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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline OCTOBER 16, 2026 | The Indian Eye 24

The Digital Economist Host Climate Summit 2026

Dilip Chauhan, NYC Deputy Chief Business Diversity Officer, delivers opening remarks at The Dilip Chauhan and Navroop Sahdev at The Digital Economist Climate Summit 2026, where they
Digital Economist Climate Summit 2026. discussed access, enterprise, and who gets to build the new economy.

NEERAJ DHAR ensuring businesses have the knowl-
edge, networks, and institutional
NEW YORK, NY
support to reach them.
he Digital Economist wel- The discussion also situated this
comed Dilip Chauhan, Deputy work within the Mamdani administra-
TChief Business Diversity Offi- tion’s broader emphasis on economic
cer and Senior Advisor for MWBE justice and more equitable access to pub-
Business Opportunities at the NYC lic and private economic opportunity.
Mayor’s Office of Minority and The administration has placed
Women-Owned Business Enterprise small-business access, M/WBE partici-
undet the leadership of NYC May- pation, affordable capital, mentorship,
or Zohran Mamdani to The Digital and equitable development within a
Economist Climate Summit 2026 at wider effort to address structural dis-
The New York Academy of Sciences, parities in how opportunity and pub-
where he delivered opening remarks lic investment reach New Yorkers.
and later joined Founder and CEO For The Digital Economist, the
Navroop Sahdev for a fireside con- conversation connected the Summit’s
versation on access, enterprise, and examination of the emerging econ-
the emerging economy. omy with the mechanisms through
Chauhan brought a practical which economic participation actual-
public-sector perspective to the Sum- ly occurs. As investment in technolo-
mit’s examination of technology, gy, infrastructure, and climate resil-
infrastructure, climate, and invest- ience grows, Chauhan’s contribution
ment, focusing on a consequential underscored that the question is not
question: how does economic op- only where capital is deployed, but
portunity move from policy commit- who has the knowledge, access, and
ments and allocated dollars to busi- institutional pathways to participate
nesses and communities that have in the value it creates.
historically struggled to access them? About The Digital Economist
Following his opening remarks,
Chauhan joined Sahdev for a fire- The Digital Economist is the
side conversation titled “Who Gets world’s foremost think tank on inno-
to Build the Future? Access, Enter- vation, advancing a human-centered
prise, and the New Economy.” Their sights into the persistent gap between opportunities. global economy through technology,
discussion explored the role of mi- funding and contracting opportu- A central theme was the role of policy, and systems change. Head-
nority- and women-owned business- nities designated for M/WBEs and mentorship in bridging these gaps. quartered in Washington, D.C., with
es in an economy increasingly shaped the businesses those resources are Chauhan discussed the work of his offices at One World Trade Center
by major investments in infrastruc- intended to reach. The conversation office in helping entrepreneurs un- in New York City, The Digital Econ-
ture, climate resilience, and technol- highlighted barriers ranging from derstand procurement pathways, omist engages a global network of
ogy—and what is required for these navigating complex procurement build capacity, navigate government 40,000+ senior leaders to drive trans-
businesses not simply to be eligible processes and accessing financing to systems, and connect more effective- formation across climate, finance,
for opportunity, but to successfully developing the institutional knowl- ly with opportunities—recognizing governance, and global development.
participate, compete, and grow. edge and relationships required to that expanding access requires not To explore partnership opportunities,
Chauhan shared practical in- compete effectively for public-sector only allocating resources, but also partnerships@thedigitaleconomist.com.

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