SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Buffalo–based M&T Bank (NYSE: MTB) says it will become the founding sponsor of CenterState CEO’s INSPYRE Innovation Hub (the former Tech Garden) at 235 Harrison St. in downtown Syracuse.
The long-term sponsorship with CenterState CEO will expand efforts to accelerate entrepreneurism and startup growth, “cultivate industry-disrupting” technology, and fuel the region’s ecosystem for talent development and attraction, M&T Bank said in its announcement.
The partnership will build on M&T’s “broader vision of creating collaborative communities that fuel forward-thinking solutions and deliver lasting regional impact,” similar to M&T’s tech hubs in Buffalo and Wilmington, Delaware.
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M&T Bank’s sponsorship is for seven years but the bank isn’t disclosing financial terms of the deal, a bank spokesperson said in an email response to a CNYBJ inquiry.
CenterState CEO is an independent, nonprofit organization focused on growing the economy and supporting businesses across Central New York.
To mark the project’s upcoming completion, the INSPYRE Innovation Hub will host a formal-opening event on Thursday, Sept. 18 and will officially open to the public soon after, per the M&T Bank announcement.
“At M&T Bank, we believe progress is driven by communities that invite possibility and inspire collaboration,” Steve Gorczynski, M&T Bank’s regional president for Central New York, said in the announcement. “The INSPYRE Innovation Hub represents an investment in the ingenuity, creative energy and shared purpose that define this region. By supporting this important hub for entrepreneurial development, M&T Bank’s founding sponsorship will empower local trailblazers and difference-makers to build businesses that will strengthen our economy and unlock new opportunities for Central New Yorkers.”
When the INSPYRE Innovation Hub officially opens later this month, it will become the largest business accelerator in New York state by square footage. The 90,000-square-foot facility will include a renovated hardware-technology center; a new makerspace; dedicated zones for robotics and uncrewed aerial systems testing; a media-production studio; flexible coworking areas; and a multi-purpose theater designed to host events.
“We are embarking on a new chapter for entrepreneurs and innovators in Central New York with the opening of CenterState CEO’s INSPYRE Innovation Hub, a world-class facility designed with founders in mind. It’s a bold vision for the community that requires support from committed partners,” Ben Sio, acting president and CEO of CenterState CEO, said in the M&T Bank announcement. “With a proven dedication to Central New York and deep understanding of regional economic needs, M&T Bank is an ideal partner for INSPYRE Innovation Hub. Their support will empower more people to launch a new business and propel progress across the region. We are grateful to M&T Bank for their longstanding partnership in enabling growth for Central New York and all its residents.”
