Upstate NY Ecosystem Builders Honored
2017 Venture Ecosystem Awards Nominations
June 12, 2017
UPSTATE, NY – (PRESS RELEASE) – Upstate Venture Connect (UVC) is proud to announce several community leaders from the Capital Region have been nominated for 2017 Venture Ecosystem Awards! UVC received over 120 submissions across the five awards categories. These nominations represent the entrepreneurial leaders throughout Upstate New York who are transforming our region’s economy.
“We’re ready for another year of connecting entrepreneurs to investors and community builders. We’ll showcase the top CEOs creating the future today, and celebrate those for their efforts in making Upstate NY the go-to destination for entrepreneurs,” said UVC Founder Martin Babinec.
Winners will be announced at a special Awards Luncheon held at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown on September 19. Tickets are now available at 2017-Upstate-Venture-Conference-Awards.Eventbrite.com. Members of the media are invited to attend. Connect with kathryn@uvc.org to coordinate details.
Here are the leaders nominated by category and region:
Campus Connector – For individuals affiliated with an educational institution (could be an administrator, student, alumnus or faculty member) who are leveraging on and off-campus resources and connections to spin out research startups and/or create opportunities to retain entrepreneurial students.
Capital Region
Antonio Civitella – President, Transfinder; Founder, New York BizLab
Matthew Cusack – Exec Director, Stack Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Siena College
Erin Draper – Director, Reh Center for Entrepreneurship at Clarkson University
Amy Johnson – Director/EIR, Biomedical Acceleration & Commercialize Center at Albany Medical
Robert Manasier – EIR/New Venture Manager, Innovate 518; EIR, UAlbany Innovation Center
Kelly Reardon-Sleicher – Assoc Program Director, Severino Center for Tech Entrepreneurship at RPI
Central New York
Nasir Ali – CEO, Cofounder, UVC; Managing Director, StartFast Venture Accelerator
Terry Brown – Executive Director, Falcone Center for Entrepreneurship at Syracuse University
Linda Dickerson Hartsock – Executive Director, Blackstone LaunchPad at SU
Michael D’Eredita – Cofounder, Mozzo Analytics, Veda Sport; Professor of Practice, Syracuse U
Jim Joseph – Dean, Madden School of Business at Le Moyne; Advisor, Oneida Group; Member, UNY50
Finger Lakes
Todd Bernhard – PM Manager, CloudCheckr; Adjunct, RIT; Cofounder, AppRochester
Scott Catlin – Associate VP for Technology Ventures, University of Rochester/UR Ventures
Rich Notargiacomo – Director, Venture Creations Incubator, Rochester Institute of Technology
Mike Riedlinger – LaunchPad Program Manager, High Tech Rochester; Director, Rochester Bioventure Center; Cofounder/Board Member, Diffinity Genomics
Mohawk Valley
Wills Hapworth – Exec Director, Thought Into Action Entrepreneurship Institute at Colgate U
Southern Tier
Laura Holmes – Assistant Director, Office of Entrepreneurship at Binghamton University
Felix Litvinsky – Managing Director, Blackstone LaunchPad at Cornell University
Tom Schryver – Executive Director, Center for Regional Economic Advancement at Cornell
Chuck Schwerin – Tech Advisor, Small Business Development Center of Ithaca
Zach Shulman – Director, Entrepreneurship at Cornell
Western NY
Martin Casstevens – Director of Directed Energy, University at Buffalo; Business Formation & Commercialization Manager, University at Buffalo Office of Science, Tech & Economic Outreach
Erin K. O’Brien – Assist. Dean, University at Buffalo School of Management; Advisor Rachel’s Remedy
Magical Mentor – For individuals who have had a transformative impact on the trajectory of one or more startup companies.
