State accepting applications for 7th round of Grow-NY agribusiness competition

ITHACA, N.Y. — Firms interested in getting involved in the 7th round of the Grow-NY competition have until mid-May to apply. Empire State Development (ESD) says it’s now accepting applications for the food, beverage, and agriculture business competition. Organizers will select up to 20 “high-growth potential” food and agriculture startups from around the world as finalists and compete for $3 million in total prize money, per ESD’s March 3 announcement. Those interested must submit applications by 5 p.m. ET on May 15. To apply, visit the website: https://growny2025.skild.com/login During the accelerator program, finalists will undergo a business-development phase, receiving dedicated mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs and introductions to potential regional partners. The Grow-NY region is a 22-county area spanning Central New York, the Finger Lakes, and the Southern Tier. “The Grow-NY accelerator has been instrumental in attracting cutting-edge agribusiness companies from around the world and spurring private investment in the three targeted regions,” Hope Knight, president, CEO, and commissioner of Empire State Development, said in the announcement. “The seventh round will build on the foundational success of previous competition winners whose dynamic innovations and ideas are generating economic growth throughout Upstate.” Grow-NY winners must commit to making a positive, measurable impact to the targeted region’s economies through job creation, strategic partnerships and other economic development activities. One grand-prize winner will receive $1 million, while two others will be awarded $500,000 prizes. Also, four more winners will take home $250,000 prizes. Funding for Grow-NY is provided through New York State’s Upstate Revitalization Initiative’s three regional entities, including CNY Rising, Finger Lakes Forward and Southern Tier Soaring. The money is administered by Cornell University’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement. The selected finalists will present their business plans to a panel of expert judges during the Grow-NY Summit on Nov. 12-13 in Canandaigua, in Ontario County. The event will also include a symposium of panel conversations and keynotes and a showcase of service providers for food and ag startups. The program will also feature a student-stage portion in which middle-school and high-school students pitch their food and ag tech ideas, ESD noted.

Program history

Since the Grow-NY program launched in 2019, its winning startups have created new jobs and attracted millions of dollars of investment, ESD said. The region is home to more than 40 percent of New York’s 30,650 farms and includes an abundance of fertile lands and fresh water. With major urban population centers such as Syracuse, Rochester, Ithaca, and Binghamton, the region also boasts research and development, education, and business resources that make it the “ideal place for startups to take root and grow,” ESD contends. In Grow-NY’s first six years, more than 1,800 businesses in 44 unique states and 95 countries outside of the U.S. applied for the competition. In all, 117 startups have participated as finalists, with 42 winners sharing $18 million in startup funding in addition to the invaluable mentorship and networking benefits the program delivers to finalists. Since competing in Grow-NY, past winners have continued to raise money, expand and succeed, ESD said. Hempitecture, a $500,000 winner from the fourth round, is set to receive $8.42 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy to expand industrial hemp fiber processing and manufacturing capabilities in New York. Through its partnership with Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors, fifth round winner Mush Foods has its 50CutTM burger available for more than 1,600 restaurants and food-service customers nationwide and is one of five startups to receive investments from Lever VC’s $50 million agrifood tech fund. PureNanoTech, a sixth-round awardee, received a $250,000 grant from the New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology shortly after winning $500,000 from Grow-NY. “We’re thrilled to see Grow-NY startups validated by their customers, industry leaders, and investors,” Jenn Smith, program director for Grow-NY, said. “We see spectacular outcomes when startups join in where Upstate NY’s agrifood, innovation, and economic development communities converge, and we’re looking forward to seeing what this year’s application pool offers the competition.”