Mark your calendars for our upcoming meetup on Monday, March 11th, where we're excited to collaborate with Accompany Capital and the Tech Incubator at Queens College. This time, we're shaking things up with a unique format: presenting the top eight finalists of the TechImpact Startup Competition. Attendees will not only have the opportunity to vote for their favorite presentation but also to engage in networking with fellow participants. A panel of judges will select the top four startups, each receiving a grant of $25,000. Don't miss out—click below to buy tickets and register!

When: Monday, March 11, 2024 at 5:30pm ET (Doors Open) 
Where: Civic Hall Union Square, 124 E 14th Street (@Irving Place by Union Square)

Program:
5:30 PM - Doors Open
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM Welcome and Tech Demos
8:00 PM - 9:30 PM - After Party & Networking

Demoers

glubbs is an eco-friendly products brand company in Brooklyn, New York. Using scientifically proven methods of biodegradation and aerobic fermentation such as composting, we aim to provide people and organizations in healthcare, hospitality, food and everyday consumers with sustainable alternatives to single use products which, in the interest of being safe and sanitary, are sometimes impossible to avoid. 

Fiki Mthwalo, Founder & CEO

Bio

I come from Lesotho, a landlocked nation in South Africa. Prior to venturing into entrepreneurship with my eco-friendly plastics startup - Glubbs, I enjoyed a successful career as an actress on South African television. I moved to New York City in 2015, obtained an Acting MFA at NYU Tisch School of the Arts and a couple years later, amidst the peak of the Corona Virus outbreak, pivoted to establish Glubbs. Glubbs has since received an American Express grant and mentorship prize through their #Amex100for100 Founders Of Change initiative. Furthermore, Glubbs was invited to participate in Amazon's Black Business Accelerator. I currently reside in Brooklyn New York.

Passion & Purpose

My passion stems from a commitment to environmental stewardship and creating tangible change. Witnessing the detrimental effects of non-biodegradable gloves on ecosystems drives my dedication to offering sustainable alternatives. Furthermore, I am motivated by a deep respect for the planet, a characteristic fostered in my early years growing up in Lesotho, a country that was once clean and now has a big waste problem, with industries polluting formerly pristine bodies of water. This work isn't merely about selling gloves; it's about catalyzing a cultural shift towards sustainable practices and fostering a healthier planet for generations to come.

PIGPUG is a neurofeedback and AI-based drug-free Brain training system for kids with ADHD (ASD) and mental health professionals.

Vitali Karpeichyk, Co-founder & CEO

Bio

Vitali, CEO and Founder of PigPug Health, is dedicated to improving the lives of children with ADHD and autism through our innovative AI drug-free platform. Serial entrepreneur, including as CTO of Nito, which was acquired by AOL in 2016, he is passionate about leveraging technology to create positive change.

Passion & Purpose

This is my personal story. I was diagnosed with autism when I was just 6 years old. Through my personal experience, I have gained a deep understanding of the unique challenges that children with ADHD and autism face.

I have a dream that one day, all children with ADHD and autism will have access to the support they need to live fulfilling lives. PigPug Health is my way of making that dream a reality.

PolyDub enables content teams to create high quality, multilingual dubs of their videos and podcasts using recent advances in AI, generative AI and natural language processing.

Summer Wu, Co-founder & CEO

Bio

Born and raised in Chicago, studied computer science at Yale, led product at Microsoft and Snap in Seattle, and now building PolyDub in NYC

Passion & Purpose

Growing up in an immigrant household, I saw the impact of language barriers firsthand. I often played the role of an interpreter for my parents, and saw as they and others in my immigrant community struggled to connect with their peers and got passed over for opportunities.

Kiu and I have spent our careers building AI products in big tech companies, and now we’re eager to apply AI to a use case that can make a difference for the communities in which we were raised. For businesses, we’re excited about enabling them to reach a broader, more diverse audience, and for employees, customers, and learners we hope that increased access to content in their native languages can help level the playing field.

TimeStat creates biometric attendance embedded devices that do not require WiFi to keep track of your workers whereabouts throughout various sites.

Marcelo Villalba, Co-founder & CEO

Bio

Developed an IoT attendance device for construction sites that does not require WiFi. Currently deployed across 200+ sites in NYC. Working on adding features to the mobile and web applications.

