NYCEDC and Company Ventures Announce First Cohort of The City Fellowship
Program Builds upon Existing Urbantech NYC Partnership between NYCEDC and Company Ventures
NEW YORK, NY—New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and Company Ventures announced the first cohort selected to join The City Fellowship program. The public-private initiative supports Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), and women-led small businesses, nonprofits, cooperatives, and technology startups that are building a more equitable and sustainable future for New York City.
The entrepreneurs selected are focused on improving quality of life in New York City, with an emphasis on economic equity and climate action. The City Fellowship program offers early-stage entrepreneurs access to a community of like-minded innovators, as well as connection to venture capital level to government, corporate, and technological resources to help them thrive.
The fellows will have access to Company Ventures’ workforce development and piloting programs, as well as tailored curriculum to help them achieve their vision, mission, and values.
“New York City has always been a hub of creativity and innovation. A place where people come from all over the world for reinvention, collaboration and success,” said Rachel Loeb, NYCEDC President and CEO. “Our diverse entrepreneurial ecosystem is second-to-none, and we believe that small businesses will be at the forefront of reimagining the city. We are thrilled to partner with Company Ventures on supporting these impressive founders.”
“We believe in entrepreneurs. This fellowship allows us to leverage our resources to support those visionaries who are deeply committed to New York City. Company Ventures has the capital, acumen, and network to help them grow and thrive, impacting so many communities,” said Lindsay Siegel, Head of Impact and Managing Director of The City Fellowship at Company Ventures. “As New York continues to attract a new investor base, we are putting a stake in the ground to help fortify for the future.”
The first cohort, which begins on February 1, will include:
- Aly Murray, UPchieve
- Amina Yamusah, Sector
- Anthony Edwards Jr. + Janique Edwards, Eat Okra
- Ashley Eberhart, Unlock NYC
- Daquan Oliver, We Thrive Hub
- Erik Forman + Troy Walcott, People's Choice Communications
- Greg Genco, Generation Conscious
- Henry Obispo, REBORN FARMS
- Jaime-Jin Lewis, Wiggle Room
- Josue De Paz, First Tech Fund
- Kara Meyer, Friends of + POOL
- Karen Schoellkopf, Leap Fund
- Leslie Borrell, Carefully
- Noelle Acosta, Noula Health
Entrepreneurs drive the economy of this city, and their perseverance over the last two years exemplifies the spirit of what it means to be a New Yorker,” added Maria Torres-Springer, New York City Deputy Mayor for Economic & Workforce Development. “In the years ahead, we are building back a stronger, more unified city where businesses can thrive. Public-private partnership will help to fuel this engine, and we are excited for the role these Fellows will play in our city’s future.”
Born out of the five-year success of the Urban Tech Hub, NYCEDC and Company Ventures launched the initiative to create The City Fellowship in November 2021. The nine-month program is a hybrid program, primarily virtual with intermittent and exclusive in-person engagements and opportunities.
Fellows will also gain access to:
- Government piloting opportunities to introduce innovation and new technology at New York City agencies.
- Company Ventures’ North Star program to help leaders identity and codify their vision, mission, and values, with an emphasis on full stakeholder accountability and environmental sustainability.
- Workforce development partnerships with CUNY to provide paid internships for diverse next-gen talent.
For more information on The City Fellowship, click here.
About NYCEDC
New York City Economic Development Corporation creates shared prosperity across New York City’s five boroughs by strengthening neighborhoods and creating good jobs. NYCEDC works with and for communities to provide them with the resources they need to thrive, and we invest in projects that increase sustainability, support job growth, develop talent, and spark innovation to strengthen the City’s competitive advantage. To learn more about our work and initiatives, please visit us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
About Company Ventures
Company Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm based in NYC that provides an unparalleled foundation for entrepreneurs building with purpose. The firm invests in pre-seed and seed companies across all industry verticals with particular interest in digital health, financial services, real estate tech, enterprise software, and consumer internet. In addition to its early-stage investment activity, Company Ventures operates the Grand Central Tech Residency, an annual program built specifically to bring together NYC’s premier founding teams. Since inception, this program has supported over 150 companies, who have collectively raised $2B from top VCs. Company Ventures is housed in the Company Building, a 1.1M square foot vertical tech campus located in the heart of Manhattan. Through this unique combination of physical space and digital programming, Company Ventures has built the largest centralized, top-tier founder community in NYC.
