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.
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.
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.
Source: Cornell University