QEDC

2024 Queens Tech+ Innovation Challenge Application Assistance Session
2024-02-20 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
The 2024 Queens Tech + Innovation Challenge is due on March 1, 2024 at Midnight. As the deadline is approaching, we’re hosting two Q&A sessions in February to assist you during the application process. Our program director Sarah Liu will be leading each session and answer any questions you have and hopefully provide the resources you need to complete the application.

Tactics and Strategies for Succeeding in the New World of AI-Powered Business
2024-02-13 13:00 - 14:00
​​​​Whether you’re a startup founder, small business entrepreneur, or professional, navigating the challenges and opportunities presented by AI has become essential for sustained success. Join us for an exciting workshop where you will have a behind-the-scenes look at how AI-first businesses are operating differently, from the individual to the team and organization-wide levels. As a former research data scientist, Rachel will walk through lesser known tactics and AI use cases that she is putting to work in their business and with her clients. You’ll walk away with tangible ways to push the envelope more in how you use AI in your work and business.

Website Development 101
2024-02-06 18:00 - 2024-02-27 20:00
This is class #4 in TEES. In this class, you will learn the essential website skills you need to have your been business succeed on the internet. This class is intended for beginners, and will get you started in how to build website, sell online, analyze traffic, and use search engines to promote your business.
Class Dates: February 6, 2024 – February 22, 2024 @ 6 pm – 8 pm
2/6 – Class 1: Getting Started with Your Website
2/8 – Class 2: Creating Effective Landing Pages for a service based business using WordPress
2/13 – Class 3: Creating Effective Landing Pages for a storefront using Square
2/15 – Class 4: Analytics for Action
2/20 – Class 5: Optimizing for Search Engines
2/22 – Class 6: Mobile-Friendly and Secure
2/27 – Class 7: Creating Effective Landing Pages for a product based business using Shopify

2024 Queens Tech + Innovation Challenge Info Session
2024-02-06 13:00 - 14:00, 2024-01-02 13:00 - 14:00
​​Presented by the Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and Queens Economic Development Corporation, the 2024 Queens Tech + Innovation Challenge is designed to help early-stage entrepreneurs grow their businesses with five $20K grants, access to industry experts and founder network. Its flexible schedule allows participants to join at any time between October 2022 to February 2023.
​​The multi-month program offers high-level entrepreneurial classes, one-on-one office hours with QEDC advisors, networking events with startup founders, and FIVE $20,000 grants.
​​Participants can compete in FIVE categories: 1) Consumer tech, 2)Enterprise Tech, 3) Sustainability, 4)Food & Bev, 5)Community
​​In this information session, the program director will explain the eligibility, application process and answer all of your questions.

Fundraising Unlocked: How to Raise From VCs in 2024
2024-01-31 13:00 - 14:30
​Are you a startup founder looking to raise venture capital this year? ​Do you want to decipher all the games and strategies that go into the fundraising process? ​​Are you looking to learn how fundraising has changed since last year? If you answered “yes” to any of the above, this workshop is for you.
​Join us for an exciting 90-min workshop with Jason Yeh who will provide insightful guidance on how to prepare for a fundraise.

Insurance for Small Businesses
2024-01-30 14:00 - 15:00
Make sure you have coverage in case things go wrong. Ume Memon of Intellivision Insurance will lead this discussion on the types of insurance available and what policies you would need to make sure your business is safe. This class is part of our Business Sense/Common Sense series.

Cybersecurity for Small Businesses
2024-01-24 14:00 - 15:00
Learn how to protect your business online with Cybersecurity Specialist Nancy Uddin as she reviews cyber defense strategies to ensure a secure and equitable cyber experience for everyone, including those harmed by digital malfeasance . Nancy graduated from New York University and gained technical training at The Knowledge House. This class is part of our Business Sense/Common Sense series.

Speak to Influence: Elevating Entrepreneurial Success Through Vocal Presence
2024-01-23 18:00 - 19:30
As an entrepreneur, you’re speaking/pitching to customers, investors, partners and trying to captivate an audience all the time. Have you wondered about how to make your message more resonating or how to make people more interested in what you say? The answer often isn’t about what you’re saying but the way you say it. Introducing “Speak to Influence: Elevating Entrepreneurial Success Through Vocal Presence” workshop. Our voice coach will provide expert guidance and tailored exercises to help you explore the nuances of vocal delivery, refine their articulation, and speak with resonance. Whether leading a team meeting or speaking in a podcast, this workshop will empower you to harness the potential of your voice as a catalyst for success in the business world.

