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Entrepreneurship & Innovation
Place-based and programmatic interventions to catalyze innovation and support entrepreneurs.
Innovation Ecosystems // R&D // Prototyping // Commercialization // Piloting // Inclusive Innovation
Urbantech NYC
Urbantech NYC
“To move us toward our goals, we’ll need the City’s brightest minds and ideas, which is why Urbantech NYC is so important. By providing our most talented visionaries with the space and resources they need to grow, we’re acting on our commitments to entrepreneurs, to innovation, and to a smarter and more equitable New York.”
— Mayor Bill de Blasio
Description: A comprehensive entrepreneurship ecosystem that catalyzes innovation and supports entrepreneurs making cities more sustainable, resilient, and livable:
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Sector community & programming
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Flexible and affordable space
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Prototyping and testing resources
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Commercialization support
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Demonstration opportunities
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Regional & international partnerships
Role: Envisioned, raised funding, planned, and executed all the initiatives under this program over the last 3+ years.
Creative Process: Entrepreneurship ecosystem development + Creating NYC's brand of 'Cleantech'.
Objective: Increase access to talent and resources, provide transparency and fluidity, and promote New York City urbantech ingenuity globally.
Outcome: Led NYC urbantech sector to be US market leader by size, investment, and support.
2016
2019
Commercialization
Circular City
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Description: Circular City is a commercialization program that offers Urbantech NYC member companies the physical tools to create new products, services, processes, and business models that solve critical urban challenges. Far from being only physical space and equipment, the program will bring support resources from City agencies, research universities, startups, and the private sector in a coordinated effort to facilitate product development.
Role: Envisioned, raised funding, built strategy, and led execution
Creative Process: Demand-Driven Innovation, Public-private partnerships, Proof-of-concept
Objective: Plug into Talent and Research at Universities, Commercialization & Proof-of-Concept for potential solutions to urban challenges
Outcome: Winning proposals get to design, build, test, refine and demonstrate their solutions and reside in one of Urbantech NYC’s network of incubator and co-working spaces
NIL
NYCx Co-Labs
Description: These “labs” are defined spaces throughout New York City that will provide a new way for researchers and companies to demonstrate their technologies on NYC infrastructure, and solve problems defined by the communities in which they are deployed
Role: Envisioned, built strategy, and led execution in a multi-disciplinary team of city agenies and academic partners
Creative Process: Demand-Driven Innovation, Public-private partnerships, Pilot/Demonstrations
Objective:
- Improved alignment between community needs and new technology investments
- Lower barriers of entry for innovative tech companies with smart city solutions
- Creation of new opportunities for local economic development
- Advancing academic research in urban science and smart cities
- More robust testing and community input on new technologies prior to large-scale deployment
Outcome: Roll-out of program in Brownsville and Inwood neighborhoods
New Lab
Urbantech Hub @ New Lab
Description: New Lab is an 80k SF interdisciplinary space designed to support entrepreneurs working in emerging technologies such as robotics, artificial intelligence, and connected devices. The Hub @ New Lab features co-working and flexible studio spaces that support growth-stage hardware companies that are tackling urban challenges, sector programming, and a state-of-the-art prototyping and testing center.
Role: Envisioned, raised funding, built strategy, and led implementation
Creative Process: Supporting each stage of startup lifecycle, Public-private partnerships
Objective: Provide flexible space for growth-stage entrepreneurs that fosters community and provides the necessary support to grow their companies in NYC
Outcome: Launched in Summer 2016. 20+ Companies have raised over $350M.
Urbantech Hub @ Company
GCT
Description: The Hub @ Company (Formerly Grand Central Tech) is a 50k sf space purpose-built to support and materially advance the prospects of software-centric entrepreneurs and companies seeking to address New York City’s most pressing urban challenges in sectors such as energy, waste, transportation, agriculture, and water. Selected companies will benefit from brand new, custom office space provided at well-below-market rates in addition to bespoke programming and resources to serve their needs.
Role: Envisioned, raised funding, built strategy, and led implementation
Creative Process: Supporting each stage of startup lifecycle, Public-private partnerships
Objective: Provide flexible space for growth-stage entrepreneurs that fosters community and provides the necessary support to grow their companies in NYC
Outcome: Launched in Fall 2016. 30+ Companies have raised over $300M.
Urban Future Lab
UFL
Hub @ New Lab
Description: The Urban Future Lab is New York City’s hub for smart cities, smart grid and clean energy. The space hosts several programs focused on educational, policy and market solutions to the issues of sustainability. This includes ACRE, a business incubation program started in 2009, PowerBridgeNY, a proof-of-concept center, and Clean Start, one of the educational programs. The space hosts exhibitions and events centered on sustainability policy, innovation and education. In partnership with NYU Tandon School of Engineering.
Role: Led program development and execution of initiative; advisor and startup selection committee
Creative Process: Supporting each stage of startup lifecycle, Public-private partnerships, International collaborations
Objective: Creating a central point for the cleantech, energy, and smart cities community in NYC with an emphasis on early-stage startups
Outcome: Opened in March 2014. 40+ companies that have raised $327M+ since 2009 including Techcrunch Disrupt SF Winner 2015
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