NY Tech Meetup

The polls are open! Vote here.

I’m running as a candidate for Organizer of the New York Tech Meetup. The following is my platform, qualifications, and endorsements. If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

Must Read:

Platform + Agenda:

  1. Organizer focus should be on organizing the entire NY tech ecosystem, leveraging existing community groups and constituencies.
  2. Monthly Meetup generally keeps its format. Few enhancements, including an official after-party.
  3. Organizer does not have to be MC. Guest MCs would be awesome.
  4. Foster Education by Inviting University and HS Classrooms to Attend for Free

Qualifications:

  • As the Entrepreneur in Residence at Rose Tech Ventures, my full-time job is working with startups as they navigate the New York Tech community. My role at RTV will continue, with my focus shifting to the New York Tech Meetup.
  • I’m an active member and community organizer in nextNY
  • Co-organizer of BarCamp
  • Organizer of Web2Open
  • Advisory Board Member of the New York Web 2.0 Expo (organized by O’Reilly & TechWeb, attended by over 8,000)
  • Former Deputy Field Organizer for the Barack Obama campaign in Ohio.

Video Pitch

Endorsements:

  • David S. Rose, Founder of New York Angels
  • Charlie O’Donnell, Founder of nextNY
  • Dennis Crowley, Founder Dodgeball.com and Professor at NYU/ITP
  • GroundReport.com
  • Girls in Tech
  • And many more! (see below)

(add your endorsement in the comments section below)

  • Am I too late?
  • Never too late! Thanks Eric.
  • Then I officially endorse Nate.
  • +1 for Nate, havn't found an equivalent on the west coast, so thats a big plus for the NYTech scene!
  • you have my vote! and the official endorsement of the entire boxee team :)
  • Nate Westheimer was one of the first NY Tech community influencers who showed support and offered their space at Rose Tech Ventures when Girls in Tech first launched in New York City. He even endorsed our very young community at the Web 2.0 Expo NY and helped raise funds for our booth.

    He is a true connector. Brings people together to make things happen. He is an au naturelle Community Organizer. He's got my vote.
  • +1 for Nate. He was very helpful to us, Yipit, and I look forward to seeing what he can do with the NY tech meetup.
  • I believe Nate will do wonderful things for the continued betterment of the community. Nate 2008.

    Joe Conyers
  • Bronson
    Nate is the best choice. Many of the candidates have spoken about the need for collaboration across the tech communities. Nate is already ingrained in many of them and is one of the best connectors I have met. He is logical choice to facilitate the collaboration and build upon the great community that Scott and Don have built!
  • Nate's campaign and agenda has been, by far, the best of all. Sure he looks young, but he has what it takes to grow the community and innovate. As such, I endorse Nate for the NY Tech Meetup organizer.
  • +1 for Nate
  • For the same reasons that some people claimed Barack Obama had no experience, I'll claim that Nate does have the right experience for the NYTech Organizer position. He does and will have the ability to unify groups and empower the masses.

    His ability to learn from mistakes and second, his ability to communicate those mistakes make him very valuable to entrepreneurs. Thus, they will listen and act on his behalf.

    Nate is from the people and for the people. It only makes sense for someone who is a tech entrepreneur and involved in venture to try and commune those two groups.

    I'm all the way in Wisonsin (not from here) and I've been following Nate's internetings for months. His transparent persona and plugged-in-ness around NY and the larger tech ecosystem are astonishing.

    You've got my support if it means anything.
  • Nate brings enthusiasm, idealism and great attitude to every interaction and event he is a part of. He's maintained a high level of involvement in the various nyc tech community efforts over the few years I've been lucky enough to be acquainted with him, even during the founding of his own venture.

    In the end, I think he's best qualified to bring the Tech Meetup back to its roots, while also moving it forward into something more.
  • Sean Ammirati
    +1 for Nate '08
  • +1! "it takes a community to build a meetup!" - noneck noel endorses!
  • Nate is thoughtfully passionate about bringing together the NY tech community, and this is nothing new. Just check out his cafeBricolage manifesto (http://innonate.com/2007/02/08/cafebricolage-the-nyc-solution-is-a-hot-plate/). A great choice for the NY Tech Meetup!

    Sarah Tavel
  • wreckandsalvage
    Nate is the first person I would recruit for this job if I was hiring for it. He's pretty much made for the position.

    -Adam Quirk
  • nate is a guy who can bring the community together. we need less politicking and planning and more action. plus, hes got his own shepard fairey image courtesy of @msg. Enough said...

    jason yeh
    firstmark capital
  • Andres Moran
    Nate has proven himself dedicated to the NY tech and startup community. He has also proven himself a competent leader in his efforts with NextNY, BarCamp, Web2Open and the Obama campaign. There are few people who have garnered the respect of the NY tech world quite like Nate has, due not only to his intelligence but also his likeable nature. I would back him in any endeavor he commits to.
  • Nate's got the closest plan to what I would like to see - so he's got my vote. One more thing I would add though - make the events more topical (so all the presentations have some common theme at each event - like GPS, or Social, or whatever). This would bring more 'like-minded' people together for given events because of the narrow focus and allow for more 'real' growth/education...as it is right now, you are pretty assured close to 50% of what's presented at a given event is not going to be interesting or relevant to you specifically.

    A focus like that would also help on the collaboration level...because if, for example, your doing a GPS specific NYTM event...you can get GPS companies to sponsor/pitch, you can get GPS focused classes and people to attend, and you can get GPS focused advertisers/media interested as well...

    Just more of my two cents. Either way, it's going to be interesting to see what you do with the NYTM!
  • When Scott made the announcement, Nate was the first person I thought of for the position. He already gives a lot to new york tech, he's thoughtful, and, as an organizer for the Obama campaign, he understands how to work with and mobilize a community.
  • I endorse Nate Westheimer for NY Tech Meetup organizer.
  • Nate is the right kind of high-energy, inclusive guy to take this role. He's omnipresent in the New York technology scene, has an entrepreneur's drive and has made it his business to be part of a lot of different arms of the NYC tech community already. A good choice for the NY Tech Meetup.

    Eric Wiesen
    RRE Ventures
  • Nate is the logical choice for NYTM Organizer. His ability to bring great people together has been proven over and over again. He's got my vote!

    Mark LaRosa
    QuotaCrush
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