How New York Tech Soared in 2014

10 Milestones That Will Shape Our Future

The future of technology in New York is—as Governor Cuomo states—one that puts people first.

It is the critical foundation of broadband— accessible to all and enabling public WiFi, new companies and connected families. It is a modern education system with the tools and programs to realize the potential of our students. It is the digitization of powerful public data, enabling unprecedented collaboration and transparency.

It is setting a new standard for digital government through best-in-class websites and social media engagement. And it’s supporting innovative models while protecting public safety—and helping to create more tech jobs.

From infrastructure to industry, New York is doing more than any other state to invest in its technology future.

2014 saw unprecedented achievement in technology for New York State, thanks to the efforts of millions.

These milestones are the work of the college sophomore studying engineering, the senior citizen accessing social media on a library computer, the commuter receiving critical alerts on his mobile phone, the entrepreneur expanding her innovative startup—and so many more.

New York’s diverse, powerful and inspiring technology community accomplished so much in 2014. Here are 10 standout milestones that marked the year:

1. Because access to the Internet is fundamental, Governor Cuomo made the biggest broadband infrastructure investment in the nation: $70 million to date. With over $19M in 2014 alone, Governor Cuomo took another bold step to connect all New Yorkers and expand the modern infrastructure that is as vital as running water and electricity. And the Governor has already committed to even greater goals in 2015.
2. New Yorkers approved $2 billion in funding to upgrade public schools for the future. If we want to prepare students for the future, our schools need broadband and modern tools. To make this a reality, New Yorkers voted to fund the future of education with the $2 billion Smart Schools Bond Act, supporting critical infrastructure and technology in the classroom.
3. More than 600 students got college scholarships for degrees in Science, Tech, Engineering and Math (STEM). The scholarships cover all remaining tuition and encourage students to study high-demand STEM subjects at State University of New York schools — and then apply their knowledge in the New York economy. To be eligible, students commit to pursue a STEM degree and work in New York for five years after graduation. Cultivating talent is critical to New York’s tech sector, and these scholarships support a competitive local workforce.
4. New York’s open data program Open NY was rated the top in the nation, and now offers over 80 million public records—a 325% increase. And to connect New Yorkers with Open NY data and spur collaboration using public data, we participated in hackathons and app challenges across the state.
5. The State provided over $82 million in support to New York tech companies, creating an estimated 5,888 new jobs. Start-Up NY added another 1,095 estimated new jobs to the State, and welcomed 20 tech companies to tax-free zones. From Buzzfeed to Quirky, SolarCity to Modern Meadow, we supported tech firms across the State.
6. New Yorkers connected as never before, as more State parks and 50 new subway stations got WiFi, voice and data connectivity. In total, today five public State parks and 76 underground subway stations are online. And the MTA is slated to double its numbers in 2015.
7. We launched a groundbreaking website for researching college campus crime statistics. Empowering students and families in their school choices, the powerful Campus Crime website provides searchable, mapped statistics on every New York school that provides federal financial assistance—and supports greater transparency and accountability.
8. New York government’s social media community grew to a record 3.5 million across 285 channels, and launched on Tumblr, Vine and, yes, Medium. Social media provides an unprecedented link between government and public, improving our ability to serve and communicate. The State also launched the first-ever Social Media Summit, and introduced tools and workshops to help hone skills.
9. We were proactive on “smart regulation” — striking a strategic balance between enabling innovative, new models and protecting the public. One example: the Department of Financial Services (DFS) proactively reached out to bitcoin entrepreneurs to find ways to work together, and DFS Superintendent Ben Lawksy participated in a reddit AMA to invite input.
10. For the first time since 1998, New York State overhauled ny.gov to launch a new, service-focused, fully responsive website that puts “people first” and sets a new standard for digital government. Traffic has already more than doubled and mobile use is up. The site works seamlessly on mobile phones and provides customized info based on your location. It’s already garnered accolades from Fast Company, Design Week, Communication Arts and The Wall Street Journal.

To New York: Thank you, and congratulations for making 2014 an incredible year for tech. Together, we’ll make 2015 even greater.