NextCorps

Monroe County APEX Accelerator will be at NextCorps next week for a workshop covering key 2026 SBIR/STTR updates, including new funding opportunities, proposal requirements, security considerations, and strategies for partnering with prime contractors.

Register to attend in person or online:
https://monroeapex.ecenterdirect.com/events/1154

Rochester’s life sciences ecosystem is growing—and organizations from across the state are investing in its future.

We sat down with Jancy Nightingale-Burch, Ecosystem Development Manager at NewYorkBIO, to discuss why the organization chose to establish a presence within NextCorps and what it means for startups, researchers, and companies across the region.

From stronger connections with investors and industry leaders to greater visibility for Upstate innovation, the move reflects Rochester's growing role in New York's bioscience innovation.

“I hope that from a public perspective, there’s an understanding of how strong the bio sector is in Rochester,” Burch said, “and how it's helping position New York as a global destination for the life sciences.”

Read the full blog:
https://nextcorps.org/newyorkbio-expands-its-upstate-presence-within-nextcorps-innovation-ecosystem/

Pictured here: NewYorkBIO team; Jancy Nightingale-Burch (second from left) with Brian Dershowitz, Jennifer Hawks Bland, Alexis Madara, and Christopher Kiesel.

“Historically, we have talked about [Rochester] as this innovation place forever. Has anyone looked lately?”

NextCorps President Jim Senall posed that question in a recent conversation with Rochester Beacon, pointing to new data shared at the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council, and the results paint an interesting picture.

Rochester outperforms all peer metro areas in new business formation, and stands out in R&D, intellectual property generation, and competitive federal innovation grants. The region has even been identified by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers as one of the country's most promising emerging tech hubs.

So what's missing?

Despite those strengths, Rochester continues to lag behind when it comes to VC investment and scaling startups into high-growth companies. According to the report, one of the biggest challenges isn't innovation itself—it's that innovation and entrepreneurship still aren't viewed as core pillars of the region's economic future.

The data suggests Rochester has the ingredients. The question is how the community comes together to turn that innovation into more companies, more investment, and more jobs.

Read the full article: https://rochesterbeacon.com/2026/06/11/rochesters-innovation-puzzle/

What if the biggest risk to your startup is stopping customer discovery too soon?

At a recent lunch & learn, Matt Foley, NextCorps Entrepreneur-in-Residence, shared why customer discovery isn't just an early-stage exercise. The most successful founders continue talking to customers long after launch, using those conversations to shape products, messaging, pricing, and growth.

This blog breaks down how customer discovery changes from pre-idea to maturity, and the mistakes that can derail progress at each stage.
https://nextcorps.org/customer-discovery-is-never-truly-done/

NextCorps’ Manufacturing Accelerator was among the first in the nation to bring defense-grade rigor to private-sector hardware startups, adapting DoD Technology and Manufacturing Readiness Levels (TRL/MRL) into a scalable commercialization framework. Today, the program has evolved to include Adoption Readiness Levels (ARL), equipping founders with comprehensive technical roadmaps that reduce risk, accelerate market integration, and strengthen global competitiveness.

Across cohorts 1–7, the program has supported 189 graduating companies that have collectively generated more than $20.4 million in revenue and secured over $3.8 million in private capital—demonstrating both commercial traction and investor confidence.

These milestones represent just a snapshot of the Manufacturing Accelerator’s impact. Explore the full 2025 Impact Report to discover the breadth of NextCorps’ support for startups and manufacturers: https://nextcorps.org/impact/

As the regional Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) center, NextCorps Growth Services helps small and mid-sized manufacturers strengthen operations through lean implementation, supply chain optimization, workforce development, and advanced technology adoption.

Since 2018, the program has supported 329 manufacturers through 936 projects, generating more than $1.36B in economic impact and helping create 6,702 jobs across the region.

These milestones represent just a snapshot of Growth Services' impact. Explore the full 2025 Impact Report to discover the breadth of NextCorps' support for startups and manufacturers: https://nextcorps.org/impact/

Most outreach fails because it starts with the product. But buyers aren’t asking, “What does this do?” They’re asking, “Why should I act now?”

Join us for the next lunch & learn led by Pat Shreckengast, NextCorps Entrepreneur-in-Residence and GrowthX Managing Director, to learn how to create buyer-centered messaging that prioritizes relevance over pitching that will actually land you that B2B meeting.

Lunch is free, but seats are limited. Register by 10:00 AM on Friday, June 12: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/earning-qualified-b2b-meetings-without-pitching-pressuring-or-performing-tickets-1989546062831

Another great night in downtown Rochester with the NextCorps community at the JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge. 🏃‍➡️🌆

More than 4,300 participants from 210+ companies took on the 3.5-mile course through Corn Hill, High Falls, and the heart of the city, right by our neighborhood—the perfect setting for an energizing run (or walk) with colleagues and friends. We loved having members of our extended community join us, including staff, family, and clients/tenants , circlestar, , NewYorkBIO, and .

Looking forward to next year! 😎

New York’s innovation ecosystem converges in Albany. 🚀

The 2026 Business Incubator Association of New York State, Inc. (BIANYS) Annual Conference will bring together incubators, accelerators, founders, investors, universities, and ecosystem leaders from across the state for three days of networking, startup showcases, and conversations shaping the future of innovation in New York. Learn more and register: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/2026-bianys-annual-meeting

Scale For ClimateTech helps hardware-focused companies navigate the transition from prototype to mass production. The program connects startups with NYS manufacturers to build resilient supply chains and accelerate the deployment of clean-energy solutions.

These are just a few highlights from Scale For ClimateTech’s impact through cohorts 1-5. Explore NextCorps’ full Impact Report for more: https://nextcorps.org/impact/