SYRACUSE — Construction crews will put the finishing touches on the long-planned Central New York Biotech Accelerator in the next few months. The joint project of the State University of New York Upstate Medical University and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) will open in early 2013. The 40,000-square-foot building, located at 841 […]
SYRACUSE — Construction crews will put the finishing touches on the long-planned Central New York Biotech Accelerator in the next few months.
The joint project of the State University of New York Upstate Medical University and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) will open in early 2013. The 40,000-square-foot building, located at 841 E. Fayette St. in Syracuse, will have office and lab space for as many as 21 companies and more than 100 scientists, technicians, and entrepreneurs.
The accelerator will be focused on businesses developing technologies related to life sciences and the environment. That will include firms working in fields like pharmaceuticals and medical devices as well as in areas such as bioenergy and alternative fuels, says Arthur Stipanovic, a professor at ESF and interim co-director of the accelerator.
The facility’s leaders are in the process of hiring a permanent director now, Stipanovic adds. They’re hoping to find someone with solid business and startup experience who will provide regular coaching and mentoring to tenants.
Organizers also have some initial leads on possible accelerator companies, but nothing firm yet, Stipanovic says. Many of the firms are likely to come from Upstate Medical, ESF, or other area colleges, but that’s not a requirement, he adds.
Companies could have no connections to local universities at all, he says. Their founders might have started their careers at another local business, for example.
Stipanovic notes that while there are other incubators and accelerator programs in the area, the focus on biotechnology is what separates the Upstate-ESF project. And while Cornell University runs an incubator focused on life sciences, commuting to Ithaca could be a challenge for a Syracuse–based startup team, he adds.
The accelerator’s tenant companies will be able to tap into the extensive expertise and equipment at both Upstate Medical and ESF. Others in the area, such as Syracuse University, could help the firms as well, Stipanovic says.
“We hope to give client companies physical spaces, but also the resources they need,” he says.
The facility has faced a challenging road to reality. Plans for the building date back at least 10 years, Stipanovic says, and the project has faced a number of delays related to its ultimate location and funding.
The $25 million project is funded mainly by the state, he adds, plus some federal support.
The construction manager on the project is LeChase Construction, which is based in Rochester, but has Central New York offices in Syracuse, Ithaca, and Binghamton.
The building was designed by the S/L/A/M Collaborative, which has offices in Syracuse, Atlanta, Boston, and Glastonbury, Conn.
The accelerator building is part of a broader redevelopment led by Upstate Medical of the surrounding area. The development, known as Loguen’s Crossing, will eventually include residential and additional commercial space.
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SYRACUSE — Construction crews will put the finishing touches on the long-planned Central New York Biotech Accelerator in the next few months.
The joint project of the State University of New York Upstate Medical University and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) will open in early 2013. The 40,000-square-foot building, located at 841 E. Fayette St. in Syracuse, will have office and lab space for as many as 21 companies and more than 100 scientists, technicians, and entrepreneurs.
The accelerator will be focused on businesses developing technologies related to life sciences and the environment. That will include firms working in fields like pharmaceuticals and medical devices as well as in areas such as bioenergy and alternative fuels, says Arthur Stipanovic, a professor at ESF and interim co-director of the accelerator.
The facility’s leaders are in the process of hiring a permanent director now, Stipanovic adds. They’re hoping to find someone with solid business and startup experience who will provide regular coaching and mentoring to tenants.
Organizers also have some initial leads on possible accelerator companies, but nothing firm yet, Stipanovic says. Many of the firms are likely to come from Upstate Medical, ESF, or other area colleges, but that’s not a requirement, he adds.
Companies could have no connections to local universities at all, he says. Their founders might have started their careers at another local business, for example.
Stipanovic notes that while there are other incubators and accelerator programs in the area, the focus on biotechnology is what separates the Upstate-ESF project. And while Cornell University runs an incubator focused on life sciences, commuting to Ithaca could be a challenge for a Syracuse–based startup team, he adds.
The accelerator’s tenant companies will be able to tap into the extensive expertise and equipment at both Upstate Medical and ESF. Others in the area, such as Syracuse University, could help the firms as well, Stipanovic says.
“We hope to give client companies physical spaces, but also the resources they need,” he says.
The facility has faced a challenging road to reality. Plans for the building date back at least 10 years, Stipanovic says, and the project has faced a number of delays related to its ultimate location and funding.
The $25 million project is funded mainly by the state, he adds, plus some federal support.
The construction manager on the project is LeChase Construction, which is based in Rochester, but has Central New York offices in Syracuse, Ithaca, and Binghamton.
The building was designed by the S/L/A/M Collaborative, which has offices in Syracuse, Atlanta, Boston, and Glastonbury, Conn.
The accelerator building is part of a broader redevelopment led by Upstate Medical of the surrounding area. The development, known as Loguen’s Crossing, will eventually include residential and additional commercial space.
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SYRACUSE — Construction crews will put the finishing touches on the long-planned Central New York Biotech Accelerator in the next few months. The joint project of the State University of New York Upstate Medical University and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) will open in early 2013. The 40,000-square-foot building, located at 841 […]
SYRACUSE — Construction crews will put the finishing touches on the long-planned Central New York Biotech Accelerator in the next few months.
The joint project of the State University of New York Upstate Medical University and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) will open in early 2013. The 40,000-square-foot building, located at 841 E. Fayette St. in Syracuse, will have office and lab space for as many as 21 companies and more than 100 scientists, technicians, and entrepreneurs.
The accelerator will be focused on businesses developing technologies related to life sciences and the environment. That will include firms working in fields like pharmaceuticals and medical devices as well as in areas such as bioenergy and alternative fuels, says Arthur Stipanovic, a professor at ESF and interim co-director of the accelerator.
The facility’s leaders are in the process of hiring a permanent director now, Stipanovic adds. They’re hoping to find someone with solid business and startup experience who will provide regular coaching and mentoring to tenants.
Organizers also have some initial leads on possible accelerator companies, but nothing firm yet, Stipanovic says. Many of the firms are likely to come from Upstate Medical, ESF, or other area colleges, but that’s not a requirement, he adds.
Companies could have no connections to local universities at all, he says. Their founders might have started their careers at another local business, for example.
Stipanovic notes that while there are other incubators and accelerator programs in the area, the focus on biotechnology is what separates the Upstate-ESF project. And while Cornell University runs an incubator focused on life sciences, commuting to Ithaca could be a challenge for a Syracuse–based startup team, he adds.
The accelerator’s tenant companies will be able to tap into the extensive expertise and equipment at both Upstate Medical and ESF. Others in the area, such as Syracuse University, could help the firms as well, Stipanovic says.
“We hope to give client companies physical spaces, but also the resources they need,” he says.
The facility has faced a challenging road to reality. Plans for the building date back at least 10 years, Stipanovic says, and the project has faced a number of delays related to its ultimate location and funding.
The $25 million project is funded mainly by the state, he adds, plus some federal support.
The construction manager on the project is LeChase Construction, which is based in Rochester, but has Central New York offices in Syracuse, Ithaca, and Binghamton.
The building was designed by the S/L/A/M Collaborative, which has offices in Syracuse, Atlanta, Boston, and Glastonbury, Conn.
The accelerator building is part of a broader redevelopment led by Upstate Medical of the surrounding area. The development, known as Loguen’s Crossing, will eventually include residential and additional commercial space.
