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Since BNE’s inception, UB has been an integral strategic partner in our business attraction and economic development efforts. And we’ve collaborated on several initiatives such as the Buffalo Niagara Labor Market Assessment, development of our Dental Product Manufacturers Campaign and most recently the ongoing research to develop a strategy to support Governor Cuomo’s Buffalo Billion announcement. But BNE is not alone in our collaboration with the University. UB partners with countless local businesses to increase their competitiveness.
If you’ve been interested in working with the university, the University at Buffalo (UB)Partners Day, June 13th at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center is an ideal event to help you learn how. This is an annual event hosted by the university to recognize its partnerships with industry and the community featuring workshops and exhibits. The workshops give examples of how companies and non-profits have partnered with the university to improve their bottom lines. Topics range from social entrepreneurism to vendor opportunities to using student interns to understanding what it takes to navigate concepts from lab to market.
Two workshops of particular interest for this audience are Partnering for Innovation in WNY Industry, which tells of a pilot project for local businesses needing innovation in their processes or products, and one that highlights a short course on new product development. Led by faculty and staff from the University at Buffalo’s TCIE and New York State Center for Engineering Design and Industrial Innovation , the session is Creating a Vision for Information Infrastructure and New Product Development. This session explores an optimized process that helps companies better leverage their capabilities and identify shortfalls, thus improving the likelihood they will grow and add new jobs.
And if you’ve been wondering what has been happening with the Buffalo Billion, you’ll soon get to find out –Brookings Institution Vice President Bruce Katz will be the keynote speaker at this year’s awards luncheon. A regional growth expert, founding director of the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program and economic development advisor to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Katz has been working with the UB Regional Institute gathering and analyzing data as part of the planning phase for the billion dollar challenge. June 13th, he’ll share the early-stage information.
Or call Suzanne Chamberlain at 716-881-1706
May-10-2012
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You’ll also notice Alpina (white outline) in the upper right hand corner… this artisan dairy manufacturer just announced that two of its yogurts will be available at Tops Friendly Markets. In addition, they recently posted 30 production positions on the NYS DOL job website and have received over 500 local applications. 
May-03-2012
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The 2012 Bright Buffalo Niagara Venture Forum is coming up on May 16-17 in Buffalo and looks to be better than ever. Started just three years ago in 2009 to address the entrepreneurial pipeline and investment needed to build a successful entrepreneurial ecosystem, the Forum has grown and evolved to become the premier venture forum in Upstate New York. This year, Bright Buffalo Niagara has partnered with Albany, NY-based SmartStart/UNYTECH, giving this year’s event the widest geographic reach in its four-year history.
The event is a phenomenal opportunity for early-stage high-tech companies to present themselves before an audience of qualified investors, ranging from seed to angel to venture stage. It is also a great networking opportunity for service providers and other players in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The partnership between Bright Buffalo Niagara and SmartStart/UNYTECH allows the two groups to merge their audiences and vastly increase the value of this already strong event.
SmartStart/UNYTECH, now in its 12th year, has highlighted 255 high-quality companies that have raised over $500 million in equity financing, including over $72 million directly attributable to their participation in the forum. The 2012 committee includes over 50 organizations with nearly two dozen investors already committed to the investor subcommittee
The Venture Forum has sold out the past three years with over 250 attendees each year. In just the past two years, nearly 100 early-stage high-tech companies from across the Buffalo Niagara region have presented as part of this event.
Read more Bright Buffalo Niagara Accomplishments:
- Nearly 100 early-stage high-tech companies from across the Buffalo-Niagara region have been highlighted over the past two years (almost 60 applications to present received in 2010 alone)
- NYS Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli – the 2009 Forum Morning Keynote Speaker – announced a $15 Million “Appleseed Fund” in 2010 targeting early-stage and seed companies to help bridge the gap from concept to commercialization.
- JumpStart, Inc. – the 2009 Forum Luncheon Keynote - has been an instrumental partner in securing $445,000 in federal funding in Fall 2010 from the Economic Development Administration in direct support of building a “Regional Entrepreneurship Action Plan” utilizing best practices from JumpStart and others to advance our entrepreneurial ecosystem across nineteen counties in Western and Central New York.
- Local angel network formalized association nationally through membership in the Angel Capital Association
- Local angel investor network doubled in size since 2009
- Co-investment discussions sparked with Canadian National Angel Capital Organization (Toronto, ON), US Angel Capital Association (2010 Forum Luncheon Keynote Speaker – Catherine Mott), BlueTree Allied Angels (Pittsburgh, PA), and Boston Harbor Angels (Boston, MA) including networking/introductions with regional angel groups
- Fostered substantial networking related to business partnering and investment leads; several presenting companies have moved on to due diligence discussions with investors
- Strengthened ties between U.S. and Canadian investors and entrepreneurs
- Featured in the Buffalo News, Buffalo Business First, WIVB Channel 4 News, and YNN Time Warner Cable.
- 2011 sponsorship support nearly doubled 2010 efforts and has tripled 2009 efforts 
April-04-2012
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