As new executive director of Philly Startup Leaders — the 10-year-old nonprofit striving to be an entry point to the local tech community — Kiera Smalls is hoping to capitalize on the city’s momentum.

“More than ever, Philadelphia is in the national spotlight,” Smalls, 28, said in an open letter to the community. “Business is booming, public spaces are thriving, and people are staying and reinvesting in their communities. We are Super Bowl champions, on Amazon’s radar, and now ranked as one of the top three startup cities in the country. It’s a great time to be in Philadelphia and be a part of its amazing evolution, and nowhere is this energy more evident than in the thriving startup and tech community.”

But Smalls said the hype about Philly, which Mayor Jim Kenney alluded to in his budget speech last Thursday, also carries over to the organization she’s joining.

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