Katherine Olives
One of the toughest battles entrepreneurs face is finding people who will believe in them, and convincing the world that what they've created, the change they've envisioned, really matters. Thankfully, our startups are supported by sponsors, mentors, and partners who wholeheartedly believe in their missions. These supporters give our startups time, advice, investments, and other resources to help them succeed. One of these supporters is the New York City's Mayor's Office of Technology and Innovation.
Friday, Minerva Tantoco, New York City's CTO, invited Standard Chartered Women+Tech4NYC startups StreetLabs and Frip to City Hall for a tour and special meeting with the Mayor's Office of Technology and Innovation. Not only did they experience a day in the life of the change-makers at the heart of New York City's government, but they pitched their ideas in Ms. Tantoco's staff meeting.
Minerva Tantoco has been a supporter of the Zahn Center's startups since she appeared at Idea Jam4NYC, a hackathon event, in October. Idea Jam inspired the theme for this year's Standard Chartered Women+Tech4NYC competition track, which challenged students to develop technological innovations that would solve New York City's civic and social issues. Senior Project Manager at the Mayor's Office of Technology and Innovation, Adrienne Schmoeker, mentored several of our startups throughout the competition. Ms. Tantoco returned to the Center to give the keynote address at the Final Pitch Night, where StreetLabs and Frip competed for grand prizes totaling $150,000.
Entrepreneurship is a key pathway to success in the innovation economy, and all New Yorkers deserve that opportunity. Its great to see that the competition focused on using tech to improve urban life. I was super-impressed with the winning teams, Frip and StreetLabs. Their creative problem solving and top-notch pitching skills are a credit to the training and mentorship being provided by the Zahn Innovation Center,” said Minerva Tantoco.
It's no wonder why New York City's first CTO backs other innovators, especially women in tech. As a woman who influences the STEM field, she acts as a role model and inspiration to our own women in tech. “We've researched the gender disparity in STEM and it is an exciting feeling knowing Standard Chartered and the Zahn Center are making efforts to introduce more women in tech and in leadership positions. Meeting and presenting to Minerva Tantoco and her staff members was really an amazing moment that we will never forget,” said Frip.
Frip's app allows K-12 teachers to find, plan, and organize field trips so that students get a more well-rounded education, while simultaneously promoting the many hidden cultural gems NYC has to offer. “New York City is a city where the new and the old converge in harmony,” said the Frip team, “and Frip aims to highlight that.” This summer, they'll launch their beta version to test with teachers before release in the Fall.
For StreetLabs, the most rewarding part of the visit was meeting Minerva Tantoco herself, and getting a chance to pitch their idea to her. “It felt amazing to share StreetLabs with a room full of people who believed in our idea as much as we did. We feel very motivated to work harder on our technology so we can provide something meaningful for our city,” said the StreetLabs team. They have developed a smarter system for New York City's roads that will detect potholes, allowing municipalities to make faster and more efficient repairs. This summer, they'll finish their prototype and begin pilot studies.
The Mayor's Office of Technology and Innovation, Standard Chartered, and the Zahn Innovation Center are excited to watch these startups grow. “The visit to City Hall and the opportunity to pitch to the Mayors Office of Technology and Innovation was an incredible experience for our Women+Tech4NYC startups. We are grateful to the CTO and her team for such a unique learning experience. This collaborative effort offers yet another great platform to develop the right skills, knowledge and experience to enhance the position of women in tech and entrepreneurship in New York City,” said Valerie Pholpituke, Director of Sustainability and Community Engagement for the Americas at Standard Chartered.