Capital Region
Debra J. M. Best – HR/Recruiting Advisor, Deb Best Practices; HR Mentor, New York BizLab
Antonio Civitella – President, Transfinder; Founder, New York BizLab
Matthew Cusack – Exec Director, Stack Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Siena College
Thomas Donovan – Tax Director, Marvin & Company; Tax Mentor, New York BizLab
Howard Foote – Office Managing Partner, Capital Region, UHY LLP; Mentor, New York BizLab
Richard Honen – Partner, Phillips Lytle LLP; Legal Mentor, New York BizLab
Eric Leander – Partner, The Wagoner Firm; Mentor, StartFast, IgniteU NY, New York BizLab
Jim Lozano – Partner/President, CFO for Hire, Mentor, New York BizLab
Arkley L. Mastro – Attorney, Lavelle and Finn, LLP; Mentor, New York BizLab
William Tansey – Principal, OpEx Shop; Strategy Partner, HR Resolved; Mentor, New York BizLab
Katie Morgan Tansey – Operations Partner, HR Resolved; HR Mentor, New York BizLab
Matthew Wagoner – Founding Partner, The Wagoner Firm; Mentor, StartFast, IgniteU NY, BizLab
Chris Wessell – Owner, Pinnacle Recruiting & Staffing, Mentor, New York BizLab
Dave Wojeski – Founder, Wojeski & Company CPAs; Partner; Member, UNY50; Mentor, IgniteU NY
Alex Zhang – Partner, UHY LLP; Managing Director, UHY Advisors; Mentor New York BizLab
Central New York
Lamont Mitchell – Director of Minority Affairs/MWBE Compliance Officer, City of Syracuse
Finger Lakes
Doug Buerkle – Founding Executive Director, NEXUS-NY/High Tech Rochester
Myneco Ramirez – Owner, MBR Concepts; Founder, Tech Startup Expo; Connector, UVC
Mike Riedlinger – LaunchPad Program Manager, High Tech Rochester; Director, Rochester Bioventure Center; Cofounder/Board Member, Diffinity Genomics
Mohawk Valley
Ryan Miller – Director, thINCubator; Organizer, TEDxUtica
Southern Tier
Tony Frontera – Entrepreneur in Residence, Southern Tier Startup Alliance
Jen Gregory – Director, Southern Tier East Regional Planning Development Board
Felix Litvinsky – Managing Director, Blackstone LaunchPad at Cornell University
Bob Murphy – Durector of Economic Development at City of Binghamton
Western NY
Dan Penberthy – EVP/CFO, Rand Capital Corp; Member, UVANY
David Thiemecke – Cofounder/Managing Director, VCAMP; Business Development, Field Nimble; Member, UNY50 Leadership Network; Cofounder/VP, Algonquin Studios
Community Catalyst – For individuals who organize programs to bring together diverse start ecosystem players in a local community and/or increase the amount of capital and number of active early stage investors in that community.
Capital District
Holly Cargill-Cramer – Executive Director, Tech Valley Center of Gravity
Kathryn Cartini – CMO UVC; Associate Partner, Chloe Capital; Mentor, StartFast, IgniteU NY
Antonio Civitella – President, Transfinder; Founder, New York BizLab
Brian Corrigan – Managing Partner; MadGlory; Member, UNY50 Leadership Network; Advisor, EGF
Rick D’Errico – Managing Director, NY BizLab; PR Director, Transfinder; Instructor, Empire State
Matt Grattan – Director of Community & Economic Development, UAlbany; EIR, Innovate 518!
