Tech:NYC Digest: September 28

Tech:NYC Digest: September 28

September 29, 2023 • Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes

Thursday, September 28, 2023

In today’s digest, the latest RTO data is more of the same, the reinvention of the Domino Sugar Refinery, and the persistent gender perception gaps on workplace diversity.

  • We’re officially less than 2 weeks away from our 2023 Tech Summit! Grab tickets to hear from Altana AI CEO Evan Smith, CLEAR CEO Caryn Seidman-Becker, US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Google head of trust and safety David Graff, and others. Tech:NYC Digest readers get discounted tickets using code TECHS23 to register here.

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  • The NYC Council passed legislation today that puts NYC’s fleet of city-owned vehicles on a legally binding schedule to become emission-free beginning in 2025. (Crain’s New York) 

  • A survey of major office employers in Manhattan tells more of what we already know: A plurality of workers are working hybrid schedules, with 44% going into an office three days a week. (Newsday)

In other reading:

  • Here are the big ways a federal government shutdown would affect NYC (Gothamist)

  • The Light-Drenched Offices Filling the Shell of Domino Sugar (Curbed)

  • The 7 Ideas in Mayor Adams’ Housing Plan, and How It Gets Built (THE CITY)

The data on equal opportunity for women in the workplace has been clear … or has it?

What’s new: Americans still have divergent perceptions of workplace diversity initiatives and the barriers women face, writes Axios.

  • 55% of those surveyed say there are too few women in top executive positions. That’s four percentage points lower than results from the same study in 2018.

Where the trendlines emerge: Women, by large margins, were more likely than men to see nearly all the potential obstacles in the survey as “major reasons” for the lack of women at the top.

  • The results reflect “broader views about the state of gender equality in the country,” Pew’s Juliana Horowitz told Axios.

Our takeaway: There’s still a lot to do for workers to get aligned on these issues.  

In other reading:

  • How the federal government shutdown could undermine tech goals (Axios)

  • The hottest 50 startups in the US right now, according to LinkedIn (Fast Company)

  • AlphaSense, a NYC-based AI market intelligence and search platform, raised $150 million in Series E funding. Bond led, and was joined by CapitalG, Viking Global, BAM Elevate, and Goldman Sachs.

  • Aug X Labs, a New York-based video creation platform, raised $3.1m. Unlock Venture Partners led the round and was joined by Dropbox Ventures, Flying Fish Ventures, Hyde Park Venture Partners, and others.

  • Canvs AI, a NYC-based platform using AI to analyze customer and employee feedback, raised $15 million in funding. Fulcrum Equity Partners led the round and was joined by Engage.

  • Gem Security, a NYC-based platform that detects and responds to cloud security risks, raised $23 million in Series A funding. GGV Capital led the round and was joined by IBM Ventures, as well as insider Team8 and a group of angel investors.

Smart City Expo USA, taking place in NYC on October 4 – 5, is seeking more local startups to exhibit their technologies on their showroom floor. Learn more about the conference here; if you’re interested in participating, let us know and Tech:NYC can connect you.The Dorm Room Fund is accepting applications for its next cohort. DRF helps student founders get the help they need to take their companies to the next level while helping student investors become the next generation of venture capitalists. Learn more and apply by September 30 here.The Veterans Entrepreneurship Program is accepting applications for its next cohort. The program awards up to 10 veteran entrepreneurs with $20,000 grants and enrollment in the NYC Dept. of Small business Services support program. Learn more and apply by October 6 here.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.

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