Social impact & tech leader.

A native of Philadelphia, Sylvester Mobley has earned the attention and recognition of his peers after launching and building Coded by Kids - a youth tech education non-profit that grew from serving one child in a Philly rec center to serving hundreds of students in the region. Sylvester focuses his work on preparing underrepresented people for leadership roles in the tech and innovation space.

Under Sylvester’s leadership, CBK has significantly increased the scope of its impact and launched citywide initiatives, like 1Philadelphia, to ensure all underrepresented Philadelphia residents have access to opportunities in tech and innovation. Within six years, the organization has grown from serving fewer than 15 students in one recreation center to teaching hundreds of students each week in locations across the region. Sylvester’s other major initiatives include launching the early-stage venture capital firm, startup incubator, and startup accelerator, Plain Sight Capital (PSC). Sylvester is also an Entrepreneur in Residence with Osage Venture Partners, an early-stage venture capital firm.

Some of Sylvester’s awards and honors include: For(bes) the Culture 50 Champions honoree, the 2018 Philadelphia Award, the University City Science Center Nucleus Cultivator Award, the Please Touch Museum Portia and Otto Sperr Legacy Award and the Philadelphia 76ers Game Changer Award. He is also a veteran of the war in Iraq, serving in three branches of the United States military (Marines, Air Force, and Army) over 12 years.