Eric Leander – Partner, The Wagoner Firm; Mentor, StartFast, IgniteU NY, New York BizLab
Robert Manasier – EIR/New Venture Manager, Innovate 518; EIR, UAlbany Innovation Center
Jason Rotella – Connector, UVC; Director, StartFast Code CR; Organizer, Google Developer Group
Chris Thompson – Cofounder, DashMetrics, Founder, Workoder.es; Organizer, Sharatoga TechTalks
Bruce Toyama – Co-creator, IgniteU NY; VP of Product Development, besstech
Ryan Van Amburgh – Economic Development Specialist, Saratoga EDC; Co-creator, Spark Saratoga
Matthew Wagoner – Founding Partner, The Wagoner Firm; Mentor, StartFast, IgniteU NY, BizLab
Kris Walker – CEO/Cofounder, Odd Network, Organizer, Google Developers Group Capital Region
Central New York
Sean Branagan – Cofounder, Student EuroTech Cup; Director, Digital Media Entrepreneurship, Syracuse Newhouse; Creator, Student Startup Madness; Founder, Communigration
Kathryn Cartini – CMO, UVC; Associate Partner, Chloe Capital; Mentor StartFast, IgniteU NY
Rick Clonan – VP Innovation & Entrepreneurship, CenterState CEO/The Tech Garden
Troy Evans – Cofounder, Syracuse CoWorks and Commonspace; Founder, 16th Avenue, Inc
Chris Fowler – Founder/Exec Director, SyracuseFirst; Board Member, Syracuse Real Food Coop
Martha Grabowski – Professor/Director, Le Moyne College
Joanne Lenweaver – Director, WISE Women’s Business Center
Chuck Stormon – Director, Advanced Tech, AIS; General Partner/Cofounder, StartFast, Member, UNY50
Finger Lakes
Dennis DeLeo – President/Director, Venture Jobs Foundation; Sr. Partner, Trillium Group
Todd Bernhard – PM Manager, CloudCheckr; Adjunct, RIT; Cofounder, AppRochester
Montieth Estes – General Counsel, Direct Mail 2020; Chairman, SensiVisa Medical Technologies; Chief Legal Counsel, TVT BIO; Board of Directors, National Alliance for Mental Illness Rochester, Board Member, Excell Partners, UNYTECH, UVANY, Med Graph & SmartStart Venture Forum
Richard Glaser – Sr. Financial Advisor, First VP Wealth Management, Merrill Lynch; Cofounder, RocGrowth, RocGrowth Coffee, RocGrowth Candids’ Board Members, Upstate Venture Connect, Member, UNY50 Leadership Network
James Goff – President/CEO, Landsman Development Corp
Jean Kase – Executive Director, The Entrepreneurs Network; Planning Committee, Rochester Regional Business Plan Competition
Dan Keeley – Director, Startup Community Development, High Tech Rochester; Licensing Manager, UR Ventures
Myneco Ramirez – Owner, MBR Concepts; Founder, Tech Startup Expo; Connector, UVC
Jim Senall – President, High Tech Rochester; Managing Director, Rochester Angel Network
Jennifer Sertl – Founder/President, Agility3R; Board Member, Mental Health Association
Hudson Valley
Tony DiMarco – Managing Director, GCSEN; Founding Manager, Hudson Valley Startup Fund
Kale Kaposhilin – Cofounder, Moonfarmer; Cofounder, Evolving Media; Cofounder, Hudson Valley Tech Meetup; Director of Technology, O+ Festival; Community Connector, Upstate Venture Connect
Johnny LeHane – Cofounder, CLUBWAKA; Managing Partner, Hudson Valley Startup Fund; Member, UNY50; Executive Board Member, Rhinebeck Science Foundation
Southern Tier
Elisa Miller-Out – Managing Partner, Chloe Capital; COO, Women 2.0; Cofounder, PollQ
Ken Rother – EIR, Southern Tier Startup Alliance; Venture Partner, Cayuga Venture Fund
Jennifer Tegan – Partner, Cayuga Venture Fund
Brad Treat – EIR, Rev: Ithaca Startup Works, STSA; Instructor, Cornell, Ithaca
Western NY
John Gavigan – Executive Director, 43 North
Marnie LaVigne – President/CEO, Launch NY
Jack McGowen – Project Manager, Insyte Consulting; Director, WNY Venture Assoc/Buffalo Angels
Matthew Pelkey – Partner, Colligan Law; Adjunct, University at Buffalo Law School; Correspondent, Upstate Venture Connect
Dan Penberthy – EVP/CFO, Rand Capital Corp; Member, UVANY
Jon P. Spitz – Cofounder, Blockchain Buffalo; Managing Director, Z80 Labs Technology Incubator
Ecosystem Champion – For individuals who are catalyzing and supporting startup activity across multiple Upstate communities.
