Tech:NYC Digest: October 19

Tech:NYC Digest: October 19

October 19, 2023 • Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

Thursday, October 19, 2023

Just three days of New York Tech Week left. What weekend events are you signed up for?

  • In today’s digest, why New York’s EV future is now, the city’s latest biotech leap, and our roundup of the startup accelerators recruiting before the end of the year.

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  • A new collaboration between the City, the State of New York, and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative will work with Columbia and other universities to open a research center in NYC dedicated to developing new techniques for early disease detection and treatment. (Engadget)

    • CZ Biohub NY will become the latest in a growing network of institutions advancing New York’s biomedical and life sciences sectors.

  • Despite ongoing economic uncertainties, employment in NYC last month grew by the highest monthly rate since February 2022, putting jobs numbers closer than ever to pre-pandemic levels. (Crain’s New York Business)

  • And in one uniquely NYC story: There will be no congestion pricing for Snoopy. The MTA is waiting to install congestion pricing infrastructure on Central Park West and 60th St. until after this year’s Thanksgiving Day Parade because the iconic balloons won't fit underneath.

In other reading:

  • A flock of 1,000 drones will fly over Central Park this weekend (TimeOut)

  • It was a big day for NYC’s Dog Mayor (ABC New York)

  • 10 of the coolest places that will open to the public for Open House New York weekend (Gothamist)

We just started one of our final #NYTechWeek events, a conversation in partnership with Revel on NYC’s burgeoning status as a national EV leader. 

And there is indeed a lot to discuss: In the last few months alone, a list of homegrown startups ramped up efforts to clear NYC roads for more electric infrastructure:

  • Gravity, the startup that created a NYC EV tax fleet in 2021, today announced the design of a smaller charging system that reduces charging time to minutes, with its flagship facility set to open next month.

  • Brooklyn-based startups Revel and Dollaride are teaming up to bring electric transportation services to NYC’s “dollar vans,” particularly in neighborhoods under-resourced by existing transit infrastructure.

  • itselectric is taking the infrastructure gap curbside, with a recent Hyundai partnership to pilot two curbside EV charging hubs.

EV adoption is all about future-proof infrastructure: Gravity founder and CEO Moshe Cohen told The Verge that the “equipment we install today should be ready for these vehicles to come to market in the near future, and not just today’s slower models.”

  • Cohen says no North American vehicle currently accepts power higher than 350kW, and often takes hours to charge, but Gravity’s charging sites are already being built to deliver up to 500kW of energy.

It’s a roadmap backed up by City Hall: In August, NYC became the first US city to commit to making rideshare fleets entirely zero-emission or wheelchair accessible by 2030.

  • To set the plan in motion, city officials yesterday extended its “Green Rides” roadmap to remove the cap on the number of for-hire vehicles on the road – as long as those vehicles are electric. (New York Daily News)

Our takeaway: This Digest has revisited this topic several times in recent months, and one consistent challenge remains: EV adoption can only scale as far as the availability of accessible charging infrastructure allows. Revel’s charging “superhubs” provide a key example for how we build more access to a zero-emissions future.

In other reading:

  • 5 investors on the pros and cons of open source AI business models (TechCrunch)

  • Returning to the office is costing you $51 per day, study finds (Fortune)

  • Refocusing on this part of the workforce will help companies stay competitive (Fast Company)

  • Grandstand, a NYC-based startup that helps athletes monetize their fan bases, raised $2.75 million in seed funding. Will Ventures led the round.

NYC Economic Development Corporation is accepting applications for its NYC Catalyst Fund. The program invites fund managers operating in three impact areas — diverse entrepreneurship, community development, and/or emerging sectors — to submit proposals for investments between $1M and $7M. Learn more and apply by November 1 here.Techstars NYC is accepting applications for their spring 2024 cohort. Accepted companies receive an initial investment of up to $120,000, plus office space, accounting and legal support, and access to the global Techstars network. Learn more and apply by November 29 here.NYC Open Data Week 2024, an annual festival of community-driven events presented by NYC’s Open Data Team, BetaNYC, and Data Through Design, is accepting session proposals. Learn more and apply by Nov. 22 here.The FinTech Innovation Lab is accepting applications for its 2024 cohort. The program is open to both early- and growth stage startups with solutions for financial institutions and insurance companies. Areas of specific interest include generative AI, cybersecurity, payments, and enterprise operations. Learn more an apply by Nov. 30 here.Company Ventures is accepting applications for Boost, a program of the Founder Fellowship. The 4-month program is open to NYC-based, first-time founders preparing to raise a pre-seed or seed round and are seeking a community of investors and other mentors. Learn more and apply by Dec. 5 here.Newlab is accepting applications for its 2024 Founder Fellowship cohort. The program is open to NYC-based founders from underrepresented backgrounds with climate tech solutions. Learn more and apply by Dec. 5 here.

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