October Newsletter: 🗣️ VOTE as if it matters. Because it does.
This is the October 2018 edition of the Tech:NYC newsletter. If you're not already getting this in your inbox, sign up now.
There is really no nice way to say it—this month has been filled with horrible news and it has been a challenge for many of us. We were incredibly concerned to hear about pipe bomb after pipe bomb being delivered to prominent public figures, our hearts absolutely sank when we saw the news coming out of Pittsburgh, we shook our heads in frustration when reading about new potential federal rules on gender identity, and we have continued to be saddened by the vitriolic rhetoric being used to describe immigrant groups.
Yet, we are not helpless nor should we be hopeless. We all have the opportunity to advocate for change and to meaningfully contribute to the improvement of our country. Here at Tech:NYC, we will continue to help you find ways to get involved in the issues that matter to you and to push for change.
One of the most important ways of making a difference also happens to be one of the easiest: voting. And TOMORROW, November 6, we have the opportunity to vote in an election that will decide the makeup of Congress and set the tone for the next two years. Here in New York, we will also have the chance to decide the makeup of state government and to vote on reforms to the city’s charter.
As we’ve previously written, New York historically has embarrassingly low voter turnout. However, we were encouraged to see that 1.5 million people showed up to vote in September’s primary elections—three times the 2014 turnout. This Tuesday, we hope turnout far surpasses recent elections. To do our part, Tech:NYC is partnering with the YMCA in NYC for a get out the vote campaign and encouraging all of our members to give employees time to vote. And to bring our community together and discuss the important choices our country is facing, Tech:NYC is partnering with The Verge to host an election watch party as the polls close.
Elections matter and it is crucial that we all participate. If you don’t already know where to vote, check here. If you want to see which candidates you’ll be choosing between and read about the different offices up for election, check out this helpful guide produced by Tech:NYC member theSkimm. And to learn about the three ballot proposals that would reform the NYC Charter check here.
Julie
WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO
ICYMI: along with our partners at SAP, we teamed up with Startup Guide to launch their first-ever U.S. guidebook! It features case studies, expert advice, and local tips from some of our favorite NYC leaders in tech and entrepreneurship. To preview the book—or get your own copy—click here.
Earlier this month, Tech:NYC spoke with New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson about the ways government can better partner with the tech sector to make the city a fairer, more innovation-ready place.
We sat down with New York City transit president Andy Byford to discuss his transit modernization plan — and how tech can support his efforts! Learn more about his Fast Forward plan here.
The latest addition of our Policy Labs series dove into the world of drones. With our partners at DJI, we hosted demos from local drone startups and discussion on some of the regulatory hurdles to their operation in New York. Zachary Hecht, our policy director, wrote up some key takeaways here.
In the latest installment of Cornell Tech @ Bloomberg, we spoke to Squarespace founder and CEO Anthony Casalena about the state of the tech and design landscapes, and what it was like to start a company as a solo founder. Listen to the full conversation here.
A group of Tech:NYC member company executives had breakfast with United Airlines Chief Digital Officer, Linda Jojo, to discuss the tech ecosystem in New York and brainstorm the future of data innovation.
For our monthly book club, Team Tech:NYC read Charles V. Bagli’s Other People’s Money, and we discussed it with one of the book’s featured subjects, former Council Member Dan Garodnick.
Up next: Sarah Jeong’s The Internet of Garbage (which you can download for free here).
GET INVOLVED
Computer Science Education Week is taking place from December 3-9 and will be hosting events and hackathons showcasing the students in NYC’s public schools. We encourage all members of Tech:NYC and the NYC ecosystem to get involved by volunteering. Learn more and get engaged here.
The New York Fashion Tech Lab is seeking women-led fashion and retail tech startups for its 2019 cohort. The program will launch in February for growth-stage companies with, at a minimum, a working beta of its technology. Click here for more details, and submit your application by November 19.
The FinTech Innovation Lab New York, a 12-week program co-founded by the Partnership Fund for New York City and Accenture, has opened applications for its 2019 program. If you represent an early- or growth-stage company with solutions for financial institutions and insurance companies, find more details and apply by December 1 here.
Last year, more than 45 companies participated in the WiTNY Winternship program, helping to inspire, educate, and train more than 150 young women across New York City and beyond. Winternship programs often include meetings with executives, job shadowing opportunities, brown bag lunch sessions, and site visits. This year, the program’s goal is to double its number of participants! You can help get them there by signing up to sponsor a paid, three-week, mini-internship for first and second-year women at CUNY during their January academic recess. More information about the program here.
The application for the SAP.iO Foundry NY Winter 2019 cohort is launching in January! The Foundry is are looking for women and diverse entrepreneurs focusing on enterprise social impact, including sustainability, business beyond bias and employee wellness. If you represent or know a Seed to Series A startup that may be interested, apply here by November 5.
NYC TECH COMMUNITY EVENTS
November 6: Our own Julie Samuels will be the keynote speaker for the 2018 MIPIM PropTech NYC, the leading conference on the future of PropTech and the real estate industry. Get tickets here.
November 7: City & State hosts its Tech in New York conference, featuring discussions with Deputy CTO Jeremy Goldberg and Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez on the future of government tech and digital policy across the city. Use promo code TECHNYC for half off tickets here.
November 13: Join us, in partnership with Cornell Tech and Bloomberg, for the next installment of the Cornell Tech @ Bloomberg speaker series, featuring JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes and JetBlue Technology Ventures president Bonny Simi. Register here.
November 14: Join Stacklist for a happy hour discussion on building a startup engineering team, featuring leaders from TransferWise, Transfix, and others. Register here.
November 14: Out in Tech — the nonprofit that unites the LGBTQ+ tech community — is hosting an evening in support of its initiative connecting LGBTQ+ youth to tech internships, featuring an exhibition by renowned queer artist Catherine Opie. Get tickets here.
November 14: Funny As Tech!, the freewheeling panel comedy tackling thorny issues in tech, is back, featuring Foursquare chairman Dennis Crowley, along with Melissa Jun Rowley and Allison Esposito. Get tickets here.
November 27: Join Company for the next installment of their AMA @ Company series, featuring Zola co-founder and CEO Shan-Lyn Ma. Gets tickets here.
November 29: Stacklist hosts a panel discussion of advice on securing early-stage funding, featuring insights from leaders at Union Square Ventures, Thrive Capital, and others. Register here.
WELCOME TO TECH:NYC
A warm welcome to our newest members:
Beyond: design & technology ideas company driving transformational ways of thinking & working.
Bronx.Tech: professional development platform for teachers.
CrossCompute: a computational platform where you can create and run tools for analyzing open data.
Lair East: space and community for global startups and entrepreneurs.
M2 Aerials: aerial production company.
Reign Maker: a data and information collection firm, that operates UAS and other robotic devices for the civil engineering, telecommunications, and utility sector.
Shoptaki: distributed AI solutions to simplify global transactions.
Spring Health: the platform that makes mental well-being easy to navigate for both you and your team.
TechDad: tech integration, installation & support company.
Unifly Inc.: platform that connects authorities with pilots to safely integrate drones into the airspace.
UpClear: software solutions provider and revenue management consulting partner.
JOIN US
Tech:NYC is looking for a Communications and Marketing Director to join our team. Apply now or share the listing with someone you know!
We want your company to be a member of Tech:NYC! Sign up at our membership page, and let us know if you have any questions.
Future of NYC Tech Summit courtesy of Buck Ennis
Red white and blue by Barbara Kalbfleisch/Shutterstock.com