Tech:NYC Digest: June 14

Tech:NYC Digest: June 14

June 14, 2023 • Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes

Wednesday, June 14, 2023

In today’s digest, tech jobs with a social mission, hybrid work’s impact on the city budget, and a push for more trees.

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  • The city's top budget watchdog isn't sweating the slow return-to-office. Even a "doomsday" scenario for the Manhattan office market — where the value of office properties decline by 40% over the next six years — would only result in a modest property tax revenue shortfall for New York City, according to a new report from city Comptroller Brad Lander. (Bloomberg) 

  • Early voting kicks off Saturday for June primaries. NY1 has a guide with voting times and dates, while The City has breakdown on each district, its candidates and more.

  • State lawmakers aren’t wrapping up just yet. The Assembly is expected to return to Albany for a two-day session next week that will focus on unfinished business, which could include a bill allowing New York City to lower speed limits to 20 miles per hour. (NY1)

In other reading:

  • Around 22% of New York City is covered by trees right now. To help fight climate change, the City Council wants to increase that to 30% (City and State) 

  • After two decades, the arts center near One World Trade has announced its premiere season (Gothamist)

  • A delicious-looking city bagel shows the perils of going viral (GQ)

Looking for your next career move? Consider an impact-driven organization.Tekalo, a new effort backed by Schmidt Futures, is focused on matching tech talent to roles at mission-oriented nonprofits and companies. 

  • Tekalo has a single, free-to-use online application that matches workers to open roles at 501(c)(3) organizations and other approved impact-driven companies. The platform is open to software engineers, product managers, data analysts and UI/UX and product designers.

  • "The social good space needs more technologists," said Joni Cooper, a senior manager at Schmidt Futures, in a video announcing Tekalo. Whether "climate change, economic mobility, criminal justice, there are just so many problems to solve."

After a year of layoffs within the tech industry, Tekalo is the latest effort to direct tech talent to social-impact work. 

Our take

: Also keep an eye on Tech:NYC's

, which currently has ~4,500 listings, including

from mission-focused companies such as

.

In other reading:

  • How city startups are staying focused on the fundamentals (Crain’s New York Business) 

  • Generative AI can add $4.4 trillion in value to the global economy, according to a new study (The New York Times) 

  • Here are some AI-powered tools to boost your productivity (Charter)

  • Madhive, a NYC-based advertising software platform for TV, agreed to raise $300 million from the private equity business within Goldman Sachs Asset Management.

  • Normal Computing, a NYC-based generative A.I. company for enterprise applications, raised $8.5 million in seed funding. Celesta Capital and First Spark Ventures co-led the round and were joined by Micron Ventures. 

  • GORGIE, a NYC-based energy drink brand, raised $6.5 million in pre-seed funding. Gelmart International CEO Yossi Nasser, former Under Armour board member Harvey Sanders, the managing partners of GGV Capital, and other angels invested in the round.

  • June 20: In-person: LGBT+ VC Summit: From Stonewall to Silicon Valley, featuring keynote speaker David Karp, founder and former CEO of Tumblr. Register here.

  • June 20: In-person: Future-Proofing Your Digital Product and Brand with AI, Innovatemap principals Jon Moore and Meghan Pfeifer. Register here.

  • June 21: In-person: FirstGen's Immigrant Founder Appreciation Happy Hour to celebrate Immigrant Heritage Month. Register here.

  • June 26: 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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