By Lauren Simpson Hypercell Technologies of Peachtree Corners, Georgia, was named the $1 million grand prize winner of the fifth annual Grow-NY Food and Agriculture business competition. Six other winners split a combined $3 million in awards. Hypercell Technologies, a startup that provides rapid point-of-care diagnostics for the food chain, was one of eight finalists to take home prize money during the Grow-NY Food and Ag Summit, held Nov. 14-15 at the Holiday Inn Binghamton Downtown and virtually. The competition is funded by Empire State Development and administered by Cornell’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement (CREA), a division of the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation. “We’re honored to join the portfolio of Grow-NY winners and are inspired by the startups we competed alongside in this year’s competition,” said Bruno Jactel, CEO and co-founder of Hypercell Technologies. “The prize money and innovation ecosystem in upstate New York will help us grow faster and more sustainably.” Grow-NY is a food and agriculture startup challenge focused on enhancing the emerging food, beverage and agriculture innovation cluster in central New York, the Finger Lakes and the Southern Tier. Three hundred and twenty-three food and ag startups from 49 countries and 32 states applied to compete, and the top 20 were chosen as finalists, receiving individualized mentorship and introductions to resources and potential partners in upstate New York. “Year after year, the Grow-NY competition showcases New York’s many cutting-edge, diverse food businesses whose work strengthens our agricultural industry and gives a boost to our farmers,” said Richard Ball, commissioner of the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. “Thanks to Governor Hochul’s continued support of Grow-NY, this competition has become an annual tradition that not only highlights New York agriculture today, but also speaks to the exciting future opportunities of tomorrow.” Nearly 1,000 people registered to attend the summit, where the 20 finalists pitched their businesses to a panel of judges. The summit also allowed attendees to engage with a series of panels and fireside chats that spotlighted the technologies being developed locally and their impact beyond the region, as well as network with more than 40 food and agricultural exhibitors. In addition to the $1 million award, two $500,000 and four $250,000 prizes were distributed. Among the $250,000 winners was Ithaca-based Clean Label Solution, which receives mentorship and advice from the Center of Excellence for Food and Agriculture at Cornell AgriTech in the production of its soy-based animal feeds. Other winners include: $500,000: Crover (Edinburgh, United Kingdom) – Crover’s “grain swimming” robotic technology helps improve grain storage by maintaining optimum conditions and reducing losses. $500,000: SomaDetect (Ontario) – SomaDetect’s software system offers dairy producers milk-based data straight from their milking line. The startup is advised by Roger Saltman, D.V.M. ’81, and performed early testing of its sensor with Julio Giordano, associate professor of animal science in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, with funding from the New York Farm Viability Institute. $250,000: Cattle Scan (Toronto) – Cattle Scan’s bolus system allows dairy farmers to monitor individual cattle in real-time. $250,000: Mush Foods (Poughkeepsie, New York) – Mush Foods transforms edible mushroom mycelium into a sustainable, animal-free protein. $250,000: MycoLogic (Kennesaw, Georgia) – Founded by CEO Luc Lalire, M.P.S. ’22, MycoLogic provides a comprehensive solution for starting or expanding specialty mushroom cultivation businesses. “The Grow-NY competition continues to drive innovation and climate-smart agriculture to upstate New York during a critical time,” said Krystyn J. Van Vliet, vice president for research and innovation. “I am pleased to congratulate this year’s prize winners and look forward to the future collaborations between these startups and Cornell Research and Innovation.” The winning teams must commit to operating in the central New York, Finger Lakes or Southern Tier regions for at least one year as they work toward making a positive economic impact in the Grow-NY region. The seven startups will foster job growth, connect with local industry partners and contribute to the economy. The competition also included a $10,000 Wegmans Audience Choice Award in which attendees were encouraged to vote for their favorite startup online. Soil-based vertical farm operation Big Yield Growers was this year’s awardee. “It is incredibly exciting to learn which startups will be scaling solutions, solving problems and creating opportunities in the food and ag sector right here in upstate New York in the coming months,” said Jenn Smith, director of food and ag innovation programs at CREA. “We’re grateful to all the finalists and the judges and offer congratulations to the winners.” Applications for the next round of the Grow-NY competition will open in March 2024. This story was originally published in the Cornell Chronicle.

