Tech:NYC Digest: June 6

Tech:NYC Digest: June 6

June 06, 2022 • Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

Monday, June 6, 2022 

In today’s digest, a fourth vaccine on the cusp of approval, New York tops the list of states with the most LGBTQ-friendly businesses, and how to build workplaces that support the most marginalized employees.  

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By the numbers:  

  • New positive cases statewide: 3,930

    • New positive cases, NYC: 2,210

  • NYC Positivity Rate: 5.1 percent (-0.2 percent)

  • Statewide Vaccine Progress:

    • New Yorkers with at least one dose: 90.7 percent

    • New Yorkers who are fully vaccinated: 77.5 percent

In today’s latest: 

  • Advisers to the FDA are scheduled to review a new vaccine developed by Novavax tomorrow. If the shot gets the green light, it will become the fourth coronavirus vaccine approved for use in the US. (Washington Post)

    • The Novavax shot is based on more classic development methods and has been long awaited by those who are allergic to or otherwise can’t take the other mRNA-based vaccines.

  • Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a package of bills into law in the Bronx today further tightening gun access across the state, in wake of multiple mass shootings in recent weeks. (NBC New York)

    • The legislation bars anyone under age 21 from buying or possessing a semi-automatic rifle, a major change to state firearm laws passed just three weeks ago following the shooting in Buffalo.

  • A new report by Out Leadership has ranked New York at the top of its list of states with LGBTQ-friendly business climates. (Axios)

  • And here’s a first look at Lincoln Center’s massive disco ball and dance floor.

In other reading:

  • Why I Moved to New York (In a Global Pandemic) (New York Times)

  • What If Electric Bikes Were as Cheap as Conventional Bicycles? (Bloomberg)

  • Reporting Home Covid Test Results Can Be Confusing. Here’s How to Do It. (New York Times)

As companies continue to adapt to the labor market, they’re in a scramble to find creative, wholesale solutions to retain talent. These efforts largely focus on workers as a whole, when if they truly want to win the talent race, the real answer is: It depends.

Alan Henry, a former New York Times editor who writes about technology and productivity, says blanket workplace policies don’t necessarily acknowledge the “invisible barriers” marginalized employees face. His new book, Seen, Heard, and Paid: The New Work Rules for the Marginalized, outlines ways managers can create the kind of work environment necessary for them to succeed.

Henry spoke to Protocol to offer a few highlights:

  • It falls on managers to create more inclusive workplaces, not the marginalized workers.

  • Managers should ensure their teams sustain a sense of psychological safety, as well as engage their teams on a personal level and not just an authoritative one. 

  • Open-door policies put the onus on the employee to then come to managers and speak up. Managers should regularly check in with their employees to ensure no one is surprised with what people in leadership positions think of employees’ work.

Implementing these changes can also be beneficial for companies. 

  • Creating sustainable job opportunities for marginalized populations may result in higher retention rates for employers — from these hires as well as current staff. 

  • Survey data has found that millennials and Gen Zers show deeper loyalty to employers who boldly tackle the issues that resonate with them most.

These strategies are doubly important as the tech industry grapples with a potential slump later this year. Diversity experts warn the downturn could slow or even reverse the industry's progress in expanding employment opportunities if companies push their DEI initiatives to the wayside. (Business Insider)

In other reading:

  • The startup CEO gender pay gap is widening (Protocol)

  • The Office Monsters Are Trying to Claw Their Way Back to 2019 (New York Times)

  • No, you aren’t automatically saving money by working from home. Here’s how much it’s costing you. (Fortune)

  • Kickoff, a NYC-based wellness coaching platform, raised $7 million in seed funding. 645 Ventures led the round and was joined by FJ Labs and Expa. (Axios)

  • Opal, a NYC and San Francisco-based access management security platform, raised $10 million in Series A funding. Greylock led the round. (TechCrunch)

  • Realworld, a NYC-based lifestyle platform for adulthood, raised $3.2 million in funding. Fitz Gate Ventures led the round and was joined by TTV Capital, Bezos Expeditions, Techstars, Knightsgate, The Helm and other angels.

  • Souq G-Commerce, a NYC-based crypto gaming asset tracker, raised $3.3 million in pre-seed funding. Participating investors include Kickstart, IVC, Operate, Moon Holdings, Ellipti Ventures, Perpetual Value Partners, Himanshu Sahay & Partners, Sterling VC, Evernew Capital, and BBQ Capital. (VentureBeat)

  • June 8: Virtual: The Road Ahead for Private Companies, with Sequoia Capital partner Pat Grady and Kalorama Partners managing director Harvey L. Pitt. Hosted by Axios. Register here.

  • June 8: Virtual: The Evolution of Money: Cryptocurrency Regulation, with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (NY), Haun Ventures global chief policy officer Tomicah Tillemann, and others. Hosted by the Washington Post. Register here.

  • June 8: Virtual: Bloomberg Technology Summit, with Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, Waymo co-CEO Tekedra N. Mawakana, Accenture CTO Paul Daugherty, and others. Hosted by Bloomberg. Register here.

  • June 16: In-person: Cornell Tech Fest, with Tech:NYC director of Tech Year NYC Bethany Crystal, Lunchbox CEO Nabeel Alamgir, Primary VC principal Sam Toole, and others. Hosted by Cornell Tech. Enter code “technycmem” in the “Admin Use Only” field for 50 percent off tickets. Register here.

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