Daria Siegel
Strong startup ecosystems don’t happen by accident — they’re built through intentional collaboration between founders, investors, universities, and government. In New York City, our role is to help create the conditions where all entrepreneurs have equal access to talent, capital, and customers at scale. When those pieces come together, startups don’t just grow — they drive innovation, economic opportunity, and long-term resilience for the entire city.
Daria Siegel serves as Senior Vice President of Emerging Tech and Creative Industries portfolios within the Innovation Industries department at the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC). NYCEDC is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening neighborhoods and creating good jobs across New York City. In her role, Daria supports the growth of the technology industry with a focus on AI/ML, Cybersecurity, Blockchain and Web3, and Fintech. She is responsible for NYCEDC’s vision and strategy for AI in NYC, driving innovation and creating opportunities for all New Yorkers.
Daria has extensive experience at the intersection of community building and economic development. Prior to joining NYCEDC, she served at the Alliance for Downtown New York, where she built and managed LMHQ, a collaborative workspace supporting the growing tech and creative industries in Lower Manhattan designed to foster a more diverse economy. She also opened and ran one of the first coworking spaces in NYC, Hive at 55. Daria holds a master’s degree in urban planning from New York University.
NYCEDC has worked closely with Startup Genome as a strategic partner to help place New York City’s startup ecosystem in a global context through benchmarking and analyzing data. The partnership and research highlights New York City’s role within the global startup landscape while fostering connections, knowledge exchange, and shared strategies among top ecosystems.