Tech:NYC Digest: April 12

Tech:NYC Digest: April 12

April 12, 2023 • Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes

Wednesday, April 12, 2023

In today’s digest, meet NYC’s first “rat czar,” Uber doubles down on e-bike safety, and the new tools ensuring your LinkedIn profile is telling the truth.

Was this digest forwarded to you? Subscribe here.

  • A new e-bike buyback program being funded by Uber will help remove unsafe batteries from the streets that have been a source of several fires across the city. (The Verge)

  • NYC has a new “rat czar.” Kathleen Corradi, a Dept. of Education official who has worked to get rid of rodents in the city’s schools, will take her mandate citywide, starting with particularly severe “rat mitigation zones” in some Brooklyn and Manhattan neighborhoods. (New York Times)

  • And are you ready for the heat wave? It’s likely to stick around for the rest of the week.

In other reading:

  • New York’s state budget is late. That’s just fine with Gov. Hochul (Gothamist)

  • Op-ed: Congestion pricing works. The data from other cities proves is (Crain’s New York)

  • Two Great Neapolitan Pizzas Reign in Manhattan: Which is Better? (Eater NY)

Verification has become a hot topic across social media platforms, and now it’s being rolled out on LinkedIn — courtesy of CLEAR. (Wired)

What’s new: Today CLEAR, the NYC-based identity verification startup best known for its expedited airport lanes, announced it would team up with LinkedIn to use its technology to help users verify their identity, free of charge.

  • On the LinkedIn app, US-based members can affirm their identity with the Powered by CLEAR platform, creating a visible indicator proving the member's identity and work credentials has been verified by CLEAR.

This partnership provides consumers and businesses with additional comfort that the people they encounter on LinkedIn are real and represented authentically. (TechCrunch)

  • "Identity is foundational to building trust online. CLEAR and LinkedIn are partnering to enhance trust on LinkedIn's platform by offering users a free, simple way to protect themselves and others," said Caryn Seidman-Becker, CEO of CLEAR. "Ensuring authentic digital interactions helps protect real people."

Our take: At a time when tech platforms are searching for new ways to fight back against bots and fake accounts, this partnership will go a long way in boosting user confidence, particularly for employers assessing the authenticity new job candidates and job seekers looking to expand their professional networks.

In other reading:

  • AlphaSense, a NYC-based market intelligence and search platform, raised an additional $100 million in Series D funding. CapitalG led the round.

  • Clear Street, a NYC-based capital markets infrastructure startup, raised $270 million in extended Series B funding. Prysm Capital led the round.

  • NetBox Labs, a NYC-based network management and automation company, raised $20 million in Series A funding. Flybridge Capital led the round and was joined by GGV Capital, Mango Capital, Salesforce Ventures, Two Sigma Ventures, IBM, the Founder Collective, Entrée Capital, and others.

  • Rupert, a NYC-based analytics distribution platform, raised $8 million in seed funding. Cortical Ventures and IA Ventures co-led the round and were joined by Citi Ventures, Joule Ventures, and others.

  • April 13: In-person: PrimeTime VC Live, with H/L Ventures investor Megan Ananian, Alumni Ventures investor Pete Mathias, Red Beard Ventures investor Elana Dickman, and Included VC investor Saka Saddiq Nuru. Hosted by Bolster and Company Ventures. Register here.

  • April 18: In-person: Building a Food Tech Startup, with Helaina CEO Laura Katz, Swoon co-CEO Jennifer Ross, and Rind Snacks CEO Matt Weiss. Hosted by Stacklist and betaworks. Register here.

  • April 20: Virtual: #notapitch: Unofficial Feedback on Your Idea/Prototype from a VC, with Brooklyn Bridge Ventures partner Charlie O’Donnell. Register here.

  • April 24 – 28: Virtual and in-person: New York Fintech Week 2023, with dozens of events featuring Tech:NYC member companies, including Current, Rho, Addition Wealth, Orum, and more. See the full schedule and register here.

  • April 25: In-person: Cornell Tech @ Bloomberg speaker series, featuring Ramp co-founder and CEO Eric Glyman. Hosted by Tech:NYC, Bloomberg, and Cornell Tech. Register here.

Any feedback or suggestions of things to add? Get in touch here. Was this digest forwarded to you? Sign up to receive it directly here.