Get Business From NYC and NYS Government: M/WBE Certification
2024-01-17 18:30 - 20:00
Learn about getting certified as a Minority / Woman-owned Business Enterprise with NYC & NYS, what you will need to do to obtain government contracts, and how you can leverage your certification to get more business.
About the Speaker
Since coming to QEDC, Ricardi Calixte has worked with many neighborhoods’ business organizations to help improve the local economy. He spearheaded the development of Corona Plaza, transforming an under-utilized area into one of the borough’s foremost pedestrian plazas. He works closely with merchant groups, foundations, and government agencies to help local communities reach their potential.
A native of Haiti, Ricardi graduated from New York City public schools and has a BA degree in Economics, an MA in Africana Studies, and an MRP in Urban Planning from SUNY Albany. He is a CORO Fellow. He lives Queens and is the proud father of a daughter and son.

Commercial Leasing for Small Businesses
2024-01-17 14:00 - 15:00
Steven Lutt and Julia Garcez work in the Real Estate practice of White & Case LLP, an international law firm with offices in NYC. During this webinar, you should expect a “101 on Commercial Leasing for Small Businesses” training: an introductory class on a tenant’s most common questions and important rights and obligations in a commercial lease. They will go over the fundamentals in leasing agreements for commercial purposes, such as components to look for and to avoid during the negotiations of a lease.

Unveiling Success: Go-To-Market Strategies for Consumer Tech Startups
2024-01-16 13:00 - 14:00
​Are you a passionate entrepreneur bootstrapping an app or consumer platform? Have you launched it for sometime but haven’t had much success in finding paid users? Join us for an exciting workshop with the marketing wizard Emily Singer who will share practical strategies on how to identify channels to invest in and how to find early adopters. We will select 1-2 companies from the audience and delve in for a case study.

Queens Tech Founder Meetup
2024-01-10 18:30 - 20:30
​We’re excited to enter the new year with another Queens Tech Meetup on Jan. 10, 2024 at the Greater Nexus Jamaica. If you’re a tech founder or soon-to-be founder who lives in Queens, please join us and meet other founders and learn about the resources provided at Queens Economic Development Corporation and Queens Chamber of Queens. You can also enjoy our complimentary food and drink!

Human Resources for Small Businesses
2024-01-10 14:00 - 15:00
What makes a business succeed? The people! Take this class with Nikolas Tartamella, ADP Associate District Manager, and learn how to thrive in the heavily regulated environment of human resources. This class is part of our Business Sense/Common Sense series.

Ready, Set, Go!
2024-01-09 19:00 - 20:00, 2023-10-10 19:00 - 20:00
About the Webinar:

Ready, Set, Go! is a 90-minute free workshop that covers all the things you need to think about when going into business. It provides a general overview of what it takes to start a business; legal considerations and what it takes to fund a new venture.

About the Speakers:

Thomas Farrell is a lawyer with a great deal of experience with contracts, employment matters, and regulatory compliance. He offers a combination of programs and practices to owners of small- and medium-sized businesses, largely designed to prevent them from being sued or from being investigated by government agencies.
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Roy Pellicano ran an IT services company for over 15 years working with small and mid-sized businesses across all industries, from the single computer Mom & Pop to the 63 location company. In addition to supporting IT, Roy advises business teams developing and implementing strategy across the business lifecycle from start-up to exit, including how to implement business and technology transformation.

Path to Profitability for Food & Beverage Entrepreneurs
2023-12-14 13:00 - 14:00
Profitability analysis is crucial for assessing your business’s financial health and sustainability, especially for entrepreneurs in the CPG space. We will delve into the essential financial metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) that you should be tracking. We’ll also dissect on different revenue channels, shedding light on opportunities for growth and the optimization of existing revenue streams. Additionally, we’ll examine the importance of customer concentration and diversity and how these factors can impact your profitability

How to Grow Your Food & Beverage Brand from $200K to $1M in Sales
2023-12-05 13:00 - 14:00
​Are you a passionate Food & Beverage entrepreneur bootstrapping your business? Have you been selling for a few months or years but haven’t reached significant growth? Join us for an exciting workshop with the Tiktok star Dulma Altan who will share practical strategies and tools on how to unlock the keys to scaling your food and beverage business.

