Happy February, Visionaries! 🖤We’re excited to officially welcome you to the VH Founder Alumni Program - an alumni program designed to ensure that support doesn’t stop when an NYCEDC program ends! This is your ongoing space for connection, resources, and growth alongside fellow founders building across NYC.
Help Shape the Program - and win some $ while doing so!If you haven’t yet:
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please take a few minutes to complete the Founder Alumni survey linked hereYour input directly informs the programming, partnerships, and resources we prioritize — and helps us make this community as valuable as possible for you. Plus, you'll be entered to win a $200 Airbnb giftcard once you submit your survey response!
Getting StartedMake sure you’ve completed our onboarding to our core community spaces in 2026— they’re designed to work best when you use them intentionally:
Softr (Network Hub): Think of this as your home base. This is where you’ll find the founder directory, resources, event info, and updates as we roll out new tools like the job board and perks platform
We’re so glad you’re here and can’t wait to build this next chapter together.Here’s to building momentum together,The Visible Hands Team
NYC EVENTS
Upcoming Ecosystem Events in NYC:
Modernizing Legacy Job Requirements with AIFor: any founderWhen: February 5, 11am - 12pm PT, VirtualNY AI Engineers' February Tech TalkFor: AI engineersWhen: February 18, 6-8pm, New York, NYWomen Who Network: Beyond the Brand EventFor: women founders, creatives and investorsWhen: March 31, 6-8:30pm, New York, NY
Want your company to be included in our upcoming Visionaries perks for your fellow community? Contact us here!
FOUNDER ASKS
Have a specific ask or want to catch up with one of us?
Monica - Our Chief of Staff & Investor. Got questions about GTM, Fundraising Support, or anything NYC related? Set up a meeting with her here.
Kerry - Our Director of Brand & Marketing. Got questions about building a trustworthy brand or strengthening your digital presence? Set up a meeting with her here.
Hannah - Our Director of Platform. Got questions about building systems to scale, strengthening community or just want to chat about all things outdoorsy? Set up a meeting with her here.
Justin - Our NYC-based General Partner is on a mission to meet with every NYC alumni! Set up your meeting with him here.
Daniel - Our Boston-based General Partner on a mission to meet with every Boston alumni! Set up a meeting here.
RESOURCES OF THE MONTH
Highlighted Resources of the Month:Make It In Brooklyn Living Lab Open CallDowntown Brooklyn Partnership (DBP) invites technology companies and startups to pilot innovative solutions in its public spaces. It's seeking innovative technologies that can:
Improve park operations
Enhance visitor experience and safety
Support environmental sustainability
Advance urban infrastructure management
Address mobility and accessibility challenges
Selected participants will use DBP-operated streets and plazas as real-world testing grounds for their technologies.
Meet oAT: Operating Support That Moves at Startup SpeedEarly-stage founders need momentum, not management, and few founders know how to effectively deploy capital to build the team and operating structure needed to hit metrics. With AI rapidly changing how companies are built, there's a gap between the "just implement AI, don't hire" narrative and what's actually practical on the ground.of All Trades (oAT) gives Visible Hands founders embedded operators who think and do across your org, including GTM, operations, product, and customer success - and a lot more. They're not consultants who advise and leave, but doers who step in and build functional systems. The support is flexible and adapts with you as you learn and pivot.There's a third option between doing it all yourself and making a premature hire. You can get experienced operators working alongside you without the commitment or cost of full-time. Our model helps extend runway and gives you time to figure out the right long-term hiring decisions. Check out oAT's case study brief with a founding client, a YC B2B SaaS startup we supported for 4 years from Pre-Seed to Series A. Book time with our team to learn more!
Make It In Brooklyn AG Pitch ContestMake It In Brooklyn is seeking early-stage startups developing agricultural technology solutions that enhance productivity, optimize resource use, and promote environmental sustainability. Selected founders will pitch live for a chance to win $5K in cash; no strings attached. Applications are open through Saturday, February 28
If you'd like your founder ask or highlight to be featured in our weekly newsletter, shoot us a message at kerry@visiblehands.vc
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