Latest news with #Staniforth
Business Insider
08-08-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
NYC tech workers feel 'politically homeless.' They think abundance ideology is the answer.
New York City is in crisis. A pocket of the city's tech community thinks it has the solution. They're looking to abundance, a fast-rising ideology that says the way out of urban decay is to build: more housing, more transit, more clean energy, and more tech. It's a Yes-In-My-Backyard worldview aimed squarely at a city drowning in sky-high living costs and rising waters. The city is screaming with an unfocused angst, said Andrew Staniforth, the cofounder and CEO of construction tech startup Assembly OSM, during a "Tech for Abundance" panel Wednesday night in Midtown Manhattan. "I think that's creating a bit of a weird identity crisis for New York, and especially for tech — is this the right place to be building?" Staniforth said. The abundance movement is carving out its own political identity for people who no longer feel represented by Democratic or Republican policies. New York is a de facto one-party city, Slow Ventures principal Yoni Rechtman told Business Insider. Abundance, on the other hand, is a philosophy that tech workers across political lines can get behind. Some 100 people across New York's tech scene, founders, Big Tech workers, and venture capital investors, joined Wednesday's Tech for Abundance event, hosted by Lux Capital and Company Ventures alongside the nonprofit Abundance New York. Lux Capital research partner Laurence Pevsner said the firm and its co-sponsors had envisioned maybe a few dozen people would want to attend. Instead, over 700 people requested admittance. Abundance advocates are pushing for policies like congestion pricing for New York City traffic, rolled out in January, and changes to the city charter to make it easier to build more housing, a vote that could appear on New Yorkers' ballots this November. Its proponents also have loftier hopes, like ridding Manhattan's streets of their unsightly scaffolding, an effort without an end in sight but plenty of passion behind it, if the hearty applause from the Tech for Abundance audience is any indication. "Clearly, so many people in tech feel politically homeless, and so many New Yorkers believe their city can be better. But going from that vision to action is hard," Pevsner told the audience. The emerging movement is "giving political power and a voice to all of us who want to build a city of abundance in the place we love and call home." Shaina Horowitz, the director of program innovation and acceleration at The New York Climate Exchange and a Tech for Abundance panelist, said New York benefits by evading a San-Francisco-style tech bubble, which helps its entrepreneurs bring more diverse ideas to the table. But it also means New York needs to mobilize its tech community to continue to compete with the Bay Area — and to secure the city's future. "This city can't afford not to move with urgency, whether we're talking about the talented people moving out of the city or the infrastructure crumbling before our eyes," she said. The politics of plenty Abundance liberalism, as the philosophy is often called, has been steadily gaining traction over the past five years. Vaughan, who cofounded Abundance New York last year, said she saw a huge uptick in interest in March when Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson released their book Abundance, which describes the movement as a "call to renew the politics of plenty." "It feels like an antidote to some of the partisan insanity at the federal level, to be more positive and solutions-oriented around a finite and important set of issues," Rechtman said. The Tech for Abundance panelists discussed their respective approaches to some of New York City's most critical constraints, including a lack of affordable housing, government bureaucracy, and an inadequate climate change response. Assembly OSM uses tech for modular construction of high-rise buildings, though the company has run into multiple roadblocks with local government policies, Staniforth said. Lux Capital-backed Conductor AI, cofounded by panelist Zachary Long, is working to automate government approval processes to break down some of that bureaucracy. And The New York Climate Exchange, as Horowitz explained, is building a physical campus on Governors Island to power more climate research, education, and jobs. Abundance agendas typically center on increasing housing supply, a different stance on the same concern that's been a cornerstone of Zohran Mamdani 's platform as New York City's leading mayoral candidate. Mamdani has drawn national criticism, as well as support, for promising to freeze rents on some apartments in response to the city's housing crisis. Vaughan said that while rent freezes don't fit with abundance ideology, when she and other Abundance New York members had dinner with Mamdani in February, she felt he was open-minded about considering other policy solutions to affordable housing, like easing the construction of new homes. "We're really pragmatic about building relationships with different candidates and elected officials. They could be super far leftist, but if they agree with us on key parts, we'll work with them on it," she said. Abundance New York hasn't tried to wrap its arms around every hot-button issue, however. When New York-based serial investor and founder Esther Dyson asked the panel about disparities in healthcare, childcare, and education, its participants didn't take a side. When Long admitted he didn't have a solution, Dyson replied, "Well, Tech for Abundance needs one." Vaughan told BI that the abundance movement has historically stayed away from planting flags in healthcare, education, and policing, in part because people can find clear policy stances on those issues in the Democratic and Republican parties. But she also worries that engaging with such controversial issues, at least at this stage in Abundance New York's life, "would split this coalition we're trying to build." That coalition is growing. About 4,000 people have signed up for Abundance New York's newsletter, and roughly half of those people are considered "members" by engaging further, like by volunteering or donating, Vaughan told BI. Abundance New York joins multiple other organizations similarly pushing for the "more is more" mindset, including Abundant New York, a super PAC affiliated with the nonprofit Open New York, which advocates for increasing housing supply. Rechtman sees the movement's goals as critical for the survival of New York's startup ecosystem. "Cost of living and quality of life issues make it harder to build a company in New York," he said. "If New York wants to continue to be an important startup market, we have to be able to attract people here and to retain them. You can't do that if it's not an affordable place to live."
