New York City Economic Development Corporation (“NYCEDC” or the “Corporation”) has a history of supporting entrepreneurs in launching early-stage companies, including supporting startup programs across New York City (“NYC”). These programs have helped foster early-stage startups, strengthened the venture-backed startup community, and brought entrepreneurial education to New Yorkers. As the startup economy has grown, challenges continue to exist for entrepreneurs traditionally underrepresented in the tech industry, leading to inequities in the sector. To address this, NYCEDC seeks to provide mentorship, access, and resources to a diverse and inclusive community of startups, including those led by female founders, founders of color, and other communities traditionally underrepresented among venture-backed startups.

In 2022, NYCEDC launched the Venture Access Founder Fellowship program (“Founder Fellowship” or “Fellowship”) dedicated to supporting a diverse community of startup founders through access to networking, fundraising, mentorship, peer community building, business development, and other opportunities necessary to successfully grow their enterprises in NYC. Five operators hosted Fellowship cohorts in 2023 and four operators hosted the subsequent cohorts in 2024.

For 2025, NYCEDC is seeking program operators (“Operators”) with substantial expertise and networks in the technology entrepreneurship and venture capital ecosystem, and proven business-development success to continue operating annual cohorts of the Founder Fellowship. The Fellowship is dedicated to supporting a diverse community of founders building tech and tech-enabled businesses across a range of industries and service sectors. The Fellowship will equip diverse entrepreneurs with access to networking, fundraising, mentorship, business development, and other opportunities necessary to successfully build and grow an enterprise in NYC.

NYCEDC plans to select one or more operators on the basis of factors stated in the RFP which include, but are not limited to: alignment with timeline and milestones, respondent qualifications and experience; project feasibility and financial sustainability; experience with diversity, equity and inclusion programming; strategy to recruit diverse founders; capacity to host at least 15 Fellow teams; capacity to allocate funding for Fellow teams.

It is the policy of NYCEDC to comply with all federal, state and City laws and regulations which prohibit unlawful discrimination because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status and other protected category and to take affirmative action in working with contracting parties to ensure certified Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs) share in the economic opportunities generated by NYCEDC’s projects and initiatives. Please refer to the Equal Employment and Affirmative Compliance for Non-Construction Contracts Addendum in the RFP.

NYCEDC established the Contract Financing Loan Fund programs for Minority, Women and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (M/W/DBE) interested in working on public construction projects. Contract Financing Loan Fund facilitates financing for short-term mobilization needs such as insurance, labor, supplies and equipment. Bidders/subcontractors are strongly encouraged to visit the NYCEDC website at http://edc.nyc/opportunity-mwdbe to learn more about the program.

An optional informational session will be held on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, at 2:00 P.M. Eastern Time virtually. Those who wish to attend should RSVP by email to FounderFellowshipRFP@edc.nyc at 5:00 P.M. ET on Monday, March 25, 2024.

Respondents may submit questions and/or request clarifications from NYCEDC no later than 5:00 P.M. ET on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. Questions regarding the subject matter of this RFP should be directed to FounderFellowshipRFP@edc.nyc. Answers to all questions will be posted by Friday, April 12, 2024, to https://edc.nyc/rfps. Questions regarding the subject matter of this RFP will not be accepted after 5:00pm ET on Friday, April 12, 2024, however, technical questions pertaining to downloading and submitting proposals to this RFP may be directed to RFPRequest@edc.nyc up until the deadline on or before Friday, April 26, 2024.

Detailed submission guidelines and requirements are outlined in the RFP, available as of Monday, March 11, 2024. Please click the link in the “Submission Requirements” section of this project’s web page to electronically upload a proposal for this solicitation.