EVENT HIGHL IGH TS - Bright Buffalo Niagara

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
University at Buffalo Clinical and
Translational Research Center
A LETTER OF WELCOME
A LETTER OF WELCOME
THANK YOU SPONSORS
SEMIFINALIST EXHIBITORS
AccuTheranostics Inc.
Buffalo, NY
Asarasi Inc.
Woodland Hills, CA
BOSS Vaccination
Medicine Ltd.
Buffalo, NY
CHAR Technologies Inc.
Mississauga, ON
COMAND Center Inc.
Buffalo, NY
Continuous Technology
Lexington, MA
Cytocybernetics
Buffalo, NY
Dimien LLC
Lancaster, NY
SEMIFINALIST EXHIBITORS
GoRightIn
Mississauga, NY
Graphmasters
Lausanne, Switzerland
Health Care Originals Inc.
Rochester, NY
Illuminating Diagnostics
Youngstown, NY
iLUMENATi SSL, LLC
Rochester, NY
LifeGlo
New York, NY
MagnePath
Perth, Australia
MySky Aircraft Inc.
Port Orange, FL
SEMIFINALIST EXHIBITORS
Notabina
San Mateo, CA
OSC Equipment Services Inc.
Buffalo, NY
Precision Scientific Instruments Inc.
Buffalo, NY
Programmable Equipment Company
Buffalo, NY
RMT– Epigenomics Inc.
Buffalo, NY
Rush Tera / Attend LLC
Cazenovia, NY
SavvyDox
Ottawa, ON
Sensorcon
Buffalo, NY
SEMIFINALIST EXHIBITORS
SmartDialysis
Rochester, NY
Syrindicare
Clarence, NY
Talking Pictures LLC: PixStori
Stone Ridge, NY
TheraPeptides, LLC
Niagara Falls, NY
The Worldwide App Inc.
Buffalo, NY
TimberFish LLC
Buffalo, NY
WhateverComesNext Inc.
Lockport, NY
MEET THE SEMIFINALISTS
3:00 - 7:00 p.m. Company Exhibits Open
5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Cocktail Reception
The University at Buffalo Clinical
and Translational Research Center
Dr. Norma Nowak, director of science and technology at the
University at Buffalo, and Andrew Pulkrabek, executive
director of 43North, and Scott Stenclik, president of Superior
Group, Bright Buffalo Niagara’s featured sponsor
31 Semifinalist Teams | 17 43North finalists | 200+ attendees |1 night of innovation
MEET THE SEMIFINALISTS
TESTIMONIALS
This forum in particular touches a huge number of
markets and often simulates additional creative ideas
with potential collaborators. I look forward to this
event each year. - Paul Buckley, President, Applied
Sciences Group
“A special shout out to
Bright Buffalo Niagara for
the Wednesday showcase
of 43North semifinalists.
This event provided an
opportunity to engage in
an incredibly diverse and
inspiring mix of
entrepreneurs that didn’t
make the final cut yet
made their way to Buffalo
from far and near to be in
the mix…”
“The most impressive funding event that I have
attended. Very well organized with the appropriate
diversity of investors and customers…”
“The event strengthened our view of the
opportunities and support that exist for our
company and our business solution in the US and
specifically in NY State. We appreciate the support
and warm welcome of the Buffalo Niagara
community. - Luis C. Moreno, 43North Semifinalist
“I am working closely with 8+ companies
[from the Bright Buffalo Niagara Semifinalists Meet-Up]”
MEDIA COVERAGE
Bright Buffalo Niagara to showcase the hottest investment prospects from
the 43North competition
By Julie Molenda, University at Buffalo’s NYS Center of Excellence Bioinformatics & Life Sciences
Marketing Communications Manager
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Bright Buffalo Niagara will partner with 43North, the world’s largest business plan
competition being held in Buffalo to showcase some of the hottest investment prospects from across
the globe, to present The Bright Buffalo Niagara Semifinalist Meet-Up.
Bright Buffalo Niagara has been recognized since 2009 as the premier Western New York event highlighting the region’s entrepreneurial investment opportunities.
On Wednesday, Oct. 29, prior to the 43North finals, investors, sponsors and entrepreneurs will have
an exclusive opportunity to meet and learn more from some of the 113 semifinalists.
The event will take place from 3-7 p.m. at the University at Buffalo’s Clinical and Translational
Research Center, 875 Ellicott St., Buffalo. A champagne toast will take place at 5:30 p.m. and will
feature speeches by Norma Nowak, director of science and technology for UB’s New York State
Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, and Andrew Pulkrabek, 43North executive
director.
