At the turn of the twentieth century, the swelling populations of newly arrived immigrants in New York City’s Lower East Side reached a boiling point, forcing the City to pass the 1901 Tenement House Act. Recalling this legislation, New York City’s Mayor’s Office recently responded to its own modern housing crisis by enabling developers for the […]
Tech
In The Spirit Of Ada Lovelace: Female Entrepreneurs Build Next Generation Robots
Near the end of World War II, Adm. William “Bull” Halsey of the famed Third Fleet steered directly into a typhoon, losing 790 crewmen and 146 aircraft in the Pacific. Dr. Eric Daimler, formerly an innovation fellow with the Obama White House, shared this story with me in 2017 as an illustration of the importance of trusting data. It […]
5 Exciting Technologies That Need Your Execution Help
As a business advisor and technologist, I often think about the large array of opportunities for entrepreneurs as technology seems to be evolving faster and faster. Yet I still too often hear the question, “Can you give me a really sure-fire idea for starting my own business?” My standard answer is that ideas are a […]
Are Ethics Keeping Pace With Technology?
Returning from vacation, my inbox overflowed with emails announcing robot “firsts.” At the same time, my relaxed post-vacation disposition was quickly rocked by the news of the day and recent discussions regarding the extent of AI bias within New York’s financial system. These unrelated incidents are very much connected in representing the paradox of the acceleration of […]
Journey Meditation Raises $2.4M So That You Can Have A Meditation Studio in The Palm of Your Hand
What did “wellness” look like 20 years ago? Today, society is demanding that companies innovate and create products that promote a healthier and happier lifestyle – everyone wants to achieve the best version of themselves. But to achieve this, you don’t need to spend $10 on a cleansing juice, rather Journey Meditation is taking a […]
Why We Invested in Fi – the Smartest Dog Collar
Early stage investor Trace Cohen shares what made Fi, a smart dog collar startup, a compelling investment for New York Venture Partners.
Automate 2019 Startup Showdown Recap
It’s been two years since the last time I judged the Automate Startup Competition. More than any other trade show contest, this event has been an oracle of future success. In following up with the last vintage of participants, all of the previous entries are still operating and many are completing multi-million dollar financing rounds. As an […]
It’s Time To Cut The Cord
The recent breaking news story on The Robot Report was, unfortunately, the demise of Helen Greiner’s company, CyPhy Works (d/b/a Aria Insights). The high-flying startup raised close to $40 million since its creation in 2008, making it the second business founded by an iRobot alum that has shuttered within five months. While it is not immediately clear why the tethered-drone […]
Satisfi Labs Raises an Additional $4.6M to Bring Conversational Chatbots into a New Age
Whenever you walk through the doors at the Barclays Center or Citi Field, there is a knowledge management platform hard at work behind the scenes. Satisfi Labs is the AI-powered knowledge management platform that ensures that visitors have the best experience, managing everything from concession and lounge traffic to the VIP season ticket holder experience. […]
Conquering The Home, One Shirt At A Time
Last week, attending the Our Crowd Summit, I felt engulfed by the breadth of innovation and minds gathered in Jerusalem’s International Convention Center. Jonathan Medved’s billion-dollar crowd-funding platform has launched some of Israel’s most promising mechatronic startups, including ReWalk, Intuition Robotics, Airobotics, and Argus Cyber Security. Medved’s success is his infectious positivity and confidence that fosters collaboration across the venture ecosystem. […]
This NYC Startup Provides the Digital Doorman that Real Estate Companies Love
There tends to be a bit of an awkward and uncomfortable routine when using an old-fashioned intercom. People always question if they buzzed the right apartment number, if they held the button down long enough, and it always ends with guests whipping out their phone to text friends or family to buzz them in. MVI […]