Tech:NYC Digest: November 4

Tech:NYC Digest: November 4

November 04, 2021 • Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

Thursday, November 4, 2021

Happy Diwali to all who celebrate! In today’s digest, vax appointments open for kids in NYC, Adams to “revisit” city vax mandate, and Pres. Biden sets Jan. 4 deadline for private sector vax mandates.Correction: In yesterday’s digest, we misspelled the name of the first Muslim woman to be elected to the New York City Council. Her name is Shahana Hanif, not Nahif. We apologize for the error.Was this digest forwarded to you? Subscribe here.

Today’s latest: 

  • City-run sites are now vaccinating children ages five to 11. You can schedule an appointment here.

    • And by the way, those kids are also eligible for the $100 vaccine incentive if they get the shot at a city-run site or public school! (Gothamist)

  • The plan to overhaul Penn Station put forth by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo got revisions from Gov. Kathy Hochul that would focus on rebuilding and modernizing the current station, as opposed to expanding it with more track and platform corridors. (New York Times)

    • Gov. Hochul’s plan scales back the original plan for ten supertall towers and adds more below-market residential development, as well as office space and bike- and pedestrian-only streets around the station.

    • Gov. Hochul also said the station should be renamed, and a flurry of suggestions came on Twitter, including Shirley Chisholm; Dr. Zizmor, of the famed subway skin-care advertisements; and “If Hell Had a Hell Station.”

  • Mayor-elect Eric Adams said he would “revisit” the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for city workers, a measure that’s been unpopular with firefighter and police unions, while vowing to keep mask mandates in place. (The Hill)

  • Adams also said today that he plans to take his first three paychecks as mayor in Bitcoin, and that “NYC is going to be the center of the cryptocurrency industry and other fast-growing, innovative industries.”

In other reading:

  • Opinion: Eight ways of looking at Eric Adams: Understanding NYC’s complex mayor-elect (New York Daily News)

  • How Can I Travel Safely With Young Kids During the Holidays? (The Cut)

  • Holiday Travel and COVID At Home and Abroad: What to Expect (New York Times)

The rules tech companies have been waiting for are here: The Biden administration announced today that companies with over 100 employees have until Jan. 4 to ensure their workforces are fully vaccinated. (Axios)

  • But, as a reminder: the rules require either vaccination against COVID-19 or weekly testing for workers who refuse to get vaccinated. 

Many tech companies have held off on implementing more universal mandates, citing the need for clarification on a range of questions, including who covers the costs for weekly tests and whether the rules apply to permanently remote employees.

Many of those questions have finally been answered by new guidance issued by OSHA today.

Besides defining the Jan. 4 deadline, OSHA rolled out other details today:

  • By Dec. 5, employers must require unvaccinated employees entering the office to wear a mask.

  • Employers must provide both paid time off for workers to get vaccinated and sick leave for workers to recover from any side effects.

  • Employers aren’t, however, required to pay for or provide testing to workers who decline to get vaccinated. Unvaccinated workers will need to pay for their own tests, unless other local laws or union agreements specify otherwise.

  • The federal mandates trump any inconsistent state or local laws, including in states that have issued executive orders attempting to ban vaccine, testing, or mask mandates.

In other reading:

  • Read the exact requirements of Biden’s vaccine mandate for large employers (Quartz)

  • ‘As an industry, we need to define hybrid’: How Zoom’s CMO is thinking about the future of work (Digiday)

  • When Bonuses and Raises Aren’t Enough, Try Manicures and Free Clothes (Wall Street Journal)

  • Ethyca, a New York-based developer of data privacy infrastructure, raised an additional $7.5 million extension of its Series A round. Participation included Lee Fixel, IA Ventures, Lachy Groom, and Bill Ackman’s Table Management. (TechCrunch)

  • Merge API, a New York City and San Francisco-based provider of APIs for business-to-business purposes, raised $15 million in Series A funding. Addition led the round and was joined by existing investor NEA. (FinSMEs)

TechDay New York is hosting its Founders Summit on Nov. 8, a day-long gathering of founders and C-suite executives curated by Techstars and The Fund general partner Jenny Fielding. Attendance is limited to founders and senior executives, with in-person and virtual options. Use code TECHNYC100 to receive a free in-person or virtual ticket while supplies last. Register here. The Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator (ERA) is accepting applications for its Winter 2022 program. Selected companies receive a $100K investment, founder mentorship, and the potential for follow-on funding from ERA’s Fund. Learn more and apply by Nov. 9 here.The New York FinTech Innovation Lab is seeking applications for its 2022 program. The 12-week program welcomes early and growth stage tech companies developing products serving the enterprise financial services ecosystem. Run by the Partnership Fund for New York City and Accenture, the Lab engages with over 40 of the world’s leading financial institutions to support participants in refining and testing their value proposition and developing invaluable relationships with decision makers. Learn more and apply by Dec. 1 here.The NYC Media Lab is accepting applications for its AI & Local News Challenge, an opportunity for startups to develop projects that use AI to address the needs of news organizations. Winning teams will receive awards up to $7,500, as well as mentorship from media and technology industry leaders. RSVP for virtual info sessions here and apply by Dec. 1 here.

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