Deals, News & Events for the Upstate Capital Investment Community
BUFFALO PRIVATE EQUITY SUMMIT IS NEXT WEEK!
Are you registered for the Buffalo Private Equity Summit?
Make connections with private equity investors, bankers, M&A transaction professionals and business executives from across the Rust Belt and beyond.
Join us September 21-22 in Buffalo, NY. Hear the latest data and activity from the private equity sector, while making connections to help facilitate deal flow for PE and M&A professionals across New York.
MEMBER HIGHLIGHT
Introducing Upstate Capital Executive Committee member Michael Lasch! He is the Managing Director at Pine Street Capital. Michael makes mezzanine debt and non-control equity investments in privately held companies, focusing on companies based in the Eastern half of the US. Connect with him on LinkedIn and at the Buffalo Private Equity Summit!
PE + M&A
Ithaca-based Rosie, the premier e-commerce platform for local and independent retailers and wholesalers, was recently acquired by Instacart, the leading grocery technology company in North America. Founded in 2013, the Rosie team has spent nearly a decade building relationships and supporting local and independent retailers like Rosauers Supermarkets, Lee’s Marketplace, Niemann Foods, Inc., and Geissler’s Supermarkets across more than 40 states.
VC + GROWTH
FuzeHub announces the second round of awards for their manufacturing grants program that awards $450,000 in grants to facilitate research and development, technical advancements, and process improvements for New York State manufacturers. FuzeHub offers Manufacturing Grants to New York State not-for-profit organizations, including higher education institutions, that propose innovative projects in partnership with small to medium-sized manufacturers in New York State.
The Western New York Impact Investment Fund recently announced that the Fund has made an investment of $750,000 in Buffalo FilmWorks, a full-service film and major motion picture complex located in Buffalo, NY. The Western New York Impact Investment Fund’s investment in Buffalo FilmWorks marks the Fund’s first investment since successfully closing its Series 2 round of funding.
43North winner, ShearShare raises $2.3M in seed funding led by Fearless Fund. Founded in 2017, ShearShare is a platform that works to revolutionize the way beauty entrepreneurs work and navigate spaces.
MEMBER NEWS
The New York Battery and Energy Storage Technology Consortium (NY-BEST) announced that New Energy New York led by Binghamton University was selected to receive $113M in funding under the Build Back Better Regional Challenge. New Energy New York will support the development of new facilities and resources in New York State which will help the US meet the demand for domestic battery development and manufacturing. Join Upstate Capital at Invest NY: Climate Tech on October 19 in Albany where NY-BEST’s Dr. Bill Acker will share the future outlook on energy storage.
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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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