BUFFALO, N.Y. — The University at Buffalo’s business
incubators welcomed seven new tenants in 2012, including companies
working in Western New York’s biomedical, energy, materials
and high-tech sectors.
The UB incubator program includes two facilities: the UB
Technology Incubator, which opened in 1988 at Baird Research Park
on Sweet Home Road in Amherst, N.Y., and the UB Biosciences
Incubator, which opened this year in UB’s new Clinical and
Translational Research Center at Goodrich and Ellicott Streets in
downtown Buffalo. UB’s Office of Science, Technology Transfer
and Economic Outreach (STOR) operates both of the university
incubators.
“We looked at several other locations, but the incubator
had the advantage of having laboratory facilities and proximity to
UB,” said Jim Maloney, vice president of Helios-NRG, a
company that joined the UB Technology Incubator in May. “The
affiliation with UB is a big advantage for us, because it
facilitates collaboration with faculty and lets us explore how
graduate students and other UB personnel might be able to support
our work.”
UB incubator clients typically have a strategic relationship
with the university and are starting a scalable, technology-based
business. Clients accepted into an incubator program pay market
rates to rent space, but receive a range of services intended to
assist their growth. These services include mentoring;
introductions to a wide variety of business professionals; seminars
and workshops on business topics; and assistance applying for
grants and seeking investment capital.
Five new incubator clients moved into the UB Technology
Incubator this year, and two into the UB Biosciences Incubator. In
addition, one company previously located in the UB Technology
Incubator relocated to the UB Biosciences Incubator.
“We are excited about the new companies in our incubator
family and our opportunities to help them build successful
businesses,” said Woody Maggard, associate vice provost and
director of UB’s incubator program. “We are also
thrilled with our graduates and wish them every success as they
contribute to fulfilling their own goals and contributing to the
economy of Western New York.”
Incubator clients who moved into the UB Technology Incubator in
2012 include:
Cloud62, a services and consulting firm that helps
companies implement Salesforce.com’s customer relationship
management software. This software enables businesses to improve
sales, manage marketing campaigns and support customers following
sales. Cloud62 helps clients through implementation of best
practices, helping to ensure that Salesforce.com users receive
maximum return on their investment. Website: http://www.cloud62.com.
Helios-NRG, a technology development and consulting firm
with expertise in industrial gases, gas separations and clean
energy. Among other projects, the company is developing a
step-change algae technology for biofuels and water remediation,
and a novel gas separation membrane technology. Website: http://helios-nrg.com.
OptoElectronics Nanodevices, a startup that develops and
commercializes novel optoelectronic nanomaterials to enhance the
efficiency of devices such as solar cells and photodetectors. The
firm was founded by UB professors with expertise in photonics,
nanoelectronics and materials science. Website: http://open-buffalo.com.
Refulgent Software, a high-tech company that develops and
sells Ambur, a point-of-sale app for the hospitality and restaurant
industries. The app saves waiters time by enabling them to take
orders, send requests to the kitchen and process credit cards using
an iPad, iPod or iPhone. Website: http://www.amburapp.com.
UFC Biotechnology, a global provider of life sciences
products. UFC Biotechnology focuses on synthesizing high-value
molecules used in the life sciences, and hopes to establish
partnerships conducting custom synthesis for local companies.
Website: http://www.ufcbiochem.com
(coming soon).
Incubator clients who moved into the UB Biosciences Incubator in
2012 include:
AccuTheranostics, a company that aims to help cancer
patients personalize their treatment by identifying which
chemotherapy treatments will likely be effective. To achieve this
goal, the company tests different chemotherapy combinations on
cells biopsied from patients’ tumors prior to the start of
chemotherapy. AccuTheranostics is not a new incubator client; the
company was in the UB Technology Incubator before moving into the
UB Biosciences Incubator this summer. Website: http://www.accutheranostics.com.
AndroBioSys, a biomedical firm that specializes in
advanced detection, diagnostic imaging and therapeutics for early
prostate cancer. The company was founded by two Roswell Park Cancer
Institute researchers. Website: http://www.androbiosys.com.
Ceno Technologies, a materials science firm that develops
novel materials for use by the automotive, manufacturing, military
and other industries, along with functional materials on the nano
and micron scales that can be used for targeted drug delivery
systems, imaging and nanotherapeutics. Ceno Technologies is based
at the Innovation Center on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, but
has moved its Bio Division to the UB Biosciences Incubator.
Website: http://cenotechnologies.com.
Besides welcoming seven new tenants, the UB incubator program
graduated five companies in 2012: BridgeComposites, GSELearning,
Ladybug Teknologies, TPF Enterprises and Trek. To learn about
business incubation at UB, visit http://www.research.buffalo.edu/stor/incubator/.