Tuesday, May 13, 2025

May 13, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 11 minutes

Tuesday, May 13, 2025 

In today’s digest, crypto 🤝 NYC, comptroller elections, and a check-in on tech policy in New York.

Was this digest forwarded to you? Subscribe here.

  • Mayor Eric Adams is inviting crypto companies to establish themselves in NYC, aiming to make it a global crypto hub.💰 (CoinDesk)

    • Next week, Mayor Adams plans to host the city’s first Crypto Summit to discuss mutual benefits between the city and the crypto industry.

  • Now that New York State finally has a budget, there are several policy issues that still remain on the docket — including justice reform, immigration, healthcare, and climate legislation. Learn more about the legislation lawmakers are expected to consider before the session ends in June. 🗽 (City and State)

    • Plus, don’t miss our tech policy check-in below! 👇

  • Straphangers traveling through the Grand Army Plaza subway station in Brooklyn may come across a new, yet still prehistoric, newsstand: Rex’s NYC Dino Store. A new art exhibit features a dinosaur store owner with dozens of pre-historic-themed snacks like “3 Tusketeers” and “Clawmond Joy” candy bars. (PIX 11)

    • The project is part of the MTA’s Vacant Unit Activation Program, which aims to find non-traditional ways to use empty retail spaces in the subways.

    • Our idea: An exhibit with Pterodactyls called “Ptech:NYC.”


In other reading:

  • Who’s running for city comptroller — and what is a comptroller? (The CITY)

  • Updated plan for Broadway Junction redevelopment adds 1,000 affordable homes (6sqft)

  • The city’s best new pancakes are stacked (Grub Street)

It’s been a big 10 days for New York lawmakers — and the New York tech community. 

What’s 🆕: New York State Governor Kathy Hochul signed the $254 billion state budget late last week, and — stay with us — there are some major implications for the NY tech ecosystem. Let’s take a look.

👍 Some positive tech news in budget:

  • Empire AI strikes back: The Governor successfully expanded Empire AI, securing an additional $90 million to allow new institutions to join the consortium. 

  • Turn on silent mode: The Governor also passed a statewide “bell-to-bell” student cellphone ban, investing $13.5 million to help schools operationalize bans on smart phones throughout the school day. (Check out our statement in support here.) 📵

  • Another win: The inclusion of language that updates New York’s penal law to include AI-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM), ensuring these materials are published to the full extent of the law

Also this past week: Tech:NYC held our annual Lobby Day, as 24 of our member companies headed up to Albany to meet with New York Assemblymembers, State Senators, and other legislators and policymakers.

  • Our largest Lobby Day to date: The member delegation included a broad range of companies — from startups like ourfreedom.ai and Sunrise AI to larger companies like Instacart and Amazon. 

  • All had the same goal in mind: Helping New York to craft policies that support tech as the engine driving NYC’s economy forward.

🔍 So, what comes next? The NY legislative session isn’t quite over. Here are the proposed bills that Tech:NYC is looking closely at over the next few weeks: 

Want to get involved? Reach out to Alex Spyropoulos, Tech:NYC’s Director of Government Relations.

In other reading:

  • Google just changed its ‘G’ logo (The Verge)

  • This founder just launched an AI clone of himself. Should you? (Inc)

  • Almost 40% of Gen Z and millennial workers will take a pay cut for remote or hybrid work, LinkedIn survey shows (Fortune)

  • FlexPoint, an NYC-based payments platform for managed service providers, raised $12 million in Series A funding. Foundry Group led the round and was joined by existing investors Haymaker Ventures, Garuda Ventures, Techstars, and others.

  • Optimal Dynamics, an NYC-based decision intelligence platform for logistics, raised $40 million in Series C funding. Koch Disruptive Technologies led, joined by Bessemer Venture Partners, The Westly Group, and Activate.

  • Sequen, an NYC-based behavior optimization technology company, raised $6 million in seed funding. Greycroft led the round and was joined by Vinyl VC and Correlation Ventures.

  • Stash, an NYC-based saving and investing platform, raised $146 million in Series H funding. Goodwater Capital led the round and was joined by existing investors Union Square Ventures, StepStone Group, Serengeti, and others.

  • May 14: OpenAI and the AI for Nonprofits Sprint present Advanced Features for Nonprofits: ChatGPT's Next-Level Tools, a webinar to learn how to go beyond simple chats and explore ChatGPT’s next-level capabilities for more efficient and impactful work. Co-sponsored by the Tech:NYC Foundation. 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 16: Spring 2025 Startup Awards + Open Studio, where 10 student teams from Cornell Tech will be competing for $100,000 of investment in their startup ventures, and showcasing their research and projects. Register here.

  • 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 21: Company Ventures’ Demo Night, an AI Review event featuring a fireside chat with Distill’s Russ Heddleston followed by demos from some of the more compelling AI applications being built in New York today. Register here.

  • May 22: Brderless’ May Founder Breakfast: Fundraising Readiness Beyond the Deck,  for early-stage founders to gain insights from experts and connect with other founders going through the fundraising process. 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.

  • May 30: NYC Coffee Club for early-stage B2B SaaS founders & funders, a no-stress way to connect with NYC VCs and founders. Register here.

  • June 2: AI Startup Pitch Day, where NYC’s top pre-seed AI startups will take the stage to pitch their startups to a roomful of 100 investors with a grand prize of $50K. Investors, register here. Startups can apply to compete here.

  • June 4: Generative AI in the Built Environment, a networking breakfast and panel exploring how generative AI is reshaping design, development, and operations across the built world. Register here.

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.