Philadelphia has a rich history, classified as the birthplace of the United States and the home of the many firsts. 

A new “first” can now be added to the list, as Hybrid has selected Philadelphia as the home of its U.S. headquarters, beating out Boston and several other contending cities.

The selection was made after a conducted analysis of cities based on a variety of factors, including business friendliness and ability to recruit talent. 

In the announcement, Hybrid executives described Philadelphia as “a city whose diversity, drive and place at the heart of the education and tech sectors make it the place for us in the States.” 

The city was also praised for being founded on “can-do leadership, with a forward-thinking attitude and thoroughly cosmopolitan outlook on where to go next,” making it a “match made in global office heaven.”

Founded in 2009 and based in Bristol, United Kingdom, Hybrid is a digital media firm that brings together journalists, digital strategies, creatives and business minds with the goal of working in the transformative sectors of higher education and technology. 

Since its initial launch, Hybrid has expanded globally with offices in Sydney, Australia and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 

Philadelphia will add yet another layer to its expansion efforts.

“The opportunity in the vibrant city of Philly is second to none, higher education is big business and with already 40 partners in the state we have a great foundation on which to build,” said Hybrid CEO Chris Cammann, in a statement. 

According to the Philadelphia Business Journal, when Philly was selected as the U.S. headquarter location, 30 different office spaces throughout Center City, University City and Northern Liberties were evaluated. 

Ultimately, Center City was selected and its headquarters will open in the 1600 Market Street building.

“It was important… to be near where the foot traffic is,” said Michael Rabinowitz, a Tactix Real Estate Advisors broker who represented Hybrid.

He added that there was a desire to be close to Rittenhouse Square and in a building with amenities, ease of access, and near a location where employees want to live and where recruiters would have a solid opportunity to find fresh, new talent.

To this end, Cammann noted: “We’re here to support businesses and education providers, deal with their challenges head on and build long-term partnerships.” 

Hybrid plans to grow the new office in Philadelphia to 80 employees over the next two to three years. 

Positions it intends to fill include business development executives, digital media and content executives, tech writers, and ultimately a creative team.