Powys County Times
17-07-2025
- Powys County Times
Powys police see rise in rape victims seeking prosecution
Powys Police say they has seen an increase in rape victims pursuing prosecutions as a result of the work by a new response team. At the Dyfed Powys Police awards, the force's Bluestone Team were recognised with the Innovation and Problem Solving Award for improving victim engagement and offering support to people reporting rape offences. Established in March 2024, police say that the first year of the process in Powys has seen 79 per cent of victims who were engaged with accepted the support of an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor, an increase of 30 percent from the previous year. Detective Sergeant Ben Staniforth of the Bluestone Team explained: 'Victim survivors of sexual assault sometimes tell police, medical staff or other trusted people or professional bodies of their allegation without wishing to report the incident. 'For example, they might tell a paramedic or a GP following a medical consultation, who will inform police. Under our new process, our specialist team would contact the victim with the aim of ensuring they are aware of the support available to them, and that they are aware of the criminal justice process. Anglers fear 'environmental catastrophe' could kill hundreds of fish at Powys lake Monthly black bin collections 'would only happen after Powys residents have say' 'All of this is done in a trauma informed way, and in line with guidance.' The programme saw a rapid video response established for people who have reported rapes outside the forensic evidence window, which police say gives victims more opportunity to engage with specialist officers, giving them more flexibility on where and when they can speak to an officer about what has happened. The process also allows police to speak to victims more quickly and thereby gain important information on the case. The team also has an active working relationship with New Pathways rape crisis and sexual abuse support service, offering victims instant access to a crisis worker. DS Staniforth added that the result of these steps is that between March 2024 and March 2025, 12 victims have changed their 'tell' to an official report and supported a criminal justice outcome. He said: 'This will inevitably result in a future increase in sexual offence conviction rates, improving the safeguarding of our communities. 'The first year of offering a virtual response to victims has seen very positive results. This not only means that we are able to pursue a greater number of suspects for serious offences, but the victims who have suffered the trauma of being raped can access crucial support services.'
Leader Live
21-05-2025
- Health
- Leader Live
Avalanche survivor marks 10 years since Nepal quake by scaling 446 UK mountains
Adventurer Alex Staniforth was 19 when he survived an avalanche on Mount Everest after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Nepal on April 25 2015, killing thousands of people and injuring thousands more. Mr Staniforth recalled the moment he believed he would lose his life after hearing a loud crack before being hit by the avalanche during his second climb of the world's highest peak. Speaking over the phone from North Wales, he told the PA news agency: 'At this point, I wasn't aware of an earthquake. I didn't feel the ground shaking, but my teammates did. I was completely on my own, and I remember feeling something was wrong. 'I could sense there was an avalanche coming towards us, but I couldn't see it because the cloud was so bad… I remember feeling really confused, and then feeling this massive blast of white just knocking me off my feet. 'For the first time in my life, at 19, (I remember) thinking 'This is it, game over', and that sickening feeling of fear that I've never really felt before.' The motivational speaker, who lives in Kendal, Cumbria, said he is 'grateful' to have survived the avalanche and is now commemorating 10 years since the earthquake by scaling 446 mountains across England and Wales in 50 days for charity. In the UK, a mountain is generally considered to be a summit of more than 2,000ft (600m), according to the Ordnance Survey. Mr Staniforth said: 'I'm very grateful that I survived that day, but I think, ever since then, I've just tried to make it count and try to give something back, and I hope that this challenge will do that.' He is raising money for Mind Over Mountains, the charity he founded in 2020, which focuses on using walks in nature and venturing outdoors as a tool to support people with mental health issues. He said the charity helps to 'give people the tools to stay mentally and physically well' by providing safe spaces for people to walk and talk about challenging topics around mental health and suicide. 'The outdoors has always been my natural health service, and I want other people to have access to that,' he said. 