NYCEDC

Aug
15

The Road to SXSW

NYCEDC is submitting two panels to SXSW this year, and we need your help!

By hosting panels at SXSW Interactive, our goal is to spread the word about NYC’s booming tech startup scene and further brand the City as an innovative tech hub. NYC offers unparalleled tech companies, talent, and government resources, and we want to drive new people and startups to join us here in the Big Apple.

But in order to get two coveted spots at SXSW in March 2012, we need you, NYC tech enthusiasts, to help vote us to the top!

Log on to SXSW Interactive starting at 2 PM Central Time today to vote for our two proposed SXSW panels (you will have to create a free account to vote):

Silicon Alley - The Startup Ecosystem that Never Sleeps (link to vote)
Building the Innovation City - Lessons from NYC (link to vote)

Read on for panel descriptions and speakers. Help bring NYC to SXSW by casting your vote and sharing with others!

Tweet this: Vote for NYCEDC #SXSW panels on NYC’s startup scene and govt-driven innovation! http://bit.ly/q69j61 #PanelPicker

PANEL #1: Silicon Alley - The Startup Ecosystem that Never Sleeps
Start spreading the news…the New York City tech renaissance is underway. ‘Silicon Alley,’ as NYC’s booming tech startup cluster is known, has a vibrant culture with unique competitive advantages. Through its recent rapid expansion, Silicon Alley has outpaced Boston and begun to rival Silicon Valley. What will Silicon Alley look like in 10 years, and how is tech community collaboration and competition fostering its growth? Can your startup ‘Make it in NYC?’ Join us as leading NYC entrepreneurs discuss the strategic factors contributing to the ongoing evolution of NYC’s diverse, cross-industry startup ecosystem.

Speakers:
Kristy Sundjaja, Senior Director - Center for Economic Transformation, NYCEDC (moderator)
Divya Gugnani, Founder and CEO, SendtheTrend
David Kidder, Co-Founder and CEO, Clickable
Hilary Mason, Chief Scientist, bit.ly
Barry Silbert, Founder & CEO, SecondMarket

PANEL #2: Building the Innovation City - Lessons from NYC
Techies, take note: New York City is a fast-growing hub of tech entrepreneurship. Springing up within one of the world’s biggest cities and major commerce centers, the NYC entrepreneurial ecosystem is spurring economic growth through innovative technologies, business models, and government initiatives. What opportunities and challenges for NYC tech startups lie ahead? Which successes could other cities replicate? Come learn about the New York City Economic Development Corporation’s (NYCEDC) cutting-edge policies, partnerships and programs to support innovative new technology startups. The panel will discuss key government initiatives such as the Innovation Index, Entrepreneurial Fund, BigApps Challenge, Applied Sciences campus, NYC incubators, and more. Discuss the role of city government in fostering innovation, entrepreneurship and economic growth. Discover what works and what challenges remain for NYC’s innovation policy model.

Speakers:
Steven Strauss, Managing Director - Center for Economic Transformation, NYCEDC (moderator)
Jose Ferreira, Founder and CEO, Knewton
Brad Hargreaves, Founding Partner, General Assembly
Brandon Kessler, Founder and CEO, ChallengePost
Lawrence Lenihan, Founder and Managing Director, FirstMark Capital