Tech:NYC Digest: November 18

November 18, 2022 • Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

Friday, November 18, 2022

Happy Friday, stay warm this weekend! We’re back with another “Friday Five” roundup of our top stories in New York tech.

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An Engine of Upward Mobility Faces Challenges in Capturing Opportunities in Tech (New York Times)

Since 2011, CUNY has more than doubled the number of students who earn degrees in technology to nearly 4,000 a year. But according to a new report from the Center for an Urban Future, the sector could be doing more to jumpstart graduates’ careers. (Our own report, released this week, came to similar conclusions. We pointed to the CUNY 2X Tech program and the CUNY Inclusive Economy initiative as great places to start.)

Index Ventures thinks new startups will emerge in the downturn and is putting $300 million behind that bet (TechCrunch)

Closely following the opening of its NYC office, the new fund tops its original seed vehicle launched in 2021. The fund is meant to combine two approaches: access to well-established resources startups need to grow fast and the hands-on expertise of early-stage specialists. Learn more about the Index Origin II Fund here.

Women and family health startup Maven raises $90 million for post-Roe world (CNBC)

After securing its spot last year as the first US unicorn in the women’s and family health space, Maven was also this week’s largest NYC venture deal. The company plans to scale its team by 20 percent in 2023 as it expands to support Medicaid patients and address more country-specific needs of its global user base.

Dollar van app Dollaride awarded prize to electrify fleet (Crain’s New York Business)

Earlier this week, Lt. Governor Antonio Delgado awarded $85 million in new state investments for transportation and mobility projects that align with New York’s sweeping climate goals. Tech:NYC member Dollaride was a grand prize winner, and with $10 million in new funding, it’s teaming up with other Brooklyn-based startups HEVO and BlocPower to support the commuter van industry while helping fleet owners transition to greener vehicle options. (Also, hot tip: Dollaride has a great shuttle service from the Jamaica LIRR station to JFK.)

The Best New York Is Your New York (New York Magazine)

Fun fact: Taffy Brodesser-Akner’s debut novel, Fleishman Is in Trouble, was a Tech:NYC book club favorite in 2019. And yesterday, the television adaptation was released on Hulu. So now you know our weekend plans.

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