'By doing this challenge, it's not only opening conversations around mental health and suicide, but it's actually directly providing more access to (the outdoors), which, for me, is what makes it all worthwhile.' The challenge started on Friday with the mountains of Yes Tor and High Willhays in Dartmoor, Devon, and Mr Staniforth is expected to finish in the Lake District at the end of June to mark his 30th birthday. The whole journey will be human-powered because he is running and cycling to every mountain before scaling each one. His bike ride was 103 miles (166km) and his longest run to come will be 36 miles (58km), while his highest mountain climb will see him tackle 11,483ft (3,500M) of ascent. He said he wants his challenge to provide a 'bit of hope' for young people, particularly those approaching their 30s, who might be struggling to find a sense of purpose in life. 'I think when a lot of people reach 30… they feel like they're not where they should be or they feel like they're not where they want to be,' he said. 'There's a lot of mental health challenges and depression, and I just wanted to be a bit of hope for those people that things can go wrong but you can always pick yourself up and find another way. 'I think Everest, for a long time, was like my idea of success. It was like the be all and end all, and actually it's given me much bigger opportunities.' The adventurer has already faced ankle issues and feeling sick from the 6,500 calories he is eating daily, but said the recent good weather and support from his team has encouraged him to persevere. The journey will see him travel from Dartmoor to Bristol and through the Brecon Beacons and North Wales, before reaching the Peak District, the Yorkshire Dales, Northumberland and the Lake District. So far, Mr Staniforth has raised nearly £12,000 of his £100,000 target which forms part of Mind Over Mountains' Project 500 campaign to raise £500,000. To support his fundraiser, you can visit and track his journey here
North Wales Chronicle
21-05-2025
- Health
- North Wales Chronicle
Avalanche survivor marks 10 years since Nepal quake by scaling 446 UK mountains
Adventurer Alex Staniforth was 19 when he survived an avalanche on Mount Everest after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Nepal on April 25 2015, killing thousands of people and injuring thousands more. Mr Staniforth recalled the moment he believed he would lose his life after hearing a loud crack before being hit by the avalanche during his second climb of the world's highest peak. Speaking over the phone from North Wales, he told the PA news agency: 'At this point, I wasn't aware of an earthquake. I didn't feel the ground shaking, but my teammates did. I was completely on my own, and I remember feeling something was wrong. 'I could sense there was an avalanche coming towards us, but I couldn't see it because the cloud was so bad… I remember feeling really confused, and then feeling this massive blast of white just knocking me off my feet. 'For the first time in my life, at 19, (I remember) thinking 'This is it, game over', and that sickening feeling of fear that I've never really felt before.' The motivational speaker, who lives in Kendal, Cumbria, said he is 'grateful' to have survived the avalanche and is now commemorating 10 years since the earthquake by scaling 446 mountains across England and Wales in 50 days for charity. In the UK, a mountain is generally considered to be a summit of more than 2,000ft (600m), according to the Ordnance Survey. Mr Staniforth said: 'I'm very grateful that I survived that day, but I think, ever since then, I've just tried to make it count and try to give something back, and I hope that this challenge will do that.' He is raising money for Mind Over Mountains, the charity he founded in 2020, which focuses on using walks in nature and venturing outdoors as a tool to support people with mental health issues. He said the charity helps to 'give people the tools to stay mentally and physically well' by providing safe spaces for people to walk and talk about challenging topics around mental health and suicide. 'The outdoors has always been my natural health service, and I want other people to have access to that,' he said. 'By doing this challenge, it's not only opening conversations around mental health and suicide, but it's actually directly providing more access to (the outdoors), which, for me, is what makes it all worthwhile.' The challenge started on Friday with the mountains of Yes Tor and High Willhays in Dartmoor, Devon, and Mr Staniforth is expected to finish in the Lake District at the end of June to mark his 30th birthday. The whole journey will be human-powered because he is running and cycling to every mountain before scaling each one. His bike ride was 103 miles (166km) and his longest run to come will be 36 miles (58km), while his highest mountain climb will see him tackle 11,483ft (3,500M) of ascent. He said he wants his challenge to provide a 'bit of hope' for young people, particularly those approaching their 30s, who might be struggling to find a sense of purpose in life. 'I think when a lot of people reach 30… they feel like they're not where they should be or they feel like they're not where they want to be,' he said. 