Tech:NYC Digest: February 6

Tech:NYC Digest: February 6

February 06, 2023 • Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes

Monday, February 6, 2023

In today’s digest, the last remaining COVID rules get an end date, the NYC schools adding chatbots to their lesson plans, and the RTO patterns that confirm we’ve officially accepted hybrid work.

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  • COVID-19 vaccination will become optional for current and prospective city workers beginning Feb. 10. (New York Times) 96% of city workers are fully vaccinated, and the roughly 1,800 former employees terminated for failing to provide proof of vaccination will be able to reapply for positions with their former agencies.

  • The federal public health emergency order set to end on May 11 will spell changes for the healthcare policies millions of New Yorkers became accustomed to. 

    • Most notably, Medicaid enrollees added during the pandemic will be reviewed to confirm eligibility and private insurers will no longer be required to provide free COVID-19 tests.

    • Vaccines, however, will still be free for everyone regardless of insurance status.

    • Learn more about the changes New Yorkers can expect here.

  • Here’s a sneak peek into the 1,175 new subways cars — including 24 “open gangway” cars — that will begin running on the A and C lines later this year. (THE CITY)

  • And don’t forget: we’re down to the final week of NYC Broadway Week, the program offering 2-for-1 tickets to several shows and events. Grab your tickets before it ends on Feb. 12.

In other reading:

New York companies finally seem ready to close the book on their RTO experiments and settle into the “new normal.”

  • Office occupancy in 10 US major cities finally reached 50% for the first time since the pandemic hit, according to the weekly tracker from Kastle Systems. (Bloomberg)

  • However, NYC remains at 47.5%, a rate it’s been hovering around for months now, suggesting the city has reached a plateau where additional future enforcement of office time is unlikely.

In New York, new survey data of Manhattan employers records slightly more office attendance: It says 52% of office workers are currently at their workplace on an average weekday, up slightly from 49% in September 2022.

  • The data also found that, in most instances, a plurality of companies indicated that remote work had no impact on business outcomes or company dynamics.

  • Of the most notable changes: 56% said it brought forth positive impacts when it comes to employee attraction and retention.

What we’re watching: Whether the current RTO plateau indeed locks itself in for the long-term.

  • Most employers (82%) in Manhattan are sticking with expectations that a hybrid office schedule will remain the predominant policy in 2023.

  • Even Mayor Eric Adams, who has largely resisted remote work, is coming around to the idea of hybrid work models similar to those in tech for city employees. 

In other reading:

  • Can ChatGPT help me at the office? We put the AI chatbot to the test (Washington Post)

  • A pack of Sharpies and a pad of “big paper”: In praise of old-school design for modern brainstorming (Fast Company)

  • How to Reduce Your Email Mess and Stress (Wall Street Journal)

  • Breef, a NYC-based marketing outsourcing platform, raised $16 million in Series A funding. Greycroft led the round and was joined by BDMI, UTA.VC, Afterpay, and UC Berkeley's The House Fund. (TechCrunch)

  • Lavender, a NYC-based sales email coaching platform provider, raised $11 million in Series A funding. Norwest Venture Partners led the round and was joined by Signia Venture Partners. (TechCrunch)

  • Toggle, a NYC-based rebar robotics startup, raised $3 million in Series A extension funding. Tokyu Construction led the round. (TechCrunch)

  • Wally Health, a NYC-based dental care membership startup, raised $3 million in seed extension funding. Bling Capital led the round. (Insider)

  • February 7: In-person: The Psychology of Money: Discussing Mindset, Cultural Norms, and the Founder’s Journey, with SVB Private head of wealth strategies Gerald Baker, SVB director of early-stage startups Bo Ren, Bokksu founder and CEO Danny Taing, and others. Hosted by Silicon Valley Bank. Register here.  

  • February 9: In-person: Disrupting Delaware: Smarter Strategies for Starting your Startup, with Tusk Ventures CEO Bradley Tusk, Catawba Digital Economic Zone CEO Joseph McKinney, Vice Ventures founding partner Catharine Dockery, and others. Register here.

  • February 9: In-person: Stories of STEM Success: Alternative Career Pathways, with K50 head of platform Jessica Lowenstein, Deutsche Bank vice president of strategy and innovation Clarisse Awamengwi, Women in Tech director of business development Marion Siboni, and others. Hosted by Women in Tech USA. Use code WOMENINTECH23 and select the “Women in Tech Partner Ticket” for half off the original price. Register here.

  • February 21: Virtual: #notapitch: Unofficial Feedback on Your Idea/Prototype from a VC, with Brooklyn Bridge Ventures partner Charlie O’Donnell. Register here.

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