June Newsletter: A recap of the NYS Legislative Session — all things tech and otherwise
This is the June 2019 edition of the Tech:NYC newsletter. If you're not already getting this in your inbox, sign up now.
The New York State Legislature wrapped up its 2019 session last week, capping off an incredibly busy session, during which legislators moved several long-stalled priorities.
Here at Tech:NYC we’ve advocated for changes to our state’s antiquated voting laws and were encouraged to see the legislature expand votings rights for New Yorkers. Work remains to be done, and we’ll be up in Albany next year making sure further voting reforms are passed. We were also excited to see the legislature pass a robust climate protection plan in the closing days of the session. The plan, coupled with congestion pricing in New York City, will put New York State far ahead of the country in mitigating climate change and should serve to further spur our local economy.
This year the legislature also saw increased interest in technology issues. Most notably, the legislature passed the Stop Hacks and Improve Electronic Data Security Act (SHIELD Act), which heightens data security requirements for companies, protecting New York residents from data breaches. It’s a good outcome for the tech sector and for all New Yorkers. The legislature also passed legislation to legalize e-bikes and e-scooters, demonstrating they could craft legislation balancing innovation and safety concerns.
There were several other notable measures — for takeaways, check out our blog post.
The next legislative session starts in January 2020, and it’s already shaping up to be a busy one for tech. Before the session kicks off we will be meeting with a range of stakeholders and thinking through the policies that make sense for New York and our technology ecosystem. If you’ve got any ideas or want to discuss, send us a note and we’ll be in touch.
Julie
WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO
Our policy director Zachary Hecht testified in a joint hearing of the New York State Senate Standing Committee on Consumer Protection and Senate Standing Committee on Internet and Technology to discuss online privacy. Hear his remarks here.
We wrapped this season of the Cornell Tech @ Bloomberg speaker series with Moda Operandi CEO Ganesh Srivats. Stay tuned for a recap of the conversation, and in the meantime, recap last month’s chat with Chad Dickerson and Bradley Horowitz.
We wrapped this season of the Cornell Tech @ Bloomberg speaker series with Moda Operandi CEO Ganesh Srivats. Stay tuned for a recap of the conversation, and in the meantime, recap last month’s chat with Chad Dickerson and Bradley Horowitz.
Yesterday, our team spent the day in Staten Island with Borough President James Oddo and some of the borough’s tech leaders, including Makerspace NYC, Lime, and Amazon, for a tour of the island’s budding tech ecosystem there — and to plan for what’s to come!
GET INVOLVED
43North operates an annual startup competition and accelerator program in Buffalo, NY. In addition to funding, they provide winners with mentorship; access to 43North's network (investors, customers, vendors); marketing and recruiting support and workspace in their incubator. Winning companies must locate their CEO and 50% of their staff to Buffalo for 2020). Find more details here and here, and apply by July 8 here.
Chobani is bringing tech entrepreneurs to the front lines of food manufacturing to enable them to tap into its operations and solve industry challenges together. Learn more about the @Chobani Food Tech Residency and apply here.
New Lab has partnered with global startup generator Antler to provide an unparalleled support ecosystem for entrepreneurs to launch new ventures. Individuals can apply without having a company and, if selected, are provided with an ecosystem of founders, advisors, investors and technology to help them find a co-founder, validate business models, and raise capital. Find more details and apply here.
Applications are open for the 2019/2020 Metaprop Accelerator @ Columbia University, a 22-week program and financing up to $250,000 for early stage PropTech startups. For more information and to apply, click here.
A select group of innovators will be chosen to present in front of an audience of VCs and investors at the 2019 New York Venture Summit. For more information and to apply for a presentation slot, click here. If you are a seed stage company seeking angel funding of less than $1M (and have raised less than $300,000), click here to apply for the Seed Pitchfest track.
NYC TECH COMMUNITY EVENTS
July 9-10: Join youngStartup Ventures for the 2019 New York Venture Summit, a conference for showcasing and interacting with hundreds of VCs, angel investors, investment bankers, and founders of venture-backed emerging companies. Get more details here, and use discount code “TECHNYCVIP” to get $100 off tickets here.
July 9: Join Pluto for a conversation to reflect on WorldPride with a focus on the workplace. The conversation with also discuss how other stakeholders can be effective allies, as well as tips to implement D&I initiatives. Get tickets here.
July 10: Join New Lab for their inaugural Quantum Day, the first in a series of events exploring topics such as quantum computing, quantum materials, and quantum biology. See the full schedule and register here.
July 11: Betaworks Studios present the next installment of the AMA Live series, featuring Foursquare co-founder and Executive Chairman Dennis Crowley. Register here.
July 13: Join the Grow with Google NYC Learning Center for their Community Day, featuring free demos, classes, food, and fun curated for the whole family! Find more details here.
July 16: Join NYC’s Tech Talent Pipeline to hear from NYC’s top tech leaders on their hiring approaches and how they’re expanding and diversifying their talent pools. At this event, you’ll get an in-depth look at Spotify’s Associate Engineer program and hear from various stakeholders involved. Register here.
July 17: Join Products that Count for in conversation with Neha Kumar, Oscar’s director of product, on how to understand and prioritize users. Get tickets here.
August 2: Stacklist presents StackSummit: Build the Team, an all-day conference about hiring for startups. Featured speakers include founders and HR heads fromWe've got an awesome roster of speakers including founders and HR heads from Ro, Petal, BuzzFeed, WayUp, and more. Use code TECHNYC for 35% off tickets when you register here.
WELCOME TO TECH:NYC
A warm welcome to our newest members:
Blank Technologies: purpose-built technology for education
Pillar: a mobile app that helps you manage your student loans.
Postmates: powers local, on-demand logistics focused on fast deliveries from any type of merchant at scale.
Outlaw: modern contract management solution that streamlines the contract lifecycle for organizations.
Wellory: Expert health coaches keep you accountable through phone, video and text.
JOIN US
Tech:NYC is looking for a Communications and Marketing Director to join our team. Apply now or share the listing with someone you know!
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State Capitol of New York, Albany by Joseph Sohm/Shutterstock