Passion & Purpose

Worked in construction during high school and early college. My family is in the construction industry as well as the community we are part of. We know many other contractor’s businesses, where there is one common theme - all face the same issues/complaints: the industry has not really endorsed tech when compared to others. Most things are done "the old fashion way”.

Lulo puts more food on the table for families in New York.

Sarah Stellwag, Co-founder & CEO 

WEST X EAST is a virtual design service that specializes in crafting custom South Asian apparel for any occasion.

Tania Kottoor, Founder & CEO

Bio

Tania Kottoor, a first-gen Indian-American, is the visionary Founder and CEO of WEST X EAST. She blends tradition and innovation. Tania has led her team to create the world’s first AI-powered platform for custom cultural clothing, featured in publications like BRIDES and Vogue.

Passion & Purpose

The core principle our business was founded on was providing a service for third culture kids like me, a product of two cultures. I strive to retain the traditions passed down to us by our immigrant parents, much of which lies within clothing. The $32B South Asian market is our entryway before we expand into East Asian, African and Middle Eastern diasporas. All of these regions have cultural and religious events that require traditional clothing. We believe we're tapping into a massively underrepresented and overlooked market.

SaveAway is a social commerce platform that inspires people to multiply their savings and afford big purchase goals for life’s special moments.

Om Kundu, Founder & CEO

Bio

Founder of SaveAway®, which has pioneered the “Save Now, Pay Later” category through its patented retail e-commerce + fintech offerings in empowering un(der)served buyers and sellers alike to realize opportunity where they least expected it: to render the unaffordable affordable, sustainably — by making more informed buying decisions, and seeing those purchases fulfilled by harnessing the gears to SaveAway®, without the slippery slope of credit resulting in debt for far too many. SaveAway® was recently cited on the NASDAQ site and Workweek among "FIntech that makes an impact", previously named Top Fintech Forward Company To Watch: Its #SaveForWhatMatters mission — in engendering a sustainable foundation for consumption — has been oft-cited at Finovate, NRF, SXSW, Qorus, and among the Top-100 Startup of The Year by the Consumer Technology Association and Tech. Co.

For a decade-and-half prior, Kundu brought to bear emerging tech. and data analytics to deliver sustained growth for both startup and mature portfolios — within several leading retail financial institutions, with a digital and physical footprint that covered a third of the US. Kundu is a Stanford University alum with BS in Mathematical and Computational Sciences, and Interdisciplinary ‘Science, Technology, Society’ Honors. He has previously chaired several industry conferences and served on the advisory boards of publications, organizations, and the SXSW Pitch.

Passion & Purpose

Path to prosperity elevated as a Human Right while unlocking a powerful inclusive economic engine of growth for buyers and sellers

taperk offers one-tap loyalty programs for merchants which require no app download or signup, removing all friction for consumers and merchants. Consumers can easily join and gain points within seconds decreasing wait time and generating more sales.

Uyen (Tiffany) Nguyen, Co-founder & CMO

Bio

I was born and raised in Vietnam. I graduated from Villanova University, majoring in Management Information Systems, and minoring in Business Analytics, Psychology, and Sociology. I have had 2+ years of experience as a technology consultant, working on projects related to database design, data and analytics, and business intelligence. I also volunteered at a non-profit organization that provides consulting services to early-stage high-growth startups in Southeast Asia for a year.

Passion & Purpose

My passion for this work is fueled by observing my parents consistently declining invitations to join loyalty programs. They were hesitant to share personal information or download additional apps. Witnessing this recurring scenario has inspired me to explore ways to enhance the consumer experience in loyalty programs.

Moreover, we've identified a challenge faced by SMEs in attracting and retaining customers. Conversations with merchants revealed that high fees and a lack of understanding about leveraging loyalty programs pose significant obstacles. Taperk aims to address these issues by providing SMEs with an affordable and user-friendly tool, ultimately supporting their growth.

About NY Tech Meetup

NYTM is our signature event that has been a staple for the NYC tech ecosystem since 2004. It's the world’s largest meetup group of its kind with members who have a common interest in learning from and helping one another. At each event, entrepreneurs, founders, CEOs, and their teams demo cutting edge and transformative tech, answer questions from attendees and network with all in a welcoming, fun-filled space. Since its creation, over 1,000 companies have participated and have been a driving force of innovation and job creation in NYC and the greater NY area.

This event is a perfect place to start if you are new to tech, to New York City, or to the New York tech ecosystem.  It’s all about meeting people and having a "front row seat" to learn of the latest innovations that address market opportunities.