Newlab and NYC DOT Launch Open Call for AI Startups to Pilot Street-Level Transportation Safety and Infrastructure Solutions

Studio will support startups applying artificial intelligence (AI) to real-world challenges across New York City's transportation network

NEW YORK, July 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Newlab and the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) today announced the launch of the third round of the NYC DOT Innovation Studio, an open call for startups to pilot AI-powered technologies that enhance how the City monitors, maintains, and manages its streets.

The program invites startups to co-develop and deploy real-world pilots addressing critical urban infrastructure and safety challenges. Selected companies will receive pilot-design support, a deployment stipend, and access to Newlab's innovation network and NYC DOT's operational expertise. Pilots will run from October 2025 through January 2026.

"We are incredibly excited to partner with Newlab on the DOT Innovation Studio for our third consecutive year to develop new urban transportation solutions," said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. "By testing emerging technologies that can improve real-time transportation management across NYC, we can advance our commitment toward safer, more efficient streets and welcoming public spaces."

"NYC DOT continues to lead in using new technologies to improve urban infrastructure," says David Belt, Newlab CEO. "We're proud to build on our ongoing partnership to support breakthrough startups as they tackle some of the most urgent challenges facing New York City's streets."

The AI Innovation Studio is part of a broader effort to responsibly deploy artificial intelligence for public benefit. The program's goal is to demonstrate how AI and advanced sensing technologies can close street-level data gaps, reduce response times, and improve the safety, equity, and efficiency of City operations.

Open Call Pilot Tracks
Startups can apply to one of four pilot tracks:

• Speed Limit Sign Monitoring – Automating the detection and assessment of missing, obscured, or damaged signs to support enforcement and safety operations.
• Streetlight Outage Detection – Replacing passive 311 complaint-based systems with real-time outage detection tools to ensure reliable nighttime visibility.
• Construction Permit Compliance – Monitoring job sites to validate adherence to permitted activity, footprint, and hours of operation.
• Open Category – A flexible track for AI solutions supporting other NYC DOT goals, such as predictive maintenance, near-miss incident detection, bike lane network usage, and toll evasion enforcement.

Solutions should demonstrate a clear path to deployment and uphold principles of transparency, privacy, and fairness. Startups from adjacent industries with transferable technology are encouraged to apply.

Program Benefits
Selected participants will receive:

• Non-dilutive pilot funding to help cover deployment costs
• Direct collaboration with NYC DOT, including testbed access, operational feedback, and data integration
• Pilot design support from Newlab to define scope, metrics, and regulatory considerations
• Workspace access at Newlab's Brooklyn Navy Yard facility, home to over 300 frontier technology startups

Timeline

• Open Call Launch: July 23, 2025
• Application Deadline: August 15, 2025
• Startup Selection: September 2025
• Pilot Design & Contracting: September 2025
• Pilot Deployment: October 2025 – January 2026
• Public Showcase: February 2026

The NYC DOT Innovation Studio builds on a longstanding partnership between Newlab and the City of New York to accelerate emerging technologies that serve public needs through real-world testing and cross-sector collaboration.

Startups with a working prototype or commercial-ready solution are invited to apply HERE.

About Newlab
Newlab is a venture platform for critical technology startups transforming core industrial sectors. We help startups commercialize faster by aligning Infrastructure, Projects, and Capital in strategic geographies. Newlab operates five locations across Brooklyn, Detroit, New Orleans, Montevideo, and Riyadh, and works with over 50 industry and government partners around the world. Newlab has supported over 400 startup companies in raising over $5.8 billion in venture capital, achieving $2.3 billion in exits, and reaching a collective valuation of over $20 billion.

About NYC DOT
The New York City Department of Transportation's (NYC DOT) mission is to provide for the safe, equitable, and sustainable movement of people and goods and to create public spaces that strengthen our communities. The agency's vision is a transportation system that provides equitable mobility for all residents and visitors, is environmentally sustainable and built to adapt to the threat of climate change, and is driven by human power and clean energy.

SOURCE Newlab