2014 was a big year for New York City's tech sector. As the Gotham Gazette points out, there was a fair degree of uncertainty when Mayor Bill de Blasio took office on New Year's Day, largely due to his own admitted lack of IT knowledge. However, as 2015 comes around, the city's tech companies find themselves with more growth opportunities than ever before.
While de Blasio's predecessor Michael Bloomberg undoubtedly laid a very solid foundation, the new mayor has built on that and successfully expanded the tech industry beyond the borough of Manhattan. The Brooklyn neighborhood of Dumbo, for instance, is now home to 500 IT firms employing over 10,000 people. De Blasio's office also launched Digital.NYC, an online portal that helps entrepreneurs and tech professionals network and find funding from investors.
Moreover, New York City has successfully built its own tech identity completely different from that of Silicon Valley. Most industry giants have New York offices, which is only natural considering the city's status as the world's financial capital, but more notably, startups are not only emerging but remaining in the city.
"New York City has successfully built its own tech identity."
"In 2006 you had people in New York City that were told they would get funding from Silicon Valley firms, but only if they moved out to San Francisco," said Dan Ciporin of venture capital firm Canaan Partners to U.S. News & World Report. "Those days are long gone."
As more tech businesses are able to grow and thrive in New York, the city is cementing its place atop the industry as it has in so many other areas, from business to entertainment. Local managed IT services software companies can provide startups with technical assistance and guidance to ensure their long-term success.