Thursday, May 1, 2025

May 01, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 10 minutes

Thursday, May 1, 2025 

It’s gonna be May! In today’s digest, AAPI Heritage Month kicks off, street closures, and NYC’s value prop. 🗽

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  • Looking to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month? We’ve got you covered. From food festivals to parades, here’s a list of the best events happening throughout the city to celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander heritage this May. (Secret NYC)

  • Looking to grab a drink after work? You’re in the best place to do it. Eleven of North America's 50 best bars are located right here in Gotham, according to a new ranking. (Crain’s New York Business)

    • The highest-ranked New York bar was Superbueno (#2!), just behind Mexico City’s Handshake Speakeasy.

    • The list was determined by 300 voters ranging from bartenders and bar owners to drinks writers and educators to well-traveled cocktail experts.

  • Looking to travel this weekend? PSA: The Five Boro Bike Tour is Sunday! The nation’s biggest charitable bike ride returns for its 47th tour throughout NYC, featuring 32,000 cyclists biking through the 40-mile course through all five boroughs. (amNY)


In other reading:

If you’re in tech and betting on the future of cities, the Citizens Budget Commission’s new “Value Proposition Tracker” makes one thing clear: New York City remains one of the best places in the country to live, build, and hire — and the numbers prove it. 📊

The tracker offers a deep dive into how NYC stacks up against peer cities like San Francisco, Boston, and D.C. across six dimensions: population, economy, taxes, quality of life, housing, and government performance. For founders, VCs, and talent leaders, it’s a must-read map of where the city is winning and where momentum is building.

Why tech leaders should care: In a competitive national market, understanding NYC’s value proposition isn’t just useful — it’s strategic. Whether you're pitching investors, recruiting talent, or scaling a team, here’s what’s trending up. ⬆️

NYC leads in many sectors. Let’s break it down:

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Population: After pandemic outflows, NYC’s population is bouncing back — adding 120,000 residents in the most recent year. More people = more talent, more energy, more everything.

💸 Economy: NYC has fully recovered private-sector jobs lost during the pandemic. As of 2024, the city has 143,000 more jobs than in early 2020.

High-wage sectors like tech, finance, and healthcare continue to lead the way.

  • Just a friendly reminder that Tech:NYC has a jobs board with thousands of tech jobs waiting for applications.

🤑 Taxes & spending: Yes, NY State and localities are the nation’s highest tax collectors — 23% more per capita than California. 

🌴 Quality of life: New Yorkers continue to rate local parks, cultural access, and transit options highly. And the big public safety story? Major crime categories like robbery and grand larceny are down.

  • Yes, but: 29.8% of residents rated their quality of life as “excellent” or “good” in 2023, down from 51.2% in 2017. 

🏘️ Housing: Housing remains a challenge — but change is coming. The City of Yes zoning reform and new development incentives could unlock 82,000+ new housing units in the years ahead.

🎡 Public Services: From pre-K to public education, New Yorkers are rating core services more positively — and new investments in workforce training, AI literacy (hello, Decoded Futures!), and tech equity are on the rise.

Bottom line: For tech leaders deciding where to grow, this report is more than a vibe check — it’s your blueprint.

In other reading:

  • ‘Robotability score’ ranks NYC streets for future robot deployment (Cornell Chronicle)

  • U.S. lawmakers, tech execs gather to discuss national security priorities (Semafor)

  • Duolingo just added 148 new courses in its biggest update ever — thanks to AI (ZDNET)

➕ One more thing: On May 9, join us at Founders NYC, by Union Square Ventures, Lux Capital, First Round Capital, and BoxGroup. NYC’s best builders from the most iconic companies will talk about lessons learned, off-the-record-tips, and well-trodden tales with the goal of helping NYC’s big next wave. Apply to attend here.

  • Bloom Credit, an NYC-based credit data platform, raised $10.5 million in funding. Crosslink Capital led the round and was joined by CT Innovations and existing investors Allegis Capital and Commerce Ventures.

  • Dub, an NYC-based copy trading app, raised $30 million in Series A funding. Notable Capital and Neo co-led, joined by Sandberg Bernthal Venture Partners, Peak6 Strategic Capital, and Correlation Ventures. 

  • Miden, an NYC-based blockchain system, raised $25 million in seed funding. a16z crypto, 1kx, and Hack VC led the round and were joined by Finality Capital Partners, Symbolic Capital, P2 Ventures, angel investors, and others.

  • Rogo, an NYC-based AI financial analyst developer, raised $50 million in Series B funding. Thrive Capital led the round and was joined by J.P. Morgan Growth Equity Partners, Tiger Global, Positive Sum Ventures, existing investors Khosla Ventures, BoxGroup, AlleyCorp, and others.

  • Structify, an NYC-based dataset provider, raised $4.1 million in seed funding. Bain Capital Ventures led the round and was joined by 8VC, Integral Ventures, and angel investors.

  • May 9: Founders NYC, by Union Square Ventures, Lux Capital, First Round Capital, and BoxGroup, bringing together NYC’s best builders from the most iconic companies — founders from MongoDB, Warby Parker, Ramp, Ro, and others — to talk about lessons learned, off-the-record-tips, and well-trodden tales with the goal of helping NYC’s big next wave. Apply to attend here.

  • May 7: The latest installment of our Cornell Tech @ Bloomberg speaker series, featuring economist & writer Chris Hughes, who will share insights on how understanding past marketcrafters can inform the development of future markets to be innovative, stable, and inclusive. Register here.

  • May 6: 43North Startup Showcase: Upstate NY, to hear pitches from founders in the 43North portfolio and across Upstate New York, and to connect, collaborate, and network with venture leaders and ecosystem builders. Register here.

  • May 6-7: AI Agent Conference, for leaders driving the next era of autonomous artificial intelligence, featuring 300+ world-class AI leaders, senior execs and top founders. Register with promo code TECHNYC15AI here.

  • May 13: Watches and Wearables, a happy hour by Remedy and Ganance for anyone excited to chat watches and wearable tech, featuring drinks, hands-on product demos, and a fireside chat. Register here.

  • May 14: Unlock LATAM by nocnoc, for VIP execs from leading U.S. companies looking to tap into Latin America’s $100 billion+ e-commerce opportunity. Register here. 

  • May 15-16: Black Women Talk Tech hosts its 9th Annual Roadmap to Billions Conference, a platform to forge connections, expand your knowledge, and drive generational wealth for you and your community. Register here and save 20% with code RTBPARTNER20.

  • May 20: Grow and Secure Your Business with Google, an in-person session on essential digital tools to grow your business, improve operational efficiency, and protect your business against cybersecurity threats. Register here.

  • May 23: NYPL’s free job fair & expo, focusing on tech sector jobs. Employers can apply to table at the event here. Job seekers, register to attend here. 

  • May 28: Go for Growth: Mastering Strategy, Technology, People, and Culture for Long-Term Success, a virtual event for pre-IPO and growth-focused companies to get insights, connections, and a roadmap to scale. Register here.

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