$3 Million in Prize Money Awarded to Seven Food, Beverage, and Agriculture Startups – Including $1 Million Grand Prize for Hypercell Technologies of Georgia Competition Promotes Innovation in Food, Beverage, and Agriculture with Commitment from Winning Businesses to Operate in Central New York, Finger Lakes, and Southern Tier Competition Supported by Upstate Revitalization Initiative and Builds on CNY Rising, Finger Lakes Forward and Southern Tier Soaring Regional Strategies Governor Kathy Hochul today announced Hypercell Technologies, of Peachtree Corners, Georgia as the grand-prize winner of this year’s Grow-NY business competition, a startup challenge focused on enhancing the emerging food, beverage, and agriculture innovation cluster in Central New York, the Finger Lakes, and the Southern Tier. Now in its fifth year, the program awarded $3 million – including the $1 million grand prize – to seven finalists participating the business development accelerator and two-day pitch competition at the Grow-NY Summit this year held in Binghamton. The winning teams must commit to operating in the participating regions for at least one year, while providing Grow-NY with a small equity investment stake in their entity. The competition is administered by Cornell University’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement. “The winners of this year’s Grow-NY competition represents some of the most innovative and forward-thinking entrepreneurs from around the world that will take our state’s food and agriculture sector to the next level,” Governor Hochul said. “Through Grow-NY and the Upstate Revitalization Initiative, my administration is doubling down on its commitment to driving economic growth in every part of our state, sparking innovation, and creating the jobs and opportunities that will move New York forward.” Hypercell Technologies provides rapid point-of-care diagnostics for the food chain, ensuring early identification and management of biological contaminants from production to transformation with increased speed and accuracy. Hypercell CEO and Co-Founder Bruno Jactel said, “We are grateful to New York state and Grow-NY for their support. We’re honored to join the portfolio of Grow-NY winners, and we’re inspired by the startups we competed alongside in this year’s competition. The prize money will help us grow faster, and the innovation ecosystem in Upstate New York will help us grow more sustainably. Grow-NY and our mentor Ed Bizari gave us the resources, guidance, and connections we needed to win the top prize, and we’re excited to scale our business of rapid point-of-care diagnostics to improve the food chain in the Grow-NY region.” Other 2023 winners included: $500,000 Winner:  Crover, (Edinburgh, United Kingdom) – Crover is on a mission to help grain storage operators reduce losses and maintain optimum storage conditions, efficiently and remotely monitoring and maintaining the quality of grain bulks through its “grain swimming” robotic technology. $500,000 Winner: SomaDetect, (Thornhill, ON, Canada) – SomaDetect’s cutting-edge sensor and software system provides farmers with the information they need to make the best milk possible, offering dairy producers automatic and reliable milk-based data directly from their milking line to streamline day-to-day operations of dairy farms. $250,000 Winner: Cattle Scan (Toronto, Canada) – Cattle Scan’s cattle monitoring bolus allows dairy farmers to facilitate real-time monitoring of individual cattle, improving overall herd health, increasing production efficiency, and helping advance business sustainability and operational excellence. $250,000 Winner: Clean Label Solution (Ithaca, NY) – Clean Label Solution has proprietary technology that improves protein and fat digestibility and reduces CO2 emissions and energy consumption in the production of soy-based animal feeds for livestock such as dairy cattle, poultry, deer, and fish farms. $250,000 Winner: Mush Foods (Poughkeepsie, NY) – Mush Foods harnesses the power and intelligence of mushrooms with its edible mushroom mycelium, creating a groundbreaking, sustainable, animal-free protein for the food and beverage industry. $250,000 Winner: MycoLogic (Kennesaw, GA) – MycoLogic is a comprehensive solution for starting or expanding your specialty mushroom cultivation business. They provide hardware and software for the semiautonomous cultivation of specialty mushrooms, as well as biological support and consultation. The competition also featured a “Wegmans Audience Choice” award, selected by the public, for the startup that had the most standout and promising pitch. Big Yield Growers of Endicott, NY, received $10,000 in prize money sponsored by Wegmans. The 20 finalists selected to take part in this innovative competition received dedicated mentorship from