The largest event for startups in the United States, this year’s NY TechDay showcased 550 exhibitors and drew more than 30,000 attendees to learn about new companies, test-drive innovative products, share insights, network, and — for some lucky entrepreneurs — invest in promising ventures. The energy and enthusiasm were palpable at the event, which took place at Pier 94 in Manhattan on April 21.
Roughly 20 Columbia Business School–affiliated ventures exhibited, including Wandering Bear Coffee Company, digital assistant X.ai, and on-demand storage company MakeSpace. Ten ventures came together to exhibit in what is known colloquially as “Columbia Alley,” a section of booths dedicated to Columbia Business School students and alumni: Plvsh Style, SheetKraft, HelpHonor, Cartful Solutions, Crnsy, Topi, Flip, X.ai, Culture Craver, and Wandering Bear. The School served as a sponsor of the event.
“It helps to be around this kind of energy because I think it helps you innovate in your own company,” said Shashi Srikantan ’13, founder of Plvsh Style, an online personal stylist and subscription fashion service for plus-size women. She added that she was most excited to meet other TechDay attendees and forge new partnerships.
Tim Petrella ’15, founder of Cartful Solutions, which makes software that optimizes product recommendations for online shoppers, said his reasons for exhibiting at NY TechDay were twofold. “First, it is a great opportunity to keep getting feedback about our product. Even though we are a B-to-B company, our product is facing consumers; the more people who take a look at it and are able to give us feedback, the better,” he said. “Also, we just launched about two months ago and signed on our first couple of clients, so we are now starting to think about seed funding. Having an opportunity to potentially meet investors [here] is great.”
Another startup in the Columbia Alley, Culture Craver, co-founded by Julia Levy ’11 and her husband, Ari Edelson, launched in 2014 and is a website and mobile app that customizes New York City arts and culture activities for users. The co-founders leveraged the NY TechDay platform to promote the launch of their new family-focused app, Culture Craver Kids, created in partnership with the New Victory Theater. “It helps families in the city find entertainment and experience more,” Levy explained. “We're also about to roll out a version for Apple TV. The fun thing about that is you and your friends, or you and your boyfriend, or your husband, can log into your Apple TV and then [Culture Craver] will tell you what you should watch together.”
When asked what advice she might have for other Columbia Business School aspiring entrepreneurs, Levy said the most important thing is to just go for it. “I would say it’s a lot harder than you imagine getting something off the ground, but it’s also a lot more fun than you imagine,” she said. “You should try it.”