{"id":341834,"date":"2017-05-24T23:53:37","date_gmt":"2017-05-24T15:53:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/techcrunch.com\/?p=1495115"},"modified":"2017-05-24T23:53:37","modified_gmt":"2017-05-24T15:53:37","slug":"a-year-after-its-launch-technyc-has-become-a-force-in-new-york-politics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/asmawisham\/a-year-after-its-launch-technyc-has-become-a-force-in-new-york-politics\/","title":{"rendered":"A year after its launch, Tech:NYC has become a force in New York politics"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/tctechcrunch2011.files.wordpress.com\/2017\/03\/gettyimages-160429443.jpg?w=738\" class=\"\"\/><\/p>\n<p id=\"speakable-summary\">It\u2019s been a little over a\u00a0year since Fred Wilson and Tim Armstrong <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/2016\/05\/10\/fred-wilson-and-tim-armstrong-say-policy-matters-for-new-yorks-tech-growth\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">appeared onstage at Disrupt in New York<\/a> to launch <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.technyc.org\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tech:NYC<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The two titans of New York City\u2019s tech scene\u00a0were angling to create a new organization that would speak out for the interests of the tech industry in both city and state government while planting a flag for New York\u2019s place\u00a0at the forefront of innovation around the country.<\/p>\n<p>With Julie Samuels at the helm as executive director, the organization has done more in that year than I think either Armstrong (my boss at\u2026 um\u2026. <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2017\/04\/03\/technology\/verizon-oath-yahoo-aol.html?_r=0\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><del>Yahool,\u00a0AOoo,\u00a0Oauth,<\/del> Oath<\/a>) or Wilson could have imagined.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" type=\"text\/html\" width=\"640\" height=\"390\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/XMdFc07vHX0?version=3&amp;rel=1&amp;fs=1&amp;autohide=2&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\">[embedded content]<\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p>From battling back bills that would have hamstrung online marketplaces like hometown heroes Etsy, or marshaling the community to speak out against national policies that effect the technology industry, Tech:NYC has taken a leading role in policy discussions in city hall, the Albany statehouse, and as a beacon nationally.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe biggest achievement is that we\u2019ve been able to create a community,\u201d says Wilson.<\/p>\n<p>Indeed they have. Over the year, Tech:NYC hasn\u2019t gone from just <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/zerotoonebook.com\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">zero to one<\/a> (thanks Peter) it\u2019s gone from zero to over 400 members (technically it started with five founding members \u2014\u00a0the pre-Yahoo AOL, Bloomberg, Facebook, Google, and venture firm Union Square Ventures).<\/p>\n<p>But the organization\u2019s reach extends beyond its sheer numbers.<\/p>\n<p>For Wilson and the executive director Samuels, nothing exemplifies the kind of work that Tech:NYC can and should do more than its <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.technyc.org\/trumpeo\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">response<\/a> to the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-us-canada-38781302\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Executive Order signed earlier this year<\/a> that denied entry to\u00a0immigrants, refugees (<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thenation.com\/article\/even-muslim-american-citizens-have-been-caught-in-the-net-of-trumps-travel-ban\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">and even US citizens<\/a>) from several countries from entering the United States without extreme vetting.<\/p>\n<p>The full text of the letter is below.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJust getting the local community to stand up against what\u2019s happening down in Washington was an achievement,\u201d Wilson says. \u201cWe need to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For Samuels, the response to the executive order crystallized everything that the new technology organization can do, both locally and more broadly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was an expression of New York values,\u201d says Samuels, and something that the organization will continue to advocate. The coalition of signatories (and indeed the technology community in New York broadly) reflects the diversity\u00a0of experience and background that Samuels believes will make New York one of the great technology centers in the world.<\/p>\n<p>Part of that effort is also dependent on policy\u2026 another area where the Tech:NYC coalition came together to battle for its interests against what it viewed as bad laws coming from Albany.<\/p>\n<p>Earlier this year, the state government floated a proposal for a marketplace tax that would, in essence, place unfair burdens on companies like Amazon, Etsy, and any other ecommerce company looking to do business in New York, according to the Tech:NYC arguments.<\/p>\n<p>With a coordinated effort including <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/0B-p-P00gdjvpVmZZNEotYk9qYUk\/view\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">education<\/a>, and a <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/nypost.com\/2017\/03\/20\/cuomos-anti-tech-tax-proposal-will-hurt-out-of-state-business\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">well-placed op-ed<\/a> in the New York Post, Tech:NYC was able to kill the proposal.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, the organization is pushing an agenda that emphasizes gender and racial diversity in the New York technology industry and looking to encourage that through job training and primary education efforts.