Partner News

Collaboration at its Best!

Chloe Capital and Innovate 518 Working to get a Federal Grant Supporting Female Founders  

"It didn't take anything more than to say, 'Matt, we would like assistance to apply for this federal grant.'"

Says Chloe Capital founder Kathryn Cartini in an interview with Albany Business Review Reporter, Liz Young earlier this month. Kathryn is no stranger to the startup community, recently returning home to the Capital Region to help build the entrepreneurial ecosystem. In addition to Chloe Capital, Kate is the CMO of entrepreneur-led nonprofit and Innovate 518 affiliate Upstate Venture Connect, the owner of Peacock Media and was named Albany Business Review’s 40 under 40 winner. 

It didn’t take much time after that initial conversation with Innovate 518’s Matt Grattan before the two were teaming up on applying for the $300,000 grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. Chloe Capital is an investment company founded by Cartini, Elisa Miller-Out and Erica O’Brian. Focused on raising capital for women-led tech companies, Chloe Capital makes seed stage investments in these companies and mentors them on how to bring their businesses to the next level. 

The investment company brings something new to the Capital Region due to the fact there aren’t too many programs focused on Women Entrepreneurs in the area. In the future, Chloe Capital plans on throwing more events geared towards the cause alongside Innovate 518. 

"Many of the other regions in the state have these industry-focused business plan competitions and many of them are at the $1 million prize level," Grattan said. "We don't have a business plan competition focused on more seasoned, mature entrepreneurs, and this area of doing one focused on women-led technology companies is something we think is appealing." (AlbanyBizReview)

Pictured: Matt Grattan, Esther Vargas, and Kathryn Cartini at the 2017 UVC Tech Awards

"Weather Hack" powered by the NYS Mesonet Will Take Place on November 9-11 in Albany

Powered by the NYS Mesonet, with Innovate 518, the UAlbany Innovation Center, the Weather and Climate Business-Analytics Research Center at UAlbany, and Blackstone Launchpad, is teaming up with companies in the region to put on a three-day "Weather Hack" at the University at Albany's Massry Center for Business. The hackathon is a n event that typically lasts several days, in which a large number of p rogrammers, designers, students, professionals and entrepreneurs gather from all around to meet and engage in collaborative computer programming. The set of challenges will be designed using actual NYS Mesonet weather data and technology from weather based companies throughout the Capital Region. Register and get more info on the hackathon here and follow Innovate 518 ( @Innovate518 ) on social media for updates!

Are you the next Great Innovator?

The UAlbany Innovation Center: Bridging the Gap between UAlbany Staff and Research Commercialization

As the Fall Academic Season at the University at Albany comes to full swing, it also marks the time of new programs and opportunities for UAlbany startups and new business ventures. The STEAM Garden Incubator location in Downtown Albany, the first official incubator space in the UAlbany Innovation Center, will not be open for some months. But the center is up and running and is accepting applications. Some of the UAlbany Innovation Center companies include Peak Neuro Group, CampusPro app and EcoLong LLC. The Innovation Center comes as a solid effort of the University at Albany’s Economic Development Division and New York's Innovation Hot Spot - Innovate 518 to assist university students, staff and alumni who wish to head into the direction of commercialized research. 

According to a survey distributed by the center to university staff, many of them agree that research commercialization is critical in an educational setting they would like to see more of it happening at UAlbany. Finding industry partners, funding for patents and mentor-ship advice were among the top mentioned when asked what they felt was most important for Staff in the commercialization process. Many faculty said that they were very interested in taking the route of commercialization with their research in areas such as Life Sciences, Biomedical Research, Humanities and Homeland Security, but had no idea where to begin. Or just simply lacked the funding, time and overall knowledge of the business to pursue the process on their own. With the overwhelming amount of talent and feedback, Innovate 518 and the University at Albany are taking the steps to better collaborate with staff to provide the proper resources needed to commercialize their research through programs and mentoring tailored around their demanding schedules. 

The UAlbany Innovation Center at UAlbany was created to strengthen and serve the already bustling culture of entrepreneurship and innovation at the University, and to accelerate the commercialization of university research and innovative ideas. The Center initiates programs and participates in activities that bridge research and education with industry. During each engagement, companies, educators, experts and students collaborate on real world problems and deliver real world results. The Albany Innovation Center will produce Innovation and Innovators through collaboration, education, and incubation. This will bring industry leaders together with university experts to fuel innovative thinking and to enable collaboration in the various fields. 

 

#SaveTheDate:

STEEAM AHEAD

  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2018

9:30 AM - 3:30 PM at SUNY Adirondack's Queensbury Campus

A one-day mini-conference on  creativity & innovation  in  science, technology, engineering, entrepreneurship, arts & math  

 

Join us at SUNY Adirondack's state-of-the-art Northwest Bay Conference Center for this unique event, developed to infuse a spirit of creativity and innovation into the realms of science, technology, engineering, entrepreneurship, arts and math (STEEAM). The day's activities will include a keynote speaker and three different workshops - with lunch provided. STEEAM AHEAD is open to students, faculty, staff and community members! 

ONLINE REGISTRATION  and ticket prices will be available in October at  sunyacc.edu/events .

CONTACT  Laura Scott at the Office of Continuing Education, at  [email protected]  or 518.743.2238, with questions or to be added to the email list for updates on STEEAM AHEAD.