BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Golisano Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship is expanding its footprint in Western New York and opening a location in Buffalo.

The new campus center will be located in the former office building of The Buffalo News on Washington Street and is expected to welcome its first students in the fall of 2026.

Ian Mortimer, president of Golisano Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship, shared the announcement Thursday at the future campus center, emphasizing that the Buffalo location will deliver the same accelerated, non-traditional business education offered in Rochester — a model made possible by the Golisano Institute’s founder, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Tom Golisano.

“At Golisano Institute, we remain committed to providing a highly focused set of business learning and experiences that students complete in just two years,” said Mortimer. “With our first class graduating this past August, we have evidence that the Institute’s approach yields business career success, and we’re excited to bring that same opportunity to students in Buffalo and across Western New York.”

The Buffalo campus center will join the Institute’s Rochester–area flagship location in Brighton, which opened in 2023. Its two-year professional certificate program in business & entrepreneurship is designed to equip students of all ages with practical business skills and real-world experience, at a tuition cost of $8,900 per year.

During the program, students will gain “broader exposure” to the business world through a variety of experiences, including multiple internships and through the Golisano Institute’s weekly “Speaking from Experience” series, which propels students to engage directly with some of today’s most successful business and entrepreneurial leaders.

“I founded the Institute to make quality business education more accessible and grounded in what truly matters for success,” Golisano said. “Over the last two years, it’s been inspiring to watch our students in Rochester grow and gain economic opportunities. Buffalo is a city with a strong entrepreneurial spirit, and by expanding here, we’re not only opening doors for more students but also helping regional businesses gain the skilled, motivated talent they need to thrive. If we further the business energy and opportunities across the entirety of Western New York, students and businesses will grow economic wealth.”