Companies have started to move into the first tech incubator on the Rockaway Peninsula. The Queens Chamber of Commerce and the Queens Tech Council were joined by elected officials and business and community leaders on Nov. 17 to celebrate the opening of the Queens Tech Incubator at 1 Beach 105th Street in Rockaway Park.
“Supporting a strong tech ecosystem requires more than just attracting the world’s most prominent tech companies to Queens, we also need to be doing everything we can to help homegrown startups succeed. There is no better way to do that than through tech incubators,” Queens Chamber of Commerce President Tom Grech said. “We are delighted to be here with our partners in government to celebrate the launch of the Queens Tech Incubator in the Rockaways. Along with our location at the Greater Nexus in Jamaica, we are providing free office space, mentoring and valuable resources to seven startups to help grow the tech industry in Queens from the ground up.”
Councilwoman Joann Ariola said the first tech incubator in the Rockaways would help spur innovation and investment in the community for years to come.
“The Queens Chamber of Commerce has really immersed itself into Rockaway’s business districts, and this incubator is yet another way they’re helping to improve the peninsula’s economy,” Ariola said. “With this location, we are laying the foundations for future investments in the area, and we will hopefully attract more innovators and entrepreneurs to establish businesses here as well. The future here in Rockaway is bright, and with resources such as this one it only seems to be getting brighter.”
The tech incubator is located at the Dayton Towers at 1 Beach 105th St. in Rockaway Park.
“One of the most important actions we can take as elected officials is to help create job opportunities for our constituents, and this new Queens Tech Incubator space will provide local startup companies the resources to grow,” state Senator Joe Addabbo said. “Technology is already at the core of many things that we do as a society, so in order to continue to be at the forefront of this ever-changing and growing industry I am happy to have Queens Tech Incubator right here in the Rockaways. I want to thank my colleagues in government, community leaders, and the Queens Chamber of Commerce and Queens Tech Council for helping to bring this instrumental space to our community. I wish Queens Tech Incubator the best of luck and look forward to seeing the great things that come from this space.”
The 3D App, DevJee Inc., and Mind Lightning Studio have taken space at the Queens Tech Incubator in the Rockaways.
“As the Rockaways recover from the effects of Sandy and now the effects of the pandemic, few places could use a business incubator better than we can,” state Senator James Sanders said. “We congratulate the Queens Chamber of Commerce and the Queens Tech Council, as well as their local partners, for dedicating this space to the future enrichment of the Rockaways as a whole and New York in general.”
The Rockaways location and the Queens Tech Incubator at the Greater Nexus in Jamaica are the first two spaces to open as part of this initiative, with plans to open additional locations in Flushing, Long Island City and Forest Hills.
“Support for our local tech entrepreneurs and business owners is at the core of Mayor Adams’ vision for a robust and equitable economic recovery for our city,” said Kevin D. Kim, commissioner of the NYC Department of Small Business Services. “We commend our close partners at the Queens Chamber of Commerce and Queens Tech Council for the launch of this initial location and look forward to working with them to support tech startups all over Queens.”
