Launch NY Newsletter – January 2017

Our 5-month life sciences accelerator program concluded last week with the announcement of two winners among eight finalists of $50,000 each in investments from the Launch NY Seed Fund. Abcombi Biosciences and Disease Diagnostic Group (learn more about the companies in our Startup Spotlight section) were chosen for investments through the unique VilCap Communities process of having companies in the program rank the strength of the other participants. Working in tandem with program partners University at Buffalo, Invest Buffalo Niagara, and the Western New York Incubator Network, Launch NY is among the first of the 16 VilCap Communities selected this year to offer this unique follow up program to Steve Case’s Rise of the Rest visit to Buffalo in September 2015.

Read the full press release for more details on the program.

#LaunchHour: Funding Opportunities for Startups via Universities & Non-profits January 18th at Noon

Upstate NY is rich in assets to help high-growth and technology-based companies. Numerous programs help with expertise, facilities, equipment, and funding, so we are featuring leaders among them today to help entrepreneurs learn and tap these resources. Join us Wednesday, January 18th at noon for the #LaunchHour including representatives from the Cornell Center for Materials Research (CCMR), Rev Ithaca’s Hardware Accelerator, Syracuse Tech Garden’s Grants for Growth (GFG) program, and University at Buffalo Center for Advanced Biomedical and Bioengineering Technology (UB CAT).

Learn from Visionaries: Innovation Meets Traditional Economic Development at Panel Moderated by Launch NY January 18th

Launch NY President & CEO, Marnie LaVigne, PhD, will moderate a panel featuring economic development leaders in rural and urban areas who have partnered with innovation ecosystem programs to help build their innovation economies. At the NYSEDC conference in Albany, hear from panelists Heather D. McDaniel from Tompkins County Area Development, Keith Tyo from Plattsburgh State University, and Laurie Villasuso from Orange County IDA, who have integrated mentoring and business support services geared to startup companies, facilitation of traditional Main Street business transformation to develop supply chain services, a pipeline of academic and other research and innovation expertise, and renovated manufacturing facilities designated as a Start-Up NY off-campus location.

January 17 – 19, 2017
2017 NYS Economic Development Conference
Albany, NY

January 18, 2017
RocGrowth Candids
Rochester, NY
5:30 – 7:30 PM

January 19, 2017
Meet the GENIUS NY Finalists
Syracuse, NY
5:00 – 7:00 PM

January 25, 2017
Information Session for UB CAT 2017 RFP
Buffalo, NY
4:30 – 5:30 PM

January 30, 2017
The Logic of Profit: Understanding Start-Up Economics
Ithaca, NY
5:00 – 7:00 PM

February 2, 2017
Networking@Rev: Clean Energy
Ithaca, NY
6:00 – 8:00 PM

February 9, 2017
Startup Lunch Education Program
Syracuse, NY

Abcombi Biosciences is a pre-clinical vaccine and therapeutic development company dedicated to delivering “smarter” vaccine and anti-infective solutions. Abcombi Biosciences was co-founded by CEO Charles Jones based on research conducted in the Chemical & Biological Engineering Department at the University at Buffalo. Just recently announced as 1 of 2 recipients of a $50,000 investment from the Launch NY Seed Fund, Abcombi Biosciences will join our portfolio of Launch NY Seed Fund companies working closely with our world class Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Travis Baugh.

Disease Diagnostic Group

Disease Diagnostic Group (DDG) is focused on screening, tracking, and diagnosing highly infectious and neglected tropical diseases that have transmission issues in the developing world through portable and reusable devices. The company was founded to create products that address the most pressing challenges in global health. These problems include not only better diagnosis of disease, but also the communication of critical data throughout the healthcare system. DDG’s first product focuses on malaria, with their Rapid Assessment of Malaria (RAM) device. DDG was announced as the second recipient of a $50,000 investment from the Launch NY Seed Fund at the conclusion of the Critical Path Life Sciences Accelerator Program this month.

Q5. How did you seek to overcome challenges and what lessons learned do you have for other entrepreneurs?
A5. It’s cliché but true, stay focused and see every little project through to the end. #LaunchHour (@Rezedent411)
A5. Finding the right mentors to guide us helped us a lot, especially during negotiations with large companies #LaunchHour (@BuffaloAutomat)

Q8. What advice do you have for companies who might work with Launch NY and other ecosystem resources?
A8. If you have a question, ask! If you need something, ask! There are great resources out there, you have to be proactive. #LaunchHour (@skytubelive)
A8. Embed yourself in the ecosystem as much as possible, hang out at DIG, network like mad #LaunchHour (@Rezedent411)
A8. Ask many questions and be an opportunist. You never know who can be an investor, partner, or great mentor. #LaunchHour (@NicholasCoriano)

View the entire December #LaunchHour Here.

Upstate NY Rainforest Canvas Study
Check it out here >

Upstate NY Ecosystem Map
Check it out here >

5 Business Stages – Where are you?

Each stage contains critical deliverables for moving forward. Starting with the Explore stage, see where you are on the path to success.
Find out here >

Entrepreneur Toolkit 
The toolkit is a set of templates and links designed to help start, launch and grow your business in upstate New York. 
Check it out here >

Is Launch NY a fit for you?
Launch NY provides entrepreneurs experienced mentoring using best practice processes and connections to specialized resources both in and beyond the Upstate NY ecosystem.Thus preparing you to compete for and win the funding and additional resources needed to move forward. Apply Now! >

Fueling his leadership in the 76West Clean Energy Competition that launched in 2016, Brian is a seasoned international energy industry executive with extensive experience in oil, natural gas, chemicals, and renewables in the United States, Asia, and Europe. Brian has a B.S. In Chemical Engineering from Cornell and an MBA in Operations and Finance from the University of Chicago. Brian ran several businesses during a 30 year career in the energy industry and has expertise in operations, strategy, business development, mergers and acquisitions, major project management, corporate governance, and organizational change. Brian recently retired and relocated to Ithaca to build the next phase of his career working with start-ups and tech innovation, with a particular interest in the area of energy and clean tech.

Learn more about Brian and our other EIRs by visiting, https://launchny.org/who-we-are/.