Thursday, February 5, 2026
In today’s digest, year-round curbside dining will return, a free grocery store in NYC, and January’s Series A rounds. 💰
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New York City's curbside outdoor dining will return to being year-round, City Council Speaker Julie Menin announced yesterday. 🍽️ (Streetsblog NYC)
During the height of the program, which originally began as a pandemic emergency measure, roughly 8,000 restaurants participated.
In 2023, the city changed the program to allow roadway dining only between April and November, and just 2,600 restaurants participated last year due to the logistical burdens.
We predict there will be… free grocery stores! 🔮 NYC-based prediction marketplace Polymarket says it’s opening NYC’s “first free grocery store,” a five-day pop-up starting February 12, open to all New Yorkers. (FOX 5 New York)
The address is still secret, but the company also donated $1 million to Food Bank for NYC.
The announcement comes on the heels of NYC-based prediction marketplace Kalshi launching a grocery giveaway at an East Village grocery store on Tuesday.
NYC is going global on public health as the U.S. steps back from the World Health Organization (WHO). The city is joining the WHO’s Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network after the U.S. formally withdrew from the global body in 2025. 🌍 (The Guardian)
The move gives NYC’s health department direct access to global outbreak intel — a big deal for a city that sees 70 million visitors a year.
No comment from the grammar police yet on if the city will join the “WHOM” soon as well (sorry).
In other reading:
NYC public schools offering pickleball as a sport (CBS New York)
There’s an AI dating café opening in NYC (Time Out New York)
Van Leeuwen is giving out $1 frozen yogurt in NYC this Friday (Van Leeuwen/Instagram)
January’s A-List: NYC’s First Series A Push of 2026
Powered by Obviously NYC, presented by Gunderson Dettmer and PwC US.
Series A: A Series kicked off 2026 with 22 NYC startups that just raised Series A rounds — and together they’re hiring for 90+ NYC-based roles already. 🚀
From AI that does the work to climate and healthcare innovation, this cohort underscores that NYC founders build what the market actually needs.
Here are the trends we saw in January:
🤖 AI that executes: AI remains central, but now it’s more focused on automation and action.
🏥 Healthcare & human-centric tech: January’s group emphasizes continuous care and accessibility:
Salvo Health brings hybrid care into GI practice workflows with measurable outcomes, while BoldVoice and Tucuvi use AI to enhance communication and clinical interactions.
This speaks to a larger shift in venture: capital is backing models that tangibly improve quality of life and care delivery.
🌎 Climate action and infrastructure innovation: Startups are also tackling challenges that span both software and the physical world.
Cubby brings AI to self-storage management, “de-digitalizing” the analog economy with smart automation.
These bets show that NYC founders are building where the impact is measurable.
🎨 Creative tools and consumer life upgrades: Not all innovation is enterprise-only.
Mine and Slice Global bring financial clarity to young adults and global teams alike — proof that consumer utility remains a vibrant slice of the city’s startup pie.
🗽 Why it matters: NYC’s January Series A class demonstrates NYC tech’s clear practicality. These founders are tackling messy, real-world workflows with technical rigor and market focus.
That’s the kind of innovation that attracts capital and drives long-term growth and jobs.
💼 Explore the full January list, see who’s hiring, and zoom in on our map of NYC’s newest Series A companies here.
➕ Check out some highlights from our last NYC Series A celebration on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange!
Did we miss your Series A raise? Let us know — we want to spotlight every NYC founder turning vision into venture.
In other reading:
A new AI math startup just cracked four previously unsolved problems (WIRED)
In bobsled and speedskating, advanced AI offers Team USA an edge (NBC News)
How to stay sane in the AI skills race (Wall Street Journal)
Cadastral, an NYC-based AI agent for commercial real estate, raised $9.5 million in seed funding. Navitas Capital led, joined by JLL Spark Global Ventures, AvalonBay, Equity Residential, and 1Sharpe.
Flock AI, an NYC-based AI-native content infrastructure for retail, raised $6 million in seed funding. Work-Bench led the round, with participation from January Ventures, Red Bike Capital, Outlander VC, and strategic angels.
February 8: Startup Friends — Tea, Yoga & Chill, a laid-back Sunday yoga hang for ambitious humans who love building and breathing. Register here.
February 9: NY Tech Meetup: Gaming Edition, a gaming-focused gathering bringing together creators, builders, and players shaping what’s next. Register here.
February 10: Gen Z NYC Founder & Creator Mixer, where you can celebrate your entrepreneurial journey with fellow Gen Z founders. Register here.
February 11: Enterprise AI Leadership Forum, a discussion on practical approaches to responsible and inclusive AI adoption, emerging governance challenges, and lessons learned from real-world implementation. Register here.
February 12: Govtech Happy Hour, for all govtech founders and operators, civil servants past and present, and policy enthusiasts. Register here.
February 19: VC Community Happy Hour, a relaxed setting to catch up with peers and reconnect with familiar faces. Register here.
February 19: Vertical AI Founders & Investors Dinner, bringing the best vertical AI startups of NYC together for a seated dinner. Register here.
February 19: Towards Emissions-Free Microfreight, a multi-stakeholder discussion presents an opportunity to explore whether BATWorks, the new $100 million climate innovation hub at the Brooklyn Army Terminal, can become a center of expertise in decarbonized microfreight solutions. Register here.
February 23: Build & Deploy Voice Agent Workshop + Hackathon, a series of short, practical workshop sessions followed by a building session that will help you build voice AI for your company's needs. Register here.
February 24: Element 46 Tech Accelerator informational session, for Westchester County-based founders interested in applying for the accelerator program before the application closes on March 6. Register here.
February 25: The New York Official Cybersecurity Summit, a full day of expert insights, interactive sessions, and high-value networking with leaders across the cybersecurity community. Register here with promo code CSS26-TECHNYC for a free pass.
February 26: Her Tech Community Launch Gathering, the launch of a new women in tech community designed to create meaningful connection, shared learning, and a space where your voice directly shapes what we build together. Register here.
April 6-9: HumanX’s conference for AI leaders in San Francisco, uniting 6,500+ leaders, builders, and investors driving real transformation. Discover cutting-edge innovations and accelerate your impact through networking opportunities. Register here with promo code HX26P_TECHNYC to get $$$ off your pass.
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