Helping defense focused businesses expand their markets
The Research Foundation (RF) hosted a Defense Diversification Workshop at SUNY Poly in Utica on December 17 to help innovators and entrepreneurs expand their markets beyond the defense community and decrease their reliance on the defense budget. Seven companies received expert advice specific to their businesses and competed for a $25,000 investment to move their ideas into action.
Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology & Innovation (NYSTAR) was awarded funding from the Department of Defense Office of Economic Adjustment for an initiative to increase New York State companies’ competitiveness by helping defense focused businesses to branch out into other markets and make them more resilient to defense spending fluctuations.
As part of this program NYSTAR selected the RF to host an event that combined targeted consultations with business and technology experts and a pitch event. Vistex Composites LLC, a manufacturing company based in Schenectady, NY, was awarded $25,000 to advance its patented Pressure Focusing Layer (PFL)™ process.
The participating companies were:
- Greno Industries – Boiler relief valve systems.
- Mentis Technologies – Computer applications that provide protection against cyber-attacks to an enterprise network.
- On the Curb – Revolutionary way for businesses to use Data Sculptor which has advanced data research, analysis, and operational uses.
- Partsimony – A cognitive supply chain.
- SupreMEtric – Portable device for law enforcement agencies to analyze and identify forensic samples.
- United Aircraft Technologies, Inc. – Sensor network for electrical wiring that is designed to reduce weight, improve safety, and simplify maintenance through the use of Augmented Reality and Artificial Intelligence.
- Vistex Composites LLC – Customized manufacturing processes for turning advanced composite materials, like carbon fiber, into some of the strongest, lightest-weight products on earth.
The pitch competition winner was selected by group of judges with expertise in entrepreneurship, commercialization, venture capital and the defense industry:
- Michael Carpenter, Interim Dean, College of Engineering SUNY Polytechnic Institute
- Emily Ekland, Vice President, NYSTAR Business Development
- Mike Hayduk, Deputy Director, Information Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory
- Nick Querques, Director of New Ventures, The Research Foundation for SUN
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