Partner Programs

There are many great resources for entrepreneurs in the Hudson Valley Region and yet it's hard to find the people and programs you most need. We've done our best to categorize what is out there so that you can join mailing lists, programs if they are running, and get better tapped into the ecosystem.

Entrepreneurship Ideation Support

These resources and programs are great to hone in on an entrepreneurship idea.

Ossining Innovates

What they do: Bi-yearly, 3-week “bootcamps”, to guide those who want to start their business with a process for identifying and evaluating potential new business ideas.
How: Online and in-person classes and cohorts. Applications submitted now will be placed on the waitlist for the next cohort (check website).
Best For: Idea-stage, first-time entrepreneur

I-Corps (Offered through NYC's Innovation Hot Spot)

What they do: Customer discovery program, highly recommended for anyone with an idea to test it's feasibility.
How: Online cohorts run 2x a year. For information or to apply to next cohort visit their website.
Best For: Idea-stage, first-time entrepreneur

Industry-Specific Resources

These resources and programs are great for sectors, industries, and other niches in the Hudson Valley.

		ClimateTech Expertise Network (NYS Incubator for CleanTech) What they do: Offer an array of acceleration services for climate-related startups and innovations including paid mentorship (EIRs), a service to be matched with talent, and the ability to be matched with a vendor for your company. How: Free, apply for services online. Best For: High-growth potential climate-related startups.
		Commissary Kitchen at RVAC (Commercial Kitchen) What they do: Help food businesses grow and prepare goods. How: Membership model, giving access to commercial kitchen space. Best For: Caterers, food truck operators or wholesalers, cooking or nutrition instructors, and food concept developers
		TouroCOM Incubator (Bio-Tech Coworking & Facility) What they do: Housed out of Touro Medical College in Middletown, tenants can access faculty research lab equipment, an Iso7 Clean room, a dedicated conference room, and 3D printers through our student 3D Printing in Medicine club. To find out more information on how to be a tenant, email Director of Research Labs, David Manna. How: Space rental per month Best For: Bio-tech related companies.
		BioInc (Wet Lab) What they do: Developing product from initial conception to final execution - wet lab space and work space, based in Westchester County. How: Space rental per month Best For: Bio-tech startups (research phase).
		Mid-Hudson Works (Warehousing & Fulfillment / Copacking / Roasting / Assembly) What they do: Active food handling licenses, secure and climate controlled storage, shipping services. They specialize in coffee roasting, fulfillment, kitting, co-parking, and assembly. How: Space rental per month / space-use time by hour Best For: Consumer packaged good (food), Welding, Soldering, Electronics, Coffee Roasting.
		FuzeHub (Manufacturing Startups) What they do: Provide training events on trending technologies and connect founders to service providers (like CAD engineers and funding opportunities). How: Apply online for services. Best For: Manufacturing help and guidance in NYS.
		Manufacturing & Technology Enterprise Center (MTEC) (Manufacturing) What they do: The Hudson Valley's MEP National Network location, MTEC offers business advisors have decades of experience in business operations, including: production management, new product development, engineering, marketing, training, and more. How: MTEC has the ability to work on an array of manufacturing needs, give them a call to discuss. Best For: Manufacturing help in the Hudson Valley.
		Entrepreneurship Lab: Bio & Health Tech What they do: ELab is a prestigious training and mentorship program for founders with some educational background in life sciences and healthcare technology. How: One and two-day masterclasses with reception Best for: Founders advancing biotech and health tech ventures.

Subject Matter Expertise

These are free or low cost resources to know about when doing business in New York State.

Syracuse University Innovation Law Center

What they do: From market landscapes to intellectual property protection to licensing options to potential funding sources, NYSSTLC has helped scores of companies and institutions make their technology vision become a commercial reality.
How: Apply via their intake form.
Best For: If you are a company or institution focused on bringing new technology to market, the NYSSTLC is here to assist and guide you.

SUNY Research Foundation

What they do: Connect founders with innovative R&D needs with SUNY faculty; assist great matches with applying to SBIR funding, run an annual summer series program to help in the basics of commercialization.
How: Email Eliza to see if you're a good fit.
Best For: Innovative technology developing hard to solve problems.

Slicing Pie

What they do: The online Pie Slicer application helps early-stage companies create a perfectly fair equity split.
How: There is a free version and trial for those starting out.
Best For: All bootstrapping companies.

Entrepreneurship Planning, Education, Accelerator Support

These resources and programs are great for those who have an idea and a business and are ready to get to the stage of going to market or growing.

		Mid-Hudson Small Business Development Center What they do: free, writing business plans, discover sources of funding, prepare for e-commerce, business incorporation How: Scheduled appointments and training events Best For: Early-Stage Entrepreneurs and Small Business in Mid Hudson Valley Region
		Rockland Small Business Development Center What they do: writing business plans, discover sources of funding, expand business How: Scheduled appointments Best For: Early-Stage Entrepreneurs and Small Business in lower Hudson Valley Region
		Women's Enterprise Development Center What they do: Help with loans and funding, a yearly entrepreneurship program How: high quality training programs and advisory service Best For: All entrepreneurs in the HV region
		Hudson Community Incubator What they do: Yearly accelerator program, and ongoing membership to get access to HV business events and workshops How: Events and accelerator program which runs in a cohort, once a year Best For: New startups and small business ideas
		The Catalyst Biosciences Accelerator What they do: Six-month program of personalized entrepreneurial education delivered for first time founders of bioscience ventures of any development stage focused on healthcare innovation How: Accelerator program known for 1:1 support, networking and business education Best For: Available to founders in the Hudson Valley, made available through Westchester County, first-time founders, in the healthcare and life sciences industry. To sign up for WCBA newsletter with upcoming events and program application notice click here.
		AccelerateHV What they do: Intensive three-month program to support small businesses, targeting revenue growth of at least 3x, meaningful increases in profitability and maximizing business valuations. How: Accelerator starts January 2025, flat fee to participate. Best For: "Main Street" businesses with growth ambitions and goals.

Business/Startup Support - County Specific

These resources and programs are for founders living in these specific Hudson Valley counties.

Westchester Innovation Network (Westchester County)

What they do: Beta test, gather data and educate prospective customers about innovation happening in their industries.
How: approved innovators are matched with a local prospective client or beta-test partner best suited to your innovation
Best For: companies whose customers and users include multinational corporations, hospitals, universities, biotech pioneers, not-for-profits, entrepreneurs, and companies of all sizes based in the Hudson Valley Region.

Think Dutchess (Dutchess County)

What they do: Bring together 10 agencies to offer a single point of contact for a multitude of programs for entrepreneurs, businesses and site selectors in Dutchess County. They help with things like site selection, workforce development, permitting, and more.
How: Great online portal with regional services with includes list of funding places, tax incentives, and their program staff will direct you to the resources you need.
Best For: Established companies growing in Dutchess County.

Element 46 (Westchester County)

What they do: Accelerator program offers a full multi-week virtual curriculum, pitch and networking events for founders, access to a mentor network of investors and successful technology entrepreneurs, corporate and technology partnerships, and cutting edge technology and business skills.
How: Accelerator programs
Best For: Technology startups from idea to MVP in Westchester County

Other Organizations (Join their newsletters for information)

Upstate Capital