“The 43North competition affords Western New York the opportunity to showcase the best and
brightest new ideas from across our region and worldwide,” said Nowak. “The semifinalists we have
gathered rose to the top in a sea of almost 7,000 business plans and we are both proud and humbled
to welcome them to this premier entrepreneurial event.”
Exhibitors participating in Bright Buffalo Niagara represent a wide range of services and products in
health care, advanced manufacturing, agriculture, printing, energy and technology, including an
advanced manufacturing company offering an ultra-precise research measurement system used for the
development of sub-nano materials and devices, a startup company creating a portable hemodialysis
device so that end stage renal disease patients can enjoy more mobile lifestyles and a social media app
that allows you to record stories about your photos by linking voice and image.
Bright Buffalo Niagara will feature 41 exhibitors from across the globe, including participants from
Buffalo, California, Florida, New York City, Ottawa, Toronto, Switzerland, Australia and Israel. The
Bright format, featuring exhibition opportunities and networking, gives companies that were not
selected as one of the 43North finalists an invaluable platform to connect with the investor
community.
“I’m excited to welcome these innovative, ambitious and creative 43North semifinalist teams to
Buffalo for the Bright Buffalo Niagara Semifinalists Meet-up,” Pulkrabek. “This is an excellent
opportunity for each company to introduce themselves to potential funders and I sincerely hope that
each team will consider growing their company in Buffalo. The event is well named, as the future of
Buffalo’s startup scene is bright, indeed, and 43North is proud to be part of it.”
MEDIA COVERAGE
Bright Buffalo Niagara 2014 Sponsors:
UB’s New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, 43North, Superior
Group, Buffalo Niagara Enterprise, Buffalo Niagara Partnership, First Niagara Foundation, Kavinoky
Cook, Lumsden McCormick LLP, Phillips Lytle LLP, SoftBank Capital, Walsh, The Buffalo History
Museum, Freed Maxick, HSBC, Insyte Consulting, Performance Management Partners, Serotte Law,
Summer Street Capital Partners and Visit Buffalo Niagara.
In addition, Bright has collaborated with the Western New York Venture Association to kick off the
day’s festivities by presenting “The Wild West of Equity Based Crowdfunding” from 1-2:30 p.m. in the
Zebro Room of Roswell Park Cancer Institute’s Center for Genetics and Pharmacology, adjacent to
UB’s New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, 701 Ellicott St., Buffalo.
Investors, entrepreneurs and business professionals are encouraged to explore the newest frontier in
entrepreneurship before making their way down to the Bright Buffalo Niagara event. The lecture will
provide details on regulation guidelines and tips on how to complete an equity crowdfunding offer.
Interested individuals can register for the lecture series at http:: wnyvacrowdfunding2014.eventbrite
.com.
Source: http://www.buffalo.edu/news/releases/2014/10/044.html
MEDIA COVERAGE
43North Semifinalists Are All Winners At Bright Buffalo Meet-Up
By Jenna Kavanaugh, Buffalo Niagara Enterprise Marketing & Communications Director
In May 2013, the New York Power Authority (NYPA) trustees approved $5.4 million in funding for
the 43North global business idea competition. The award came from a recommendation by the WNY
Power Proceeds Allocation Board (WNYPPAB) to attract entrepreneurs to compete for an
unprecedented $5 million in prizes.
I’ve been pleased to be part of the 43North team throughout the process. It’s crunch time as we
head into the finals having scoured thousands of ideas submitted from February through May. Judges
have narrowed it down to 113 semi-finalists, and at the end of September eleven finalists will be
announced to advance to the final round of the competition.
As part of the excitement and anticipation such a competition presents, Buffalo will host “43North
Week” from October 24th through October 30th, with a series of events and educational
opportunities. This includes everything from a startup pitch competition, to a coding workshop, to
an evening of networking in the eclectic cafes, clubs, galleries and music venues of Allentown.
One of the week’s most anticipated events is the Bright Buffalo Niagara Semifinalists Meet up, on
October 29th. All 113 semifinalist companies are given the opportunity to meet and mingle with
venture capitalists and angel investors and learn more about local resources that promote
investment, business partnering and other startup services. It will be held at the University at Buffalo
Clinical Translational Research Center spotlighting life sciences innovation and technology based
economic development in the heart of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.
