New York. New York City's Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) has selected 60 early-stage startups with 86 founders from across the five boroughs for the fifth Founder Fellowship, a program fostering a more inclusive tech startup ecosystem.
Launched in 2022, this initiative helps diverse entrepreneurs access resources like venture capital, mentorship, and industry connections to scale their businesses. The program emphasizes diversity, with two-thirds of fellow teams led by women, 77% by Black, Latinx, or Asian founders, and 15% by LGBT+ leaders.
Since inception, nearly 400 founders across 250 startups have been supported, raising $170M and achieving combined valuations exceeding $1B. NYCEDC President Jeanny Pak highlighted the program’s success in driving equitable opportunities in tech and innovation. Cohort partners Chloe Capital, Company Ventures, Newlab, and Visible Hands will provide support through funding, mentorship, and expertise.
Building on momentum from previous cohorts (2022–2025), this year's Fellowship benefits from nearly $1M in private sector investments to back select startups in fields like tech, healthcare, green economy, education, and workforce innovation.
Source: NYCEDC Press / NYreaders