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 Manager at FuzeHub; Amanda Reilly Pitman, Program Manager of Dairy Innovation at Cornell University’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement; and Sujatha Ramanujan, PhD, Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer at the Luminate Accelerator, the discussion highlighted the funding, mentorship and ecosystem resources available to founders at every stage of growth.
Panelists shared practical advice on navigating accelerator programs, securing early-stage support, refining applications and understanding what investors and program leaders look for in emerging companies. The conversation also emphasized the collaborative nature of New York’s startup ecosystem, where universities, innovation hubs, industry partners and founder communities continue working together to help entrepreneurs scale across sectors ranging from manufacturing and defense to optics, agriculture and deep technology.