The big finale takes place on Thursday, October 30th, when the eleven finalists will pitch their ideas
to a panel of judges in front of a live audience at Shea’s Performing Arts Center. One business will be
awarded $1 million, six will receive $500,000 and four will receive $250,000. The public is invited to
attend the awards celebration that evening to experience first-hand the excitement generated by the
competition. It will be an unforgettable evening, I’m sure. For more information about 43North or
registering for the reception, please visitwww.43North.org.
Source: http://blog.buffaloniagara.org/2014/08/28/43north-semifinalists-are-all-winners-at-bright-buffalomeetup/
MEDIA COVERAGE
43North puts entrepreneurs in touch with investors
By David Robinson, The Buffalo News Business Reporter
43North semifinalist Michael Haller came up from Ulster County, hoping to meet investors willing to
fund the development of his app, which allows users to add voice captions to digital photographs.
Local angel investor Roger Hungerford came from Medina, with a list of 43North semifinalists that
had piqued his interest. He was intent on meeting them briefly to see if their ventures were worth
exploring further.
Bringing potential investors together with entrepreneurs that were deemed promising enough by the
43North business plan competition’s judges to be among the contest’s 113 semifinalists was the
whole idea of Bright Buffalo Niagara’s meet-up event Wednesday afternoon, on the eve of the
43North finalist pitches and the $1 million awards ceremony today.
“We’re trying to build some momentum and meet investors,” said Haller, who co-founded Talking
Pictures LLC with retired University at Buffalo professor Michael Frisch. “You have to get out there
and network whenever you can. You have to get your idea out there whenever you can.”
Hungerford, who expects to invest $11 million this year in new ventures in the Cleveland, Washington, D.C., and Buffalo areas, came to the event having targeted about 10 of the semifinalists for further study.
“It’s a little bit of a meet-and-greet with a company – five or 10 minutes to get a sense of what they
do,” Hungerford said.
For investors, that’s not nearly enough. But Hungerford left the event Wednesday satisfied enough
with what he heard to invite each of his targeted companies to meet with him for a couple of hours
apiece at a future date, probably over lunch or dinner. They had passed the first test.
Luis Moreno, the chief operating officer of GoRightIn, a semifinalist from Mississauga, Ont., that
makes software to help medical offices manage their waiting lines, said the 43North contest had
helped him build some investor contacts.
“I’ve been able to talk to a couple of investors because of that,” he said.
Brian Schultz, the founder of Dimien, which makes a film that can be applied to windows to block the
sun’s heating rays during the summer but allow them to pass through in the winter, also was hoping
to turn his 43North status into a pathway to new investors.
He said the showcase was the biggest exposure that the Amherst company had received from the
43North contest.
MEDIA COVERAGE
But investors at the event said they weren’t likely to make any hasty decisions. Rather than writing
checks, they were more interested in simply learning a little about some of the ventures.
“It’s matchmaking, and it’s a dance,” said Daniel Penberthy, executive vice president of Rand Capital
Corp. in Buffalo.
“You see them today. They send you their plan. You see them again,” he said. “Usually it takes two
or three visits.”
Martin Babinec, a start-up investor from Little Falls, said he typically meets with hundreds of
entrepreneurs during the course of a year. Out of that comes five to seven deals.
“It’s not about the money,” Babinec said. “The smart entrepreneurs are seeing how they can get
connected to the people who can help them.”
email: [email protected]
Source: http://www.buffalonews.com/business/43north-puts-entrepreneurs-in-touch-with-investors-20141029
MEDIA COVERAGE
Bright Buffalo Niagara Shines Light on Entrepreneurship
By Buffalo Niagara Enterprise
On October 29, 2014, during 43North Week, a spotlight event promoting investment, partnership
and entrepreneurship was held at the University at Buffalo Clinical and Translational Research Center
on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. In collaboration with 43North, Bright Buffalo
Niagara invited 43North semifinalists from across the globe to exhibit at the Bright Buffalo
Semifinalist Meet-Up and mix and mingle with venture capitalist and angel investors.
The results equal success:
Since 2009, Bright Buffalo Niagara has partnered with local investors and entrepreneurs to nurture
economic growth in Western New York. Bright works to serve software/IT, medical devices,
biotech, drug development and manufacturing industry sectors. To date, Bright participants have
raised more than $23M in funding. Learn more at BrightBuffaloNiagara.com
Source: http://blog.buffaloniagara.org/category/buffalo-billion/

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