We match New York City agencies to local researchers and technical assistance from civic society
At the Pilot Pitchfest, agency staff give low-stakes, two-minutes “pitches” on short-term, high-impact projects for which they are seeking support from academic researchers or skilled volunteers.
Program Partners
Our Philosophy
New York is home to some of the world’s top researchers and technical talent, but city agencies do not have an easy way of tapping into that expertise. The Pilot Pitchfest gives agencies a way to partner with academic researchers and skilled volunteers on projects designed to improve New York City.
“There must be a better way of matchmaking between the city’s problems and the wealth of researchers you have in New York City. A small bit of small cash, a templatized contract, and some central coordination would go a long way.”
— New York City Researcher
Pilot Pitchfest: 2024
In our first year, we ran a trial of the Pilot Pitchfest focused on matching the city’s built environment agencies with STEM researchers. Now, we are accelerating our impact by broadening the scope of the program to include all city agencies and academic disciplines, and both research and technical assistance project tracks.
