Elliot Menschik is a physician and engineer turned hacker turned serial entrepreneur and investor. Its safe to say in business that he has seen it all. Three years ago Menschik was happily running his own health care start-up. But when approached by DreamIt, to join the team in Philadelphia as Director in the Health arena, he jumped.

On August 13, 2014 at noon Menschik will be the guest speaker during JBN’s power lunch program at Independence Blue Cross headquarters, located at 1901 Market Street. He will explain why he was lured by the challenge of nurturing emerging talent. “We wanted to keep the best and the brightest here in Philly. The way to do that is to offer them something they couldn’t get anywhere else. DreamIt is a method for start-ups to have access to successful mentors, expertise and capital in order to bring their product to market.”

In other words DreamIt is basically a crash course for first time entrepreneurs on how to make it happen. Coached by those who are already successful, DreamIt primarily operates in the technology and health sectors. Menschick elaborated “Philadelphia is where DreamIt started. We want to assist locals who have a good idea but don’t know how to make it profitable. Currently we work with 60-70 start-ups a year during three cycles”.

DreamIt does partner with larger companies such as IBC, Comcast and CHOP looking for tech innovation and innovators within their walls. So what is next for DreamIt now established in NY, Baltimore, and Austin, Texas as well as the City of Brotherly Love? “We are in the process of building a program for businesses founded by women which is still an underserved segment, and we hope to change that” Menschik added.

Indeed, DreamIt has already altered the perception of Philadelphia as a place steeped in the past into a city looking eagerly to the future.