NYS ANNOUNCES 43NORTH COMPANIES HAVE CREATED MORE THAN 400 JOBS IN WESTERN NEW YORK

New York State today announced companies in 43North’s portfolio have created more than 400 jobs in Western New York. 43North is the startup competition that invests $5 million annually to attract start-up companies to Western New York and cultivate their growth in the region. Since launching the competition in 2014, 43North has invested in 44 companies.

“43North is helping Western New York become a burgeoning hub for startups and building a thriving workforce in the region,” a NYS represenative said. “We will continue to support this high-profile competition that brings innovative businesses to Buffalo, creating the jobs of the future and helping the local economy continue on its upward trajectory.”

“The innovative 43North competition is delivering real job growth and boosting Buffalo’s reputation as a leader in fostering the development of high-tech startup companies,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. “I have witnessed firsthand the success that 43North companies have achieved, and this incredible milestone shows the continued importance of this initiative. I look forward to seeing many more companies begin their journey and succeed in Western New York.” 

The 43North competition is supported by a total of $55 million from New York State, including funding from Empire State Development and the New York Power Authority. In addition to the $5 million in cash investments, the competition winners relocate to Buffalo where they receive free incubator space for a year, guidance from mentors related to their field and access to other exciting incentive programs such as START-UP NY, a program that enables companies to operate tax-free in New York State for 10 years. 43North companies are currently hiring for several dozen open positions.

The job milestone announcement was made during the inaugural Ignite Buffalo JobCade event today. JobCade featured three dozen startups and small businesses from across Western New York recruiting for more than 200 jobs and internships at the 500 Seneca building in Buffalo. The job fair, which was free and open to the public, was presented by Ignite Buffalo, with support from 43North, ACV Auctions and the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. Job seekers had the opportunity to meet face-to-face with prospective employers; receive expert advice about their resume and interviewing skills; take part in a happy hour and networking presented by ACV Auctions; and have free professional headshots taken for LinkedIn, sponsored by the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.

Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Howard Zemsky said, “Thanks in large part to 43North, Buffalo is becoming one of the country’s innovation centers, a place where entrepreneurial startups are coming to flourish and create the jobs of the future.”

43North Board Chair Eric Reich said, “Buffalo’s startup scene is on a roll – and 43North’s portfolio companies are playing an important role in building that momentum. These promising startups have raised over $200 million in venture capital since receiving investment from 43North, and I’m excited that they have now created more than 400 jobs in our community.”

43North President Alex Gress said, “43North is laser-focused on attracting world-class startups to Buffalo and helping them grow and flourish in our community. One of the ways that we assist our companies is by providing hiring support, to make it as easy as possible to tap into Buffalo’s hard-working, highly-skilled workforce. Today, we celebrate the 400 Western New York jobs that 43North companies have already created, while viewing this milestone as an early down payment on the game-changing returns that we believe our companies will provide Buffalo in the months and years ahead.”

New York Power Authority Chairman John R. Koelmel said, “Dozens of companies have made a bee-line for Western New York thanks to the visibility and success of the 43North competition. The New York Power Authority is firmly committed to investment and innovation, and providing support and mentoring to newly established businesses. We’re pleased to see that year after year 43North is spurring job growth in emerging industries and energizing the entire region.”

George Chamoun, CEO of ACV Auctions said, “ACV Auctions is proud to call Buffalo home and to have welcomed more than 260 members of the community to our team. We have dozens of job openings in Western New York, and encourage local job seekers to join us as we continue to grow and revolutionize the wholesale auto auction industry.”

Nicholas Clermont, Chief Design Officer of SomaDetect said, “SomaDetect has had a very positive experience with hiring talent in Western New York. Since we moved to Buffalo, we have hired eleven full-time, two part-time, and two contract employees in the region. We currently have 12 positions available to the Buffalo community in product development, business, and operations. We encourage those who qualify to apply!”

Ryan Carroll, Director of HR & Talent Acquisition of CleanFiber said, “CleanFiber has supported its growth by drawing employees into all levels of our organization from the talented pool of candidates in Buffalo. Our new team members have brought passion and enthusiasm for our mission and couldn’t be more excited to contribute to the local ecosystem through their work at CleanFiber. We anticipate that we will meet our goals of building a diverse workforce ahead of schedule, thanks to the qualified workforce Buffalo offers.”

Liz Tsai, CEO of HiOperator said, “The HiOperator team is really excited to be in Buffalo! We are finding the right talent in Western New York to help fuel our continued growth – that’s why we have hired over 15 new people in Buffalo in the past couple of months and are continuing to hire across virtually all job roles.”

Senator Tim Kennedy said, “This milestone – 400 new jobs created by 43North companies – is yet another example of Buffalo’s astonishing rebirth. New York State’s investment in 43North’s vision of a dynamic and exciting startup culture is already paying dividends, and I expect that there will be more announcements like this to come. Congratulations to the team at 43North and to the businesses that have chosen to put their faith in the people of the City of Buffalo.”

Assembly Majority Leader Crystal D. Peoples-Stokes said, “We congratulate 43North on marking this major milestone in creating more than 400 new jobs in Western New York. The $5 million competition is more than just an investment in startup businesses but also an investment in the long term future of the entire region.”

Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown said, “43North has been an important partner for my administration in Buffalo’s renaissance and has helped build the City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem since its inception in 2014. I thank the many entrepreneurs for their decision to grow their business here in the City of Buffalo and for creating hundreds of jobs for our residents. 43North is another successful component of NYS’s Buffalo Billion investment plan for Buffalo and Western New York.”

About 43North

43North is the startup competition that invests $5 million annually to attract and cultivate high-growth startups in Buffalo. 43North portfolio companies also receive free incubator space in Buffalo for one year, guidance from mentors in related fields, and access to other business incentive programs such as START-UP NY. 43North operates through the support of NYS’s Buffalo Billion initiative, Empire State Development and several other sponsors. For more information about 43North, visit 43north.org.

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