RyeCity REVIEW THE
August 11, 2023 | Vol. 10, Number 32 | www.ryecityreview.com
MTA unveils new mobile app
MAKING WAVES!
Swimmers compete at the Westchester County Swim Conference Championships at Westchester Country Club Beach Club on Aug. 3. Lake Isle won the competition handily, netting 891.50 points in total. For story, see page 16.
County’s Element 46 Tech Accelerator seeks startups Westchester County’s Element 46 Tech Accelerator Powered by Cela is currently accepting applications for its third cohort, which will begin in September 2023. Each startup selected will experience a world-class accelerator program that features key curriculum, connections to entrepreneurs, investors and mentors and full-time support from the Element 46 staff. The program will culminate with a Demo Day in November 2023, where each participant will have the opportunity to pitch their venture to a room full of investors, technology experts, press representatives, government officials and other key contacts. The deadline to apply is Aug. 19. Westchester County Executive George Latimer said: “We are immensely proud of the positive and lasting impact that our Element 46 Tech Accelerator is making on the County’s technology-driven startups. The program is a tremendous opportunity for tech-focused startups who are looking for education and mentorship that can help them to refine their concept and become well-positioned to scale locally and beyond.” Westchester County Director
of Economic Development, Bridget Gibbons, said: “Participating in the Element 46 Tech Accelerator can help Westchester startups build community and connections, while paving the way to raising capital. I strongly encourage growth-minded tech entrepreneurs in the County to take advantage of this opportunity and apply today.” Westchester County Director of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Deborah Novick, said: “Westchester County is home to a large, diverse community of entrepreneurs. Our Element 46 Tech Accelerator alums are a group of driven and enterprising individuals who are contributing to their communities and the economy. We look forward to continuing to make an impact on our startup ecosystem and welcoming a new group of participants this fall.” Cela Innovation Co-Founder, John Lynn, said: “We are looking for groundbreakers, innovators and disruptors who are leveraging technology to drive innovation for our next Element 46 Tech Accelerator cohort. If you are leading a Westchester tech startup and looking for mentorship, inspiration, collaboration,
community and more, this is the program you should be applying for.” Members of each Element 46 Tech Accelerator cohort are selected in a competitive, county-wide selection process. Up to 12 tech startups from across the County are selected for each program, and must feature committed founders with at least a prototype of their technology or tech-enabled product. In the past, selected startups have additionally been investor-backed, grant-funded, and/or revenue-generating operations. In the program, each founder is matched with hand-picked mentors who are leaders in technology, finance, business strategy, venture capital, marketing and other key areas. Participants also gain access to a world-class curriculum on fundraising, customer development, executive management, product iteration, branding, marketing and more. The Element 46 Tech Accelerator Powered by Cela runs for 10 weeks every spring and fall. This is the third cohort produced in partnership with Cela Innovation, experts in tech accelerator
see ELEMENT 3
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced that its new MTA app is available for download. The app is currently in BETA testing and will eventually succeed the MYmta app. The app features schedules, service alerts and more for subways, buses, Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad all in one place. Users can also book Access-A-Ride trips and see elevator and escalator outages at stations throughout the subway system. “If we want more customers to use public transit, providing travel tools that are easy and intuitive is key,” said MTA Acting Chief Customer Officer Shanifah Rieara. “The new MTA app accomplishes just that, connecting riders to the information they need in one or two taps.” Additional features in the Beta version of the new MTA app include: • Plan a trip to see recommended routes and check schedules for subways, buses, Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North, PATH and AirTrain. • Get service alerts and see planned and unplanned service changes and best ways to get around. • Save favorite routes and stops for quick viewing of arrival times. • Live bus tracking to see where a bus is located that is approaching a stop, check when it will arrive, and follow it throughout its trip, including instant information on how many stops and minutes away a bus is. • Real-time on-board crowding for railroads. • Book Access-A-Ride trips, find pick up and drop off times for trips, and view trip history.
• Improved search making it easier to see which search results are MTA stations and the services offered there at a glance. • Dynamic strip maps and station views indicate the service that is running at any given time. The app was co-developed with Axon Vibe, a smart mobility platform provider and former winner of the MTA’s Transit Tech Lab accelerator. Utilizing this smart transit technology MTA app users will also be able to opt into sharing their location data to receive smart, real-time, location-based notifications for their individual journey. The aggregated data will be available to the MTA to better understand ridership and mobility patterns around the New York metropolitan area. This information will assist with improving transit operations to meet the needs of customers and developing innovative tools to help make it easier for riders to plan for transit and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This effort was supported by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). “Axon Vibe is thrilled to continue supporting the MTA with our smart transit technology, aimed at promoting sustainable travel and increasing public transit ridership,” said Roman Oberli, CEO of Axon Vibe. The app will replace MYmta when it becomes available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store later this year. Riders will not need to download a new app as it will automatically update on a mobile device if MYmta is already installed.