Tag: 76West

Rochester company selected as 76West Competition semifinalist

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority has selected 20 semifinalists as part of its annual 76West Clean Energy Competition, including one Rochester organization.

In the Finger Lakes Region, Paradigm of New York was one of the companies chosen among 183 applicants worldwide. Paradigm designs and manufactures pollution control devices for diesel and gasoline engines.

The 76West Competition celebrates emerging clean energy innovation while supporting business and economic growth as one of the largest competitions in the U.S.

“This year’s 76West semifinalists have brought forward a wide range of innovative clean energy technologies that can help New York scale up its progress with meeting our nation-leading climate and clean energy goals established by Gov. Cuomo,” said NYSERDA Acting President and CEO Doreen Harris. “This competition sets the semifinalists up for success through mentoring opportunities with Southern Tier companies as they advance their proposals. Clean energy innovation will continue to be a critical ingredient for tackling some of our nation’s most pressing environmental and clean energy challenges.”

Administered by NYSERDA, the 76West Competition was started in 2016 as a $20 million four-year initiative to grow the clean energy ecosystem in the Southern Tier with funds from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and the Clean Energy Fund. Because of its positive impact, the competition this year is being funded by Empire State Development through the Southern Tier Soaring Upstate Revitalization Initiative.

The 20 semifinalists represent a range of clean energy companies focused on energy storage, efficiency, transportation and more. Each company will be paired with a local company for mentorship and advisement on advancing through the competition. The semifinalists will present their final pitches to a panel of judges the week of Aug. 17 at a virtual session hosted by the Southern Tier Startup Alliance.

The judges will then select four winners who will be awarded a total of $2.5 million in funding this fall. The grand prize will be $1 million, while three others will receive funding of $500,000 each.

As a result of NYSERDA’s technology investments and business development support, more than 440 new and improved clean energy products have been commercialized, officials said.

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76 West opens next round of competition for clean energy companies

The 76West Clean Energy Competition has launched another round, accepting applications from “emerging clean energy companies” that are willing to relocate to or expand connections with the Southern Tier in exchange for a prize of up to $1 million.

Applications will be accepted through March 2, and 20 finalists will be brought to the Southern Tier in the spring for mentoring, and compete in June at a business pitch competition. Four winners are to be announced in the fall. One of the four will win $1 million and three others will get $500,000 each. Fewer winners will be picked this year so the size of the prizes can be increased.

The competition began in 2016 as part of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s Green New Deal, but its success in generating jobs and economic activity in the Southern Tier has resulted in another $20 million in funding to run the competition for another four years.

“The 76West competition is not only creating jobs and economic development in the Southern Tier, it is building excitement within the entrepreneurial ecosystem that New York is the place to be for innovation” said Alicia Barton, president and CEO of New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, which leads the competition. “As more extreme weather events wreak havoc on New York, Governor Cuomo’s commitment to supporting clean energy solutions, such as those developed by 76West winners, is vital to helping communities throughout the state and beyond become more resilient.”

Some previous winners include East Rochester’s EkoStinger, which makes attachments to tractor-trailer trucks that improve their aerodynamics and reduce energy consumption. With five months of being award $1 million in 2018, EkoStinger opened a new plant in Horseheads.

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Paradigm one of 19 finalists in 76West competition

Rochester’s Paradigm Environmental Services Inc. is one of 19 finalists in New York state’s 76West Clean Energy competition.

The competition offers $2.5 million in prizes to companies that will build or expand clean energy business in New York’s Southern Tier, or create a partnership with a company, such as a supply-chain agreement, to help develop the economy in that part of the state. The initial cut includes four international finalists, including one from Turkey and three from Canada, spreading from Toronto to Vancouver.

“The innovative technologies offered by this year’s semifinalists have tremendous potential to expand the region’s success and support New York’s path to carbon neutrality under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act,” said Alicia Barton, president and CEO of the New York State Energy and Research Development Agency. “I look forward to watching them advance through the competition.”
Finalists will be paired with a mentor and then make a pitch to a panel of judges at Binghamton University Aug. 7-8. The judges will make a recommendation on six finalists who will all win cash awards: $1 million for the top contestant, $500,000 for second prize and $250,000 for each of the other finalists.

Each company will be paired with a mentor before pitching their companies to a panel of judges Aug. 7-8 at Binghamton University. The judges will then recommend the six finalists who will receive a total of $2.5 million in prizes. Winners will be revealed in the fall.

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Rochester 76West winner expands to Southern Tier

The Rochester-based winner of the $1 million 2018 76West Clean Energy Competition has opened a new manufacturing plant in the Southern Tier.

