GENIUS NY Announces Semifinalists for Cohort 10

12 teams represent five countries and indicate a strong pipeline of companies ready for market entry and growth as they vie for a spot the Syracuse-based in-residence accelerator

Finalists will compete for up to $1M in investment

SYRACUSE, NY—CenterState CEO announced 12 companies are semifinalists for GENIUS NY program’s 10th cohort. GENIUS NY, operated by CenterState CEO and funded by Empire State Development with support from National Grid, is the world’s largest business accelerator focused on uncrewed systems and robotics. The in-residence program invests $3 million annually in five finalist companies, including a $1 million grand prize awarded at a pitch finals event.

A team of more than 45 evaluators reviewed more than 100 applications for semifinalist selection. Applications came from every continent, excluding Antarctica, with 59% of applicants coming from the United States, and spanned various technology focus areas, including mission, flight and fleet management; defense applications, and UAS vehicle/OEM. Additionally, more than half of the founders that applied identify as Minority, Women or Veteran-owned, demonstrating continued participation from diverse companies and leadership.

Five companies will be selected from these semifinalists for the one-year accelerator based at CenterState CEO’s INSPYRE Innovation Hub in downtown Syracuse, New York.

The Cohort 10 Semifinalists are: 

• AG3 Labs (Milford, Michigan, USA): AG3 Labs designs unmanned aircraft systems and autonomous technologies that support military training and defense operations. Its drone target systems provide realistic, affordable training solutions that help prepare service members for the rapidly evolving threats posed by unmanned aerial systems.

• Astrabeam (Scarsdale, New York, USA): Astrabeam develops advanced radar sensing technology and AI software that enables drones, robots and autonomous machines to safely navigate in complex and challenging environments. Its compact, high-performance sensors support commercial industries, such as construction and mining, while also offering significant potential for defense and space applications.

• AugSense (Aurora, Colorado, USA): AugSense develops edge AI technology that enables drones and autonomous systems to process data and make decisions without relying on cloud connectivity or GPS. Its energy-efficient platform is designed for defense, emergency response and industrial applications where reliable communications and real-time intelligence are essential.

• BonV Aero (Jaipur, Rajasthan, India): BonV Aero designs autonomous heavy-lift aerial platforms capable of transporting critical supplies in some of the world's most demanding environments. Originally developed to support military operations in remote mountainous regions, its technology also serves emergency response and commercial logistics applications where traditional transportation is limited.

• Full Spectrum Research (Taberg, New York, USA): Full Spectrum Research has developed PRISM, an operational intelligence platform that integrates data from drones, sensors, cameras and other technologies into a single real-time operating picture. The platform helps defense, public safety and critical infrastructure teams make faster, more informed decisions by improving situational awareness during complex operations.

• Imagine Aerial (Syracuse, New York, USA): Imagine Aerial is transforming infrastructure inspection through a combination of drones, artificial intelligence and cloud-based analytics. Its end-to-end platform helps government agencies, utilities and commercial customers inspect critical infrastructure faster, more safely, and at significantly lower cost than traditional methods.

• Luxar AI (Cohoes, New York, USA): Luxar AI uses advanced imaging sensors and artificial intelligence to continuously monitor runway and airfield conditions, improving aviation safety in all weather and lighting conditions. Its technology provides airports, military installations and emerging advanced air mobility operators with real-time surface intelligence to help detect hazardous conditions before they become safety risks.

• ReForest Latam (San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina): ReForest Latam combines drone technology, geospatial analytics and biotechnology to restore ecosystems at scale. By using precision aerial seeding and advanced monitoring tools, the company enables governments, nonprofits and private organizations to efficiently restore forests while providing measurable environmental impact and transparent reporting.

• Revolute Robotics (Boston, Massachusetts, USA): Revolute Robotics develops hybrid inspection robots that can both drive and fly, allowing them to access locations traditional robots cannot reach. Its technology enables industrial facilities to complete inspections more safely, quickly, and cost-effectively while reducing downtime and minimizing risk to workers.

• RIFT Spatial Technologies (Warsaw, Poland / New Jersey, USA): RIFT Spatial Technologies develops advanced positioning technology that enables drones, robots, and autonomous vehicles to navigate accurately in environments where GPS and cameras cannot be relied upon. Using AI-powered sensor fusion, the company helps autonomous systems operate safely in challenging locations such as underground mines, urban environments and GPS-denied areas, improving reliability for commercial and defense applications. 

• Steel Robotics (Dubai, United Arab Emirates): Steel Robotics is modernizing structural steel manufacturing through AI-powered automation. Its software orchestrates existing factory equipment to streamline production, helping steel fabricators improve efficiency, reduce manual programming and increase manufacturing capacity.

• Vigilare AI (Fayetteville, New York, USA): Vigilare AI is building the next generation of intelligent command software for drone and autonomous operations. Its AI-powered platform helps operators quickly understand live data, identify potential threats and make informed decisions, improving efficiency across defense, public safety and commercial industries.

This year, more than half of startups applying are in the validation stage, actively refining their technology and exploring commercialization. Additionally, more than a quarter of the applicants are already generating revenue through their technology.

“Each year we see the GENIUS NY applicant pool grow stronger, and this round is no exception,” said Kara Jones, director of GENIUS NY. “The diversity of founders, the global reach of submissions and the number of teams already validating or generating revenue all point to a maturing industry and a deep pipeline of companies ready to scale. These semifinalists represent some of the most promising innovations in uncrewed systems and robotics, and we’re excited to learn more about their technologies as we move toward selecting our top five for Cohort 10.”

Semifinalists will pitch their technologies and businesses to a panel of executive advisers. Advisers are looking for companies that will stay in the Central New York area; participate in and contribute to the region’s growing UAS ecosystem; will scale and be successful; and represent diversity of technology focus and team makeup. Finalists will be announced in August, and then finalist teams will relocate to Central New York this fall.

Finalists will work on their technology while preparing their business for a pitch competition in spring 2027. CenterState CEO’s annual Innovation Night event features the GENIUS NY Pitch Finals, during which the companies participating in the program will pitch to a panel of judges and a live audience in pursuit of the $1 million grand prize. The four other finalists will all receive a $500,000 investment. 

In addition to the investments made through Innovation Night, GENIUS NY finalists receive assistance with product and business development, free office space and amenities at INSPYRE Innovation Hub, as well as networking opportunities with investors and leaders in the region’s UAS ecosystem. Participants benefit from access to the region’s premier startup programming and are integrated into the regional effort to grow uncrewed systems in Central New York and the Mohawk Valley.

Since 2017, the program has attracted more than 45 startups to Central New York. To date, nearly $27 million has been invested in participating companies, which have gone on to raise more than half million dollars in follow-on funding and created hundreds of new jobs in New York state.