The Digital Economist Host Climate Summit 2026

The Digital Economist welcomed Dilip Chauhan, Deputy Chief Business Diversity Officer and Senior Advisor for MWBE Business Opportunities at the NYC Mayor’s Office of Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise undet the leadership of NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani to The Digital Economist Climate Summit 2026 at The New York Academy of Sciences, where he delivered opening remarks and later joined Founder and CEO Navroop Sahdev for a fireside conversation on access, enterprise, and the emerging economy.

Chauhan brought a practical public-sector perspective to the Summit’s examination of technology, infrastructure, climate, and investment, focusing on a consequential question: how does economic opportunity move from policy commitments and allocated dollars to businesses and communities that have historically struggled to access them?

Following his opening remarks, Chauhan joined Sahdev for a fireside conversation titled “Who Gets to Build the Future? Access, Enterprise, and the New Economy.” Their discussion explored the role of minority- and women-owned businesses in an economy increasingly shaped by major investments in infrastructure, climate resilience, and technology—and what is required for these businesses not simply to be eligible for opportunity, but to successfully participate, compete, and grow.

Chauhan shared practical insights into the persistent gap between funding and contracting opportunities designated for M/WBEs and the businesses those resources are intended to reach. The conversation highlighted barriers ranging from navigating complex procurement processes and accessing financing to developing the institutional knowledge and relationships required to compete effectively for public-sector opportunities.

A central theme was the role of mentorship in bridging these gaps. Chauhan discussed the work of his office in helping entrepreneurs understand procurement pathways, build capacity, navigate government systems, and connect more effectively with opportunities—recognizing that expanding access requires not only allocating resources, but also ensuring businesses have the knowledge, networks, and institutional support to reach them.

The discussion also situated this work within the Mamdani administration’s broader emphasis on economic justice and more equitable access to public and private economic opportunity.
The administration has placed small-business access, M/WBE participation, affordable capital, mentorship, and equitable development within a wider effort to address structural disparities in how opportunity and public investment reach New Yorkers.

For The Digital Economist, the conversation connected the Summit’s examination of the emerging economy with the mechanisms through which economic participation actually occurs. As investment in technology, infrastructure, and climate resilience grows, Chauhan’s contribution underscored that the question is not only where capital is deployed, but who has the knowledge, access, and institutional pathways to participate in the value it creates.

About The Digital Economist

The Digital Economist is the world’s foremost think tank on innovation, advancing a human-centered global economy through technology, policy, and systems change. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices at One World Trade Center in New York City, The Digital Economist engages a global network of 40,000+ senior leaders to drive transformation across climate, finance, governance, and global development.

The organization publishes 75+ in-depth research papers annually and operates at the intersection of emerging technologies, policy, and economic systems. In addition to its research and global convenings, The Digital Economist operates a venture studio that translates cutting-edge scientific research into real-world applications addressing some of today’s most pressing socio-economic challenges.

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Thank you for your kind note. Please find below the requested materials for the press release highlighting Commissioner Dilip Chauhan’s participation in The Digital Economist Climate Summit 2026.

1. Forwarding Note

The Digital Economist is pleased to share a press release highlighting Commissioner Dilip Chauhan’s participation in The Digital Economist Climate Summit 2026.

Chauhan delivered opening remarks and joined Founder and CEO Navroop Sahdev for a fireside conversation on access, enterprise, and the emerging economy.

Please find the press release, event photos, and accompanying flyer attached for your consideration.