hand-selected regional business advisors leading up to the Summit and created a detailed business plan to present in the final competition. The finalists gave their highly anticipated pitches to a panel of seven judges, reflecting a depth and breadth of agriculture, food production and venture development expertise. Nearly 1,000 people registered for the fifth annual Grow-NY Summit. The Summit culminated with the presentation of awards, where individuals from 2022 Grow-NY winners Craft Cannery, Labby, Sweet Pea and top winner ProAgni announced the four $250,000 winners and Commissioner of Agriculture Richard A. Ball revealed the two $500,000 recipients, as well as the $1 million award winner. The winning companies will now immediately get to work executing their business plans in New York state, leveraging the connections made and regional knowledge gained from the competition. New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball, said, “Year after year, the Grow-NY competition showcases New York’s many cutting-edge, diverse food businesses whose work strengthens our agricultural industry and gives a boost to our farmers. Thanks to Governor Hochul’s continued support of Grow-NY, this competition has become an annual tradition that not only highlights New York agriculture today, but also speaks to the exciting future opportunities of tomorrow. I congratulate this year’s winners and all of the entrepreneurs who took part and look forward to seeing what you do next.” Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “Congratulations to the Grow-NY winners, and to all who participated in round five of this unique agriculture-based business competition. I’m proud of New York State’s role in supporting Grow-NY, as these startups continue to build entrepreneurial ecosystems and boost innovative economic growth across the rich farming and agricultural areas of the Finger Lakes, Central and Southern Tier regions.” All told, the Grow-NY business competition once again attracted exceptional startups and entrepreneurial talent from around the globe to compete in its business development accelerator and two-day pitch competition at the Grow-NY Summit. In total, 323 startups applied from 49 countries, including Canada, the UK and Italy. Domestic teams also displayed strong interest, with 32 states represented in the applicant pool, including 81 entries from New York. Forty-two percent of applicants included a female founder, and 61 percent included a founder from an underrepresented background. Grow-NY judges based award decisions on the following criteria: The viability of the startup’s business model The diversity, quality, readiness, and completeness of the startup team The value that the startup offers customers The agrifood innovation that that the startup has invented The job growth and opportunity potential that the startup can bring to the region Cornell University Vice President for Research and Innovation Krystyn J. Van Vliet said, “The Grow-NY competition continues to drive innovation and climate-smart agriculture to Upstate New York during a critical time. I am pleased to congratulate this year’s prize winners and look forward to the future collaborations between these startups and Cornell Research & Innovation.” Grow-NY Program Director Jenn Smith said, “It is incredibly exciting to learn which startups will be scaling solutions, solving problems, and creating opportunities in the food and ag sector right here in Upstate NY in the coming months. We’re grateful to all the finalists and the judges and offer congratulations to the winners.” All winners are required to work towards making a positive economic impact in the Grow-NY region, which consists of 22 counties that serve as home to vibrant farmlands, abundant freshwater, and several rising cities, including Rochester, Syracuse, Ithaca, Geneva, and Binghamton. The winning businesses will foster job growth, connect with local industry partners, and contribute to a thriving economy. Central New York Regional Economic Development Council Co-Chairs Randy Wolken, President & CEO of the Manufacturers Association of Central New York and Le Moyne College President Linda M. LeMura said, “We are pleased to offer many congratulations to all of today’s winners and to all who were part of round five of the Grow-NY competition. New York State continues to experience unprecedented growth in the agriculture and food industries. The Grow-NY competition represents yet another exciting investment in our community that will further bolster regional job growth and further support our agricultural base throughout Central New York ensuring the region continues to rise.” Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Co-Chairs Bob Duffy, President and CEO, Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce and Dr. Denise Battles, President of SUNY Geneseo said, “We are so incredibly proud of all who took part in round five of this innovative competition. The regional council is laser-focused on growing the state’s agricultural and food industries. Our continued investment in the Grow-NY competition is working to connect local industry partners with the cutting-edge ideas of these entrepreneurs, further supporting our multi-pronged approach to creating a thriving regional economy.” Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council Co-Chairs Judy McKinney Cherry, Executive Director, Schuyler County Partnership for Economic Development and Dr. Kevin Drumm, President Emeritus of SUNY Broome Community College said, “We would like to offer our sincere congratulations to the winning teams and to all of the round five Grow-NY competitors who took part in this year’s summit in Binghamton. Innovation and entrepreneurship are key to our economic future. New York’s agriculture industry is one of the most diverse and prestigious in the world, and this initiative sets New York apart from other states, adding to our region’s continued economic success.” Learn more about the Grow-NY competition here. Learn more about Cornell University’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement here. Learn more about Hypercell Technologies here. Accelerating Finger Lakes Forward Today’s announcement complements “Finger Lakes Forward,” the region’s comprehensive strategy to generate robust economic growth and community development. The regionally designed plan focuses on investing in key industries including photonics, agriculture‎ and food production, and advanced manufacturing. More information is available here. ​ Accelerating CNY Rising Today’s announcement complements “CNY Rising,” the region’s comprehensive strategy to generate robust economic growth and community development. The regionally designed plan focuses on capitalizing on global market opportunities, strengthening entrepreneurship and creating an inclusive economy. More information is available here. Accelerating Southern Tier Soaring Today’s announcement complements “Southern Tier Soaring,” the region’s comprehensive strategy to generate robust economic growth and community development. The regionally designed plan focuses on attracting a talented workforce, growing business and driving innovation. More information is available here. About Empire State Development Empire State Development (ESD) is New York’s chief economic development agency (www.esd.ny.gov). The mission of ESD is to promote a vigorous and growing economy, encourage the creation of new job and economic opportunities, increase revenues to the State and its municipalities, and achieve stable and diversified local economies. Through the use of loans, grants, tax credits and other forms of financial assistance, ESD strives to enhance private business investment and growth to spur job creation and support prosperous communities across New York State. ESD is also the primary administrative agency overseeing the Regional Economic Development Councils and the marketing of “I LOVE NY” the State’s iconic tourism brand. For more information on Regional Councils and Empire State Development, visit www.regionalcouncils.ny.gov and www.esd.ny.gov. ###

By Lauren Simpson The startups battling for $3 million in prize money in the fifth annual Grow-NY Food and Agriculture Business Competition aren’t just bringing revolutionary innovations to market that could change the way we feed our planet – they are enriching the region’s robust agri-food system, too. Grow-NY is a global competition focused on enhancing the emerging food, beverage and agriculture innovation cluster in upstate New York, specifically the Central New York, Finger Lakes and Southern Tier regions. The competition is funded by Empire State Development and administered by Cornell’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement. Twenty finalists were selected from over 320 applicants, including 81 entries from New York state. The advancing startups hail from seven different states and four unique countries, with eight finalists from The Empire State. Over the next two months, the finalists will receive business development support and one-on-one mentorship from industry experts. Each startup will make a fully funded trip to the region to expand their networks, develop strategic relationships and envision the positive impact their company will be required to make on the region if they are selected as a winner. They’ll then pitch their business plans to a live audience at the Grow-NY Summit, Nov. 14-15 at the Holiday Inn Binghamton Downtown in Binghamton, New York. One grand prize winner will receive $1 million, two will be awarded $500,000 and four will take home $250,000. “The