Dear Friend,
As an international here in NY and an H1B (work) visa holder, this past weekend has been full of disappointments, as I'm afraid this upcoming months will also be. I came to this country with the same intentions as the majority of the immigrants - to live in the advanced society and fully contribute to it with my passion, honesty and high work ethics. It's so scary to see this ever-welcoming country's new president sign laws which ban people like me to come to US for the opportunity to have better lives. Read this Business of Fashion article by Imran Amed to see how the whole tech community is being vocal about the immigration ban, while fashion industry leaders still keep silent. There is not going to be any positive change if all the industries do not come together and play in the same team for the sake of bright future of this powerful country. If we use the combined power of creativity and technology, I believe we could influence the government's decisions and keep this country as strong as it has been for the past decades.
News Digest:
- How Automation Is Reshaping Fashion - Business of Fashion
- Inside Instagram’s Reinvention - Recode
- How the retail industry can prepare for the Fourth Industrial Revolution - Medium
- Is this sewing robot the future of fashion? - Fast Company
- Apple joins Amazon, Facebook, Google, IBM and Microsoft in AI initiative - Tech Crunch
- Why Nordstrom is experimenting with in-store pop-ups - Glossy
Events:
Tuesday, Jan.17
6:00pm - 9:30pm All Possibilities: Bridging the Intuitive, Business & Scientific Minds
Have you ever had an intuitive or spiritual experience that you couldn't explain? Have you ever made a business decision because of a gut feeling or hunch? We invite you to join us to explore these questions so that you can walk away empowered by the infinite possibilities of your human mind and spirit. Price: $20 Location: Interface, 140 West 30th Street
6:00pm CUNY Tech - VR/AR Mashup
With Justin Hendrix (Exec Director, NYC Media Lab), Angela Singer (Product Mktg Mgr, Augment), Debra Anderson (Founder, Datavized), DJ Smith (Founder, Glimpse Group), Dawn Barber (Founder, Creative Tech Week), Kate Daly (SVP, Ctr for Urban Innovation, NYCEDC). Price: Free Location: Made in NY Media Center by IFP, 30 John St
6:30pm - 8:30pm Digital Philanthropy
Our increasingly digital world is poised to revolutionize philanthropy — shifting the idea of "giving" from top-dollar-donations-only to more decentralized efforts of community-based charity. This change can be seen in new platforms, initiatives and organizations igniting change. Price: Free Location: GA NYC (Manhattan), HQ 902 Broadway, 4th Floor
Wednesday, Feb. 1
06:00am - 9:00am Daybreaker Winter Summer Camp
Yoga, dance party, live performances, breakfast bites. The best part about it? We’re going totally tech free. AKA — no cell phones. Just DANCE. Let’s take a break from the digital noise and power up on love. Price: $25 - $35 Location: Gilded Lilly, 408 W 15th St
06:00pm - 8:00pm Entrepreneurs Roundtable
5 Pitches and Feedback with Brian Cohen of New York Venture Partners and New York Angels. Price: Free Location: Microsoft HQ, 11 Times Sq
6:30pm - 8:30pm The Business Of Comedy
Join LMHQ for a fireside chat about the business of comedy, where we’ll give attendees a peek behind the curtain about what goes into making comedy work. More funny folks are experimenting with comedic mediums, more clubs are opening for standup, and comedy is being woven more effortlessly into the fabric of pop culture on a daily basis. What does it take, beyond the performance, to make comedy as a business successful? Price: Free Location: LMHQ, 150 Broadway, 20th Fl
Thursday, Feb. 2
06:00pm - 8:00pm Innovation In Branded Content
Branded content is a major revenue driver for publishers and a win-win for both publishers and advertisers. The importance of branded content is demonstrated by the recent trend of publishers forming content studios, like The New York Times' T Brand Studio and The Washington Post's WP BrandStudio. Price: Free Location: BounceX, 620 8th Ave, 21st Fl
6:30 - 8:30pm Building Credible Financials For Early-Stage Investors
