Tech Leaders Gather as Queens Chamber of Commerce and Queens Tech Council Host Spring 2023 Queens Tech Breakfast

On Tuesday, May 9, dozens of business, government, education and tech leaders gathered at LaGuardia Community College for the Spring 2023 Queens Tech Breakfast. The breakfast, which provided attendees with the opportunity to network and hear from industry leaders, was hosted by the Queens Chamber of Commerce, Queens’ oldest and largest business organization, and the Queens Tech Council.
 
“Whether you're a fledgling start-up, or an established industry leader, Queens is the perfect home for tech companies,” said Tom Grech, President and CEO of the Queens Chamber of Commerce. “We have the diversity, energy, and educational institutions like LaGuardia Community College that are producing the talent that companies need to grow and thrive. We are delighted to be here today with our partners in government, education and business to discuss how to create a stronger tech ecosystem in Queens. Fostering this tech ecosystem is vital to our borough’s economic future.”
 
Attendees heard from LaGuardia Community College President Kenneth Adams, and were treated to a panel discussion moderated by Cara Eisenpress, Senior Tech Reporter for Crain’s New York Business on the future of tech in Queens, featuring NYC Council Member Julie Won, Octavius Moore, Director of Partnerships for Tech:NYC and Kathirvel Kumararaja, President and Founder of DevJee Inc. Speakers touched on topics ranging from artificial intelligence to workforce development to affordability. All were bullish on the potential for the tech industry to continue to grow in Queens.

“LaGuardia has at least five different business assistance departments making us one of the largest providers of small business and entrepreneurship training in the city. It’s the part of work that reminds me of the second word in our name, the ‘community’ part,” said Kenneth Adams, President of LaGuardia Community College. “We have an obligation of the highest order to turn around and face Queens and leverage our instructional assets and our physical assets and attributes to really promote economic and workforce development all across the state and we do that under our business department.”
 
“Start-ups in the tech design, creative, and design industries find boundless opportunities for growth and collaboration within the vibrant ecosystem of Long Island City, New York,” said Assuanta Howard, Interim Assistant Dean of Business Services/Workforce Development and Executive Director of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program at LaGuardia Community College/CUNY. “By leveraging the invaluable resources available at NYDesigns, our on-campus business incubator space, and by fostering partnerships with the Queens Chamber and Queens Tech Council, entrepreneurs can incubate their ideas, unleash their creativity, and flourish in this thriving hub of innovation.”
 
“For me, as a former tech worker, giving our neighbors access to internet and digital services is a necessity, not a luxury. Within my first year in office, every NYCHA resident in the district has access to federal and city programs that give them free high speed internet, cable TV, and unlimited call and text. I’ve also provided funding for technology upgrades to our schools, and am actively legislating technology related laws to keep our laws up-to-date in our fast-changing city,” said Council Member Julie Won. “Thank you Queens Chamber of Commerce, Queens Tech Council, and LaGuardia Community College for hosting this important conversation."
 
“One of the most significant factors that sets NYC apart from other tech hubs is the collaboration we see on a daily basis between tech companies, elected officials, community and neighborhood leaders, and everyday New Yorkers,” said Octavius Moore, Director of Partnerships for Tech:NYC. “The Queens Tech Council is a great example of how those partnerships can effectively expand to support the most exciting nodes of New York's tech sector. With an all-borough approach, we can foster a tech ecosystem that continues to grow and benefits all New Yorkers in the process.”
 
"Being involved in the Queens Tech Incubator is one the best things to happen for me and for the growth of my company," said Kathirvel Kumararaja, President and Founder of DevJee Inc. "I appreciate the time and work that the Queens Chamber of Commerce and the Queens Tech Council put into events like this tech breakfast and panel because it gives people working in the technology world space to network, learn, and gain access to resources they may not have been aware of on their own."
 
At the conclusion of the event, attendees took a tour of NYDesigns’ 5,000 sq.ft. fabrication lab, located on the campus of LaGuardia Community College. NYDesigns was founded in 2006 as an incubator dedicated to the success of design and hardwear tech startups.

The Queens Tech Council was launched in February 2021. Council members include representatives from Google, Facebook, Amazon, Pursuit, LIC Partnership, Greater Jamaica Development Corporation, Crown Castle, JetBlue Ventures, Cornell Tech, and The Business Incubator Association of New York State. The Council focuses on building an economy that embraces innovation and promotes tech adoption. This includes supporting tech companies from existing giants in established industries to startups working doing cutting edge work.
Last fall the Council launched its first two Queens Tech Incubators in the Rockaways and Jamaica, with plans to open further incubators throughout Queens. 

Press release available for download, below.

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