innovative Grow-NY business competition has once again attracted a group of exceptional startups and entrepreneurial talent from around the world,” said Hope Knight, Empire State Development president, CEO and commissioner. “Grow-NY’s agribusiness focus demonstrates New York state’s continued dedication to supporting agriculture advancements that will create jobs and grow the Central New York, Finger Lakes and Southern Tier economies.” Half of this year’s finalists have ties to the Cornell community, including GR8PE by Stil-bène, a Geneva, New York-based startup co-founded by Elad Tako, associate professor of food science in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS). Daniel Williams Hooker ’93, senior lecturer in the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management in the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, and Todd M. Schmit, MS ’94, PhD ’03, Dyson professor and faculty director of the AgriBusiness and Rural Development and Cooperative Enterprise programs, advise this startup that transforms grape pomace into a dietary supplement to improve digestive health. New York is the nation’s second-largest producer of Concord grapes, with 180,000 tons produced annually. Of that, 80 percent is used for wine and juice production and the remaining 20 percent is discarded as waste. Winners of the Best New Concord Grape-Based Product and a $20,000 cash prize at the 2022 New York Concord Grape Innovation Awards, GR8PE by Stil-bène upcycles this waste and harnesses the scientific power of stilbenes to nourish gut health in a transformative way. GR8PE by Stil-bène is one of six finalists that seek out mentorship and advice from the Center of Excellence for Food and Agriculture at Cornell AgriTech, which serves as a partner in advancing Grow-NY’s mission. Other finalists that are members of the Center of Excellence include: Blue Cove Fish (New York City) – Blue Cove Fish is a low-volume craft seafood cannery that partners with sustainable seafood suppliers to contribute to the development of local aquaculture. Clean Label Solution (Ithaca) – Clean Label Solution’s technology improves protein and fat digestibility and reduces carbon dioxide emissions and energy consumption in the production of soy-based animal feeds. KEHO (New York City) – KEHO’s plant-based snack bars earned it a spot as a Grow-NY finalist for the second-straight year. We Are The New Farmers (New York City) – A 2022 Grow-NY finalist, We Are The New Farmers has worked with faculty across Cornell on various research projects as it perfects its fresh, frozen, farm-grown spirulina cubes. Wisely (Wilmingon, North Carolina) – A participant in Rev: Ithaca Startup Works Prototyping and Manufacturing Hardware Accelerator programs, Wisely’s smart food storage system provides personalized insights and reduces waste. Four additional finalists utilize various other Cornell resources and experts to advance their startups. These companies include: Agriwater Corp (Champaign, Illinois) – Agriwater participated in an Ag-Corps I-Corps regional course, hosted by Cornell and the NSF Interior Northeast I-Corps Hub (IN I-Corps), to learn how farmers might utilize its technology that precipitates contaminants from on-farm manure liquid to create an additional water source. Participation in the course included mentorship from Stephen Sauer, senior lecturer in the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management. FoodNerd (Buffalo) – A 2021 Grow-NY finalist, FoodNerd works with the Cornell Food Venture Center on product process reviews, equipment testing and food safety training for its “positively processed” plant-based food. MycoLogic (Kennesaw, Georgia) – Founded by CEO Luc Lalire, MPS ’22, MycoLogic provides a comprehensive solution for starting or expanding your specialty mushroom cultivation business. SomaDetect (Ontario) – Roger Saltman, DVM ’81, who has served as a member of the Cornell University Council, Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) Advisory Council and president of the CVM Alumni Association, sits on the board for SomaDetect, whose software system offers dairy producers milk-based data straight from their milking line. The startup also did early testing of its sensor with Julio Giordano, associate professor of animal science in CALS, with funding from the New York Farm Viability Institute. This year’s Grow-NY Summit, featuring a pitch competition, educational symposium, and Ecosystem Expo with services for startups, will feature an all-access, in-person component, as well as the option to view virtually. All-access registration is $65, $25 for students, and virtual registration is free. For more information on the Grow-NY Summit and to register, visit grow-ny.com. An iteration of this story was originally published in the Cornell Chronicle.

