Hardware Scaleup Expo to Explore What’s Next for New York Cleantech Companies and Manufacturers

Day’s Events Will Showcase New Clean Technologies in Development Along with our Growing State and Local Ecosystem that’s Fostering Innovation; Program Application Now Open


ROCHESTER, N.Y., May 30, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NextCorps and Rev Ithaca Startup Works will hold the first ever Hardware Scaleup Expo Day on June 4, 2019 at the NextCorps Incubator at Sibley Square. The Expo will bring cleantech startups that are participating in the Hardware Scaleup accelerator program together with investors and manufacturers that are committed to supporting a more sustainable future. Keynote speakers—including Anne Spaulding from the City of Rochester’s Sustainability Office, Manuel Ochoa from Council Rock Enterprises and Todd Khozein from SecondMuse—will provide an overview of what’s happening upstate and downstate to foster cleantech innovation and share recent success stories that are impacting New York State. 

In tandem with the Expo, Hardware Scaleup is opening its application period for recruiting its next cohort for the program. Cleantech startups are encouraged to apply now until July 19.

The Expo offers two tracks:

  • An invite-only morning track from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM provides potential investors, manufacturers and partners with a more detailed overview of the technologies under development.
  • A public afternoon session from 12:30 PM to 5:00 PM features the keynote presentations, a manufacturing expo that fosters connections with a dozen regional manufacturers and the participating startups, and a general networking session.

Funded by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), Hardware Scaleup is helping startups successfully move their clean energy hardware products from the prototype stage into mass production. The program pairs startups with mentors, manufacturers and program partners across New York State to help them confidently move their manufacturing and their business forward. Hardware Scaleup serves cleantech startups in upstate New York, while a similar program called M-Corps—administered by SecondMuse—serves startups downstate.

NYSERDA has provided $4 million in support for the two programs. In addition to helping develop, launch, and scale innovations among startups, the program also helps advance the state’s clean energy and emission reduction goals by bringing new clean technology options to consumers and businesses.

People can register for the free afternoon session at https://cleantechexpo-2019.eventbrite.com

  • Keynote speaker Anne Spaulding is the manager of the city of Rochester’s Division of Environmental Quality, which supports the City of Rochester’s Values and Guiding Principles by providing efficient, high quality environmental compliance and pollution prevention; brownfield investigation, cleanup and redevelopment; and energy, climate and sustainability planning for the City of Rochester and the public.
  • Keynote speaker Manuel Ochoa is the vice president of engineering at Council Rock Enterprises. He will share what the company’s subsidiary, inverSOL, is doing to leverage solar energy to power basic appliances, especially in areas frequently affected by natural disasters.
  • Keynote speaker Todd Khozein is the cofounder and managing director of Second Muse, a New York City based organization focused on the development of economies that create social and environmental justice. At the organization, he has accelerated over 300 impact businesses, helping to raise over $500M and generate more than $13B in market value.

To learn more about NextCorps’ Hardware Scaleup program, go to scaleup.nextcorps.org. To apply to or learn more about SecondMuse’s M-Corps program, go to manufacturenewyork.com.

About NextCorps
NextCorps provides a suite of services, including technology commercialization support for very early-stage opportunities, business incubation for technology startups, and growth services for manufacturing companies seeking to improve their top- and bottom-line performance. For more information, visit www.nextcorps.org.

About SecondMuse
SecondMuse a collaboration agency that works with visionary cities, governments, organizations and startups to build future economies. Over the past five years, SecondMuse’s New York City team has worked with New York City Economic Development Corporation to build the city’s hardware ecosystem through Futureworks. The program has supported more than 100 early- and growth-stage hardware startups as well as a network of a dozen prototyping spaces. To learn more about SecondMuse, visit secondmuse.com.

For more information, contact Shannon Wojcik at shannon@rkgcomms.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/63ae26cd-cd1c-4195-82c4-d478775e46f1

Cleantech presentation from Rev: Ithaca Startup Works