SYRACUSE — Firms from Utica, Syracuse, Ohio, New Jersey, and Sweden are among the five finalists selected for the ninth round the Genius NY business accelerator at the INSPYRE Innovation Hub (the former Tech Garden) in downtown Syracuse.
One of the companies entered the market following years of research at schools that included Syracuse University, per its website.
The finalist teams will compete for a total of $3 million in direct investment, with one grand prize of up to $1 million and four $500,000 awards. The program is the largest business accelerator for the uncrewed systems and robotics industry in the world.
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Genius NY stands for Growing ENtrepreneurs & Innovators in UpState New York.
The finalists were chosen from a “highly competitive” application process that received submissions from startups from around the world, including “record interest” from U.S. companies, Empire State Development (ESD) said in Monday’s announcement.
The chosen finalists will work to build relationships in the region, develop their go-to-market plans, and spend time refining their pitches before presenting to a panel of judges at Innovation Night on May 7, 2026. The move of finals night from the fall to next spring will afford the teams “greater opportunity to become a part of the community,” ESD said.
Supported by the CNY Rising Upstate Revitalization Initiative (URI) and administered by CenterState CEO, Genius NY brings companies to Central New York to participate in the yearlong in-residence accelerator where they receive assistance with product development, business development, as well as networking opportunities with investors and business leaders.
Genius NY participants are required to commit to operating their business in Central New York for at least one year.
Finalists
The five selected finalists (listed in alphabetical order with firm descriptions) are:
Flox (Stockholm, Sweden): AI (artificial intelligence) that understands and speaks to wild animals — running on Edge pods, drones, and trains — to steer wildlife away from critical areas, per the ESD announcement.
Lamarr.AI (Syracuse / Atlanta): Uses drones and AI to inspect building exteriors, delivering faster, more affordable, and more accurate data than traditional methods. Its website says the firm “entered the market in 2023 as the product of more than 6 years of [U.S. Department of Energy]-funded research across MIT, Georgia Tech, and Syracuse University [SU].” The company’s website lists Atlanta as the headquarters but CenterState CEO tells CNYBJ that the company’s founders are living in Syracuse and have worked out of SU.
Lighthouse Avionics (Ohio, USA): Offers low-cost optical solutions to monitor low-altitude airspace for drone threats, bird strikes, and Federal Aviation Administration compliance.
Modovolo (Utica): A drone company building low-cost, modular aircraft with extended flight times, designed for a wide range of commercial and defense uses.
Skyfire AI (New Jersey, USA): Deploys autonomous drone swarms and AI to improve response times and situational awareness for first responders and defense teams.
