Navigating the AI Revolution: Building, Scaling, and Thriving in New York’s AI Startup Ecosystem
In an era where AI is reshaping industries and redefining the future of work, New York has stood at the forefront of this transformative movement. In this workshop, we're excited to have Deepak Shrivastava, Co-Founder and CEO of Sunrise AI, to talk about his journey of building, scaling, and thriving in New York’s AI Startup Ecosystem.
What You Will Learn:
1. AI in New York: The Landscape and Opportunities for Founders
Discover how New York is fast becoming a hub for AI innovation. Learn which sectors—like finance, healthcare, and real estate—are adopting AI at lightning speed. Get insights into the companies and incubators driving AI’s growth in the city.
2. Building an AI Company from the Ground Up
Hear firsthand how Deepak is building Sunrise AI. Learn what it takes to form the right team, secure funding, and establish a go-to-market strategy, while overcoming the unique challenges of the AI industry.
3. Leveraging AI for Operational Efficiency
Learn how to integrate AI into your business from the start. Deepak will share real-world examples of how AI can streamline workflows, automate tasks, and enhance customer success, including how Sunrise AI helps companies boost retention and upsell strategies with AI-powered insights.
4. AI Investment Trends and Funding Opportunities
Gain actionable tips on what VCs look for in AI startups and how to position your company. Deepak will also highlight key resources like incubators, funding networks, and accelerators in New York’s AI ecosystem that can help you take your startup to the next level.
5. The Future of AI: What Every Founder Should Know
Explore the future of AI with insights into the emerging trends that will shape the next decade, from ethical AI to autonomous agents. Learn what founders need to stay ahead of the curve as AI continues to evolve.
This workshop is part of the 2025 Queens Tech + Innovation Challenge, where participants have a chance to win a grant of up to $20K for their startup. Applications are due March 1, 2025. Learn more at queensstartup.org.
About the Speaker
Deepak Shrivastava is a founder-operator with a background in technology, early-stage growth, and investment banking. With a track record of multiple company acquisitions and venture-backed exits, his expertise spans diverse sectors, including Enterprise SaaS, travel & hospitality, financial sponsors, consumer goods, and healthcare/medical devices.
Currently, Deepak is the CEO and Co-founder of Sunrise AI, a VC-backed start-up providing AI-powered analytics solutions for enterprise customer success teams. Incubated at Palo Alto-based venture studio AI Fund, he leads a team of AI engineers, researchers, marketers, and designers to develop and launch cutting-edge AI solutions.
Previous to AI Fund, Deepak was an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Alive Ventures, a startup studio spun out of the SCAN Foundation focusing on launching technology companies serving the older adult population.
As the former CFO of The Flex Company, Deepak drove cross-functional teams to enhance profitability, expand revenue distribution, and raise growth capital for the top-selling sustainable period care brand sold in 30,000 retailers across the United States. His accomplishments led to recognition as a finalist for the LA Times CFO Leadership Award.
Previously, as Co-Founder of Porter & Sail and CEO of Hotel Credits, Deepak was recognized as one of Business Insider's Changemakers. These mobile app and ecommerce platforms provided best-in-class hotel booking services for luxury properties worldwide and were awarded the 2021 US Hotel Booking Platform of the Year by Travel & Hospitality Awards. Deepak facilitated successful sales of both companies during this period.
Deepak's career began at Morgan Stanley's investment banking group covering hospitality and casino gaming, financial sponsors, consumer products, travel, and media companies. He later joined the founding team of Dropbox's B2B Enterprise and New York operations, transitioning into the early stage technology space.
Beyond his entrepreneurial endeavors, Deepak is a proud native New Yorker – born in The Bronx and raised in Queens. Deepak serves on the board of Community-Word Project, a non-profit dedicated to funding, supporting, and facilitating teaching arts programs in NYC public schools, of which he's a proud alumnus. Additionally, he coaches aspiring founders and is an MBA instructor at Oneday University, a UK based educational institution focused on entrepreneurialism. Deepak's journey has recently been highlighted on the podcast Starteando with Iggy