Flox Intelligence Wins GENIUS NY Round 9 Grand Prize

Flox Intelligence of Stockholm Sweden Wins GENIUS NY $1 Million Grand Prize; Four Other Finalists Receive $500,000 Investments as Part of $3 Million Awarded to Innovative Companies Operating in Syracuse 

GENIUS NY is the World’s Largest Accelerator for Uncrewed Systems and Robotics 

The Competition is Supported by the Region's Comprehensive Strategy to Revitalize Communities and Grow the Economy by Investing in Next-Generation Innovation 

Empire State Development (ESD) announced Flox Intelligence of Stockholm, Sweden as the $1 million grand prize winner of round nine of the GENIUS NY accelerator. The company has developed AI that understands and speaks to wild animals—running on Edge pods, drones, and trains —to steer wildlife away from critical areas. GENIUS NY brings the world’s most innovative entrepreneurs in the uncrewed systems field to Central New York for a yearlong accelerator program. Funded by Empire State Development and operated by CenterState CEO, GENIUS NY features a pitch competition in downtown Syracuse at the annual Innovation Night event. The grand prize winner receives $1 million, and the other four finalists are each awarded a $500,000 investment, distributing a total of $3 million. All participants are required to operate their business in Central New York for at least one year. 

Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “The state’s investments through the GENIUS NY program continue to elevate the uncrewed aerial systems industry to new heights, fueling its incredible growth and generating uplifting opportunities in Central New York and throughout the state. Congratulations to the forward-thinking innovators who have brought their dynamic ideas to the region and are ready to take advantage of New York State's unmatched UAS assets and infrastructure. 

The five finalist teams made their pitch for the $1 million grand prize to a panel of judges and audience during the Pitch Finals portion of Innovation Night. 

Sara Nozkova, Co-Founder & CEO of Flox Intelligence, said, "With this $1 million from Empire State Development, and the support of CenterState CEO and the GENIUS NY team, Syracuse becomes Flox Intelligence's global headquarters and the launchpad for our North American expansion. We came looking for advice and capital. We found a new home and long-term partners." 

Four teams received a prize of $500,000: Lamarr.AI, Lighthouse Avionics, Modovolo, and SkyfireAI. 

The event’s judges included experts from across the startup and UAS sector, including: 

• Liz Forro, policy advisor, Hogan Lovells; and policy director, Commercial Drone Alliance. 
• Rami Katz, CEO, Excell Partners. 
• Kevin May, co-founder and VP of products and programs, Hidden Level. 
• Karen Roth, defense consultant, Roosevelt Group; and former deputy director at AFWERX. 
• Ben Verschueren, executive director, NY Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR). 

Since 2017, New York State has directly invested $27 million in 47 GENIUS NY teams over the program’s nine rounds and participating companies have raised more than $500 million in follow-on funding, creating top-quality new jobs in New York state. The advancement of the GENIUS NY program builds on the progress of CNY Rising, the region’s award-winning strategic plan to revitalize communities and grow the economy. 

“Each year, Central New York gets to be the home to some of the most innovative uncrewed systems and robotics startups through GENIUS NY. It’s helped establish the region as a premier location to launch, test and grow a drone business. As a pillar of the Central New York innovation economy, GENIUS NY is an example of how strategic investment and thoughtful programming can create jobs, attract further investment and act as a catalyst for further growth,” said CenterState Chief Executive Officer Rob Simpson. “The impressive technology coming out of this year’s cohort helps to push the entire regional ecosystem forward. On behalf of the team at CenterState CEO, I am excited to continue to support them all as they finish the final months of the accelerator and well into the future.” 

“The GENIUS NY Cohort 9 finalists are all bringing exciting technology to market, and they are doing it at CenterState’s INSPYRE Innovation Hub. Being at INSPYRE provides greater opportunity for all in the building and pushes us to think bigger about the possibilities of the region’s innovation economy. I look forward to helping each of them as they continue to grow and lay roots in Central New York,” said Kara Jones, CenterState CEO Director of Programs & Engagement. 

GENIUS NY Pitch Finals is a part of Innovation Night, a celebration of the entire Central New York innovation economy. The event highlights dynamic entrepreneurs and thought leadership within the region’s innovation ecosystem–from world-class UAS technology to pioneering, homegrown startups–showing that there is space for everyone in Central New York’s innovative future. 

Innovation Night also celebrated the success of other growth programs and entrepreneurs, and featured Innovation Alley, showcasing emerging startups in the region, including teams and clients engaged in CenterState CEO’s INSPYRE Innovation Hub. 

Since 2016, New York has committed to making Central New York and the Mohawk Valley regions among the country’s premier destinations for drones and uncrewed systems businesses, creating a thriving integrated ecosystem where companies can test, grow, hire, and scale without leaving New York. It invested $56 million to develop the FAA-designated NY UAS Test Site at Griffiss Airport, and $16.6 million for CenterState CEO’s INSPYRE Innovation Hub, where GENIUS NY is housed.