Urban Tech Podcast

In this week's episode, JT previews the UrbanTech Market Map project, an ongoing initiative across UrbanTech's content for the rest of the year. The first version of the map which UT shared last week, includes companies and startups we've covered in our first year.

The second half of this week's episode includes a conversation with NYC Mayoral Candidate Shaun Donovan. Shaun shares his vision for New York City and thoughts on urban tech.

Other links from the episode:

• UrbanTech's first edition
• Join the UrbanTech Premium Community
• Submit a company to the UT Market Map project

UrbanTech Founder John Thomey sits downs with Pete Evenson, the co-founder and COO of Swoop, a mobility startup that provides software to small transportation companies for managing their business and mobility fleets.

As reported by CNBC, Swoop recently won a contract from the NFL to provide rides at the 2022 Super Bowl in LA.

Pete shares how the startup began as a booking platform and the way they have approached tackling the ultra-competitive transportation market.

Earlier this month for UrbanTech Premium members, JT interviewed Veo CEO Candice Xie to learn about the company's expansion into New York, how the company is trying to push the envelope for sustainability, and why she thinks mobility companies need more scrutiny for financial claims.

Also, UrbanTech is featured on Product Hunt today!! Please leave us a review to help us grow our audience.

Full transcript: https://www.urbantechnews.net/blog/how-veo-is-pushing-the-envelope-for-micromobility-and-mobility

Review UT on Product Hunt: https://www.producthunt.com/posts/urbantech

This week JT shared details on UrbanTech's new paid subscription and community that is now available for sign up!

In the first part of the podcast, JT interviews Zencity's CEO on how the company is helping local leaders understand community sentiments.

In the second half of the episode, John is interviewed by Propel cofounder Emily Pik on what's ahead for UT.

JT chats with the team at Local Logic to learn more about how stakeholders increasingly use data and analytics at the local level. Joining the conversation from Local Logic was CEO and Cofounder Vincent-Charles Hodder and Head of Industry Relations Sara Maffey.

Additional Links:

• Sign up for the Urban Tech Beta waitlist
• Local Logic Serie A Funding News via BetaKit
• Local Logic Hires Sara Maffey as Head of Industry Relations

JT chats with Tom Knights, the head of Strava’s Metro Partnerships division to learn how Strava is working with cities to build healthier communities.

JT sat down with Journalist and Director of Applied Research at NewCities, Greg Lindsay to explore the biggest trends that cities are dealing with coming out of COVID and as they look to embrace innovation, while also competing for top tech talent.

Greg's full bio: Greg Lindsay is a journalist, urbanist, futurist, and speaker. He is the director of applied research at NewCities and director of strategy at its mobility offshoot CoMotion. He is also a partner at FutureMap, a geo-strategic advisory firm based in Singapore, a non-resident senior fellow of The Atlantic Council’s Foresight, Strategy, and Risks Initiative, and co-author of Aerotropolis: The Way We’ll Live Next.

In Urban Tech's first audio essay, JT explores global trade by looking at Flexport, which aims to be the operating system for international trade and logistics.

We also explored this topic in Thursday's newsletter: https://urbantech.substack.com/p/-the-opaque-systems-and-processes

Important Links:

• Austin Area Urban League
• Austin Justice Coalition
• Austin Mutual Aid

JT sat down with Hangar Managing Partner Josh Mendelsohn to learn how his firm helps startups bridge the gap between innovation and the public good. Before becoming an investor, Josh worked in government before joining Google's public policy team. Josh also served as a CEO, so he provides a unique perspective on how government can help spur innovation, having seen this world from all sides in his career.