Founders of early-stage ventures are in love with their products, and all too often, they want to tell the whole, long story. Early-stage investors are all to often jaded, cynical and well, just real busy. If they even give you 10 minutes, it is likely that they're distracted. How can founders make the most out of their pitch? How can you edit your the financial side of your story down to the most compelling bits? Price: $10 Location: GA NYC (Manhattan), Classrooms (3rd Floor) 10 East 21st Street
6:30pm Fuckup Nights Chelsea
NYC's most inspirational leaders share their fuckups and the lessons learned. With Grant Gudgel (Founder, VIDCOIN), Jonathan Gass (Co-Founder, Nomad Financial), Blake Gudgel (Principal, CG Ventures & VP Dev, Modus Health). Price: $15 Location: WeWork Irving Place, 33 Irving Pl
6:30pm Fail Forward
There are many reasons why startups experience failure. To celebrate and learn from these inevitable “hiccups”, General Assembly presents a monthly event series as a way of sharing stories and insights from those who have been through it first-hand. Join Schuyler Brown, and an expert panel of founders, as they engage in a stimulating discussion to motivate you on your entrepreneurial journey! Price: Free Location: General Assembly, 902 Broadway, 4th Fl
Sunday, Feb.5
10:00am Brunchwork w/ General Assembly
Fill your weekend with inspiration and intention! Join us for an unforgettable farm-to-table brunch (and mimosas) with General Assembly & Daybreaker Co-Founder, Matt Brimer and Maven Founder, Kate Ryder. Price: $35 Location: General Assembly, 902 Broadway, 4th Fl
Tuesday, Feb 7
7:00pm February 2017 NY Tech Meetup and Afterparty
Join fellow technologists for an evening of live demos from companies developing great technology in New York, followed by a networking afterparty. Price: $10 Location: NYU Skirball center, 566 LaGuardia Place at Washington Square
Wednesday, Feb. 8
5:45 - 9:00pm Design Driven NYC #23 (A FirstMark Event)
• Dewey Reid, VP & Executive Creative Director Digital, CNN • Breonna Rodriguez, Lead Digital Designer, Sesame Street • Christopher Daly, Head of Experience & Product Design, Sotheby's Price: Free Location: BuzzFeed, 111 East 18th Street
6:30 - 8:30pm The Edge of Innovation: The Connected Home
Few industries have received more attention recently than the battle over the connected home. In the past year Amazon, Google, Apple, GE and many of the world's other technological giants have jumped into the space. For this month's event we've invited Jon Troutman - Co-Founder and Chief Product Designer at Canary, for a conversation on the future of the connected home. Price: Free Location: GA NYC (Manhattan), HQ 902 Broadway, 4th Floor
Thursday, Feb. 9
5:00pm - 8:00pm A.I. & The City - How Humanizing Tech Can Build More Intelligent Cities
IoT and AI are hot topics right now. What does this technology mean for the city residents, public and private sectors? What opportunities exist for applied intelligence in the urban data ecosystem? Price: Free Location: The Hub at Grand Central Tech, 335 Madison Ave, 4th Fl
Wednesday, Feb. 15
5:30 - 9:00pm Women Startup Challenge VR & AI
Women Who Tech’s fourth Women Startup Challenge is showcasing and funding innovative, women-led startups focusing on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR), and Virtual Reality (VR) that are solving problems for people, businesses, and the planet. Price: Free Location: Google, 76 9th Ave
Thursday, Feb. 16
6:00pm The Future of Journalism
We will host a panel of media experts who will discuss the changing landscape for journalism. We'll talk about the impact of new technologies in the field, as well as the new political reality for journalists in the US and abroad. Topics will include the impact of live streaming technology, personalized news and the impact of social media on journalism, journalistic integrity in the age of fake news, and more. Price: Free Location: WeWork Charging Bull, 25 Broadway, 9th Fl
Cool & Useful Finds:
- Brain.fm - Music for the brain to improve focus, meditation & sleep
- A 6 minute Intro to AI
- Bizplan - Modern business planning for startups
- Opera Neon - A concept of tomorrow’s web browser you can play with today.
Stay Inspired,
Nataliya