Startup Programs & Resources

CenterState CEO supports early-stage business ideas by offering funding opportunities, business support, access to incubator and co-working space, accelerator programs, and connections to partners and resources throughout the startup and entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Innovation Hot Spot

Startup and early-stage companies, either as residents or virtual residents, can receive five years of tax benefits, mentorship and other incubation services through the Innovation Hot Spot . Once they graduate from the Hot Spot program, they are eligible to join Start-Up NY Zones for up to an additional 10 years of benefits.

Tax incentives through Hot Spot include:
  • Corporation Franchise tax benefit
  • Personal Income tax benefit
  • Sales and Use tax benefit
Qualifications:
  • Must be a member of The Tech Garden (NYS Certified Hot Spot) as a high-tech/high-growth entity directly or through a Tech Garden incubator partner.
  • Must be in the start up or early stage of development as a company, with a product, service, software, or research that is not yet in the commercial marketplace.
  • Business enterprise: must be a corporation, sole proprietor, partnership, or sub-S company.
  • Must be within the tech or manufacturing industries: Manufacturing is defined as the process of working raw materials into products which gives new shapes, quality, or combinations to matter by the use of machinery, tools, appliances, or other similar equipment. Tech is technology and includes software or research.
  • Must operate within the region while receiving Hot Spot services.
  • Must provide impact data bi-annually to The Tech Garden Innovation Hot Spot to show economic impact and growth.

​Innovation Hot Spot

The Tech Garden is the designated Innovation Hot Spot for the Central New York region. The Hot Spot program is a five year tax incentive...

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John Liddy

Vice President of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

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GENIUS NY

GENIUS NY brings together some of the most promising startups to help shape the future of Central New York. It offers domestic and international companies in the uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) and data-to-decisions industries seed funding and business advisory and programming solutions to accelerate their businesses.. This in-residence business competition accelerator at The Tech Garden in Central New York goes beyond making a substantial direct investment. In addition to up to $3 million in funding, the program also offers stipends, business resources, programming, and connections, making it among the largest competitions of its kind across the globe.

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Kara Jones

Director of GENIUS NY

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Grants for Growth

Grants for Growth is a long-standing CenterState CEO seed funding program that supports innovative applied research projects between universities and industry to improve business competitiveness and create jobs. Companies can apply for the award in one of three categories based on their growth stage: up to $10,000 Ignition grants for early-stage companies, up to $25,000 Proof of Concept grants, and up to $100,000 Commercialization investments for later-stage companies.

The Clean Tech Center

The NYSERDA-funded Clean Tech Center at The Tech Garden offers support for entrepreneurs and early stage companies through incubation, acceleration and retention. It supports client companies by providing the training, resources, and expertise needed to get them ready for investment, cash flow positive, and successfully commercializing their emerging clean energy technologies.
How It Works:
  1. ​Become a Tech Garden Member
  2. Apply to The Clean Tech Center Program
  3. Enter Phase 1 and earn up to $6K
  4. Enter Phase 2 and earn up to $9K
  5. Graduate and Grow
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EPIC Building Accelerator

The Clean Tech Center partners with the SyracuseCoE on the Energy Program for Innovation Clusters (EPIC). Support is available for new and existing NYS companies who are innovating hardware products for buildings that increase energy-efficiency and healthfulness and that advance grid-integration and decarbonization goals (see examples of next generation products). To apply to the EPIC GEB Accelerator and other program services, please complete the initial interest survey below.

Learn more About Benefits Complete the EPIC Interest Survey

The Clean Tech Center

The Clean Tech Center at The Tech Garden in Syracuse is a NYSERDA-funded initiative focused on supporting companies commercializing...

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John Liddy

Vice President of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

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Up Start Syracuse

Perhaps your business idea is brick and mortar rather than tech. CenterState CEO’s Up Start Syracuse program has launched entrepreneurs who focus on local, service-based businesses. UP Start offers introductory classes on business plan creation, business structure and assistance with launch.

Up Start programing offer access to training, business plan assistance, technical assistance through a pool of resource providers, and support in accessing lending or finding real estate or physical space for their business venture.

Learn more about Up Start  Request Up Start Services

Up Start

The Up Start business development program connects local, service based businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs to the tools and networks that...

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Erik Jankowski

Small Business Manager

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Syracuse Surge Accelerator

The Syracuse Surge Accelerator is a one year in-person accelerator that provides direct resources and support for Black-Indigenous-Persons of Color (BIPOC) entrepreneurs from around the country, who want to launch and accelerate tech-related and tech-adjacent startups.

This competitive program recruits BIPOC-founded teams to submit conceptual proposals to build scalable businesses around specific technologies or business needs. Teams are selected for an immersive 12-month experience within The Tech Garden, CenterState CEO’s incubator, with access to extensive programming and resources.

Through the program, entrepreneurs in the tech industry will find the tools and resources they need to accelerate and grow in Syracuse, New York. To learn more about the program and the next available application round, contact Dr. Emad Rahim.

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Emad Rahim

Syracuse Surge Entrepreneurship Manager

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Click for more information on resources for small businesses and our innovation and entrepreneurship focus.

Small Business Resources

A range of resources for small businesses is available through CenterState CEO and partners in the region, as well as other sources of assistance and funding through state, federal and nonprofit sources. Read more below to learn more, or contact us at ceo@centerstateceo.com.  

Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Innovation & Entrepreneurship The region’s innovation ecosystem brings together innovative local business builders, startups and pioneering...