In late 2014, a group of Upstate entrepreneurs decided to start an experiment. What would happen if they built a network of likeminded entrepreneurial leaders across multiple Upstate communities? Would people be interested in connecting? Would they find opportunities to collaborate? They decided to call the group UNY50 and started to reach out to their networks in different communities.
Just 18 months after the first meetings, the impact of these collaborations are becoming clear. Below are just a few of the highlights of what some of our member have accomplished in 2016:
- Johnny LeHane launched the Hudson Valley Startup Fund with support from Dick Frederick of Eastern NY Angels
- Jennifer Tegan has brought new energy and leadership to UVANY
- Steve Raines, Steve Kiernan and David Thiemecke launched the VCAMP Health Accelerator in Buffalo with support from Chuck Stormon and Nasir Ali
- Nasir Ali and Chuck Stormon launched StartFast Code Bootcamp and are celebrating five years of the StartFast Venture Accelerator
- Theresa Mazullo launched Impact Capital, a second-round financing fund for regional companies
- Elisa Miller-Out executed a successful exit for Singlebrook Technologies and is now focused on increasing the number of women entrepreneurs and angel investors in Upstate NY, starting with the launch a new women in tech meetup
- Frank DuRoss launched the new thINCubator coworking space in downtown Utica
- Richard Glaser launched the RocGrowth Candids and RocGrowth Coffee networking events
- Tim Wilson, Mark Barberio and Jeff Valentine are raising a new fund for the Rochester Angel Network
- Jim Joseph convinced John Zogby to become the Director of the Keenan Center for Entrepreneurship in the Madden School of Business at Le Moyne College
- John Zogby wrote yet another book, We Are Many, We Are One, that will help us understand the next generation
There’s no stopping these proven entrepreneurs, corporate intrapreneurs and ecosystem influencers.
All of their bios and social media links have been posted on the UNY50 page. If you feel your startup could benefit from a mentoring session with one of our UNY50 leaders, use the referral button to connect!
