Fall 2017 Innovation Roundup

A Leader in Life Science

New York is a leader in the growing life science sector – and the $620 million initiative to grow a world-class life science research cluster in New York is moving steadily forward. This investment—made up of tax incentives, leveraging innovation in academic centers, capital and operating support for life science companies—will complement our NYSTAR programs in helping develop the research and the talent that’s needed to start, grow and retain life science companies in New York State. Here is some of the headway we’ve made to-date: we’ve begun implementation of a program known as a bio-accelerator to spark creation of new life science companies statewide, by providing training, mentorship, capital and lab space to life science startups.  Seven companies have responded to a recently issued RFQ to run the bio-accelerator; the next step is to send an RFP to the top contenders. Other initiatives moving forward include: working with several upstate institutions to accelerate the flow of discovery research from labs to new life science companies, and conducting an in-depth assessment of the State’s life science needs and assets to make informed decisions about growing the State’s life science ecosystem.  Earlier this month, we posted details on the Life Sciences Tax Credit program on the ESD webpage, with application materials available starting in January.  

Bigger Data, Better Decisions

The Finger Lakes, a hub for optics, photonics and imaging, will add to the region’s data science training and workforce strengths with the addition of the new Rochester Data Science Consortium at the University of Rochester. The consortium’s first partner: Harris Corporation’s Space and Intelligence Systems division. A new 60,000-square-foot building will be part of the school’s Goergen Institute for Data Science.

Moving Forward with AIM Photonics

The American Institute for Manufacturing, Integrated Photonics Test, Assembly and Packaging (TAP) facility in Rochester has reached some key milestones in recent months; the facility, located at Eastman Business Park, will test, assemble and package chips for semiconductor circuits, using photons instead of electrons, and be fully operational in 2018.

A Groundbreaking Partnership Lifts UAS in NYS

New York’s growing Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) industry has gotten a lift from a pioneering alliance with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Governor Cuomo announced in September that NASA's  partnering with the Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance (NUAIR) in growing the drone industry in Central New York and the Mohawk Valley, supporting development of a 50-mile Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) corridor and creation of the nation’s most comprehensive UAS testing facility.

NY’s First Lithium Ion Giga Factory

Imperium3 New York Inc., a Southern Tier-based consortium of nearly 10 businesses, will commercialize the technology for creating less expensive and more effective lithium ion batteries – and operate New York State’s first giga-factory to produce them. They’re aiming to produce three gigawatts of batteries by the end of 2019, and eventually grow to 15 gigawatts.

A New Home for Lifesaving Research

Long Island’s Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory has long been home to groundbreaking scientific achievements – including the discovery of DNA’s structure -- since its founding in 1890. Now it’s the future home of a new $75 million initiative, with a 26,000-square-foot Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Center for Therapeutics Research facility, set for completion next year, supporting development of lifesaving research and medicine and add to Long Island’s thriving biotech corridor.

NYS Competitions Accelerating Innovative Startups

New York State is encouraging entrepreneurs from around the world to come, grow and innovate here through competitions focused on various industry sectors. Winners and finalists have been announced this fall in Buffalo’s 43North competition – with the $1 million prize winner applying tech to milk quality – and the $10 million, Rochester-based Luminate NY initiative, whose 10 finalists launch in January.  

NYSTAR Programs and Partners

The intersection of big data and medicine will be the focus of the newly designated Center for Advanced Technology at the University at Buffalo. UB’s CAT in Big Data and Health Services is part of UB’s Office of Business and Entrepreneur Partnerships. FuzeHub, an ESD and NYSTAR-supported not-for-profit organization that helps small to medium-sized manufacturing companies in New York State, held a commercialization competition earlier this month in Albany. Seventeen entrepreneurs from across the state competed before a live audience, with five companies each winning $50,000 to advance their prototypes and pathway to market.

A Tech Hub for Veterans @ NYU

Veterans of the U.S. military who have founded early-stage startups will receive mentorship and support at the newly launched Veterans Future Lab. The tech startup hub, located at Industry City in Brooklyn, is working with New York University’s Tandon School of Engineering.

Magnifying NY’s X-Ray Vision

CHESS (Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source), a world-class scientific research facility in Ithaca, will benefit from key upgrades that will make it one of the world’s top five facilities for high intensity X-rays that provide invaluable information to scientists and researchers.