Central New York (or greater Syracuse, New York region) is emerging as the epicenter for innovation in Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), solidifying New York’s status as a premier destination for drone-related businesses and growth.
World-Leading UAS & AAM Industry Hub
GENIUS NY collaborates closely with its partner, NUAIR, to drive innovation within the aviation industry forward. NUAIR operates the Center of Excellence for Advanced Air Mobility in Syracuse Hancock International Airport and has over a decade of historical management of the only non-academic UAS test site in the United States. Through strategic partnerships with regional economic development agencies and industry stakeholders, NUAIR delivers the next generation of UAS/AAM solutions for the safety, societal, and economic benefits of New York State and beyond.
Together, GENIUS NY and NUAIR are at the forefront of propelling the UAS/AAM industry forward and shaping its future trajectory.
GENIUS NY Opportunities
GENIUS NY offers an opportunity to scale your business with funding and an immersive startup accelerator program like no other. Each year, we invest $3 million into five startups, and offer a host of program services – from mentorship to connections to investors, and inroads to customers.
Besides the funding, winners also receive…
Pitch Deck Support + Investor Relations
Support from experts on pitch deck creation and presentation, along with over 50 investor partners like ffVC and DroneFund Armory Square Ventures.
Industry Mentors + Executive Advisors
Dedicated one-on-one mentorship with experts in your field
Programming + Workshops
Workshops on product market fit, customer discovery, fundraising and go-to-market strategies
UAS Ecosystem + Partners
Access to a vast UAS ecosystem including past GENIUS NY companies, NUAIR and the NY UAS Test Site
Free Office Space + Amenities
Teams receive free office space at The Tech Garden incubator in Syracuse, NY
Recruiting + Fundraising Support
Work with staff and mentors to successfully fundraise, hire and scale
What Teams Are Saying
We have a solid track record. After all, your success is our success! However, we also encourage you to chat with our portfolio of more than 30 companies in the UAS, AAM and automation space to learn more. Meet our portfolio here.
“Bringing Fotokite to the U.S. has always been important for the success of our startup. GENIUS NY has accelerated this process for us even more than we could have expected, resulting in game-changing speed of growth, incredible local and national network connections, and highly curated business advice to help prepare and scale up operations.”
“We felt welcomed and supported in Syracuse, and are able to maintain a presence at The Tech Garden with our CNY team members. We really like the Tech Garden space and environment.”
“We were delighted to participate in the GENIUS NY program. We looked at a lot of other communities and considered a number of other opportunities, but this is where all of the ingredients came together in such a way that the decision to sink our roots here became a no-brainer.”
“A collaborative entrepreneurial community focused on drone-related technology development combined with access to domain experts makes GENIUS NY a true win-win opportunity.”
“The GENIUS program is why we are the leader in UAS Weather and Services today. Thank you.”
“The People and Program are what make Genius NY exceptional. Nothing but great things to say about those we’ve been fortunate enough to work with.”
“The workshops and social activities were a great opportunity for all startups to get to know each other – professionally and personally. TTG and CNY are a great ecosystem – not too busy and saturated so all startups have equal opportunities at succeeding in the space.”
“The program was highly supportive and offered practical tools for evaluating the core business and the constant influx of “shinies” that attract our attention. It also fostered relationships between the participants and with the staff that persist to this day.”
“The time we were there was truly awesome – working around creative and talented individuals was motivating and inspiring, and the space itself is a welcoming and beautiful work environment.”
“Everyone is very welcoming and very open. They do a lot to bring us together instead of keeping the competition up. I’ve already had intense discussions with four of the other winners about how we can do business together, and how we can bring our system together with their assistance, and basically develop a product that has a bigger added value.”
“If you’re doing something in the drone or robotics space, or something that might possibly have an application there, this is the premier program to do so. We’re learning a lot from other companies that have been here before about what people want in a drone product. That access to a group of mentors and companies that have been there and done that is invaluable.”