Wednesday, October 1, 2025

October 01, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 10 minutes

Wednesday, October 1, 2025 

Welcome to Q4! In today’s digest, what a shutdown means for New York, Citi Field’s casino bid, and AI’s growing role in healthcare. 🏥🤖

  • Wishing those observing Yom Kippur a g'mar chatima tova.

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  • The federal government shut down at midnight last night. New York’s reliance on federal funding means the shutdown has real stakes for the city, from food assistance and housing vouchers to FEMA support. Here’s what else the shutdown could mean for New Yorkers. ⚠️ (POLITICO New York)

    • President Trump has already frozen $18 billion in infrastructure funding to New York, and with 115,000 federal employees in New York State, tens of thousands will be furloughed.

    • Roughly 1.7 million New Yorkers rely on SNAP, and short-term funding gaps could disrupt benefits.

    • Plus, here are all the NYC museums and parks that will likely close due to the shutdown. And here are the essential services that will continue.

    • The MTA is also bracing for ripple effects, given federal grants cover part of its capital plan.

  • Speaking of the MTA, it’s officially official: The agency has approved new fare hikes. Subway and bus rides will rise from $2.90 to $3 starting January 4, and weekly and monthly passes will also tick upward. 💳 (ABC New York)

    • Riders will still benefit from caps, including unlimited trips after 12 rides in a week.

    • Nostalgia alert: The MTA plans to sell its final MetroCard on Dec. 31.

  • All bets are off (er, perhaps on): A casino may be coming to Citi Field. Mets owner Steve Cohen has been pushing to bring a casino and entertainment complex to Queens, and the plan is moving forward after state regulators formally accepted proposals. 🎲 (The CITY)

    • The $8 billion project is one of four casino proposals that will go to the state for a final license decision.

In other reading:

  • 36 things to do in NYC in October: Comedians aplenty, Comic Con and more (New York Times)

  • A Ruth Bader Ginsburg monument is officially coming to Brooklyn Bridge Park (Curbed)

  • Running boom makes race bibs a ‘precious New York City resource’ (New York Times)

AI’s Quiet Revolution in Healthcare 

When most people think of AI, they picture chatbots, copilots, and endless productivity hacks. 

But one of the most impactful (and overlooked) AI revolutions is happening in healthcare. Let’s take a closer look. 🏥

🇺🇸 On the national level: New research shows that AI is significantly improving breast cancer screenings.  

  • The tech is reducing false positives and helping radiologists catch cancer earlier.

  • Doctors say the tech functions like a second set of eyes, boosting accuracy by pinpointing who is most at risk before the disease is visible to the human eye.

  • ~30% of U.S. radiology practices now use some form of AI in breast imaging care.

🗽 On the local level: New York hospitals are increasingly using AI to save lives.

  • Mount Sinai Health Systems, Northwell Health, NYU Langone, and New York-Presbyterian are among the New York healthcare institutions partnering with VC firms and receiving charitable gifts to make significant investments in AI.

  • Mount Sinai, for example, recently announced the $100 million Hamilton and Amabel James Center for Artificial Intelligence and Human Health.

🔬 At NYU, researchers have developed an AI system that can detect and analyze damaged cells in the body, a breakthrough that could one day accelerate early detection for cancer and autoimmune diseases. 

  • The project highlights how NYC’s academic institutions are pushing the boundaries of what's possible in precision medicine.

And on the elder care front, NYC-based startup Inspiren just raised $100 million to scale its AI-driven platform that monitors patient wellness in real time. 

  • Already in use across local care facilities, the tool helps reduce hospitalizations — a huge win for both providers and families.

Hear directly from healthcare leaders on AI: Join us at the Tech:NYC and Crain’s Tech Summit on October 23 to hear from Kate Ryder (Maven), Eric Kinariwala (Capsule), Paul A. Testa, MD (NYU Langone), and many more. Register with promo code FRIENDSOFTECHNYC for a 15% discount here.

In other reading:

  • AI is triaging mothers' hidden labor (Axios)

  • New research on how the best managers shape employees’ careers (HBR)

  • Baselane, an NYC-based banking and financial platform for real estate investors, raised $20 million in Series B funding. Thomvest Ventures led, joined by Matrix Partners.

  • Harlem Capital is looking for part-time interns for a 10-week period from January - March 2026. Winter interns will learn the strategy of a new investment firm and get direct exposure to start-up founders. Apply by October 1 here.

  • The NYU Tandon Future Labs Catalyst Program, a 6-month, equity free accelerator for Pre-Seed to Seed tech startups, combining the resources of NYU Tandon’s research, faculty, and student body, with the network effects of NYC’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Apply by October 12 here.

  • Hu Capital is hosting their Innovation Week October 13-17. They close the week with a Pitch Competition and Afterparty, a live event where founders pitch their startups in front of judges and a live audience. Submit pitches here.

  • nextNYC’s Pre-Series A Offsite, where you can spend a day in Brooklyn learning from top Series A and seed investors, experienced startup CEOs, and fellow founders. Apply for the October 15 event here.

  • The second annual Buildings Tech Lab, a collaboration with the Department of Buildings to advance the application of new technology to transform the delivery of public services. Apply by October 24 here.

  • Company Ventures’ Grand Central Tech Residency’s spring 2026 cohort, a 12-month residency program for founders and teams looking to build in-person in NYC. Apply here.

  • The Bridge at Cornell Tech, a new workspace on the Cornell Tech campus, is officially open. Sign up for tour invites, events, and updates here.

  • See NYC is gathering 150 New Yorkers for a three-day summer camp-style experience Oct. 8-10 to share ideas to build a better New York City. Apply here.

  • Company Ventures is hosting AI Review events, a year-long conversation series on the current and future state of AI. Submit your AI-related event for consideration here.

  • Union Square Ventures’ “usvwork” — a casual coworking day once a month for founders and builders in NYC. Apply here.

  • New York City Economic Development Corporation is re-launching the Greenlight Innovation Fund, a Request for Proposals to provide City capital funding for the development of facilities in New York City that support the Green Economy, Life Sciences, Advanced Technology and Creative Industries. Submit your proposals here.

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