The 15 hottest New York City startups you need to watch

In just the last few months, we've seen the $3 billion-dollar acquisition of Jet and talks of IPOs on the horizon for Blue Apron and Pinterest. Silicon Valley giants like Google continue to hire in the region, and West Coast giants like Uber and Lyft are expanding their presence and fighting for turf in New York City.

But there are also tons of early-stage companies just getting off the ground, armed with the lessons from their successful predecessors and the guidance of experienced New York venture capitalists and operators.

We've compiled a list of 15 hot New York startups to watch by talking to investors, employees, fellow journalists, and active members of the New York tech scene: