Deals, News & Events for the Upstate Capital Investment Community
UPSTATE CAPITAL NEWS
WHAT ARE BUSINESSES WORTH?
Upstate Capital’s M&A Advisor Series kicks off on March 23 in Albany!
– Gain perspectives on what businesses are worth
– Hear stories about misperceptions, reality checks and timelines
– Learn how to approach setting realistic expectations
– Identify potential strategies for increasing value prior to sale
VENTURE + GROWTH
MEMBER NEWS
Upstate Capital member, NY Ventures/Empire State Development (ESD), has appointed Marcia Mitchell as Director. Prior to joining ESD, Marcia worked at ff Venture Capital, an early stage venture capital firm based in New York City. Congratulations ESD and Marcia!
INVEST NY: HEALTH A SUCCESS!
Over 130 people came together in-person and online for Upstate Capital’s Invest NY: Health event on March 3 at the University of Buffalo’s Center of Excellence for Bioinformation and Life Sciences. Check out the event photos on our website! Upstate Capital members have full access to all event content – watch the videos now.
PRIVATE EQUITY + M&A
STRONG OUTLOOK FOR
PE MEGA-FUNDS
Mega-funds (those with over $5 billion) continued to dominate the private funding space for PE firms in 2021, motivated by investor confidence and deeper pockets. According to Pitchbook’s latest Private Fund Strategies Report, mega-funds comprised 44% of fundraising totals among PE firms and accounted for $143.4 billion last year.
“SHE TALKS PRIVATE EQUITY” PODCAST
Upstate Capital board member, Marissa Wiley of Nixon Peabody, talks private equity on the “She Talks Law” podcast, hosted by Jen Jovceski. Also joining the talk is Nicki Lambropoulos of the private equity firm Cold Bore Capital. The women discuss trends to look out for in PE and share their experiences of working in a male-dominated industry.
COMMUNITY
INTRODUCTION TO
“LAUNCH1000”
Presented by the Westchester County Office of Economic Development, “Launch1000” is designed to help residents evaluate an idea, test it with potential customers, and see if it seems likely to succeed. The next intro session is March 22 at 10 a.m. Register for one of their online intro sessions to see if the program is right for you!
NEXTCORPS “STARTUP WEEK”
BEGINS MARCH 28
Upstate Capital member NextCorps is hosting their annual “Startup Week” beginning March 28: a week of education, inspiration and connections to fuel small business growth. Built for entrepreneurs and small businesses in Upstate NY, it offers free virtual workshops, panel discussions and networking opportunities.
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 & […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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