Tech:NYC Digest: April 21

April 24, 2023 • Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes

Friday, April 21, 2023

We’re back with another “Friday Five” roundup of our top stories in New York tech this week.

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Companies to Watch: Five New York Founders on the Forefront of Climate Tech (Tech:NYC)

In honor of Earth Day tomorrow, we spoke to five founders who are putting sustainability at the center of some of NYC’s largest industries — food, healthcare, and real estate. The city itself is also stepping up: With an updated PlaNYC agenda and new initiatives at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, NYC is quickly becoming a burgeoning hub for climate tech…

City to launch climate tech incubators to lure global tech firms (Crain’s New York)

…for emerging startups and established companies alike. A pair of climate tech incubators are being launched in the city: One to help early-stage companies refine climate solutions for urban environments, and one to attract international companies ready to set up shop in NYC.

Generative AI can help with mundane tasks too (Axios)

There’s a lot of conversation about the inevitable applications of AI, but perhaps among the most valuable is to just take care of the boring stuff. That’s how Adobe (a Tech:NYC member) is using AI programs to help creatives save time. For example: a quick prompt to “change a blue sweater to red” eliminates the tedious tasks so users can focus on the actual creating.

How NYC’s first community garden got started (Gothamist)

There are now hundreds of community gardens across the five boroughs, but rewind 50 years, the Liz Christy Community Garden on the Lower East Side was “in the very, very beginning, about 3 feet of garbage.” Then some local residents took over.

Talking to an Ant Guy About Peak Ant Season (Curbed)

Rats and bedbugs take up a lot of the pest discourse in NYC, but one top-notch Bensonhurst exterminator (his company is literally called Top Notch Pest Control) says you’re probably underestimating ants.

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