The Fuzehub 2024 Commercialization Competition during the New York State Innovation Summit had seven prize winners, five of which are Cornell-supported entrepreneurs. Of the five, four have participated in multiple hardware accelerators at Rev: Ithaca Startup Works and the grand prize winner is a current Center for Life Science Ventures member, a former Life Science Technology Fellow and Ignite Fellow.

FuzeHub, a not-for-profit organization that supports small and medium-sized manufacturing companies in New York State, hosted its eighth Commercialization Competition this year. Twelve startups competed for the chance to win $50,000 by pitching their business plans to a panel of judges with the opportunity to win the $150,000 grand prize.

Anova Biomedical was named the first-place team and the grand prize winner of $150,000. Anova Biomedical is developing the first fully synthetic and bioresorbable vascular grafts to improve the standard care for patients. Anova is committed to remaining in upstate NY and will create quality jobs in the medical device field, an underdeveloped sector for the region.

Of the other Cornell-affiliated companies’ runner-ups were Ergami Endoscopy, Eutrobac, FASS Syringe, and Triton Bio, all of which have participated in Rev: Ithaca Startup Works hardware accelerator programs. The hardware accelerators, offered in partnership with Cornell Engineering, are cohort-based programs that support physical product startups from prototyping through manufacturing. Entrepreneurs benefit from programming, significant expertise and advice, business mentorship, and introductions to investors to help them advance from the prototype stage and bring their products to market.

• Ergami Endoscopy participated in the Protofacturing Hardware Accelerator, focused on reaching a design freeze with prototypes. It aims to develop an automated insertion solution for colonoscopes to improve procedure productivity, reduce patient pain and need for sedation, and reduce endoscopy-related injuries in physicians and nurses.

• Eutrobac partook in the Protofacturing Hardware Accelerator and will participate in the Manufacturing Hardware Accelerator for the 2025 cohort. Eutrobac’s flagship technology, the NutriFilter™, is an affordable, groundbreaking solution for removing nitrogen from manure lagoons.

• FASS Syringe is a unique syringe system that uses a rotating mechanism to switch between two needles in a single device, eliminating the need for manual switching of needles. They are participating in the Manufacturing Hardware Accelerator at Rev: Ithaca Startup Works in the spring of 2025.

• Triton Bio has completed the Prototyping and Protofacturing Hardware Accelerator and has been accepted for the 2025 Manufacturing Hardware Accelerator cohort. Triton Bio automates routine lab testing for microbiologists using computer vision systems with built-in specimen handling and incubation. They recently launched their Mira Smart Incubator, which captures microorganisms in action over days or even weeks.

“Thrilled to see so many of our hardware startups as not only finalists, but winners, in the FuzeHub Commercialization Competition,” said Deanna Kocher, Associate Director of Hardware Programs. “Each participating company was engaged in ‘Protofacturing’ at the time—an important stage where they seek funding to transition into manufacturing and scaled production.”

During the Summit, finalists pitched the commercialization potential of their startup’s product or technology to a panel of judges. The award funds must be used to improve an existing prototype, enabling the company to pursue further investments and customers, leading to their product’s commercialization.