We match New York City agencies to local researchers and technical assistance from civic society
At the Pilot Pitchfest, agency staff gave 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 ‘25
In its second year, the event included all city agencies and all academic disciplines, and both academic research and technical assistance project tracks. The academic research track matches agencies to Principal Investigators, while the technical assistance track matches agencies to technical volunteers from civic society. More than 1000 individuals (in person and online) watched 50 pitches from 20+ agencies.