20 Startups from Across the Globe will Compete to Win a Combined Total of $3 Million in Prize Money at Upcoming Summit Nov. 14-15 Competition is Funded Through Upstate Revitalization Initiatives - Finger Lakes Forward, CNY Rising, and Southern Tier Soaring - Regional Comprehensive Strategies to Revitalize Communities and Grow the Economy Empire State Development (ESD) and Cornell University’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement (CREA) today announced the 20 finalists selected to take part in year five of Grow-NY, a food and agriculture business competition focused on enhancing the emerging food, beverage, and agriculture innovation cluster in upstate New York. The competition is funded through New York state’s Upstate Revitalization Initiative and administered by CREA. Winning companies will be required to make a positive economic impact in the Grow-NY region, which comprises 22 counties located in Central NY, the Finger Lakes, and the Southern Tier regions.  Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight, said, "The innovative Grow-NY business competition has once again attracted a group of exceptional startups and entrepreneurial talent from around the world. Grow-NY's agribusiness focus demonstrates New York State's continued dedication to supporting agriculture advancements that will create jobs and grow the Central New York, Finger Lakes and Southern Tier economies."  State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball, said, "For five years, the Grow-NY competition has showcased the strength and diversity of New York State’s agriculture and food businesses. The program has consistently helped enhance our agricultural economy, attracting exciting, cutting-edge companies that are creating innovative new agricultural technologies and career paths while supporting New York farmers. I congratulate not only the finalists, but all the startups and entrepreneurs who participated in the competition and look forward to seeing all that they will go on to do.”  In total, 323 startups applied from 49 countries, including Canada, the UK, and Italy. Domestic teams also showed strong interest, with 32 states represented in the applicant pool, including 81 entries from New York. Forty-two percent of applicants included a female founder, and 61 percent included a founder from an underrepresented minority group.  A panel of 30 judges, reflecting a depth and breadth of regional expertise, knowledge of the region’s agriculture and food production communities, and entrepreneurial experience, reviewed all the applications to determine the top 20 finalists that will pitch their business plans at the Grow-NY Food and Ag Summit in Binghamton in November. Grow-NY will award a total of $3 million in prize money to seven winners. This includes a $1 million top prize, two $500,000 awards, and four $250,000 prizes.  The 20 selected finalists, in alphabetical order, include:  Agriwater Corp, Champaign, Ill. – Agriwater uses electrolysis to precipitate contaminants from on-farm manure liquid, resulting in the elimination of odor, toxins, and GHGs from wastewater, maintaining environmental compliance, creating an additional water source, and providing recurring revenue streams from the sale of carbon credits.  Big Yield Growers, Endicott, N.Y. – Big Yield Growers is a soil-based vertical farm operation that works with local communities to establish long-term livelihood and organic farming practices while providing the local area with fresh, high quality produce. Blue Cove Fish LLC, New York City – Blue Cove Fish is a low-volume craft seafood cannery that partners with local and sustainable suppliers of seafood, therefore contributing to the development of local aquaculture and food systems, while manufacturing canned seafood products with artisanal techniques and climate-smart packaging.   Cattle Scan, Guelph, Canada – Cattle Scan’s cattle monitoring bolus allows dairy farmers to facilitate real-time monitoring of individual cattle, improving overall herd health, increasing production efficiency, and helping advance business sustainability and operational excellence.  Clean Label Solution LLC, Ithaca, N.Y. – Clean Label Solution has proprietary technology that improves protein and fat digestibility and reduces CO2 emissions and energy consumption in the production of soy-based animal feeds for livestock such as dairy cattle, poultry, deer, and fish farms.  Crover, Edinburgh, United Kingdom – Crover is on a mission to help grain storage operators reduce losses and maintain optimum storage conditions, efficiently and remotely monitoring and maintaining the quality of grain bulks through its “grain swimming” robotic technology.  