SYRACUSE — The business incubator that has been operating as the Tech Garden at 235 Harrison St. in Syracuse will have a new name once it reopens this summer, following an expansion project that started in 2023.
Robert Simpson, president and CEO of CenterState CEO, will announce the name during the organization’s upcoming annual meeting on April 23.
“When it opens, it will become the largest entrepreneurship hub in New York state, expanding its impact and ability to support a future-looking vision for our entrepreneurial ecosystem. Therefore, when we open this facility, we will do so with a new name — one that reflects our bold aspirations for the future,” per a CenterState CEO email distributed on Thursday.
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Besides that announcement, those attending the event will also hear from featured speaker Annabel Chang, director and head of state policy and government relations at Waymo.
The economic development and chamber of commerce organization will welcome the business community to the Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Center at Oncenter on April 23 for the event. It will also include the announcement of the Business of the Year recipients.
The event theme, Metamorphic, will explore how pressures from the current cycle of change create a moment of transformation and opportunity to emerge as something stronger.
At Waymo, an autonomous driving technology company, Chang and her team have been “instrumental” in launching public autonomous vehicle services in California and other states, per the CenterState CEO announcement.
In a conversation during the event with CenterState CEO President Robert Simpson, Chang will share Waymo’s and her own story of innovation and leadership in advancing rapidly evolving technologies, building trust, and navigating challenges and uncertainties.
Chang currently serves as the vice-chair and treasurer of the AV Industry Association. Previously, she was the first VP at Alaska Airlines for the San Francisco Bay area, acting as the senior leader for the airline in California. Chang also shaped the transportation policy landscape as the director of public policy for Lyft, where she worked on the earliest policy initiatives related to ride-hailing and autonomous vehicles.
“Central New York is navigating a time of profound growth and change while facing new pressures and uncertainties,” Simpson said in the announcement. “As we go through this process and work toward solutions, we look to stories of those who have done this before. Waymo’s persistence and innovation enabled the company to find success in a challenging environment. It’s an honor to welcome Annabel to Central New York and I look forward to our engaging and thoughtful discussion at this year’s Annual Meeting. I’m certain our conversation will provide valuable insights to our attendees on how we can take the next big steps in this community.”
Simpson will deliver remarks that highlight the opportunities and challenges our community is faced with as it “undergoes a process of significant change, and the key role that innovation plays in accelerating new possibilities for the future.”
Business of the Year Awards
The annual meeting will also unveil CenterState CEO’s Business of the Year Awards, recognizing member companies in five categories: Business with fewer than 50 employees; Business with more than 50 employees; Nonprofit; Minority-owned Business, in partnership with the Upstate Minority Economic Alliance; and Community Involvement.
The finalists are listed below in their respective categories:
More than 50 Employees
- Hidden Level, Inc.
- Lotte Biologics USA, LLC
- VIP Structures
Fewer than 50 Employees
- Chimera Integrations
- ConsciousHR
- Home Sweet Home Cleaning and Gardening LLC
Nonprofit
- Loretto
- Oswego County Federal Credit Union
- YMCA of Central New York
Minority-owned Business, in partnership with the Upstate Minority Economic Alliance
- Champions Martial Arts Inc.
- Cuse Culture Media Group
- L Stacks Construction Co. LLC
Community Involvement
- AmeriCU Credit Union
- Equitable
- Upstate Medical University