Capital District
Kathryn Cartini – CMO UVC; Associate Partner, Chloe Capital; Mentor, StartFast, IgniteU NY
Antonio Civitella – President, Transfinder; Founder, New York BizLab
Matthew Cusack – Exec Director, Stack Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Siena College
David Dussault – Board Member, UVC; Member, UNY50, Partner, P1 Ventures; Founder, P1 Industries
Richard Frederick – Founder, Eastern NY Angels; Member, UNY50; Advisory Board, NEXUS-NY
Robert Manasier – EIR/New Venture Manager, Innovate 518; EIR, UAlbany Innovation Center
Amber L. Mooney – Founder/CEO, Tech Valley Coders; Manager, Business Council of NYS
Tom Nardacci – Creator/Owner, Gramercy Communications & Troy Innovation Garage
Jeff Peterson – Sr. Advisor for Entrepreneurship & Program Manager, NYSERDA
Nicholas Querques – Program Manager, Technology to Market, NYSERDA
Christine Tate – Advisor, VARA; Board, UVC; Chair, UNY50; EIR, RPI, Investor, Arc Angel
Sharon Weinberg – Managing Director, Empire State Development; Ind. Director, CPG Carlyle Fund
Steven Wood – Assist Director, Innovation Services at SUNY RF; Startup Consultant/IP Attorney
Central New York
Nasir Ali – CEO, Cofounder, UVC, Managing Director, StartFast Venture Accelerator
Kathryn Cartini – CMO, UVC; Associate Partner, Chloe Capital; Mentor StartFast, IgniteU NY
John Liddy – EIR, Tech Garden, MVCC, Le Moyne; e200 Instructor, Interise
Joan Powers – Sr. Business Advisor, OCC / Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
Randy Wolken – President, Manufacturers Association & Manufacturers Alliance of New York
Finger Lakes
Doug Buerkle – Founding Executive Director, NEXUS-NY/High Tech Rochester
Montieth Estes – General Counsel, Direct Mail 2020; Chairman, SensiVisa Medical Technologies; Chief Legal Counsel, TVT BIO; Board of Directors, National Alliance for Mental Illness Rochester, Board Member, Excell Partners, UNYTECH, UVANY, Med Graph & SmartStart Venture Forum
Theresa Mazzullo – CEO, Excell Partners, Founding Partner, Impact Capital
Hudson Valley
Noa Simons – Exec Director, Upstate Venture Association of NY; Founding Manager, Hudson Valley Startup Fund; Cofounder, Community Compost Company
Mohawk Valley
Martin Babinec – Founder, Upstate Venture Connect; Founder/Board Member, TriNet; Startup Investor, UpVentures; Cofounder, IntroNet; Advisor, StartFast Venture Accelerator
John Liddy – Director, Student Sandbox, EIR, Tech Garden, MVCC; e200 Instructor, Interise
Michele Salisbury – Director of Administration, New York Technology Enterprise Corp (NYSTEC)
Southern Tier
Dan Babcock – Founder, Greater Binghamton Scholastic Challenge
Elisa Miller-Out – Managing Partner, Chloe Capital; COO, Women 2.0; Cofounder, PollQ
Deal of the Year – For a company who exit creating wealth for investors and founders/employees, as well as making the company a stronger contributor to the local economy.
Finalists in this category will be announced in a separate release.
An independent panel of judges will review the nominations and determine the winners. For a complete list of nominees visit UVC.org/Awards-Nominations-2017.
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About UVC
UVC is a 501c3 public benefit non-profit creating an entrepreneur-led startup ecosystem for Upstate NY. Since 2010, UVC has helped launch six angel funds and three startup accelerators. UVC also hosts a region-wide events calendar, online startup map and a communications platform that reaches thousands. In 2014, UVC launched UNY50, an invitation only network of individuals who have experienced the startup world roller coaster and are committed to helping build the next great Upstate company. In 2015, UVC received the Global Innovation Ecosystem Award. For more information on how you can help support UNY’s startup ecosystem, go to UVC.org/Ecosystem-Growth.
Contact
Upstate Venture Connect
Nasir Ali
315.235.1283
nasir@uvc.org