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1320349 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/tctechcrunch2011.files.wordpress.com\/2016\/05\/tcdisrupt_ny16-4843.jpg?w=1024&amp;h=663\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"663\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tctechcrunch2011.files.wordpress.com\/2016\/05\/tcdisrupt_ny16-4843.jpg?w=1024&amp;h=663 1024w, https:\/\/tctechcrunch2011.files.wordpress.com\/2016\/05\/tcdisrupt_ny16-4843.jpg?w=150&amp;h=97 150w, https:\/\/tctechcrunch2011.files.wordpress.com\/2016\/05\/tcdisrupt_ny16-4843.jpg?w=300&amp;h=194 300w, https:\/\/tctechcrunch2011.files.wordpress.com\/2016\/05\/tcdisrupt_ny16-4843.jpg?w=768&amp;h=498 768w, https:\/\/tctechcrunch2011.files.wordpress.com\/2016\/05\/tcdisrupt_ny16-4843.jpg?w=680&amp;h=441 680w, https:\/\/tctechcrunch2011.files.wordpress.com\/2016\/05\/tcdisrupt_ny16-4843.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Wilson has been instrumental in encouraging New York City to develop its <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www1.nyc.gov\/office-of-the-mayor\/education-vision-2015-computer-science.page\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Computer Science For All<\/a>\u00a0program, first instituted by current Mayor Bill de Blasio, and Tech:NYC is picking up the banner and encouraging the governor to expand the program statewide.<\/p>\n<p>Given the current political climate, Wilson said, it\u2019s important for the technology industry to stand up for its interests and, more importantly, its beliefs. Organizations like Tech:NYC enable companies to use their collective power to influence policy and have a voice in what their communities and cities look like.<\/p>\n<p>Given its successes, it looks like the organization is well on its way to\u00a0ensuring that the technology industry is well-represented in the discussions of what a future New York state looks like. And since New York is one of the wealthiest and most populous states in the country \u2014 its policy decisions can shape the national discussion.<\/p>\n<p><small>Featured Image: Henrik Sorensen\/Stone\/Getty Images<\/small><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"680\" height=\"453\" src=\"https:\/\/tctechcrunch2011.files.wordpress.com\/2017\/03\/gettyimages-160429443.jpg?w=680\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/tctechcrunch2011.files.wordpress.com\/2017\/03\/gettyimages-160429443.jpg?w=680 680w, https:\/\/tctechcrunch2011.files.wordpress.com\/2017\/03\/gettyimages-160429443.jpg?w=1360 1360w, https:\/\/tctechcrunch2011.files.wordpress.com\/2017\/03\/gettyimages-160429443.jpg?w=150 150w, https:\/\/tctechcrunch2011.files.wordpress.com\/2017\/03\/gettyimages-160429443.jpg?w=300 300w, https:\/\/tctechcrunch2011.files.wordpress.com\/2017\/03\/gettyimages-160429443.jpg?w=768 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px\" \/>&nbsp;It&#8217;s been a little over a\u00a0year since Fred Wilson and Tim Armstrong appeared onstage at Disrupt in New York to launch Tech:NYC.<br \/>\nThe two titans of New York City&#8217;s tech scene\u00a0were angling to create a new organization that would speak out for the interests of the tech industry in both city and state government while planting a flag for New York&#8217;s place\u00a0at the forefront of&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/2017\/05\/24\/a-year-after-its-launch-technyc-has-become-a-force-in-new-york-politics\/?ncid=rss\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"feedflare\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/Techcrunch?a=oBMfYrFZSrY:M4MPTeziLFk:2mJPEYqXBVI\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/Techcrunch?d=2mJPEYqXBVI\" border=\"0\"><\/img><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/Techcrunch?a=oBMfYrFZSrY:M4MPTeziLFk:7Q72WNTAKBA\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/Techcrunch?d=7Q72WNTAKBA\" border=\"0\"><\/img><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/Techcrunch?a=oBMfYrFZSrY:M4MPTeziLFk:yIl2AUoC8zA\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/Techcrunch?d=yIl2AUoC8zA\" border=\"0\"><\/img><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/Techcrunch?a=oBMfYrFZSrY:M4MPTeziLFk:-BTjWOF_DHI\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/Techcrunch?i=oBMfYrFZSrY:M4MPTeziLFk:-BTjWOF_DHI\" border=\"0\"><\/img><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/Techcrunch?a=oBMfYrFZSrY:M4MPTeziLFk:D7DqB2pKExk\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/Techcrunch?i=oBMfYrFZSrY:M4MPTeziLFk:D7DqB2pKExk\" border=\"0\"><\/img><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/Techcrunch?a=oBMfYrFZSrY:M4MPTeziLFk:qj6IDK7rITs\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~ff\/Techcrunch?d=qj6IDK7rITs\" border=\"0\"><\/img><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/~r\/Techcrunch\/~4\/oBMfYrFZSrY\" height=\"1\" width=\"1\" alt=\"\"\/> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5817,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[59,66,26],"class_list":["post-341834","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-technology","tag-media","tag-techcrunch","tag-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/asmawisham\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/341834","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/asmawisham\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/asmawisham\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/asmawisham\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5817"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/asmawisham\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=341834"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/asmawisham\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/341834\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/asmawisham\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=341834"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/asmawisham\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=341834"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/asmawisham\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=341834"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}