Get Business From NYC and NYS Government: M/WBE Certification
2023-11-15 18:30 - 20:00, 2023-10-18 18:30 - 20:00
Learn about getting certified as a Minority / Woman-owned Business Enterprise with NYC & NYS, what you will need to do to obtain government contracts, and how you can leverage your certification to get more business.
About the Speaker
Since coming to QEDC, Ricardi Calixte has worked with many neighborhoods’ business organizations to help improve the local economy. He spearheaded the development of Corona Plaza, transforming an under-utilized area into one of the borough’s foremost pedestrian plazas. He works closely with merchant groups, foundations, and government agencies to help local communities reach their potential.
A native of Haiti, Ricardi graduated from New York City public schools and has a BA degree in Economics, an MA in Africana Studies, and an MRP in Urban Planning from SUNY Albany. He is a CORO Fellow and the proud father of a daughter and son.

Mastering Content: Bootcamp Edition
2023-11-14 18:00 - 2023-11-15 20:00
Join us for a two-day online bootcamp on content creation on Tuesday, November 14th and Wednesday November 15th..
In today’s digital landscape, compelling content is the lifeblood of small businesses, and this intensive workshop is designed to equip you with the essential skills to elevate your content game. On Day 1, we’ll delve into the foundational aspects, from understanding your audience to defining your content objectives and crafting a strategic roadmap. You’ll also learn the art of creating captivating visual content and master the essentials of photography. On Day 2, we’ll revisit the core concepts and then delve into video production, text and copywriting, graphics, and design. You’ll gain hands-on experience in creating a video for your business, and we’ll guide you through the content implementation and scheduling process. By the end of this bootcamp, you’ll be armed with the knowledge and skills to produce high-quality content that resonates with your audience and drives business success. Join us on this transformative journey and turn your content creation into a powerful asset for your small business, just in time for the new year.
About the Presenter
David Manrique is a New York-based content creator with years of experience in digital marketing for the technology industry. David has also worked with restaurants and food-based businesses in the Tri-State area since 2018, providing support in all areas of digital operations and marketing incentives.

Breaking Barriers in Fundraising: Navigating Today's Fundraising Market for Minority and Immigrant Founders
2023-11-14 18:00 - 21:00
​Generic fundraising advice rarely works if you don’t fit a specific founder profile. That is especially true in today’s market.
​​Advice like “running a tight process”, “warming up your network”, “creating FOMO”, etc. is basically a catch-22 (Ex: how do you create FOMO when there is zero interest to begin with?). This kind of advice is irrelevant and not helpful to many founders.
​​Join QEDC and FirstGen for an evening conversation with early stage VCs, who are also first generation, as we discuss what investors need to see to have the conviction to invest and real examples of how founders got an investment from them.
​​Agenda for the event:

​​6 – 6:40pm: Registration and mingling
​​6:40 – 6:50pm: Welcome & intro to panelists
​​6:50 – 7:30pm: Facilitated conversation
​​7:30 – 7:50pm: Open Q&A
​​7:50 – 8:50: Networking and drinks

The Art of Building and Shipping Software Product
2023-11-08 13:00 - 14:00
​In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, creating and delivering software products that stand out and meet user needs is both a science and an art. Whether you’re an experienced software developer, an existing or aspiring tech founder, this workshop is your gateway to exploring tools, best practices, strategies required to craft exceptional software products, and simply to learning from the best.
​Victor Hunt is a successful tech entrepreneur who has built and sold his tech company Astorian with four years. He has not only raised millions in VC funding for his own startup, but helped other founders raise over 10 million. In this workshop, Victor will be sharing the tools and process he used to effectively build, ship tech products and take the idea from 0 to 1.

Trademark Fundamentals For Startup Businesses
2023-11-01 13:00 - 14:00
Do you have a business or are about to start one but not sure how to go about trademarking your business name or logo? Do you know how to do searches in the trademark database without having to speak to an attorney first? In this workshop, we will explore the basics of trademark law, including what trademarks are, how they’re used in business, and how they’re registered. We will also discuss strategies for choosing and protecting a strong trademark, and how to avoid infringing on the trademarks of others. By the end of this workshop, you will have a solid understanding of the fundamentals of trademark law and how to use them to protect your brand.

