Monday, January 5, 2026
Happy New Year! (Is it too late to still say that?)
In today’s digest — the first of 2026 — new laws, congestion pricing success, and recapping a whirlwind finish to the 2025 tech policy scene. 🌪️
Was this digest forwarded to you? Subscribe here.
New York, emphasis on “New.” As the ball dropped on New Year’s Eve and we rang in 2026, we officially brought in a new year, new mayor, new subway fares (more on that below), and new laws. 🆕 (New York Times)
The new state laws include benefits for cancer patients, toddler tax breaks, minimum wage increases, and incentives for aspiring Winter Olympians to train in Lake Placid.
New Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration is also starting to take shape — keep up with who’s who in the admin here.
We’re officially one year into congestion pricing and the data says it’s working! Traffic is moving faster, streets are safer, air quality is better, noise complaints are down, and commute times are improving. 🚦(New York Times)
The $9 peak-hour toll to enter Manhattan below 60th Street has raised hundreds of millions of transit projects and likely helped boost ridership, even if many changes feel subtle day-to-day.
In other transportation news: Sorry, New York, our $2.90 ride is officially a thing of the past. Subway and bus fares rose to $3 yesterday as the MTA looks to shore up its $21 billion operating budget. 🚇 (ABC New York)
Commuter rail riders will also see price increases — with some one-way fares jumping up to 8%.
The MTA expects the changes (plus higher tolls) to bring in about $350 million a year, just as MetroCards ride off into the retirement sunset and OMNY takes over.
Also rising: The price of a slice of pizza.
In other reading:
Forget Manhattan — this is New York’s most exciting borough (The Times)
Five things to expect from New York's 2026 legislative session in Albany (Times Union)
What will New York’s new map show us? (The New Yorker)
NY Tech Policy: 2025 Wrapped, 2026 Loading…
The 2025 policy season wrapped up quickly, but in case you were heads-down shipping product (or heads-up vacationing), a couple major tech policy moves happened in December. 🗽
Here’s what every NYC builder should have on their radar, just in time for the 2026 New York legislative session to kick off this Wednesday. 😅
🙌 RAISE Act: From “uh oh” to “OK, we can work with this.”
Lawmakers passed the Responsible AI Safety and Education (RAISE) Act this summer with a unique regulatory scheme and penalty requirements that would have made New York the toughest place in the country to build and deploy frontier models and, therefore, AI startups.
After strong concerns voiced by AI companies, startups, investors, small businesses, and some group called Tech:NYC, New York State Governor Hochul negotiated amendments that resulted in a final product that very closely aligned with the law that California passed earlier this year. The law now:
Largely aligns with California’s more balanced frontier AI law.
Targets large, high-risk systems.
Focuses on safety protocols, risk assessments, and incident reporting.
Tech:NYC’s take: The alignment with California avoids a messy state-by-state patchwork. It pairs AI safety with an environment where companies can still build and scale here.
“Instead of trying two different things and creating competing regulatory frameworks, New York and California have shown real leadership by ensuring that our country is a place where we can balance innovation and safety,” Tech:NYC President and CEO Julie Samuels told the New York Times.
❌ Health Information Privacy Act: Cleaver used, scalpel needed.
The Health Information Privacy Act tried to protect sensitive health data but was drafted so broadly it would have swept in everything from wellness apps to everyday consumer services and make it extremely hard for health tech to serve New Yorkers.
Gov. Hochul vetoed the bill, and Tech:NYC agreed: strong protections are essential, but this approach would have overreached, hurting patients and innovators alike.
What to watch as 2026 kicks off:
When the new session starts Wednesday, expect action on:
New privacy safeguards for young New Yorkers online.
More activity around AI chatbots.
Tech:NYC will be back in Albany pushing for that sweet spot New York deserves: real protections for people, clear rules for companies, and a policy climate where NYC remains the best place to build what’s next. 🚀
Dig deeper: Read Tech:NYC’s statements following the passing of The RAISE Act and the veto of HIPA.
In other reading:
12 CEOs share bold predictions for 2026 (Fast Company)
Our favorite management tips of 2025 (HBR)
40 million people turn to ChatGPT for health care (Axios)
InfiniteWatch, an NYC-based AI observability startup, raised $4 million in pre-seed funding. Base10 Partners led the round, joined by Sequoia Capital, a16z, Kfund, Kibo Ventures, and LifeX.
Echo, an NYC-based cybersecurity company that develops secure AI-based software infrastructure, raised $35 million in a Series A funding round led by N47 Fund, with participation from Notable Capital, Hyperwise Ventures, and SentinelOne.
January 7: Women with Saas: Female Founder Coworking Day, an opportunity to work alongside other female SaaS and AI founders to brainstorm and build a more powerful network. Register here.
January 7: Founders Basketball New York City, a 4-on-4 tournament for startup founders and investors who love to hoop. Register here.
January 11: Founder Game Night, for those who are building something new, like to win, and want to meet other sharp minds in infra and AI. Register here.
January 12: AI & Avocados: A breakfast followed by a 30-minute lightning panel with execs exploring how AI and agentic experiences are unlocking new levels of personalization, performance, and revenue impact. Register here.
January 12: NYC Tech Poker: A series of friendly no-rake small-stakes poker games hosted in the Lower East Side. Register here.
January 13: Tech HR Meet-up, where you can learn how to build an HR function capable of supporting explosive business growth. Register here.
January 13: Community Board Mixer + Abundance Happy Hour, for prospective Abundance NY Community Board members to connect with current members and learn more about board service. Register here.
January 13: Couture & Code 3.0: The Official NRF After-Conference Mixer, bringing together innovators, founders, executives, creators, technologists, and industry shapers for an evening of collaboration and culture. Register here.
January 14: Tech Ladies × Resident Company Club: NYC Coworking Day, a relaxed coworking day designed to help you get things done and meet other thoughtful, ambitious women in tech. Register here.
January 15: StartupExperts New Year Coffee Meetup, a casual, open space for operators (HR, finance, and operations) to swap insights, talk through challenges, and find ways to help one another. Register here.
January 16: The Age of Extraction: In Conversation with Tim Wu and Bradley Tusk, a discussion on Tim Wu’s latest book, The Age of Extraction: How Tech Platforms Conquered the Economy and Threaten Our Future Prosperity, a timely exploration of platform power and the fight for economic balance in the digital age. Register here.
January 21: Building a Personal Brand in the Age of AI, where you can learn how AI can help you create content faster, understand your audience better, and stay authentic while standing out. Register here.
January 22: Capital Conversations: Women Who Lead, an intimate fireside chat featuring Nami Baral, Co-Founder & CEO of Niural, and Alexa von Tobel, Founder & Managing Partner at Inspired Capital, and Alison Moore, CEO of Chief. Register here.
Daily Digest Rewards 🎁
Treat yourself: Send subscribers our way, and we’ll send swag your way.
1 Referral: Shoutout in the Digest
5 Referrals: Obviously NYC Hat
10 Referrals: Obviously NYC Tote Bag
25 Referrals: Obviously NYC Sweatshirt
{{rp_personalized_text}}
Or share your personal link with others: {{ rp_refer_url }}
Any feedback or suggestions of things to add? Get in touch here.
Was this digest forwarded to you? Sign up to receive it directly here.