Silicon Valley Is Panicking About Zohran Mamdani. NYC’s Tech Scene Is Not

In nan weeks since Zohran Mamdani’s New York City Democratic superior triumph connected June 20, a slew of tech executives who do not person a superior residence successful nan metropolis aliases authorities of New York person been panicking astir nan imaginable of him becoming mayor.

Every member of the celebrated All-In podcast, including existent White House “AI and crypto czar” David Sacks, has raised alarms connected X astir nan imaginable of a Mamdani mayoralty.

“Wake up, Silicon Valley,” Sacks posted connected June 29, sharing a video of Mamdani connected Meet nan Press. “You fundamentally person 2 choices now: Get connected committee pinch MAGA aliases hole to beryllium connected Mamdani’s meal menu.”

Gemini cofounders Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, Palantir cofounder Joe Lonsdale, erstwhile X CEO Linda Yaccarino, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, and Y Combinator president and CEO Garry Tan person besides posted astir Mamdani pinch immoderate operation of anger, fear, and dread since his superior win. Even Elon Musk has weighed in, though pinch little wave and strength than his posts connected galore different topics.

Generally speaking, these tech leaders' slights are mostly concerned pinch Mamdani identifying arsenic a Democratic Socialist—though, they often picture him arsenic a plain “socialist,” which is meaningfully different, aliases a “communist,” which is wholly different.

But immoderate tech leaders who unrecorded aliases person firm office successful New York City show WIRED that they don’t agree. Several executives who attended an astir 200-person backstage gathering connected July 16 pinch Mamdani show WIRED that they were impressed by Mamdani’s eagerness to perceive to their concerns, his thoughtful answers to their questions, and his charisma, which eased nan hostility successful a room pinch a divers group of opinions.

One attendee, who requested anonymity successful bid to speak freely, tells WIRED that nan constitution of nan group astatine nan tech-focused event, cohosted by Partnership for New York City (PNYC), appeared to beryllium chiefly institution founders, wide partners, and elder executives. Among them, they claim, were William Floyd, Google’s elder head of US authorities and section authorities affairs and nationalist policy; Nihal Mehta, cofounder of Eniac Venture Capital; and Julie Samuels, president and CEO of Tech:NYC.

Event moderator Kevin Ryan, nan main executive serviceman of task superior patient AlleyCorp and founding personnel of nan master web Tech:NYC, tells WIRED that coming retired of nan meeting, attendees seemingly “felt amended astir Zohran than they did coming in,” noting that Mamdani “is charming, well-spoken, articulate, and comes crossed arsenic genuine.”

“I'm not saying that everyone walked retired wanting to ballot for him,” says Ryan (who besides helped to shape events for respective different candidates). “But what I've heard afterwards from group is that they were astatine slightest impressed.”

Ryan adds that group were often “frustrated astatine either nan vagueness of immoderate of his answers,” aliases person nan cognition of Mamdani arsenic not very “pro-business.”