Tech:NYC Digest: June 8

Tech:NYC Digest: June 8

June 08, 2023 • Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

Thursday, June 8, 2023

In today’s digest, your weekend air quality outlook, universal composting comes to NYC, and new data sheds light on tech jobs that remain in high demand.

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Air quality remained poor Thursday, but visibility has improved. The city is at least looking less startlingly orange. An air quality health advisory was extended for the New York metro, Long Island, and Western New York through Friday, with city and state officials encouraging New Yorkers to continue limiting outdoor exposure. Here’s the latest:

  • The Air Quality Index was measured at 179 Thursday afternoon in the city, which is considered “unhealthy,” but far better than the levels over 400 recorded yesterday.

  • State officials recommend high-quality masks for those who do need to venture outside, and today the city began distributing one million N-95 masks to New Yorkers at high-traffic transit centers.

  • Workplaces are split: Some HR leaders are touting high-quality ventilation systems to draw workers, and ordering pizza to the office to limit the need for venturing out. Others, including Google, have told employees to work from home. (Bloomberg)

  • Some restaurateurs have decided to shut down until things clear up. (New York Magazine) And airports are still facing significant delays because of the smoke. (CNN)

Our takeaway: Still just staying home. 

Here are a few other resources:

  • How to pick the right air purifier for your home (Washington Post) 

  • When will NYC’s bad air quality end? There's hope for this weekend (Gothamist)

  • Just how bad was the pollution yesterday? Historically bad. (New York Times)

In other news:

  • A new City Council law was passed that will require residents to separate and compost their food scraps. The mandate will roll out in Brooklyn and Queens this October, with the other boroughs to follow next year. (New York Times)

  • NYC has sued 30 New York counties for blocking deals to house migrants in their jurisdictions. (Bloomberg)

  • Electric Zoo, NYC’s massive electronic music festival, is back on Randall’s Island this September. Here are details on the full lineup and how to get tickets.

While tech layoffs have continued to make headlines in recent weeks, a new analysis of labor market data found that the industry’s jobs market remains on “solid footing.” 

  • Tech sector unemployment was at 2% in May compared to the national figure of 3.7%, according to the latest jobs report from the Computer Technology Industry Association (CompTIA).

  • While total employment at tech sector firms decreased by 4,725 jobs last month, CompTIA found, employment in tech occupations across all sectors increased by about 45,000. 

The numbers speak to how non-tech sector firms are increasingly hungry for tech talent.

  • The good news for New York: The report tracked more than 15,000 tech job postings in NYC during the month of May, the highest among all US metros. (However, that total also represented a slight decrease from April.) 

  • Software developers and engineers are most in-demand. Roughly one in five job postings are for positions in emerging technologies or jobs that require emerging tech skills, the report said, with 15,000 openings including the term artificial intelligence.

Our take: The optimism indicated by the report tracks with the hiring data we’re monitoring across Tech:NYC members — in just the last 24 hours, the Tech:NYC Jobs Board saw more than 150 new roles come online, a pacing that’s remained consistent since we launched it almost three months ago.

In other reading:

  • To fill offices, Google issues ultimatum while Salesforce tries charity (The Washington Post)

  • I interviewed 30 recruiters and here are the 7 biggest lessons I’ve learned about landing a job (Fast Company)

  • What will working with AI really require? (Harvard Business Review)

  • Pomelo Care, a NYC-based virtual maternal and infant health medical practice, raised $33 million in seed and Series A funding. Participating investors include Andreessen Horowitz, First Round Capital, SV Angel Operator Partners, Allen & Co., and BoxGroup.

  • Yuvo Health, a NYC-based administrative and managed-care solution provider for community health centers, raised $20.2 million in Series A funding. Mastry Ventures led the round and was joined by AlleyCorp, AV8 Ventures, New York Ventures, HLM Venture Partners, Route 66 Ventures, VamosVentures, and Social Innovation Fund.

  • June 13: In-person: Building an AI Startup, with Redactable CEO Amanda Levay, Octane AI president Ben Parr, Evolution IQ EVP of product Benjamin Berry, and Envisagenics CEO Maria Luisa Pinedia. Hosted by Stacklist and Union Square Ventures. Register here.

  • June 13: Virtual: Beyond the Hype Cycle: Navigating the Promises and Perils of GenAI, with Bessemer Venture Partners vice president Morgan Cheatham, March Capital investor Maya Matthews, and others. Hosted by BLCK VC and AWS Startups. Register here.

  • June 14: In-person: Make It in Brooklyn: Clean Energy Innovations, with itselectric co-founder Tiya Gordon, Streetlife Ventures managing partner Laura Fox, Latinxs in Sustainability lead Melina Acevedo, and Wildgrid partnerships manager Martine Luis. Hosted by Downtown Brooklyn Partnership. 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 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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