Kquika is proud to announce that we have been selected as one of 100 tech founder teams to participate in the second installment of the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) Founder Fellowship program.
About the Founder Fellowship
The Founder Fellowship is a flagship accelerator program under NYCEDC's Venture Access NYC initiative. The program is designed to address inequities in the tech ecosystem and support entrepreneurs from historically underrepresented backgrounds in building and scaling their enterprises in New York City.
Selected founders receive access to:
- Individualized work plans to identify key needs and interests
- Cohort convenings and programming
- Business administration support
- Connections to capital providers and potential collaborators
- Access to mentors and advisor networks
A Highly Competitive Selection
NYCEDC received more than 550 applications for the second installment of the Founder Fellowship. From this competitive pool, 100 tech founder teams were selected to participate in the 2023 program.
The cohort represents the diversity of New York City's entrepreneurial community. More than 69 percent of selected teams include at least one female founder, and approximately 80 percent are led by Black, Latinx, and/or Asian founders.
Expanded Investment in NYC Entrepreneurs
The Fellowship expanded from eight to 100 founder teams thanks to a $1.5 million investment from the City of New York through Mayor Eric Adams' Blueprint for Economic Recovery. This significant expansion demonstrates the city's commitment to creating a more inclusive tech ecosystem.
Program Operators
NYCEDC partnered with five operator partners to host unique Founder Fellowship cohorts in 2023:
- Chloe Capital
- Company Ventures
- Newlab
- Tech Incubator Queens College (TIQC)
- Visible Hands
Each operator provides specialized support and programming tailored to their cohort's needs.
What This Means for Kquika
Being selected for the NYCEDC Founder Fellowship validates our mission and provides valuable resources to accelerate our growth. The program's focus on networking, mentorship, and access to capital aligns perfectly with our goals as we continue developing the Trakt System to transform aircraft maintenance through AI and machine learning.
We are grateful to NYCEDC for this opportunity and look forward to contributing to New York City's thriving tech ecosystem alongside our fellow founders.
