will broadcast sponsors, partners, and members to create individual channels and post real-time, hyper-local content.

Venture Capital: SeventySix Capital
Legal: Pepper Hamilton
Accounting: EisnerAmper
Banking: M&T Bank
HR Consulting: TriNet
PR Consulting and Branding: Gloss PR
Real Estate: FirstBase
Media: The Philadelphia Citizen
Furniture: Turnstone
Other In-House Services will be provided by a curated list of Benjamin's Desk members.

The eighth floor space is now available for rent for corporate and social events, with Starr Events serving as the preferred catering provider. Exposed brick, industrial lighting, hardwood floors and

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panoramic windows create a unique backdrop. This new space will be the first "smart-space" in Philadelphia with seven flat-screen displays, Nest thermostats, Phillips Hue Lights, streaming video, and more - all operated from an Apple iPad - creating the most innovative and experiential environment to allow clients to transform the space with their brand.

The eighth floor offers amenities available free of charge to all Benjamin's Desk members and to those who rent the space for private events including: snacks from Fresh Direct; coffee from La Colombe; beer from Yards; a water machine with room temperature, cold, carbonated choices; state of the art technology including video-conferencing, enterprise phone system, and Apple TV; and sleek moveable collaborative and lounge furniture from Steelcase and Turnstone. Later this year, Benjamin's Desk will expand to include a Roof Deck atop the Eighth Floor available during private events and for use by members.

The eighth floor space is used for meeting space for Benjamin's Desk series of exclusive enrichment events. All events are open to the public and geared to Philadelphia's start up community and fostering innovation including: Startup Grind Philadelphia, Tech In Motion, CoFoundersLab and Funding Post. Launching soon will be the Ask a VC Program, which will help aspiring start up founders connect with VC funding sources.

About Benjamin's Desk
Benjamin's Desk was founded in 2012 by Michael and Jennifer Maher. Michael is a Naval Officer and entrepreneur, who left the Navy this year after nine years of service deploying overseas three times as a Surface Warfare Officer. Michael holds an MBA from Villanova School of Business in Real Estate, Finance, and International Business. He is also the founder of startup RealComps (recently changed to Houwzer). Jennifer Maher is an attorney with Pepper Hamilton and a real estate broker. Based on Benjamin's Desk initial success in 2013, SeventySix Capital invested and its Managing Partner, Wayne Kimmel, joined the Board of Benjamin's Desk.

Benjamin's Desk graduates (start up companies who have expanded and outgrown the space) include: Uber Philly, VC-backed, $400MM raised, billion dollar valuation; Curalate, VC-backed, by First Round Capital; VerbalizeIt, VC-backed, by Tech Stars; and LifeVestHealth: angel-backed, by Tiger Labs. Noteworthy current members include: Springboard Collaborative; Socialie; Versa (formerly known as ElectNext, funded by Dream It, BFTP, Comcast Foundation); u3 Ventures; Global Sporting Integration; Capstone Law. In addition, Benjamin's Desk houses FirstBase: the first brokerage launched out of a coworking space to assist startups. Benjamin's Desk's newest member is The Philadelphia Game Lab and Pennsylvania Game Studio, an incubator program for college students who build video games that hopes to spin off new gaming companies.

Benjamin's Desk is a member of the League of Extraordinary Coworking Spaces (offering members reciprocity in New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and all over the country); the Sustainable Business Network; a Partner in Startup America; and is a Veteran Owned Business.

Editor's note: Members of the media are invited to attend the launch party for the eighth floor on Thursday, January 30th
from 6-8 p.m. RSVP to corie ( @ ) glosspr dot com.

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