Deals, News & Events for the Upstate Capital Investment Community
UPSTATE CAPITAL NEWS
ED MITZEN: KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT 3/23 M&A ADVISOR SERIES
Ed Mitzen, founder of the company Fingerpaint, will be the keynote speaker at Upstate Capital’s March 23 “M&A Advisor Series” event. Ed is a renowned healthcare marketing entrepreneur who has built three businesses that have a combined revenue of over $500 million. Fingerpaint is known for its innovative approach to providing integrated marketing solutions to healthcare clients, specifically in the pharmaceutical, rare disease, and gene therapy sectors.
VENTURE + GROWTH
EXCELL PARTNERS:
INVESTING IN UPSTATE NY
Upstate Capital member Excell Partners provides seed stage investments in new companies started in Upstate New York and the Finger Lakes region. The company’s CEO, Theresa Mazzullo, was recently interviewed by fellow Upstate Capital member Maureen Ballatori of 29 Design Studio. Ms. Mazzulo said, “The demand far exceeded the supply… When we started looking at the stats and realized the untapped potential in upstate, we knew – this is a story that needs to be told.”
$530M RAISED IN 2021 BY
35 BUFFALO STARTUPS
In 2021, 35 Buffalo-area startups raised an impressive $530 million in funding. Leading the pack are growth-stage tech companies, which are becoming one of the dominant forces in Buffalo’s economy, and the next wave of growth-stage tech companies is already underway. In 2022, Patient Pattern, a Buffalo-area startup that also has raised money, will be presenting at Upstate Capital’s Invest NY: Health event on March 3.
PRIVATE EQUITY + M&A
PINE STREET CAPITAL PARTNERS:
2021 IN REVIEW
Pine Street Capital Partners, an Upstate Capital member, provides capital to lower middle market companies. Key company metrics from 2021 include five new platform investments, 13 follow-on investments across six portfolio companies, and nine portfolio company exits.
PARAMAX ADVISES ON GAMBLING.COM ACQUISITION
Gambling.com Group, a provider of player acquisition services for the online gambling industry, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Roto Sports, Inc., operator of RotoWire.com, a provider of expert fantasy sports news and advice. Paramax, an Upstate Capital member, advised on the sale.
Want to receive industry news straight to your Inbox?
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