News from Westchester’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

Featuring news, entrepreneur profiles, and mentorship and growth opportunities

Time is Running Out!

Apply to the Element 46 Tech Accelerator By August 19

You have a little over two weeks left to apply for the Element 46 Tech Accelerator Powered by Cela's third cohort, which will begin in September 2023. The Element 46 program is designed to help tech founders catalyze their growth, and is open to Westchester County-based founders who are leading a tech venture. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

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Click the video below to hear from the Element 46 team and program alumni about how the Element 46 Tech Accelerator can help you grow your venture.

Apply Today for the

Westchester County Biosciences Accelerator

The Westchester County Biosciences Accelerator (WCBA) is the County's first and only competitive-entry life sciences accelerator for first-time founders. The 6-month program is open to ventures at any stage of development. Join a community that has raised over $15 million in funding in just two years.

Program Benefits

An exclusive network of mentors and coaches including consultants, entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders from leading therapeutics, digital health, diagnostic, medical devices, and healthcare delivery companies;
Bootcamp, roundtables, and workshops designed and delivered by industry leaders;
Introduction to leading professional service companies including legal, financial, and IP;
A vast network of program alumni and entrepreneurs in the Metro NY region, including: JelikaLite, CatchU, Chiefy, Vyir, NyTmT, Laronix;
Support from municipalities and corporate sponsors;
Potential collaboration for clinical feedback

Apply by September 1 for early action or by October 24.

Upcoming Information Sessions

Learn more about the program, meet an alum and hear what you stand to gain from becoming a 2024 venture at an upcoming information session:

Strengthening Your Application Workshops

Date: August 10

Time: 12:00 PM

Date: August 31

Time: 12:00 PM

2024 Program Info Sessions

Date: August 24

Time: 12:00 PM

If you have questions and/or cannot attend the information session and would like to learn more about WCBA, please feel free to contact Doris Alcivar, Assistant Program Manager, WCBA at doris@firstxfounder.com.

New York I-Corps Hub x NYC Innovation Hotspot

Gotham Innovation Gambit

Applications for teams/startups are now open!

Got an exciting research discovery or idea? Are you ready to learn what it takes to create your own startup? The Gotham Innovation Gambit, hosted by the New York I-Corps Hub and the NYC Innovation Hotspot, enables participating teams to develop a business model and perform customer discovery, the process of evolving the product market fit —determining a product or solution that the market wants—based on intensive customer feedback.

The Fall 2023 Regional I-Corps Program will offer two course options: a (1) short course or (2) long course. Your team will select one option in this application (and will have the ability to switch during the course). As part of the short and long course, teams will conduct either 35 or 60 customer discovery interviews and become eligible for nomination to the national I-Corps program. Participants also receive assistance with navigating resources to support every stage of entrepreneurship.

Applications are being reviewed now on a rolling basis until Wednesday, September 6 at 12:00 PM.

Learn more and apply

New York Forward Loan Fund 2 to Provide Flexible Loans to New York State Small Businesses

Governor Kathy Hochul has announced the New York Forward Loan Fund 2 program for qualifying small businesses and nonprofits. After expanding criteria for qualifications and with even greater resources allocated for the program, the enhanced fund represents an even bolder commitment to New York State’s small businesses. Qualified recipients with fewer than 100 employees and less than $5 million in gross annual revenue can apply for loans up to $150,000 with affordable, fixed-rate interest rates.

Part of New York’s broader State Small Business Credit Initiative efforts led by Empire State Development, the fund will be in place for the next eight years and will focus on helping small businesses and nonprofits, particularly those in low-income and historically underbanked communities and rural areas access flexible working capital to cover a wide range of expenses, from payroll and marketing to facility renovations. Additionally, free support services from experts will work with businesses throughout the life of the loan.

WCBA Alum James Scholtz Awarded Activate Fellowship

Join us in congratulating James Scholtz, founder and CEO of Vyir Tech and a graduate of the Westchester County Biosciences Accelerator's 2022 cohort, on being selected for the prestigious Activate Fellowship. Activate empowers scientists to reinvent the world by launching startups to address climate change and other global challenges.

This incredible opportunity will support the further development of Vyir's groundbreaking low-cost, high-resolution optical infrared (O-IR) camera.

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