Martin Babinec

Martin Babinec launched the non profit Upstate Venture Connect as an outgrowth of his vision and commitment to accelerate transformational change across Upstate by building a startup ecosystem that enables first time entrepreneurs to more easily connect with the resources who can help them build the next generation of high growth companies.

Babinec has provided UVC’s initial capitalization and serves full time without compensation. Read Martin Babinec’s Founder Statement.

Martin Babinec founded Silicon Valley based TriNet in 1988, serving as CEO for the company’s first 20 years and Chairman until 2010. TriNet’s cloud based HR services help 17,000 small to mid sized companies and the company has grown to annual sales of $4+ billion – listing on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TNET. He remains active as the company’s largest non-institutional shareholder and serves on TriNet’s Board of Directors.

He is Founder/Managing Director at UpVentures Capital – making direct investments in 30+ startup companies and serving as limited partner and advisor to a dozen venture capital and seed funds, several of which he helped start as an Upstate Venture Connect initiative.

Mr. Babinec is Co-founder/Chairman of StartFast Venture Accelerator which invests in and helps grow a cohort of 5-8 startup companies at in residence program each summer in Central New York.

Mr. Babinec began his career as a Human Resources Manager with Navy Exchanges, where he worked supporting Navy communities in the U.S. and abroad.

He is a graduate of Shippensburg University and past recipient of the SVBJ Silicon Valley Entrepreneur of the Year award.