New York State Certified Business Incubators and Innovation Hot Spots
Through a competitive process, NYSTAR has designated 10 Innovation Hot Spots—one for each of New York's economic development regions—and 20 Certified Business Incubators, which receive funding to reach a greater number of early-stage companies.
This network of support has created a culture of innovation and success around the state, thanks to ground-level services that make a dramatic difference in a start-up company’s next steps.
Support may vary by location but generally includes: physical space; shared administrative staff; access to capital; coaching; mentoring; networking connections; prototype development; and access to other technical services. Innovation Hot Spots also coordinate regional entrepreneurial ecosystems, and can offer tax benefits to client businesses.
Capital Region
Capital Region | Innovate 518
Innovate 518, a partnership between the University at Albany, the Center for Economic Growth, IgniteU/NYSTEC, and SUNY Adirondack, helps to grow sustainable and scalable technology ventures.
Biomedical Acceleration and Commercialization Center (BACC) | Albany Medical College
BACC is committed to discovering, developing and accelerating breakthrough biotechnologies that will dramatically improve patient experiences and outcomes while aiding in the economic growth of the Capital Region and beyond.
Tech Valley Center of Gravity
The Manufacturing Incubator at Tech Valley Center of Gravity provides expert coaching and incubation across industries, advisory services and support for product-related startups. For clients launching entrepreneurial ventures, we offer resources for product development through the Prototyping Center, with its advanced manufacturing equipment and flexible workspace.
RPI Incubator
The Incubator acts as a distributed incubation model, startups will align with the partner community with which they have the most synergies.
Central Region
The Tech Garden
This 21-partner consortium, headed by CenterState CEO at The Tech Garden, delivers innovative physical and virtual incubation and business development programming combining higher education resources with early-stage funding, coaching and mentorship.
Central New York Biotech Accelerator
CNYBAC is a biotech incubator/accelerator that promotes ready access to Upstate Medical University’s experts, facilities, and equipment for biotech startups, early discovery innovators, entrepreneurs, mentors, service providers, and innovation clubs.
Partnership for Community Development
PCD believes that encouraging local, small businesses is the best way to keep Hamilton’s economy vibrant. We work hard to connect local entrepreneurs with resources and funding to help their businesses start and grow.
Finger Lakes Region
NextCorps
This regional consortium is led by Nextcorps and the Rochester Institute of Technology, and includes RIT's Center for Urban Entrepreneurship, the Upstate MedTech Park in Batavia and the Cornell Agriculture and Food Technology Park in Geneva.
Cornell Food and Ag
The Cornell Agriculture and Food Technology Park is the Finger Lakes Region’s premier destination for food, beverage, and ag tech innovation, acceleration, and incubation.
Long Island Region
ideaHUb / Hofstra University
Hofstra University’s state-of-the-art ideaHUb offers a world class, modern facility and supports the growth of early stage companies through business development programs, mentorship, a Maker Space, technical assistance and educational programs.
Accelerate Long Island – Hot Spot
A unique collaboration among Long Island’s world class research institutions and its business community to commercialize research and create an entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Mid-Hudson Region
Hudson River EATS
In addition to being located in an urban center, our incubator is stewarding small businesses that are repopulating vacant spaces in town and village centers.
New Paltz Venture Hub – Hot Spot
Our mission is to be a highly valued resource hub for the entrepreneurial ecosystem. We connect entrepreneurs to the resources, programs, and people they need to grow - and provide direct services to startups.
Mohawk Valley Region
Mohawk Valley | thINCubator
This “home of innovative new companies,” in downtown Utica, serves the community and the region’s higher education institutions. The thINCubator drives innovation and entrepreneurship in collaboration with multiple area stakeholders.
Mohawk Valley Farm & Food Business Incubator (FFBI)
This partnership between SUNY Cobleskill and the Center for Agricultural Development and Entrepreneurship (CADE), provides a variety of services for clients, including food processing and commercial kitchens.
Griffiss Institute Certified Business Incubator (GI)
The Rome-based incubator, serving the Mohawk Valley partners with thINCubator and other regional economic development entities to combine numerous high-tech, information and cybersecurity assets with programs and services to support local entrepreneurs.
New York City Region
Hub for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NYCRIN)
The Hub, which can accommodate 25-30 startups (and 50+ people), offers tenants professional mentorship and a host of collaborative and supportive services—embracing entrepreneurship in science and engineering as well as in non-science based companies.
Downstate Biotech Incubator and BioBAT
The incubator links numerous regional bio-based assets and business development programs into one unified program.
Entrepreneur Space Incubator at Queens Economic Development Corporation
This Queens-based incubator, administered by the Queens Economic Development Corporation, helps emerging entrepreneurs build their businesses by providing affordable commercial kitchen space as well as business counseling and technical assistance.
NYDesigns at LaGuardia Community College
Since 2006, NYDesigns has been dedicated to the success of design and hardware tech startups in NYC, both onsite and through events and programs.
NYU Tandon Future Labs
This incubator helps NYC area start-ups through an individualized two-year program utilizing best practices and providing mentorship, access to programming, service providers, potential customers, investors and business-related services.
Communitas America
Communitas is building an entrepreneurial ecosystem, primarily made up of BIPOC and women changemakers, who are creating inclusive and equitable local economies in historically under-resourced communities in the U.S.
Mt. Sinai
This Incubator empowers the existing workforce to identify, conceive and implement innovative solutions that can improve efficiency, safety, and quality of care, nurturing spin-off small businesses that will source their workforces locally as they grow.
North Country Region
Shipley Center for Innovation at Clarkson University
Clarkson University has developed a scalable model with a track record of success in the North Country through the Center for Advanced Materials Processing, the Shipley Center for Innovation and the Reh Center for Entrepreneurship.
Southern Tier Region
Koffman Southern Tier Incubator
The Binghamton Incubator Program focuses on developing and delivering entrepreneurial and business skills through workshops, seminars, events and mentoring.
IncubatorWorks
IncubatorWorks operates two incubators in the Southern Tier, with one facility in Corning and another at Elmira Corning Regional (ELM) Airport Park in Horseheads. An additional facility in Alfred is part of the Western New York Innovation Network (WIN).
Rev Ithaca Startup Works
Rev is an Ithaca-based, collaborative project with New York State, Cornell University, Ithaca College and Tompkins Cortland Community College to develop startups and grow regional economy and employment.
Southern Tier Startup Alliance
This organization of business incubators supports people starting and growing companies in the region, led by a strong partnership between Binghamton University, Cornell University and Corning Enterprises.
Western New York Region
Western New York | WIN: WNY Incubator Network
This incubator network, headed by the University at Buffalo, focuses on formation of investable, market-driven companies with innovative products meeting customer needs.
Fredonia Technology Incubator (FTI)
The Dunkirk-based FTI promotes economic growth in Western New York by supporting entrepreneurship and the development of new, innovative companies into successful business ventures -- with a focus on arts and technology-based startups.
Olean Business Development
OBDC supports new business activity in the greater Olean area by providing programming and services to help link thriving entrepreneurs with organizations and people to help them on their new business journey.
Contact Information
Contact NYSTAR for more information by emailing [email protected] or calling (518) 292-5700.