RECORD SHATTERED
In the first seven years of Business First closely counting startup deals in Buffalo, locally based companies never raised more than a collective $260 million. Then came 2021. Area startups smashed their previous pace of funding last year, with 35 companies raising more than $530 million. Growth-stage tech companies are becoming one of the dominant forces in […]
GM plans $154M investment at Lockport plant to make electric vehicle parts
“We believe in the all-EV future and we’re preparing and moving for that,” Johnson said during a news conference at the plant. “Lockport has a great tradition and history and current production doing this kind of work for us, so we’re confident in the team here and their capabilities,” Johnson said. “That’s why they got […]
After decades of decline, Buffalo boasts a ‘Refugee Renaissance.’ Can it last?
“As it became apparent that Buffalo had job opportunities, affordable housing, and this welcoming environment, it made sense for us to accommodate more new Americans,” said Denise Beehag, of resettlement agency International Institute of Buffalo.
New regional labor assessment ‘critical’ for retaining and recruiting companies
The assessment will give an overview of the regional economy, labor supply, and competitive wage and benefit packages for in-demand positions, based on data collected from the Department of Labor, manufacturing councils and organizations, and companies. “These are things that are critical to convincing companies to come here and for convincing companies that are here […]
Another unicorn in Buffalo: Tackle.io worth $1.25B after latest funding round
Tackle has 17 employees in Western New York in a variety of different functions, including sales, customer success, finance and human resources. While the company prioritizes talent over location in all of its hires, Jahnke said, the employee clusters have happened naturally as Tackle has formed a brand in the marketplace. “We plan to double […]
Buffalo bucks the bad weather rap
“Paradoxically, though, the region has been transforming into a climate-change haven, drawing on its cooler temperatures, reliable infrastructure and ample fresh water from Lake Erie.”
Why an Atlanta software company decided to expand to Buffalo
Rural Sourcing doesn’t want to be in hot spots like Austin, Texas, or Silicon Valley. It looks for less expensive places, where workers cost less and the lower cost of living affords a better quality of life. Local business recruiters made their pitch, and now Rural Sourcing is opening a location here that will grow […]
Earth911 Podcast: Making Buffalo, New York, a Livable, Equitable Climate Haven
A key advantage Buffalo enjoys is that hydropower from Niagara Falls provides an energy surplus today. This has attracted, among other startups, a $298M hydrogen production facility, Plug Power, that will rely on hydropower to refine its hydrogen fuel. In addition, the city has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 36% compared to 2005 levels […]
The vision behind Western New York’s $100 million ‘tech hub’ bid
Thomas Kucharski, our president and CEO , said the region’s bid stacks up well against its competitors’ bids. “I think a lot of other places are trying to be a tech hub without having the ability to partner with higher learning, companies, and having a support system to do innovation, and then having someplace to […]
WNY chosen as finalist in bid for federal tech hub
The Western New York Advanced Manufacturing Cluster was selected as a finalist for the Biden administration’s “Build Back Better Challenge,” an effort to deliver massive infusions of federal stimulus money to bolster local economies across the country. “This is going to be great news for Western New York,” Schumer said in an interview Sunday. “It’s […]