EkoStinger CEO Parr Wiegel
EkoStinger CEO Parr Wiegel

EkoStinger Inc., a manufacturer of tractor trailer aerodynamics, this week opened an 8,000-square-foot facility at Elmira Corning Regional Airport in Chemung County. The facility employs six staffers. The company has 18 workers at its Rochester location.

The 76West Clean Energy Competition is one of the largest competitions in the country that focuses on supporting and growing clean energy businesses and fostering economic development. The competition complements Southern Tier Soaring, the region’s comprehensive strategy to generate economic growth and community development.

EkoStinger’s product is a two-part trailer shield and arrow-shaped device that attaches to the underside of a trailer, providing better aerodynamics and increased fuel efficiency. The second piece to that is a shield that also is installed on the underside of a trailer. The company’s first iteration of the EkoStinger moves with the trailer and can save up to 6 percent in fuel costs by reducing drag.

Each device installed reduces emissions by 4.9 metric tons per year, the equivalent of taking one car off the road.

“The vision behind the 76West competition was to spark innovation that creates jobs and protects our environment,” Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a news release. “Success has been achieved with the opening today of EkoStinger’s new manufacturing facility. After announcing the company as the winner of the 2018 76West competition in September, they are creating new jobs and continuing the momentum of growth in the region.”

EkoStinger’s new facility is expected to increase production from 2,000 to 8,000 units per year, allowing the company to expand its customer base. EkoStinger clients include Bridgestone, Raymour & Flanigan, Nestle and others.

“We thank Gov. Cuomo for creating the 76West Competition and highlighting the importance of emerging clean energy companies,” EkoStinger co-founder Parr Wiegel said. “The overall experience of 76West has made us a better company and we look forward to being in the Southern Tier.”

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Follow Velvet Spicer on Twitter: @Velvet_Spicer

East Rochester firm wins clean energy competition

EkoStinger CEO Parr Wiegel
EkoStinger CEO Parr Wiegel

An East Rochester manufacturer of tractor trailer aerodynamics has won the top spot in the 76West Clean Energy Competition, enabling further expansion.

EkoStinger Inc. will receive the $1 million grand prize, which requires that winners either move to the Southern Tier or establish a direct connection with the region. EkoStinger will expand its business to the Southern Tier, officials said Tuesday.

“The 76West Competition is attracting some of the most innovative entrepreneurs to the Southern Tier, spurring economic growth while advancing our state’s clean energy economy,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement.

The 76West Clean Energy Competition is one of the largest competitions in the country that focuses on supporting and growing clean energy businesses and fostering economic development. The competition complements Southern Tier Soaring, the region’s comprehensive strategy to generate economic growth and community development.

EkoStinger’s product is a two-part trailer shield and arrow-shaped device that attaches to the underside of a trailer, providing better aerodynamics and increased fuel efficiency. The second piece to that is a shield that also is installed on the underside of a trailer. The company’s first iteration of the EkoStinger moves with the trailer and can save up to 6 percent in fuel costs by reducing drag.

The 76West Competition awarded a total of $2.5 million to six companies from around the world, all of which will have a presence in the Southern Tier. The third round of the contest was launched last December and received 152 applications from more than a dozen countries and 27 states.

The governor’s office also announced that $8 million is available through a new New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) program to advance novel business models that facilitate adoption of clean energy technologies by helping overcome market barriers such as high initial costs and variable future returns.

[email protected] / 585-653-4021
Follow Velvet Spicer on Twitter: @Velvet_Spicer

Rochester area companies dominate 76West clean energy contest

Five Rochester-area companies are among the 20 finalists in the 76West Clean Energy Competition, vying for $2.5 million in prize money.

New York State Energy Research and Development Agency announced the finalists today (Friday, June 29).

The five were among 152 applicants from more than 12 countries and 27 states. As part of the competition, finalists will be paired with mentors and then pitch their companies to a panel of judges in  the next round of the competition at Cornell University July 31 to Aug. 1.

The five local companies are:

  • Crystal Creek Organics, a Rochester-area startup that extracts value-added products, such as fertilizer, from waste streams.
  • EkoStinger, an East Rochester company that makes attachments for the underside of tractor trailers that cuts fuel consumption, stabilizes the trailers and reduces road spray.
  • Molecular Glasses, a Rochester company that has created semiconductor materials to move ahead organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology.
  • Tyll Solar, a Henrietta startup focusing on research and development of solar technology.
  • WexEnergy, a Rochester company that makes skins mounted on windows to make them more energy efficient without the cost of replacing windows.

Prizes of $250,000, $500,000 or $1 million are awarded to each of the top six competitors. Winners must either move to the Southern Tier or establish a direct connection with an entity in that area in the form of a supply chain or other jobs-creating effort. The competition is linked to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Southern Tier Soaring initiative to promote economic development in that area.

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