Tag: nystar

Annual Innovation Summit to include Fuzehub Commercialization Competition

The New York State Innovation Summit will return this fall, featuring FuzeHub’s annual Commercialization Competition.

The annual showcase and celebration of technology will take place Nov. 8 and 9 at the Turning Stone Resort in Verona, Oneida County. The summit brings together some of the state’s brightest minds, most promising technology and manufacturing companies and most resourceful innovation support services.

The summit will feature a series of speakers, breakout sessions and pitches and is organized by Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR) and FuzeHub, the statewide center for the New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership. The 2019 summit was held in Rochester.

Plug Power President and CEO Andrew Marsh is slated to speak this year, as is Cree President and CEO Gregg Lowe, Velan Studios President Guha Balan and Verizon 5G Labs Senior Manager Joshua Ness. Plug Power has a significant presence in the Rochester area.

“This year’s lineup not only illustrates the strength of New York state’s innovation economy, but also represents some of its key sectors: clean technology, semiconductors, digital gaming and information technology,” said NYSTAR Senior Vice President Matt Watson in a statement. “And with a $1 billion chip fabrication plant rising near Utica, the Mohawk Valley is the perfect location to showcase — and accelerate — our state’s technological prowess. Many attendees and exhibitors, including companies represented by our keynoters, have received support from NYSTAR’s extensive network. The summit brings them together to spur even more growth, which in turn creates jobs and strengthens New York’s economic future.”

FuzeHub’s annual Jeff Lawrence Innovation Fund Commercialization Competition will be held during this year’s summit. Now in its fifth year, the Commercialization Competition awards significant funding to companies from across New York. Finalists pitch their innovations in front of a live audience and a panel of industry experts selects the winners based on the commercialization potential of their technologies.

At last year’s Commercialization Competition, FuzeHub and NYSTAR awarded a total of $300,000 to six companies.

“At the heart of each Innovation Summit has been the potential for commercialization of cutting-edge technology developed and manufactured in New York state,” said FuzeHub Executive Director Elena Garuc. “That’s what makes our Commercialization Competition a natural fit; I expect the bar to be higher than ever before. As in the past, startups and manufacturers will also have access to resources from NYSTAR and NY MEP to help them get to the next level.”

Breakout sessions will include information on Economic Development in New York, National Trends and Disruptive technologies.

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

State’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership helped with 6,600 jobs in 2020

New York’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership, a statewide network of 11 organizations that provide growth and innovation services to small and mid-sized manufacturers, helped create or retain more than 6,600 jobs last year and generated $994 million in financial impacts, NY MEP said this week.

“As New York’s manufacturers confronted uncertainty, adversity and disruption amid the pandemic, the NY MEP network stepped up in a big way. Each of the centers was tireless in its work to help manufacturers overcome challenges, pivot to new products, adopt new technologies and scale innovative ideas,” said Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation Senior Vice President Matt Watson. “By deploying NYSTAR funding, providing direct assistance and helping companies navigate NYSTAR’s robust network of over 70 innovation assets, the NY MEP centers delivered a massive economic impact in 2020, measuring at nearly $1 billion and over 6,600 jobs.”

In the Finger Lakes Region, NextCorps serves as the regional NY MEP Center. The 11 centers statewide are among more than 70 NYSTAR-backed centers statewide that are actively working to generate technology-driven economic growth, officials noted. The network provides entrepreneurs, researchers and business leaders with access to the support, assistance and resources they need to solve challenges, develop and scale new technologies, start companies and grow existing businesses.

NYSTAR oversees the NY MEP, which brings together 10 regional centers and one statewide center, FuzeHub. In New York state, manufacturers employ more than 419,000 people, which represents a payroll of roughly $38 billion. The industry produces an economic output of $84.4 billion, officials noted.

“As our state’s recovery gains momentum, the NY MEP will remain focused on helping manufacturers address emerging challenges, accelerate growth and create jobs,” Watson said.

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

NYSTAR, FuzeHub to host innovation showcase

Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology & Innovation (NYSTAR) will team with Fuzehub, the statewide center for the New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) next week to host the New York State Innovation Asset Showcase.

The Sept. 29 and 30 event will be held virtually this year and will focus on the state’s vibrant innovation ecosystem and its role in driving economic recovery.

The webinar-based showcase will feature both dynamic informational programming and networking opportunities to build connections that can drive business growth. The showcase is free and open to all involved or interested in the state’s innovation ecosystem.

“New York state has built innovation infrastructure that reaches every region of the Empire State, and we want new and innovative tech companies to know we’re here to help during this difficult time for our economy,” said NYSTAR Senior Vice President and Executive Director Matt Watson. “This critical network of innovation resources will play a vital role in our state’s technology-led economic recovery, and our Innovation Asset Showcase will highlight how it’s already working with industry to propel us forward.”

Designed to showcase companies and researchers at the forefront of emerging technology and advancements in production capabilities, the New York State Innovation Asset Showcase will feature panel discussions focused on various industry clusters and the latest innovation trends. They include:
• Advanced Materials and Supply Chain Innovation
• Cleantech, Energy and Environmental Innovations
• Digital Game Development
• Industry 4.0 and Modernizing Manufacturing
• Data and Information Technologies
• Advanced Electronics and Photonics
• Biotechnology, Medical Technology and Life Sciences
• Food, Agricultural and Water Innovation

Startups, tech companies and established manufacturers will learn how to partner with NYSTAR-backed innovation assets and how to leverage their capabilities and expertise to expand their research and development, commercialize products and accelerate business growth.

“In previous years, FuzeHub has teamed up with NYSTAR to host a New York State Innovation Summit that would gather hundreds of attendees. It facilitated connections and collisions that led to collaboration and new innovation,” said FuzeHub Executive Director Elena Garuc. “This year, with in-person meetings limited, we knew we needed to find an alternative – because it has never been more important to bring people together to discuss technology-led economic growth. We’re excited so many people have already signed up to join this important dialogue.”

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