'There's a lot of mental health challenges and depression, and I just wanted to be a bit of hope for those people that things can go wrong but you can always pick yourself up and find another way. 'I think Everest, for a long time, was like my idea of success. It was like the be all and end all, and actually it's given me much bigger opportunities.' The adventurer has already faced ankle issues and feeling sick from the 6,500 calories he is eating daily, but said the recent good weather and support from his team has encouraged him to persevere. The journey will see him travel from Dartmoor to Bristol and through the Brecon Beacons and North Wales, before reaching the Peak District, the Yorkshire Dales, Northumberland and the Lake District. So far, Mr Staniforth has raised nearly £12,000 of his £100,000 target which forms part of Mind Over Mountains' Project 500 campaign to raise £500,000. To support his fundraiser, you can visit and track his journey here
South Wales Guardian
21-05-2025
- Health
- South Wales Guardian
Avalanche survivor marks 10 years since Nepal quake by scaling 446 UK mountains
Adventurer Alex Staniforth was 19 when he survived an avalanche on Mount Everest after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Nepal on April 25 2015, killing thousands of people and injuring thousands more. Mr Staniforth recalled the moment he believed he would lose his life after hearing a loud crack before being hit by the avalanche during his second climb of the world's highest peak. Speaking over the phone from North Wales, he told the PA news agency: 'At this point, I wasn't aware of an earthquake. I didn't feel the ground shaking, but my teammates did. I was completely on my own, and I remember feeling something was wrong. 'I could sense there was an avalanche coming towards us, but I couldn't see it because the cloud was so bad… I remember feeling really confused, and then feeling this massive blast of white just knocking me off my feet. 'For the first time in my life, at 19, (I remember) thinking 'This is it, game over', and that sickening feeling of fear that I've never really felt before.' The motivational speaker, who lives in Kendal, Cumbria, said he is 'grateful' to have survived the avalanche and is now commemorating 10 years since the earthquake by scaling 446 mountains across England and Wales in 50 days for charity. In the UK, a mountain is generally considered to be a summit of more than 2,000ft (600m), according to the Ordnance Survey. Mr Staniforth said: 'I'm very grateful that I survived that day, but I think, ever since then, I've just tried to make it count and try to give something back, and I hope that this challenge will do that.' He is raising money for Mind Over Mountains, the charity he founded in 2020, which focuses on using walks in nature and venturing outdoors as a tool to support people with mental health issues. He said the charity helps to 'give people the tools to stay mentally and physically well' by providing safe spaces for people to walk and talk about challenging topics around mental health and suicide. 'The outdoors has always been my natural health service, and I want other people to have access to that,' he said. 'By doing this challenge, it's not only opening conversations around mental health and suicide, but it's actually directly providing more access to (the outdoors), which, for me, is what makes it all worthwhile.' The challenge started on Friday with the mountains of Yes Tor and High Willhays in Dartmoor, Devon, and Mr Staniforth is expected to finish in the Lake District at the end of June to mark his 30th birthday. The whole journey will be human-powered because he is running and cycling to every mountain before scaling each one. His bike ride was 103 miles (166km) and his longest run to come will be 36 miles (58km), while his highest mountain climb will see him tackle 11,483ft (3,500M) of ascent. He said he wants his challenge to provide a 'bit of hope' for young people, particularly those approaching their 30s, who might be struggling to find a sense of purpose in life. 'I think when a lot of people reach 30… they feel like they're not where they should be or they feel like they're not where they want to be,' he said. 'There's a lot of mental health challenges and depression, and I just wanted to be a bit of hope for those people that things can go wrong but you can always pick yourself up and find another way. 'I think Everest, for a long time, was like my idea of success. It was like the be all and end all, and actually it's given me much bigger opportunities.' The adventurer has already faced ankle issues and feeling sick from the 6,500 calories he is eating daily, but said the recent good weather and support from his team has encouraged him to persevere. The journey will see him travel from Dartmoor to Bristol and through the Brecon Beacons and North Wales, before reaching the Peak District, the Yorkshire Dales, Northumberland and the Lake District. So far, Mr Staniforth has raised nearly £12,000 of his £100,000 target which forms part of Mind Over Mountains' Project 500 campaign to raise £500,000. To support his fundraiser, you can visit and track his journey here
