Two Rochester companies to share in state funding

Two Rochester-area companies have been awarded funding from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to support their decarbonization efforts.

Ekostinger and Graphenix Development Inc., with four additional New York companies, will share $3 million in non-dilutive matching investments as part of NYSERDA’s Co-Investment Fund. Each company has obtained at least twice as much in qualifying private capital investments and are advancing innovation to support decarbonization scale-up through hardware, software, technology-enabled services, data analytics and processes that broadly reduce energy consumption or increase resource efficiency, officials said.

“The companies supported through our programs are creating the services needed for startups to pioneer technologies and produce innovation needed to drive down emissions and boost clean energy,” said NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen Harris in a statement. “Bringing products to scale helps grow our green economy, save energy and provides consumers the opportunity to lower their carbon footprint in our fight against climate change.”

In total, $6 million was awarded, including $3 million for four Accelerate Southern Tier projects that also will support New York’s clean energy goals. Strategically investing in entrepreneurial projects that advance low carbon and clean energy solutions will enable the state to foster healthier communities and to broaden adoption of innovative initiatives to build out the state’s green energy economy and combat climate change, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office said in the statement.

“New York has built a green energy economy that supports businesses from startup to commercialization to establish a cleaner, more sustainable future for communities across our state, consistent with the goals of our ambitious, nation-leading climate agenda,” Cuomo said. “We must invest in these valuable entrepreneurial programs that attract new technologies and companies in our effort to drive down carbon emissions, fight climate change and deliver environmental benefits to all New Yorkers.”

In Rochester, Ekostinger develops aerodynamic devices for tractor-trailers that reduce emissions by saving fuel consumption. Graphenix manufactures industry-leading ultracapacitor electrodes and silicon anodes, which will increase lithium-ion energy densities to enable repeated fast charging for energy storage applications.

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