Friday, February 20, 2026
Welcome to another Friday edition of the Tech:NYC Digest, featuring our favorite five highlights in New York and tech this week.
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A high-tech feature at JFK’s new terminal will be a free (and fast!) alternative to Global Entry (Time Out New York)
No enrollment. No $100 fee. No fumbling for your passport after a red-eye. JFK’s $19 billion glow-up is starting with… your face. A new biometric system at JFK’s New Terminal One could let U.S. citizens breeze through passport control in seconds. 🏃
With the technology, called Enhanced Passenger Processing (EPP), instead of pulling out documents or waiting for manual checks, eligible U.S. citizens will have their live image matched against the passport photo already on file, allowing them to move through inspections in seconds.
Asking strangers on NYC’s streets for their good news (People)
NYC local Megan Keaveny had a simple plan: head to a subway stop, set up a tripod, and hold a sign asking strangers to share their good news as they walk by. 🤸
Her videos show people celebrating a range of feel-good moments including music deals, friendship anniversaries, milestone birthdays, and college acceptances.
The social media consultant has gone viral with her thousands of followers watching her videos of people sharing good news around the city.
This Brooklyn bagel shop is saving money with plug-in batteries (Canary Media)
At a Bushwick outpost of Black Seed Bagels, a commercial oven nicknamed the “Baconater” is now partially powered by a battery the size of a carry-on suitcase. 🔋
By shifting to battery power during key times, Black Seed aims to reduce the monthly energy charges
An NYC startup called David Energy installed the batteries for free and uses software to decide exactly when the shop should pull from backup power instead of the grid.
Why Georgian restaurants are suddenly everywhere in New York (Eater)
Khachapuri is having a moment, and it’s not just a food trend. 🍞🧀
In the last decade, Georgian restaurants have multiplied across the city, fueled by immigration, travel, and a culinary revival back home.
The result has been a wave of new spots redefining what “Eastern European” means on a New York menu.
Manhattan’s only wild turkey has her own entourage (New York Times)
Manhattan has exactly one known wild turkey — and she now has a three-person caretaking committee tracking her daily movements. 🦃
Named Astoria (where she was first spotted), the turkey has been roaming the city like a feathery celebrity, complete with group chats, scheduled check-ins and bedtime supervision.
An added bonus: Unlike her chicken cousin, no one makes jokes about her crossing the road.
We’re starting a new feature this week where we showcase an interesting chart about tech, NYC, or tech in NYC.
NYC’s No. 1 coworking footprint shows it’s the deepest, most in-demand flex market, where companies can find space fast and operators keep investing:
Gobble up the weekend, New York! 🗽
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