Introducing the Tech:NYC Founder House
Today, Tech:NYC and WeWork are launching the Tech:NYC Founder House, a new partnership that will support New York’s early stage tech founders by providing them with opportunities to connect and collaborate with their peers, investors, and industry experts.
Tech:NYC Founder House will open its doors to a selected group of 25 entrepreneurs once every quarter, offering office space at a NYC WeWork location, curated programming to facilitate peer collaborations, and coordinated 1:1 office hours for founders to connect with top NYC investors and other leading figures in the industry. By convening the next generation of NYC tech leaders under one roof, Tech:NYC Founder House will foster a dynamic environment where founders can not only learn from industry experts but also gain valuable insights from each other's experiences.
The program, beginning today, is specifically geared toward founders at the earliest stages of building their companies, including those that launched during pandemic lockdowns and have had fewer opportunities for industry collaboration and peer networking that many startups rely on to get off the ground. Tech:NYC Founder House will also focus on underrepresented founders and entrepreneurs building in emerging sector areas like AI, climate tech, blockchain, and more.
“A big reason why New York City has emerged as a leading global tech hub is the collaborative and supportive environment in which our founders operate, and this partnership takes that a step further,” said Julie Samuels, President and Executive Director of Tech:NYC. “We’re thankful for WeWork’s partnership with Tech:NYC Founder House, which will connect the next generation of tech entrepreneurs with the resources they need to thrive. If you need any further proof that our tech ecosystem will help drive our economy for years to come, let this be it.”
“WeWork has been a home to thousands of local entrepreneurs since we launched here in 2010, and we’re proud to continue supporting the startup community with Tech:NYC Founder House,” said WeWork Territory Vice President of Tri-state Joyce Ke. “We know that good things happen when people come together to collaborate and share ideas, and we’re excited to be a part of a program that will help spur industry growth in our home city.”
“I decided to launch Airpals in New York City because of its robust startup ecosystem, and I plan to stay here because of resources like this,” said Joshe Ordonez, CEO and Founder of Airpals, a B2B platform that streamlines office logistics and project-based shipping. “Tech:NYC Founder House will be instrumental in driving our growth and opening us up to new opportunities. I’m looking forward to meeting and collaborating with my fellow entrepreneurs and business leaders in this shared space.”
Tech:NYC will leverage its network of more than 800 member companies large and small — representing virtually every emerging subsector in the New York tech ecosystem, as well as VC firms crucial to a startup’s success — to connect these founders with the resources and mentorship needed to compete in one of the world’s top ecosystems for startups.
Following its founding in New York City in 2010, WeWork has strived to support local startups at all stages of their growth and provide spaces where connections and new ideas can be made. WeWork's support of Tech:NYC Founder House builds on the company’s previous initiatives to champion New York City startups including the NYC Chambers x WeWork Partnership with all five of the city’s chambers of commerce, WeWork Growth Campus NYC, and its startup pitch competition celebrating those making a positive impact on the environment.