Thursday, June 11, 2026
In today’s digest, a miracle Knicks win means great content, New York gets a new area code, and how small businesses use AI to pack a bigger punch. 👊
But first: NYC AI Demos from Tech:NYC, Pensar, and Two Trees returns on June 24!
This special edition features a hand-picked lineup of fast-growing startups selected by some of New York’s most influential venture firms: Thrive Capital, First Round Capital, Index Ventures, Inspired Capital, Able Partners, and more. Register here.
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The Knicks are one win away from their first NBA championship since 1973 after pulling off the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history Wednesday night, turning NYC into one giant block party. 🏀 Here are some of our favorite reaction posts:
Fans caught Mayor Zohran Mamdani out at a bar watching the game (and reacting like the rest of us).
Someone projected the game from their apartment.
The game was also played on dozens of (Tech:NYC member) LinkNYC kiosks around the city.
Are Rihanna and A$AP Rocky thinking of a career pivot?
We remember last night’s game all too well, too.
When Larry met Jerry.
Isn’t every day OG Anunoby Appreciation Day?
And, finally, we feel seen.
New area code, who dis? A fresh batch of New Yorkers are about to get a brand-new identity marker as area code 465 officially arrives next week. 📱 (Time Out New York)
Starting June 18, anyone requesting a new phone number in the five boroughs could be assigned 465, joining 718, 917, 347, and 929.
New York has run out of available numbers under its existing area codes, meaning the city needs more digital real estate.
The FIFA World Cup officially kicked off today! As a reminder, MetLife Stadium will host eight matches during the tournament, including the final on July 19. Here’s your guide to watching the World Cup across the city through watch parties and fan zones. ⚽ (CBS New York)
And here’s everything you need to know about the United States’ 2026 World Cup team.
In other reading:
How New York City can come out a winner in the AI age (Vital City)
The spreadsheet vs. the soul — what Leon Rose gets that David Stearns does not (Zola’s Rachel Jarrett / Medium)
The restaurant spots of the summer, NYC edition (The Infatuation)
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Small Businesses Find Their AI Advantage
The AI conversation often focuses on what the technology might do in the future. But for many small businesses, nonprofits, and solo entrepreneurs, the benefits are already here.
From New York restaurants and nonprofits to tutors and entrepreneurs, organizations are using AI to automate administrative work, improve customer service, and free up time for growth.
Let’s take a closer look at the big differences AI is making for small businesses. 🔍
Meet the new office assistant: Many orgs are using AI as a digital helper rather than a replacement for specialized expertise. 🤖
Common use cases include meeting summaries, invoicing, scheduling, note-taking, marketing, customer support, and business planning.
The biggest gains come from repetitive tasks that consume time but don't necessarily require deep expertise.
Use of AI is up:
76% of small businesses nationwide report using AI, with the majority stating that results have been overwhelmingly positive.
84% cite increased efficiency and productivity as the primary benefit.
Small businesses solve practical problems: The most successful users apply AI to specific operational challenges. 🍜
Businesses use AI to improve hiring, streamline communications, translate information across languages, and reduce time spent on routine workflows.
Nonprofits use AI to organize data, track community needs, and better allocate limited staff resources.
However, only 14% of small businesses across the country say AI is fully embedded in their core operations.
The New York tech sector steps up: Technologists across the city have helped mission-driven orgs learn how to use AI as a force multiplier to scale their impact.
Tech:NYC’s Decoded Futures has already worked with 250 NYC nonprofits, helped develop 300+ AI prototypes, and supported more than 1,400 nonprofits nationally.
The program pairs the social sector with technologists from New York tech companies to help organizations identify “AI-shaped” problems and build practical tools during intensive eight-week cohorts and Build Days.
The state also steps up: New York State Governor Kathy Hochul recently announced an initiative to provide AI training to entrepreneurs and small businesses across the state.
💡 The takeaway: Thanks to AI, small organizations now have access to capabilities that previously required resources that were out of reach.
For New York’s small business community, AI has increasingly become a tool that helps smaller teams do more than ever before.
In other reading:
What SpaceX soon-to-be millionaires are set to spend big on (CNBC)
More companies use ‘backdoor’ job references to counter AI (Wall Street Journal)
The features coming to your Apple devices soon (Tech Brew)
Chptr, an NYC-based fan engagement and monetization platform, raised $5.5 million in Series A funding. CityRock led the round and was joined by Tribute Technology and others.
Concentrate AI, an NYC-based AI workflow automation platform, raised $5 million in pre-seed funding from TRUE Ventures and RRE Ventures.
Current, an NYC-based consumer fintech, raised $80 million in Series E funding at a $1.5 billion valuation led by Springcoast Partners.
Cyera, an NYC-based data security company, raised $600 million at a $12 billion valuation. Evolution Equity Partners led the round, joined by Temasek, Cyberstarts, Accel, AT&T Ventures, Blackstone, and Coatue.
Jedify, an NYC-based AI data applications platform, raised $24 million in Series A funding. Norwest led the round and was joined by Snowflake and existing investors.
Niteshift, an NYC-based cloud platform for AI coding agents, raised $7 million in seed funding. Greylock led the round and was joined by Amplify Partners, Lux Capital, BoxGroup, and SV Angel.
Uncovr, an NYC- and Paris, France-based surgical AI platform that automates operative documentation and coding, raised $7 million in seed funding. Index Ventures led the round and was joined by Seedcamp, Frst, No Label Ventures, Entrepreneurs First, and others.
Featured event:
⭐ June 24: NYC AI Demos, from Tech:NYC, Pensar, and Two Trees, this month featuring a hand-picked lineup of fast-growing startups selected by some of New York’s most influential venture firms: Thrive Capital, First Round Capital, Index Ventures, Inspired Capital, Able Partners, and more. Register here.
Other great events:
June 16: Business Incubator Association of New York State’s 2026 Annual Conference, featuring high-impact panels with communities building across New York. Register here with promo code TECHNYC for a discounted pass.
June 18: Brex Baseball Series: White Socks @ Yankees, where founders can come together to relax and enjoy some sports and good conversation. Register here.
June 18: [untitled] Series // Craft and Code, a fireside with a few engineers who care about design talking honestly about craft, taste, and how they actually work. Register here.
June 22: NYC Summer Retail Mixer, an evening designed for meaningful conversations, genuine connections, and fresh perspectives with peers across the retail ecosystem. Register here.
June 23: The Choose NYC Summit, an annual convening connecting business leaders, investors, and policymakers to facilitate the expansion of companies from around the world to New York City. Register here.
June 23: Happy Hour — CommerceNext Growth Show, NYC, an evening of drinks and conversation for founders, operators, and growth folks who’d rather swap notes over a cocktail than a coffee queue. Register here.
June 23: AmTech Happy Hour, for all founders and operators, engineers and investors, civil servants past and present, and policy enthusiasts. Register here.
June 24: Brderless Founder Dinner, a private founder dinner for a curated group of Seed+ founders. Register here.
June 25: Pitching Yourself in the Moments That Matter, an interactive workshop where you can learn how to introduce yourself in a way that is clear, natural, and designed to start real conversations. Register here.
June 25: Ugly Talk: The ROI of Living Your Brand, where you can hear founders break down how visibility actually turns into trust, reach, and revenue. Register here.
June 26: Brits Tech — Coffee Meet, where you can grab a cuppa tea (or coffee if you must), with fellow founders and tech industry folks from across the pond. Register here.
June 27: TechWalk — Brooklyn, a networking event for members of the tech and SaaS communities to get outside, meet new people, and enjoy some fresh air, while practicing mindful movement. Register here.
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