Buffalo Startup Week 2026—organized by UB Business and Entrepreneur Partnerships and the Western New York Incubator Network—was featured in a recent Buffalo News story on former Buffalo Bills center and current broadcaster Eric Wood, who has become an active startup investor with ties to Western New York companies.
Wood served as keynote speaker for the inaugural Buffalo Startup Draft, an April event at Seneca One that brought together local tech companies, investors and regional partners on the same day as the first round of the NFL Draft.
Many of the Buffalo-based startups selected for the inaugural draft—organized by Series B[uffalo] and the 43North Foundation—have direct ties to UB, including QAS.AI, Pop Biotechnologies, PhysicianX, Edenesque, Vicora, Arbol and others.
Collectively, those connections reflect the range of support UB and BEP provide to startups, from university research and commercialization assistance to incubator space, funding pathways, student talent and entrepreneurship programs. For UB BEP, the Buffalo News feature also underscored the week’s role as a visible entry point into its year-round work with startups.