Page 44 - 2021 Queens Economic Development Guide

The Queens Tech Council
Building A World-Class Tech Community. Here.
The Queens Tech Council is establishing a tech friendly ecosystem in Queens that will sTupport the creation and growth of local startups.
he Queens Tech that the crisis was not just a health Council is committed issue, but an economic one.
to creating a New ways of living and working diverse, inclusive, were rapidly accelerating the pace of thriving, and digital adoption and cementing the self-sustaining tech role of technology in our current and
economy in Queens, New York. future economy in a way that was In partnership with our members, leaving too many behind.
The Queens Tech Council advocates for forward-thinking policies, pushes for increased access to capital for Queens-based startups and entrepreneurs, and works to break down the barriers that separate communities from economic opportunity.
Responding to the Challenges of the Pandemic
As COVID-19 ravaged New York City in early 2020, the Queens Chamber of Commerce recognized
“We needed to act as a community to make sure that the benefits
of technology and access to opportunities in the rapidly growing tech economy would be available
to all regardless of geography or economic status,” says Queens Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tom Grech.
The Tech Council was convened to start building an ecosystem that supports tech opportunities for all, by creating the conditions for education, innovation, and the
creation of local employment. This multidimensional effort
encompasses activating the whole workforce, getting capital to entrepreneurs, improving education from K-12 and through college, as
well as mid-career professionals,
and changing perceptions so
people realize that “tech” is accessible to everyone.
42
QUEENS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GUIDE
© Adobe Stock