#NYTechWeek: Our Week In Review
More than 400 events. Tens of thousands of attendees. A hustle that won’t quit. That’s New York tech.
Last week, alongside our friends at a16z and dozens of Tech:NYC member companies, we were proud to kick off the largest Tech Week to date. The idea was simple: We set out to celebrate New York and the startups that call it home.
Following a period of market uncertainties and economic downturn, New York’s tech sector remains resilient: Our latest data shows that there are now 370,000 tech workers in New York — that means there are more jobs in tech than on Wall Street. And research we released just before Tech Week indicates that number will only grow: 59% of employers across all kinds of industries expect to increase their number of tech hires, and they were nearly unanimous (99%!) in their confidence to source that talent from right here in NYC.
The swell of events during Tech Week were proof of what we’ve always believed: New York is definitely not dead, our network is doubling down on New York, and tech remains committed to powering the fastest-growing segments of NYC’s economy.
Here are some of our favorite highlights from the week:
A HOME BASE FOR NEXT-GEN FOUNDERS
We launched a special #NYTechWeek edition of the Tech:NYC Founder House, inviting a group of 50 early-stage founders to connect with investors, industry experts, and each other — all under one roof.
This was our second Founder House cohort — we doubled the accepted number of founders from 25 to 50 — and to accommodate the expanded group, we took over a bigger space courtesy of our partners at WeWork. Thanks to WeWork’s generous partnership, we took over a full floor of work space and recruited a roster of Tech:NYC members and partners to help activate the House.
A huge thanks to our sponsors and partners:
Workshops from Gunderson Dettmer and Thoropass CEO Sam Li
Office hours from Eniac Ventures, Innovatemap, Carta, and Justworks
Founder talks with NYC Council Member Erik Bottcher and Assembly Member Clyde Vanel
Support services from Google for Startups
We’re grateful to each of these partners for their support of emerging tech talent.
WHAT FOUNDERS ARE SAYING:
"This week at Founder House has not only been great for us professionally, but also socially — we were able to meet so many founders at similar stages of growth. It was amazing to meet so many companies, mentors, and investors we otherwise wouldn't have had access to during New York Tech Week. Founder House has given us a leg-up in being able to build in New York's tech economy and we're excited to continue this journey together in the future!"
– Martin Rufo and Jennifer He, Co-founders, Govify
"Amidst this whirlwind of New York Tech Week, Tech:NYC's Founder House was a haven of calm and focused productivity! The space was not only ideal for tackling work, but also a hub for invaluable connections and insights thanks to a curated group of founders and a stellar lineup of industry experts spanning legal, PR, venture, and product strategy. I'm looking forward to the next one!"
– Taylor McLoughlin, Co-founder and Head of Product, Ambient
“Hosting Founder House during New York Tech Week was a brilliant initiative to unite NYC startup founders under one roof, providing them with a conducive space to work and network all week. Many thanks to Tech:NYC and WeWork for generously and thoughtfully providing the venue — and great food! — plus well-curated events.”
– Bernardita Calinao, Founder and CEO, Walkspan
Here’s one line we often find ourselves repeating: “In New York, every company is a tech company.” Tech is now the largest employer in NYC, and tech skills are more critical than ever across all industries.
Proximity is New York’s secret sauce: Tech collides with all of the city’s legacy industries — finance, real estate, media, healthcare, fashion, and more — to generate the companies that keep NYC’s economy moving.
During New York Tech Week, we partnered with several Tech:NYC member companies and partners that strike at this thesis. Among them:
With IBM, we had lunch at Manhatta with iconic restaurateur Danny Meyer and IBM SVP of Software Rob Thomas to explore how AI is transforming the food and hospitality industry.
With Joby Aviation, we spoke with CEO JoeBen Bivert and Delta Airlines CEO Ed Bastian about their eVTOL partnership and how how electric aircraft will change the future of travel.
With Edelman, we flipped the script to interview New York’s top tech journalists from Axios, Bloomberg, Forbes, and TechCrunch on the buzziest stories of the day. Thanks to Thrive Capital partner (and Tech:NYC Board member) Kelly Sims for moderating!
With The Chainsmokers (who also run Mantis Ventures) and Company Ventures, our president Julie Samuels joined a panel to chart the path forward on consumer AI.
With Mayor Eric Adams, we launched the Venture Access Alliance, a citywide coalition of 70+ VC firms committed to expanding diversity in New York’s startup ecosystem. The Alliance is chaired by Tech:NYC Board members Fred Wilson (USV) and Jarrid Tingle (Harlem Capital).
With Revel, we mapped NYC’s path to broad EV adoption — and what we still need to ensure electric infrastructure is accessible to all.
As we mentioned at the top of this recap: #NYTechWeek was the largest Tech Week to date. (👀, SF and LA.) And we’re only expanding from here.
If you work for an NYC-based startup and want to get involved in Tech:NYC, we invite you to apply for membership here.
And yes, we’re already working on New York Tech Week 2024. Stay tuned!
