The Innovation Space for People will provide the fastest free public internet access points in the City and a space for startups and students to move the community forward
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – Today, Silicon Harlem, the leading social venture transforming Harlem into a technology hub, opened The Innovation Space for People, New York City’s first-ever Gigabit Innovation Center powered by LinkNYC, together with the New York City Office of Technology and Innovation, C-BETTER Foundation, and CityBridge, the consortium behind LinkNYC, New York City’s free public Wi-Fi network. This will be the first of at least five Gigabit Centers across New York City.
Powered by high-speed Wi-Fi provided by LinkNYC, the Innovation Space for People will serve as the fastest free public Wi-Fi center in New York and support students, startups, local businesses and organizations with superfast high speed, reliable connectivity. From improving STEM exposure through after-school digital literacy training in drone piloting, coding, AR/VR, and more, the Gigabit Innovation Center will mobilize young talent for a digital world and reshape access to the tech tools fostering innovation.
Located in Harlem at 2785 Frederick Douglass Boulevard, the Innovation Space for People will provide more than 2,800 square feet of space and more than 20 computer terminals for free online access, as well as hosting community events, classes, and afterschool activities. The Innovation Space for People in Harlem will be the first of five indoor high-speed access points powered by LinkNYC, one for each borough, that will be built in the coming years.
“This remarkable, first-of-its-kind Gigabit Innovation Center represents a monumental step toward closing the Digital Divide that has plagued disenfranchised New Yorkers for many years,” said Chief Technology Officer Matthew Fraser. “By providing access to this city’s fastest free Wi-Fi to students, businesses, startups and community organizations who desperately need it, this center not only has the potential to transform Harlem into a tech and innovation hub; it can also serve as an engine for increasing quality jobs, lowering unemployment, and reducing violent crime. I thank Mayor Adams for his unparalleled commitment to leveraging technology to ‘Get Stuff Done’ for New Yorkers and our tremendous partners at Silicon Harlem for their tireless efforts to deliver empowering opportunities to their community. I look forward to continuing to work closely with tech innovators to launch Gigabit Centers across all five boroughs in the near future.”
“For many years, Silicon Harlem has been laser-focused on helping to close the digital divide in New York City. The Innovation Space for People allows us to really move the community forward both by providing a free space with high-speed internet and offering curriculum and programs that are rooted in technology training. The Center will leverage the expertise of surrounding schools and nonprofits, and I look forward to making progress in making sure young people have access to the right tools,” said Clayton Banks, CEO of Silicon Harlem.
“Silicon Harlem has made incredible strides in transforming Harlem into a tech and innovation hub, and we are thrilled to be able to support The Innovation Space for People, marking the first ever Gigabit Innovation Center. LinkNYC already provides some of the fastest free Wi-Fi speeds in the world on hundreds of New York City streets, now we are bringing those same speeds to an incredible new indoor space in Harlem, and at Centers around the five boroughs,” said Nick Colvin, CEO of LinkNYC.
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About C-BETTER Foundation
C-BETTER FOUNDATION is focused on connecting with vulnerable populations to improve economic mobility, education, health and entrepreneurialism. We focus on sustainable solutions to systemic issues in regards to quality education, advanced career jobs, and good health. For more information, visit https://cbetter.org.
About Silicon Harlem
Since 2013, Silicon Harlem has been working and partnering with the private sector, academia, nonprofits and the community to build the next generation of technological infrastructure to meet the challenges that urban centers face today and will face tomorrow. Through their digital literacy programs, broadband design and deployment, and cutting-edge research projects along with scholarly conferences, educational workshops and community outreach initiatives, Silicon Harlem reaches a multi-generational audience with their technology expertise. For more information, visit www.siliconharlem.com.
About LinkNYC
LinkNYC is the world’s largest and fastest free public Wi-Fi network. Each Link kiosk provides free superfast Wi-Fi, phone calls, device charging, access to social services, and displays content such as real-time weather, transit info, public art and local information. The city-wide network has over 10 million Wi-Fi users and has connected more than 25 million free phone calls. All of LinkNYC’s services are completely free to users and taxpayers, provided by CityBridge, a partnership between Intersection and ZenFi Networks. The next phase of LinkNYC will deploy thousands of new kiosks, called Link5G, enabled with 5G wireless technology across the city. For more information about LinkNYC or to find a Link near you, visit www.link.nyc.