Supporting Entrepreneurs
Since its founding, Buffalo has been home to innovators and entrepreneurs – that legacy continues today. Next Things Now, tells the story of a forward-looking city with a proud past to learn more about the culture of innovation driving our region. Innovators, techies, and thought leaders all feel at home in Buffalo Niagara, that’s why they volunteer their time to help expand our active and growing entrepreneurial ecosystem. Buffalo Startup Weekend, Startup Grind, and Pitch-In are just a handful of the many events led by our startup community.
Buffalo Niagara is home to two leading start up events, 43North, awarding $5Million in prizes, and Bright Buffalo Niagara, awarding $25K in prizes and the opportunity to connect with local venture capital. Become a part of our growing entrepreneurial community supported by a passionate and focused ecoystem today.
Incubators, Accelerators & Co-Working Spaces
From innovative medical devices to cutting-edge research and testing services, Buffalo Niagara has a number of places and people to support your specific needs. Here are the local collaborative working spaces, accelerators and incubators throughout our region:
- Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus Innovation Center
- D!G Buffalo
- Innovation Zone at the MedTech Commercialization Centre
- Harrison Place
- IncubatorWorks
- Fredonia Technology Incubator
- UB Technology Incubator at Baird Research Park
- UB Biosciences Incubator at Clinical Translational Research Center
- Western New York Incubator Network
- Z80 Labs
Small Business Development Centers
With more than 55,000 small businesses all throughout Western New York and the Finger Lakes region, we understand the importance as well as the specific needs of startups and entrepreneurs. Here are some of the development centers specifically created to support small businesses:
- Buffalo Urban League
- Buffalo State College Small Business Development Center
- Entrepreneurial Assistance Program
- Jamestown Small Business Development Center
- Niagara Small Business Development Center
- SCORE Buffalo Niagara
- Small Business Development Center
- Women’s Business Center
Development Resources
Whether it’s in the realm of life sciences or some other technological breakthrough, Buffalo Niagara houses a number of research and innovation centers, workshops and consulting services. Explore the links below to find the right size of development support for you:
- Buffalo Clinical & Translational Research Center (CTRC)
- Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (CEL)
- Ceramics Corridor Business Innovation Center
- Insyte Consulting
- New York State Center for Engineering Design and Industrial Innovation (NYSCEDII)
- New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics & Life Sciences
- New York State Center of Excellence in Materials Informatics
- Pre-Seed Workshop
- StartOneNY
- TCIE
- UB Office of Science, Technology Transfer and Economic Outreach (STOR)
- Western New York Incubator Network
Funding Resources
Sure you have the next big idea, but do you have the financial resources to make it happen? Our region works hard to connect entrepreneurs with the funds needed to bring their concept to fruition. Here are some of the local financial resources:
- LaunchNY
- Center for Advanced Technology in Biomedical and Bioengineering Technology (UB CAT)
- Western New York Venture Association
- Upstate Venture Association of New York Inc. (UVANY)
- Buffalo Angels, LLC
- Buffalo Capital Partners
- ECIDA Venture Capital Fund
- Excell Partners
- LaunchNY Seed Fund
- Lorraine Capital
- New York State Innovation Venture Capital fund
- Rand Capital
- Summer Street Capital
- SCP Incubators / Z80 Labs
- Talis Equity
Competitions & Events
For some, a competition can be the perfect catalyst for launching the next big innovation. Not only do these local resources provide all important funding to the winners, they help everyone with formulating and ideating plans: