Deals, News & Events for the Upstate Capital Investment Community
UPSTATE CAPITAL NEWS
OPPORTUNITIES IN THE HEALTH SECTOR:
MEET INVESTORS & STARTUPS
Join us at Invest NY: Health on March 3, in-person or online, to meet New York’s leading seed and Series A companies in the healthtech and life science sectors. You’ll get quick introductions to 15-20 companies and meet the most active innovation ecosystem resource partners and investors throughout New York. The event will promote opportunities to access deal flow outside major metro areas; foster connections with NY startups, investors and ecosystem players; and provide visibility for your investment firm in the NY community.
VENTURE + GROWTH
HUSTLE DEFENSE ACCELERATOR PROGRAM
Presented by the Griffiss Institute, HUSTLE Defense Accelerator is an immersive accelerator program for seed stage tech startups in the AI/ML, cyber, quantum and UAS solutions field. Ten startups will be selected for participation in this elite program for defense innovation, with the dual-use potential to elevate the United States’ national security and economic competitiveness. The deadline to apply is February 14. The program will be held 100% on-site from May 23-August 12 at Innovare Advancement Center in Rome, NY.
GENIUS NY WINNER FOTOKITE RAISES $14.8M
Fotokite, a Swiss startup and 2018 GENIUS NY $1M winner that makes fully autonomous tethered UAVs for firefighting and public safety teams, announced it has closed a $14.8M series B financing round led by MSA Safety Inc. The capital infusion will help enable Fotokite to scale up operations, further bolster its in-house engineering team, and continue to drive sales of its Fotokite Sigma system in North American and European markets. The North American arm of the company, Perspective Robotics US LLC, is located in Syracuse, NY.
PRIVATE EQUITY + M&A
PE BREAKDOWN
Pitchbook published its 2021 Annual US PE Breakdown. Dealmaking in 2021 totaled $1.2 trillion, which was 64% higher than the previous record from 2019. Key takeaways include over 1,700 exits totaling more than $850 billion in the past year and, at over 8,600 deals, the count topped 2019’s record by 50%.
M&A ADVISOR SERIES
Upstate Capital is proud to present the M&A Advisor Series: exclusive, regional events across Upstate New York for those interested in mergers, acquisitions and ownership transitions. The series will feature CEOs sharing successful deals and professionals who advise on various aspects. Sign up today to receive news and updates about this upcoming series.
OPPORTUNITIES
PORTFOLIO TALENT LEAD
43North is seeking a talent acquisition/HR professional to join their expanding Buffalo-based team.
HR DIRECTOR
SUNY Research Foundation at the University at Albany is seeking a Director of Human Resources/Payroll Specialist.
MORE OPPORTUNITIES…
Check out nearly 400 openings listed on UVC’s website.
Want to receive industry news straight to your mailbox?
MORE NEWS
September 25, 2026
Where Deals, Capital and CEOs Connect: Highlights from the 2026 Buffalo Private Equity Summit
Investors, business owners, executives and advisors gathered in Buffalo on September 22 and 23 for Upstate Capital’s 2026 Buffalo Private Equity Summit. Held at the Golisano Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship and The Westin Buffalo, the two-day event brought practical conversations about growth, ownership, investment and technology together with opportunities to build relationships across New […]
Read More
August 10, 2026
Upstate Capital Welcomes Molly Hugar to Board of Directors
Upstate Capital is pleased to welcome Molly Daetsch Hugar, Commercial Leader at KeyBank, to our Board of Directors. Molly brings nearly two decades of experience in commercial banking, along with a deep understanding of the businesses, industries, and relationships that drive economic growth across Upstate New York. Throughout her career, she has worked closely with companies […]
Read More
August 3, 2026
Raining with Opportunity: Highlights from the 2026 Saratoga Forum
Despite the rain, the 2026 Saratoga Forum delivered exactly what its theme promised: opportunity. Investors, business owners, founders, advisers and economic-development leaders gathered in Saratoga Springs on July 29 and 30 for two days of candid conversations, meaningful introductions and new opportunities to support the companies and communities shaping Upstate New York. The Saratoga Forum […]
Read More
May 26, 2026
Venture NY 2026 Keynote: Ed Mitzen on Entrepreneurship, Impact & What Comes Next
The 2026 Venture NY keynote speaker, Ed Mitzen, shared an honest and energizing perspective on entrepreneurship, leadership and the rapidly changing future of work. A serial entrepreneur, philanthropist and co-founder of the Business for Good Foundation, Mitzen reflected on building multiple successful companies, including Fingerpaint Group, while emphasizing that resilience, people-first leadership and purpose-driven work […]
Read More
May 26, 2026
Venture NY 2026 Panel: What’s Next? Opportunities for Founders Across New York
The panel “What’s Next? Opportunities for Founders Across New York” at this year’s Venture NY explored the growing network of accelerators, competitions and support programs helping startups move from early ideas to scalable businesses across New York State. Featuring Seth Mulligan, Interim Vice President for Finance and Administration at Griffiss Institute; Patty Rechberger, Innovation Fund […]
Read More
May 26, 2026
Venture NY 2026 Panel: From Lab to Market — Scaling NY Innovation
At the 2026 Venture NY event, the panel “From Lab to Market — Scaling NY Innovation” explored the realities of transforming breakthrough research into scalable companies across New York’s innovation ecosystem. Moderated by Paul Tolley, CTO of Excell Partners, the discussion featured Dr. Marek W. Kowarz, Founder of MicroAdventure Technologies, and Nick Conn, Founder and […]
Read More
May 26, 2026
Venture NY 2026 Panel: What Makes an AI Company Investable? Data Strategy, Risk & Valuation
One of the panel discussions at this year’s Venture NY explored what separates truly investable AI companies from those simply riding the hype cycle. Moderated by Kate Polozie, Partner at Woods Oviatt Gilman, and featuring Somak Chattopadhyay, Managing Director at Armory Square Ventures, the panel “What Makes an AI Company Investable? Data Strategy, Risk & […]
Read More
May 26, 2026
Venture NY 2026 Panel: Where Are the Returns Now? From Hype to Healthy Outcomes
During our annual Venture NY event, the panel “Where Are the Returns Now? From Hype to Healthy Outcomes” explored how today’s venture environment is shifting toward disciplined growth, capital efficiency and long-term value creation. Moderated by Chris Rodi, Partner at Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP, the discussion featured David Brown, Managing Director at Impellent Ventures and […]
Read More
May 26, 2026
Venture NY 2026 Panel: How Are Investors Really Deploying Capital Right Now?
As part of Venture NY 2026, the panel “How Are Investors Really Deploying Capital Right Now? Inside the 2026 Playbook” brought together venture leaders from across fund types to discuss how today’s investment landscape is shifting from hype-driven growth to disciplined, traction-focused investing. Moderated by Flossie Hall, Director of Operations at the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center, […]
Read More May 26, 2026
2024 NYBPC Grand Prize Winners Eutrobac Acquired by Agriment Services, Inc.
In the spring of 2024, Ellie Sangree and Jesse Wexler, co-founders of Eutrobac, stood in front of judges at the University at Albany and won the New York Business Plan Competition Grand Prize. They walked away with $25,000 and set to work building an IP portfolio, raising capital, developing the product and forging the connections […]
Read More