Tech:NYC Digest: July 26

Tech:NYC Digest: July 26

July 26, 2023 • Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes

Wednesday, July 26, 2023

In today’s digest, how to get involved in New York Tech Week, the rat czar’s first performance review, and 15 tips on how to find a deal on rent. 

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  • There’s progress in the city’s never-ending battle with rats: Complaints about the rodents to the city’s 311 line are down 20% over the last month and a half. (New York Daily News)

    • The drop took place during the period the city implemented more trash containers citywide and set new trash put-out times, plus a corresponding collection schedule to minimize how long garbage sits on curbs.

  • A new report found more than 6 million New Yorkers — nearly 78% of the city’s population — are exposed to temperatures elevated at least 8 degrees by the urban heat island effect. (THE CITY)

    • The city’s concrete and steel skyscrapers, plus more than 6,000 miles of asphalt, absorb and radiate enough heat to make New York City’s urban heat island effect the most extreme of any major U.S. city. (Gothamist)

In other reading:

  • Can you still get a deal on rent in NYC? 15 ideas that might help. (Gothamist)

  • Wu-Tang Clan will headline a free hip-hop fest in Queens (TimeOut New York)

  • In Search of New York City’s Most Elusive Hot Dog (New York Times)

Today, a call to action to share with you:

New York Tech Week takes over the city October 16 – 22, and we’re recruiting startups to join the official program!

Here are a few details:

  • New York Tech Week isn’t a conference; rather, it’s a citywide effort to invite tech companies, startups, and other ecosystem leaders to develop and host their own events throughout the week.

  • After a short submission process, the events will be added to a centralized calendar and promoted alongside hundreds of other tech events already in the works.

  • There’s a lot of room for creativity — the events can be any size, any format, and as public or invite-only as you’d like.

The initiative is being spearheaded by a16z after successful versions in San Francisco and LA, and Tech:NYC is closely coordinating with the organizers to ensure a diverse cross-section of our network can participate.

Why it matters: This is a perfect moment to demonstrate the vibrancy of the New York tech ecosystem, and there’s certainly a lot to celebrate:

  • New York has long been the second-strongest tech hub in the US, only behind Silicon Valley, but for the first time ever, New York now leads the country in seed and Series A funding rounds.

  • Tech hiring in the city has remained resilient, both through the pandemic and recent market slowdowns. (By the way: More than 5,300 roles are currently open at Tech:NYC member companies. Check out the Tech:NYC Jobs Board.)

  • Major VC firms like Index Ventures, Sequoia, Lightspeed Venture Partners have all chosen New York as home to their newest offices in the last year.

If you are interested in hosting an event as part of New York Tech Week (and we hope you will!), here's a helpful FAQ on how to get involved.

If you submit an event, let us know! And if you have other questions or could use extra support brainstorming event ideas, sourcing speakers or co-hosts, or marketing your event, just reach out to our team here. We’re ready to help!

In other reading:

  • Generative AI could free up 1/3 of your working hours. These 13 sectors will be most impacted (Fast Company)

  • Tech sector tops list of likely second-half investments for retail investors (Axios)

  • How employers measure productivity is changing (WorkLife)

  • Akooda, a NYC-, Boston- and Tel Aviv-based ops intelligence platform, raised $11 million in seed funding. NFX, Atlassian Ventures, Village Global, and Founder Collective invested in the round. 

  • Ampcontrol, a NYC-based electric vehicle fleet management software maker, raised $10 million in Series A funding. The Westly Group led the round and was joined by AngelPad and Lorimer Ventures.

Endless Frontier Labs is accepting applications for its 2023-24 cohort. The program is open to early-stage science and technology-based startups, with a focus on technical founders who could benefit from a performance-driven mentoring process. Learn more and apply by July 31 hereFirst Round Capital is accepting applications for Cohort 15 of its Fast Track program. The 90-day program pairs rising startup stars with trusted mentors based on interests and areas of expertise. To be considered for a mentor or mentee slot, learn more and apply by August 4 here.The Environmental Tech Lab, a public-private initiative between the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Partnership Fund for New York City, is accepting applications for its inaugural cohort. The Lab is seeking early- and growth-stage companies with data and operations solutions to help solve pressing challenges facing the city’s water and wastewater network. Learn more and apply by August 23 here.

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