Buffalo, NY.

Latest 43North Winners Make the Move to Buffalo to Spark a Year of Startup Growth

It may be the middle of winter in snowy Buffalo, N.Y., but for the past four years, the new year has also been a time when the city’s resurgent economy gets an additional dose of spring-like startup energy. The infusion comes in the form of the eight latest 43North business development competition winners, whose entrepreneurial founders relocate some or all of their staff to Buffalo for 12 months to soak up ideas, foster mentoring and grow their businesses.

“Two years ago, 43North introduced a series of enhancements to its outreach and incubation processes,” said 43North Board Chairman Bill Maggio in a statement late last year. “I’m happy to say that we are now seeing the fruits of those decisions, as our Year Three winners performed very well in 2017 and they all plan to keep employees in Buffalo—including, in many cases, their CEOs.” Maggio was also encouraged by the fact that this year’s winners had already sought 17 new hires in Buffalo before they arrived.

Year Three winners received cash investments totaling $5 million – part of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Buffalo Billion initiative – along with mentorship, complimentary incubator space and access to the START-UP NY program resources, including 10 years of tax-free operations. These are among key reasons for remaining in Buffalo. According to program organizers, each company has generated enough traction in their first year in Buffalo to keep employees in Western New York State through 2018. And many are also setting up manufacturing sites in and around Buffalo.

43 North Competition.

Year Four winners moved to Buffalo in January, were chosen from 502 applications and represent a variety of new business models, including: 

  • $1 million winner SomaDetect gives dairy farmers access to technology and tools to monitor milk quality and herd health in real time
  • Squire is a reservation app for barber shops that allows you to book and pay in just three clicks
  • FemiSecret makes eco-friendly and savvy feminine products providing protection to women of all ages through their unique product, Pretty Panty
  • An app-based platform for full mind and body training, Burner Fitness, makes getting in shape more affordable with easy access to top fitness professionals and wellness coaches
  • Kangarootime is a 100 percent paperless operating system that provides management software and solutions for childcare centers, schools and camps via a mobile/web app
  • San Francisco startup Qidni Labs develops artificial kidney replacement therapies that fit in the palm of a human hand and can be used by millions of patients with kidney failure
  • Suncayr is the maker of SPOT, a UV sticker that shows sunscreen users when their sunscreen is no longer protecting them by changing colors
  • Intelligent product builder TARA utilizes artificial intelligence to speed up the development of software products by scoping a given project, assigning vetted developers and monitoring ongoing performance

The program will launch its next round on April 10, 2018. Applications must be received by May 31, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. EST. To learn more about 43North, visit 43north.org.