NYC Media Lab, a research center for media companies and universities, will create a collaborative environment for innovation by partnering companies looking to advance new media technologies with academic institutions undertaking related research. New York City is home to 10,000 media companies and more than 100 universities and colleges, many of which independently pursue media-related research. Like similar initiatives at Stanford University and MIT, NYC Media Lab will maintain a database of projects to facilitate the interaction between academic and other nonprofit researchers and corporate partners, serve as a physical hub for networking events, and provide space for industry lectures and workshops.

• The NYC Media Lab is expected to be in operation in Q1 2010.

• For more information please visit the Nimble: Small Issuance Bond Program page.

To increase opportunities for successful start-up companies in new media and encourage innovation in emerging sub-sectors, NYCEDC has established the Media and Tech Fellowship to be awarded to approximately 20 “rising star” media and technology entrepreneurs on an annual basis. Fellows will be provided with training, mentoring, networking opportunities with venture capital firms, and support services such as legal aid. Selection will be based on several criteria, including: demonstrated professional experience with a record of sustained business success and innovation; a business plan or early-stage start-up with the potential for significant New York City-based job creation; personal commitment to a continued investment in the culture and economic development of New York City; and an indication that the Fellowship will increase the entrepreneur’s probability of success. Some preference will be given to women, minority and outer-borough applicants.

• If you are interested in applying for the fellowship, please visit this site again for periodic updates. The program is expected to launch in Q1 2010.
• If you have additional questions please contact NYCEDC  (please select "Domestic Business" in the subject field).

In order to help start-ups and small technology firms expand and grow their businesses in NYC, the city has launched two initiatives:  

Start-up Procurement  

The city will encourage local start-ups and established firms to team up on bidding for City IT contracts, and promote other City contracting opportunities for start-ups. City agencies will also host Gov 2.0 Tech Forums – regular briefings on topics including City procurement and evolving IT processes. At these events, there will also be networking opportunities between large contractors and small technology companies.  

Prepare for Success  

In order to accelerate the growth of the start-up sector, the city will host workshops on a range of topics that address real challenges faced by start-ups aspiring to launch and grow their businesses in NYC. Topics may vary from navigating the legal complexities when starting a business to building a low-cost viral marketing campaign. The Department of Small Business Services (SBS) will also administer workshops on topics such as proposal writing for smaller technology firms.

Start-up Procurement

• NYCEDC held the first NYC Gov-Tech 2.0 Forum on July 9, 2009 at the Digital Sandbox at 55 Broad Street in Lower Manhattan. Over 200 companies were represented. Details of the event can be viewed at www.nycedc.com/NYCGovTech.
• The next NYC Gov-Tech 2.0 Forum will be held in Q1 2010 and build on themes from the first event.
• IT professionals interested in receiving notices about this and other future events can send their name, organization and title to NYCGovTech@nycedc.com.

Prepare for Success

• In Q1, 2010, the City, in conjunction with leading digital agencies will host a hands-on workshop on PR/Marketing for startups.
• In Q1, 2010, the city in conjunction with a leading Law Firm will host a workshop that covers important legal aspects when launching and growing a business.
• In Q2, 2010 SBS will host two workshops: One on proposal writing and the other on getting access to city contracts.
• If you are interested in any of these events, please bookmark this page as we will be publishing all relevant information here as we get closer to the dates.

In July, Mayor Bloomberg announced the launch of NYC BigApps, an annual software competition for individuals or companies to develop functional digital applications that utilize City data. Start-up and venture capital companies participating in NYCMedia 2020 expressed significant interest in utilizing City data to create new digital applications, and NYC BigApps will serve to stimulate innovation in the information technology and media sectors. Winners will be selected in early 2010.

• The NYC BigApps Competition has launched! Please visit the Competition Website for details.
• Applications submitted to NYC BigApps will utilize data available on the new NYC.gov Data Mine, a site providing access to City data in a variety of formats in one consolidated directory.

The lack of affordable workspace and the prohibitive cost of specialized equipment for emerging sub-sectors such as gaming and social networking can impede the growth and sustainability of start-ups and small businesses in the sector. To address these issues, the City is partnering with the Downtown Alliance to launch a center for media freelancers at 55 Broad Street in Lower Manhattan. The Alliance will lease and fit out a 5,000-square-foot space to suit the needs of media professionals and others who need quality workspace on a daily or short term basis and access to services such as contract editing, news feeds, and conference space. NYCEDC is providing a $100,000 grant to assist with start-up costs. The “Hive at 55” will provide workspace for 50 freelancers at a time, and will provide workspace and services for as many as 1,850 part-time and drop-in workers per year.

• The Hive at 55 has launched. Please visit www.hiveat55.com for more details.
• If you have additional questions please contact NYCEDC (please select "Domestic Business" in the subject field).

To ensure that traditional media professionals have the skills necessary to succeed in a new media marketplace, the City will launch JumpStart New Media, a training program to assist displaced or entrepreneurial junior to mid-level employees in exploring opportunities in new and digital media. The program will also provide the City’s media firms and entrepreneurs a ready, pre-screened pool of high-quality candidates. JumpStart New Media will consist of a training “boot camp,” after which the first class of 50 participants will be offered a 10-week unpaid apprenticeship with a new media company and the potential of converting to full-time employment, building on Mayor Bloomberg’s successful JumpStart NYC program designed for workers laid off from the financial services sector.

• If you are an individual interested in participating in the JumpStart New Media program, please submit your application here.
• If you are a company interested in staffing a JumpStart New Media participant, please go here for more information.

New York City is home to 29 multi-billion dollar media companies, more than any other city in the nation. To keep it competitive within the global marketplace, and to increase representation among emerging international and domestic media players, the City, along with executives from New York City-based media enterprises, is embarking on a recruitment campaign in emerging markets across Asia and the Middle East, and in Silicon Valley and the greater Boston area.

In order to solicit input to Media NYC 2020 from a broad range of media industry participants, and to engage the industry in discussions about issues ranging from content and distribution to the shifting media landscape, NYCEDC has created MediaNYC2020.com. Topics will be updated on a weekly basis and may include questions or surveys on how consumers will search for and discover content; which payment models will support the industry and in what mix; will open or closed networks win out and in what cases; and how content consumption will be reallocated across blockbuster, professional mid- and long-tail, and user generated content.

• Please visit www.medianyc2020.com to sign up for the forum.