NYS M/WBE Certification, Pros and Common Mistakes to Avoid
2023-11-01 12:45 - 13:45
MWBE certification can be confusing and daunting. Learning the right websites to go to and correct documentation to upload can be tricky if you are attempting it on your own. In this virtual workshop, Certified Business Advisor, Janet Tanguay, will guide you through the correct steps to take so that you can avoid pitfalls and mistakes that may slow down your application in the certification process.
This class will cover:

Why get certified?
Navigating to correct websites
Uploading the correct documentation
How to procure contracts once you are certified

About the Speaker

Janet Tanguay has helped over 1000 entrepreneurs in launching their dream businesses, and has guided hundreds of people toward living the life of their ultimate dreams. Janet is a serial entrepreneur, certified business advisor and expressive arts therapist in New York State. Her businesses are New York State Minority- & Women-Owned Certified.

Her first business, Studio J, opened in 1993 to assist companies in developing marketing strategies for growth and development. From 2006 – 2017, she represented more than 150 artists as the founder of Art n Soul, Inc. through coaching and by teaching them the business of art. Janet is a mixed media artist with national exhibits; author of two children’s books, Be Bee and Dustbunnies Don’t Eat Carrots; and owns a record label, Tanguay Productions. Her first record, Smell The Rain, was produced in 2023, with co-writers Jaya Reyelle and Bob Frederick.
Now Janet supports ambitious entrepreneurs through The Hammock Way of Life and Biz Idea Shower, a products and services registry for business owners.

Equity Distribution and Founder Agreement
2023-10-24 13:00 - 14:00
Do you know how ownership of a company is divided among multiple founders or business owners in the early stage? What are the key factors that you should consider when preparing or signing a founder agreement. What are the different types of equity and agreements out there? This workshop will answer these questions and more!

The Future of AI for Startups
2023-10-17 11:00 - 12:00
????You’ve probably used ChatGPT or some other AI tools at this point. But do you know what a large language model is and how it can be used to improve your startup business? In this workshop, Jesse Bornstein and José María, co-founders of Yeager.ai will be talking about how large language models work, the impact of AI on different industries and its future possibilities in the startup world.

Todos Somos, Somos Uno: We Are All, We Are One
2023-10-12 10:00 - 13:00
Join us on October 12, 2023, as we come together to celebrate the vibrant tapestry of Hispanic culture during Hispanic Heritage Month. This event promises to be an enriching experience that honors the rich traditions, contributions, and achievements of the Hispanic community in New York.
Our celebration will feature captivating cultural presentations, inspiring speakers, and opportunities to connect with influential individuals and organizations dedicated to fostering diversity and inclusion. It’s a moment to reflect on the enduring impact of Hispanic heritage on our society and recognize the remarkable individuals who continue to shape our shared future.
This event can be attended both in person and online.

2024 Queens Tech + Innovation Challenge Info Session
2023-10-10 13:00 - 14:00
Presented by the Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and Queens Economic Development Corporation, the 2024 Queens Tech + Innovation Challenge is designed to help early-stage entrepreneurs grow their businesses with five $20K grants, access to industry experts and founder network. Its flexible schedule allows participants to join at any time between October 2022 to February 2023.
​​The multi-month program offers high-level entrepreneurial classes, one-on-one office hours with QEDC advisors, networking events with startup founders, and FIVE $20,000 grants.
​​Participants can compete in FIVE categories: 1) Consumer tech, 2)Enterprise Tech, 3) Sustainability, 4)Food & Bev, 5)Community
​​In this information session, the program director will explain the eligibility, application process and answer all of your questions.

Legal Clinic
2023-10-05 16:30 - 18:30
A small business virtual legal clinic will be held over Zoom in partnership with the Neighborhood Entrepreneur Law Project. Registration is required.

This event will provide microentrepreneurs with FREE personalized legal advice on business-related matters from volunteer attorneys during a 45-minute consultation. Consultations are available at 4:30 and 5:30 PM.

Small Business legal topics covered include:

Entity Formation
Business contracts
Labor and employment
Commercial leasing
Intellectual property

Please note: NELP does not assist with disputes, litigation, or collection maters.

To register for an appointment, click the link below:

https://forms.office.com/r/5uiqBmDpY9