FaunaTech, Bangalore, India – Fauna is the first smartphone-connected, hand-held diagnostic platform to measure important biomarkers in meat, poultry, and grains, leading to the early detection of critical herd diseases, reducing antibiotic usage, and monitoring food quality at the farm gate.  FoodNerd, Buffalo, N.Y. – FoodNerd creates positively processed plant-based food with a purpose. Their sprouting process maintains and increases the nutritional content found naturally in food, rather than degrading it.  Grape.ag, Cupertino, Calif. – Grape.ag gives plants a voice with its sensors and communication devices, allowing for the unique care of each plant in a vineyard and providing valuable atmospheric and soil information that enables vintners to visualize hyper-local conditions in real-time, find trends, and make better decisions.  GR8PE by Stil-Bène, Geneva, N.Y. – Stil-Bène transforms grape pomace, the skins and seeds left over after pressing grapes, into a powdered dietary supplement designed to improve digestive health.  HempWood, Murray, Ky. – Fibonacci’s HempWood Organic Flooring is an engineered hardwood flooring that is sustainable, healthy, durable, and made in America using a plant-based, no-added formaldehyde adhesive, which emits no VOCs, is renewable and carbon negative, and water and scratch resistant.  Hypercell Technologies, Peachtree Corners, Ga. – Hypercell Technologies provides rapid point-of-care diagnostics for the food chain, ensuring early identification and management of biological contaminants from production to transformation with increased speed and accuracy.   KEHO, New York City – KEHO makes complex science deliciously digestible, curating savory snack bars that are keto-friendly and 100% plant-based. With no sugars, sweeteners, artificial flavors, or colors, KEHO packs up real food for real lives.   LeafSpec LLC, West Lafayette, Ind. – LeafSpec is an accurate, affordable, and portable hyperspectral crop leaf imager that provides measurements of a plant’s physiological features such as leaf moisture content, chlorophyll content, nitrogen content, pathogen and insect diseases, and stresses from chemical sprays without damage to the plant.  Mush Foods, New York City – Mush Foods harnesses the power and intelligence of mushrooms with its edible mushroom mycelium, creating a groundbreaking, sustainable, animal-free protein for the food and beverage industry.  MycoLogic, Kennesaw, Ga. – MycoLogic is a comprehensive solution for starting or expanding your specialty mushroom cultivation business. They provide hardware and software for the semi-autonomous cultivation of specialty mushrooms, as well as biological support and consultation.   SomaDetect Inc., Halifax, Canada – SomaDetect’s cutting-edge sensor and software system provides farmers with the information they need to make the best milk possible, offering dairy producers automatic and reliable milk-based data directly from their milking line to streamline day-to-day operations of dairy farms.  TAINR, Los Angeles – TAINR modernizes the grocery store’s outdated bulk aisle with a smart refill kiosk that moves inventory efficiently, reduces restocking times, and eliminates product losses and single-use plastic packaging waste.   We Are The New Farmers, Brooklyn, N.Y. – We Are The New Farmers brings the benefits of microalgae straight into smoothies with its fresh, frozen, farm-grown spirulina cubes packed with dense micronutrients and loaded with antioxidants.  Wisely, Inc., Wilmington, N.C. – Wisely has developed a smart food storage system that reduces waste by allowing users the ability to track the time and conditions in which their perishables are stored. The system includes a Wisely Smart Sensor Disc integrated with Wi-Fi connectivity to give the user detailed and personalized insights through the Wisely Mobile Companion App.  The 10-week business development phase is an accelerator through which the 20 finalists receive:  Dedicated mentorship from a business advisor selected by our program team for their subject matter expertise and presence in the region;  Introduction to the region’s leaders and resources to connect them to potential partnerships and other strategic opportunities;  Site visits, business tours, and industrial and economic development agency introductions for finalist team representatives;   Business development support and workshops helping them fine-tune their regional plans; and  Pitch training to hone their live presentation skills for the Grow-NY judges and other potential sources of capital.  “We saw the Grow-NY effect in action with this year’s applications. The successes of our portfolio of winning companies attracted participation from startups innovating throughout the agrifood supply chain across the globe, addressing main street economic health, the climate crisis, and how we feed our growing population,” said Jenn Smith, Program Director, Grow-NY. “We are thrilled to welcome the 20 startups selected to participate in this year’s accelerator.”  The accelerator culminates with a live pitch at the Grow-NY Food and Ag Summit, scheduled for November 14 and 15, at the Holiday Inn Downtown in Binghamton. The Summit will be held in two formats simultaneously, in-person and virtually, with finalists pitching their business ideas live in front of an audience and answering questions from a judging panel. The event also includes a food and agriculture symposium and ecosystem expo. This year’s winners will be revealed in a live awards presentation at the conclusion of the Summit.  “It is equal parts inspiring and exciting to see Grow-NY’s business competition gaining global recognition in its fifth year,” said Benjamin Houlton, the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. “Cornell CALS is proud to leverage our research and development strengths in support of this year’s cohort of startups, as they tackle the most complex challenges of our time—working to improve our world’s health, food, economy, and environment, while simultaneously bolstering New York’s innovation ecosystem.”  Registration for the Summit is now open. To learn more about the finalists, mentors, and register for the Summit, visit grow-ny.com.   To learn more about Cornell’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement (CREA), visit https://crea.cornell.edu.  Accelerating Finger Lakes Forward   Today’s announcement complements “Finger Lakes Forward,” the region’s comprehensive blueprint to generate robust economic growth and community development. The regionally designed plan focuses on investing in key industries including photonics, agriculture‎ and food production, and advanced manufacturing. Now, the region is accelerating Finger Lakes Forward with a $500 million State investment through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative. The State’s $500 million investment will incentivize private business to invest well over $2.5 billion – and the region’s plan, as submitted, projects up to 8,200 new jobs. More information is available here. ​  Accelerating CNY Rising   Today's announcement complements “CNY Rising,” the region’s comprehensive blueprint to generate robust economic growth and community development. The regionally designed plan focuses on capitalizing on global market opportunities, strengthening entrepreneurship and creating an inclusive economy. Now, the region is accelerating CNY Rising with a $500 million State investment through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative. The State’s $500 million investment will incentivize private business to invest well over $2.5 billion – and the region’s plan, as submitted, projects up to 5,900 new jobs. More information is available here.  Accelerating Southern Tier Soaring   Today's announcement complements “Southern Tier Soaring,” the region’s comprehensive blueprint to generate robust economic growth and community development. The regionally designed plan focuses on attracting a talented workforce, growing business and driving innovation. Now, the region is accelerating Southern Tier Soaring with a $500 million State investment through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative. The State’s $500 million investment will incentivize private business to invest well over $2.5 billion – and the region’s plan, as submitted, projects up to 10,200 new jobs. More information is available here.  About Empire State Development   Empire State Development (ESD) is New York’s chief economic development agency. The mission of ESD is to promote a vigorous and growing economy, encourage the creation of new job and economic opportunities, increase revenues to the State and its municipalities, and achieve stable and diversified local economies. Through the use of loans, grants, tax credits, and other forms of financial assistance, ESD strives to enhance private business investment and growth to spur job creation and support prosperous communities across New York State. ESD is also the primary administrative agency overseeing the state’s Regional Economic Development Councils and the marketing of "I LOVE NY," the State’s iconic tourism brand. For more information on Regional Councils and Empire State Development, please visit www.regionalcouncils.ny.gov and www.esd.ny.gov 

ProAgni, a startup hailing from Lavington, Australia that creates supplements and feeds for livestock to lower methane emissions, has been named the $1 million grand prize winner of the fourth annual Grow-NY Food and Agriculture competition.