CenterState CEO awards latest round of Grants for Growth

SYRACUSE — CenterState CEO on May 31 announced the winners in the 10th round of its Grants for Growth program.

It’s a seed program that supports “innovative” applied-research projects between universities and industry to improve business competitiveness and create jobs.

CenterState CEO awarded six “emerging” regional companies a total of more than $398,000, the economic-development organization said in an email to its members.

When leveraged against private sector and university-matching funds, this new investment will reach more than $936,000, according to CenterState CEO.

The awards have the potential to create 114 new, high-paying jobs and $38 million in new revenue for the region, the organization said.

Through 10 rounds, CenterState CEO has awarded grants totaling more than $2 million to more than 41 companies.

For the first time, companies could apply for an award in one of two categories, including $25,000 “Proof of Concept” grants for early-stage companies, and $150,000 “Concept to Marketplace” investments for later-stage companies.

In this round, CenterState CEO selected four recipients from a pool of 27 applications to receive a “Proof of Concept” grant, and it selected two companies from a field of 18 for “Concept to Marketplace” investments.

CenterState CEO awarded “Concept to Marketplace” grants to Rapid Cure Technologies, Inc. and Simple Admit.

Rapid Cure Technologies develops customer-specific chemistry and process products in the coating, adhesive, sealant and elastomer (or CASE) markets.

The firm is collaborating with the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Environmental Science and Forestry as it works to commercialize its products, according to CenterState CEO.

Simple Admit, which is collaborating with Syracuse University, is described as a new technology that replaces paper-based admissions processes at medical facilities. Using a web-based system, patients can enter their complete medical history online for immediate review by their clinical team.

The “Proof of Concept” grant recipients include Blue Highway, Inc., which will prototype a system for managing care for cancer survivors when their treatment is complete and their care is transitioned back to their primary-care providers.

Blue Highway is working in partnership with the SUNY Upstate Cancer Center.

Captura Diagnostics will use its funding as it continues commercializing technology developed at Cornell University to isolate circulating-cancer cells from patient-blood samples.

A third recipient, Motion Intelligence, is also working with Cornell to develop products meant to enhance the understanding of sports-related concussions.

In addition, Zinnia Safety Systems will use its grant as it works on the first medical-device system developed for monitoring individuals at risk for suicide.

Zinna is working with SUNY Upstate Medical University as it develops the system.

Support for job creation

Grants for Growth has a “proven” record of success, CenterState CEO contends.

For every $18,041 invested in the program a job that pays more $68,000 is created. The investment made through this round has the potential to create $38.1 million in new revenue for the region, the organization said.

CenterState CEO credits support from the New York State Senate with making the Grants for Growth program possible. State Senator John DeFrancisco (R–Syracuse) has secured $5 million in funding for the program, the organization said.

 “By targeting investments based on a company’s development stage and providing the tools they need to bring their ideas and products to the next level, I am confident that we will see even more success,” DeFrancisco said in a news release.

CenterState CEO, a nonprofit, regional economic-development organization, serves 2,000 members in a 12-county area of Central New York.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com

SYRACUSE — CenterState CEO on May 31 announced the winners in the 10th round of its Grants for Growth program.

It’s a seed program that supports “innovative” applied-research projects between universities and industry to improve business competitiveness and create jobs.

CenterState CEO awarded six “emerging” regional companies a total of more than $398,000, the economic-development organization said in an email to its members.

When leveraged against private sector and university-matching funds, this new investment will reach more than $936,000, according to CenterState CEO.

The awards have the potential to create 114 new, high-paying jobs and $38 million in new revenue for the region, the organization said.

Through 10 rounds, CenterState CEO has awarded grants totaling more than $2 million to more than 41 companies.

For the first time, companies could apply for an award in one of two categories, including $25,000 “Proof of Concept” grants for early-stage companies, and $150,000 “Concept to Marketplace” investments for later-stage companies.

In this round, CenterState CEO selected four recipients from a pool of 27 applications to receive a “Proof of Concept” grant, and it selected two companies from a field of 18 for “Concept to Marketplace” investments.

CenterState CEO awarded “Concept to Marketplace” grants to Rapid Cure Technologies, Inc. and Simple Admit.

Rapid Cure Technologies develops customer-specific chemistry and process products in the coating, adhesive, sealant and elastomer (or CASE) markets.

The firm is collaborating with the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Environmental Science and Forestry as it works to commercialize its products, according to CenterState CEO.

Simple Admit, which is collaborating with Syracuse University, is described as a new technology that replaces paper-based admissions processes at medical facilities. Using a web-based system, patients can enter their complete medical history online for immediate review by their clinical team.

The “Proof of Concept” grant recipients include Blue Highway, Inc., which will prototype a system for managing care for cancer survivors when their treatment is complete and their care is transitioned back to their primary-care providers.

Blue Highway is working in partnership with the SUNY Upstate Cancer Center.

Captura Diagnostics will use its funding as it continues commercializing technology developed at Cornell University to isolate circulating-cancer cells from patient-blood samples.

A third recipient, Motion Intelligence, is also working with Cornell to develop products meant to enhance the understanding of sports-related concussions.

In addition, Zinnia Safety Systems will use its grant as it works on the first medical-device system developed for monitoring individuals at risk for suicide.

Zinna is working with SUNY Upstate Medical University as it develops the system.

Support for job creation

Grants for Growth has a “proven” record of success, CenterState CEO contends.

For every $18,041 invested in the program a job that pays more $68,000 is created. The investment made through this round has the potential to create $38.1 million in new revenue for the region, the organization said.

CenterState CEO credits support from the New York State Senate with making the Grants for Growth program possible. State Senator John DeFrancisco (R–Syracuse) has secured $5 million in funding for the program, the organization said.

 “By targeting investments based on a company’s development stage and providing the tools they need to bring their ideas and products to the next level, I am confident that we will see even more success,” DeFrancisco said in a news release.

CenterState CEO, a nonprofit, regional economic-development organization, serves 2,000 members in a 12-county area of Central New York.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com