WESTCHESTER COUNTY LIFE SCIENCES UPDATE

IN THIS NEWSLETTER

• Laronix, a Graduate of the Element 46 Tech Accelerator and WCBA, Closes $2 Million Seed Round
• WCBA Alum Chris Buser, Founder & CEO of BioCubic, Invited to Join National Science Foundation Workshop
• US FDA Approves Regeneron's Ultra-Rare Blood Disease Drug
• Westchester County Biosciences Accelerator: Application Workshop Next Week
• NewYorkBIO to host Mini Pitch Demo Day on October 11
• Upcoming Events & More

Laronix, a Graduate of the Element 46 Tech Accelerator and WCBA, Closes $2 Million Seed Round

A big congratulations to Laronix, a graduate of the Element 46 Tech Accelerator and Westchester County Biosciences Accelerator, for successfully closing a $2 million seed round! 

Laronix are the creators of Bionic Voice, an innovative smart wearable electronic voice prosthesis tailored for laryngectomy individuals, also known as larynx amputees or laryngectomees. The world's first technology of its kind, Bionic Voice fills the void and rejuvenates the absent "voice source" for laryngectomees.

WCBA Alum Chris Buser, Founder & CEO of BioCubic, Invited to Join National Science Foundation Workshop

Chris Buser, founder and CEO of BioCubic and a 2023 graduate of the Westchester County Biosciences Accelerator, has been invited to join the National Science Foundation (NSF) for a workshop on use-inspired research. NSF's goal for the workshop is to get feedback from the academic, government, and industry participants on how use-inspired research should be implemented in funding opportunities through the Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships.

Chris' group is focused on submitting a planning grant and a conference grant on creating local collaborations in research, education and innovation across the country. This relates to BioCubic's focus on improving the training in bionanotechnology using atomic force microscopes as imaging tools.

US FDA Approves Regeneron's Ultra-Rare Blood Disease Drug

Westchester County-based Regeneron Pharmaceuticals announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved its drug to treat a rare blood disease. The drug pozelimab, branded as Veopoz, would treat CHAPLE disease in adult and pediatric patients 1 year of age and older.

Regeneron said the disease has fewer than 10 patients identified in the U.S. and estimates less than 100 patients worldwide. People with CHAPLE disease have mutated CD55 gene, which regulates the body's mechanism for destroying microbes. Without proper gene regulation, the mechanism may start attacking normal cells of the body.

Read more

Westchester County Biosciences Accelerator:

Application Workshop Next Week

The Westchester County Biosciences Accelerator (WCBA), the County's first competitive-entry, six-month life sciences accelerator for first-time founders, is accepting applications for the 2024 cohort. Life science ventures at any stage of development are invited to apply. Join a community of nearly 50 founders and expert mentors that has raised over $15 million in funding. 

Apply by September 1 for early action or by October 24.  

Program Benefits 

• An exclusive network of mentors and coaches including consultants, entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders from leading therapeutics, digital health, diagnostic, medical devices, and healthcare delivery companies; 
• Bootcamp, roundtables, and workshops designed and delivered by industry leaders; 
• Introduction to leading professional service companies including legal, financial, and IP; 
• A vast network of program alumni and entrepreneurs in the Metro NY region, including: JelikaLite, CatchU, Chiefy, Vyir, NyTmT, Laronix; 
• Support from municipalities and corporate sponsors; 
• Potential collaboration for clinical feedback 

Upcoming Information Session

Learn more about the program, meet an alum and hear what you stand to gain from becoming a 2024 venture at an upcoming information session: 

Strengthening Your Application Workshop

Date: August 31

Time: 12:00 PM

Register

If you have questions and/or cannot attend the information session and would like to learn more about WCBA, please feel free to contact Doris Alcivar, Assistant Program Manager, WCBA at doris@firstxfounder.com.  

NewYorkBIO to Host Mini Pitch Demo Day on October 11

Apply by August 31!

NewYorkBIO is excited to offer a new event for early stage startups and seed funded companies. Life Science companies will have the opportunity to present to a room of industry professionals for feedback at the Mini Pitch Demo Day on October 11. The industry professionals include NewYorkBIO Members, the investor community and professional services firms. There will be ample time for networking and connecting with attendees.

The deadline to complete the application is August 31.  Please apply soon, as space is limited! 

Apply

UPCOMING EVENTS & MORE

Westchester County Multilingual Job Fair

Date: September 28

Time: 9 AM — 12 PM

Venue: Little Theatre, County Center, 198 Central Avenue, White Plains

The event aims to connect businesses, municipalities, colleges, hospitals, schools and other institutions with skilled individuals who possess the valuable ability to speak multiple languages.

There is no charge for either exhibitors or attendees to participate in the job fair. To secure your organization's space, we kindly request you to provide us with the following information by September 12:

• Business Name
• Contact Information (phone number and e-mail address) for two representatives who will be present at your table during the event.
• Details about open positions within your organization.
• Materials from your organization that you would like to showcase during the job fair.

To RSVP or for any additional information, please reach out to Shari Rosen Ascher at sascher@westchestercountyny.gov or Martha Lopez at mlopez@westchestercountyny.gov. As space is limited, exhibitor tables will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.

Biosciences Business Development Masterclass

Presented by ELabNYC & FirstxFounder

Join the online Biosciences Business Development Masterclass, September 27 — 29, to gain invaluable insights and strategies for success. The Masterclass is ideal for ventures seeking growth and profitability strategies to sell to customers, corporate partners, or recruiting new team members

Register

New York I-Corps Hub x NYC Innovation Hotspot

Gotham Innovation Gambit

Applications for teams/startups are now open!

Got an exciting research discovery or idea? Are you ready to learn what it takes to create your own startup? The Gotham Innovation Gambit, hosted by the New York I-Corps Hub and the NYC Innovation Hotspot, enables participating teams to develop a business model and perform customer discovery, the process of evolving the product market fit —determining a product or solution that the market wants—based on intensive customer feedback.

The Fall 2023 Regional I-Corps Program will offer two course options: a (1) short course or (2) long course. Your team will select one option in this application (and will have the ability to switch during the course). As part of the short and long course, teams will conduct either 35 or 60 customer discovery interviews and become eligible for nomination to the national I-Corps program. Participants also receive assistance with navigating resources to support every stage of entrepreneurship.

Applications are being reviewed now on a rolling basis until Wednesday, September 6 at 12:00 PM.

Learn more and apply

Have good news to share with

Westchester’s life sciences ecosystem?

Please let us know.

Email lifesciences@westchestergov.com.