#NYTechWeek was an absolute whirlwind of inspiration, innovation, and a pinch of stress-induced FOMO for Kaleidoscope and me! Every year, it gets better; this time, we came out on top (What a ride). If you're like us, juggling work and events is a high-wire act, but the payoff was worth it. Here's a glimpse into the events we attended or curated and the invaluable lessons we took away.
How to Raise a Pre-Seed | Presented by XRC Ventures, Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator & Fenwick & West
Mediated by the brilliant Charlie O'Donnell (I still didn't get to say hello in person), this session was a treasure trove of insights. Here are the top three points we loved: (thank you to Sam Wils, Brian Hecht, Jenny Friedman, Allison Cooper )
VC money is the priciest you'll ever take - Believe you can transform into a unicorn 🦄 ? Then aim to become a billion-dollar business. If not, do not take VC money.
Your best intros for investors come from former founders and trusted VCs - Build solid relationships in your space.
VCs often invest in friends - Relationships matter more than you think. LOL.
WYE: Good Design is Needed in Tech (Leslie De Lorenzo)
Hosted by us at Would You Even, this impromptu coffee meet was a lively exchange of ideas and stories. Massive thanks to everyone for stopping by. Key takeaways:
We need more discussions and events around design in tech - As AI evolves, we must design our future systems with it, led by designers and developers.
Bridging the gap between design concept and testable product—If you're grappling with this, reach out to WYE.
The design community for transitioning designers to tech - Where is it?
Lean Coffee Startup
Hosted by the charismatic Geoff Scott, this monthly meetup was supercharged with Techweek attendees and startup founders nationwide. The hot topics were:
To hire or contract for your startup - The consensus is to hire for IP and contract to scale.
AI's role in tackling global warming and sustainability - Can AI save the planet, or is it too late?
Best networking spots - My pick: join Yorkseed, led by the amazing Jessica Sophia Wong.
Humanity, AI, and the New Role of Startups
I had the privilege of joining a talented panel of Richard Mensah, Sophy Li, Shreya A., and Benjamin Friedman at Wells Fargo to discuss how startups can shape the future of AI. The hour-long discussion was packed with insights, questions, and laughs. Here are some of the insights.
Preparing for job market shifts - Will vocational jobs prevail, or will everyone run million-dollar businesses?
Balancing profit and ethics - How can startups stay ethical while still being able to make money.?
Keeping tech human - My take: with the right humans leading tech, the tech will remain human.
From raising pre-seed funds to designing tech futures and debating the ethics of AI, TechWeek was a phenomenal journey of learning and growth.
#Tech #DesignThinking #StartupLife #AI #Networking #NYTech #GoodDesign #ethical