A new project meant to boost New York City’s burgeoning tech sector went live Wednesday, providing Gotham’s many tech startups with the infrastructure to help develop and promote their ideas. Digital.NYC, effectively a digital tech incubator, is a joint venture between New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, city economic development leaders, and IBM.
By plugging their businesses into Digital.NYC, tech firms can put their ideas in front of potential investors. Digital tech classes and networking opportunities give these businesses the chance to expand, improve, and ultimately grow. Marketing tutorials, in particular, will be useful, as they can help businesses understand how to have their marketing content be part of the 27 million pieces of content shared online each day.
The hub was designed to also be a powerful tool for connecting job-hunters with businesses in need of employees. So far, according to USA Today, the hub has more than 1,200 job postings from many of the city’s most exciting new tech companies.
New Partnership Continues Bloomberg-Led Initiative to Compete with the West Coast
Digital.NYC is the city’s latest salvo, fired to help New York’s tech industry compete against Silicon Valley’s hold over the American and global worlds of technology. Google, Facebook, and other tech behemoths all call the West Coast home. Former Mayor Bloomberg set plans into motion in 2011 to help New York City catch up with what many see as a major rival.
The launch of Digital.NYC marks IBM’s and New York’s firm commitment to supporting the city’s so-called “Silicon Alley,” the burgeoning community of start-ups, like the data science company 8 Path Solutions, that call the Big Apple home. Tech giants, like Google, are already in the city, and they make up a large part of what is a booming tech landscape. A recent study from HRandA, a consulting firm, shows that tech companies generate $124.7 billion in the city each year. Mayor de Blasio, IBM, and the many companies now using Digital.NYC hope to increase that output in the coming years through this initiative.
Do you think New York City will have any better luck competing with Silicon Valley than other parts of the world? Tell us why or why not in a comment below.
