Technology incubators heading to Harlem
Monday, February 20, 2012
By Miles Johnson
Spectator Staff Writer
With two incubators scheduled to open in Harlem and another hoping to join them, Manhattan’s high-tech wave might be making its way uptown.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the New York City Economic Development Corporation announced in November that the city would be accepting proposals from businesses looking to move to 125th Street, particularly startups in technology and new media. The EDC is expected to announce the winning proposals by the end of the month, and IncubateNYC co-founder Marcus Mayo is waiting to find out if his company’s proposal will be among them.
In general, an incubator is a business that gives entrepreneurs the space and resources to get their own businesses off the ground. Mayo, though, said that IncubateNYC, a technology incubator, is unique.
Most incubators, he said, provide entrepreneurs with support and then back away. He explained that his company wants to solve specific problems and seeks out businesses that it thinks can help solve those problems.
“It’s different than a traditional incubator, where you accept applications and people apply directly and then you just select people based off of whatever criteria,” Mayo said. “We’re trying to solve real issues.”
One of IncubateNYC’s goals, he noted, is to create technology that can provide more affordable and accessible health care.
“It’s the overall concept of identifying the issues that matter and finding people who are solving those issues through great products,” he said.
Read the full article on the Columbia Spectator
Spectator Staff Writer
With two incubators scheduled to open in Harlem and another hoping to join them, Manhattan’s high-tech wave might be making its way uptown.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the New York City Economic Development Corporation announced in November that the city would be accepting proposals from businesses looking to move to 125th Street, particularly startups in technology and new media. The EDC is expected to announce the winning proposals by the end of the month, and IncubateNYC co-founder Marcus Mayo is waiting to find out if his company’s proposal will be among them.
In general, an incubator is a business that gives entrepreneurs the space and resources to get their own businesses off the ground. Mayo, though, said that IncubateNYC, a technology incubator, is unique.
Most incubators, he said, provide entrepreneurs with support and then back away. He explained that his company wants to solve specific problems and seeks out businesses that it thinks can help solve those problems.
“It’s different than a traditional incubator, where you accept applications and people apply directly and then you just select people based off of whatever criteria,” Mayo said. “We’re trying to solve real issues.”
One of IncubateNYC’s goals, he noted, is to create technology that can provide more affordable and accessible health care.
“It’s the overall concept of identifying the issues that matter and finding people who are solving those issues through great products,” he said.
Read the full article on the Columbia Spectator
