13 teams of entrepreneurs enter semifinal round of Panasci competition

By Kevin Manne

BUFFALO, N.Y. —  The University at Buffalo has identified 13 teams as semifinalists in the 26th annual Henry A. Panasci Jr. Technology Entrepreneurship Competition (Panasci TEC), taking them one step closer to the first-place prize of $65,000 in startup funding and business services that will go to the group that presents the best plan for a viable new business in Western New York.

The second-place team will receive $10,000 in seed funding. 

After receiving 53 applications, preliminary judges pared down the teams to those below, which represent a wide range of business plans.

Eleven pitches focused on tech products and services:

Climate Tech and Sustainability

• BetterBuild creates practical, scalable building materials that make construction more efficient, higher-performing and significantly more sustainable.
• RecycleVision AI uses adaptive artificial intelligence to enable smarter, real-time plastic sorting, increasing recycling accuracy, material value recovery and circular economy impact.

HealthTech and Digital Health

• AARM is transforming chronic wound care with a smart nanofiber bandage that detects early deterioration and intervenes in real time, shifting treatment from reactive to proactive and preventing life-altering complications.
• EchoWell Health empowers individuals to perform guided breast ultrasound scans at home, turning complex clinical imaging into an intuitive, secure and clinician-connected experience.
• HALO’s Hi-D is a battery-free wearable hydration monitor that detects dehydration before symptoms appear, delivering real-time alerts to protect everyday users and high-risk communities.
• Jointspace is an AI-powered recovery platform that blends empathetic voice interaction and computer vision to identify early functional decline in post-discharge patients.
• Schubert Medical Solutions is developing a compact automated ventilation device designed to deliver reliable, error-free respiratory support in critical emergencies.

Software as a Service Technology

• CribFlow is a student-built housing marketplace that simplifies off-campus living by connecting college students with trusted landlords and compatible roommates in one seamless platform.
• PMFlow delivers intelligent system visibility and control for lean construction teams, bringing clarity and precision to complex project environments.
• TriTech Labs’ SolarScope harnesses machine learning to transform existing solar company data into predictive lead intelligence, helping sales teams focus on their highest-value prospects before the first call.

Space Tech (Hardware – Entertainment)

• LAZZCO Rocketry modernizes high-powered rocketry with certified motors, reusable hardware, and integrated avionics, expanding reliable, hands-on aerospace access for students and educators.

Two entries focused on consumer packaged goods:

• Great Lakes Dried Fruit crafts clean, crunchy Apple Snaps sourced and produced entirely in Upstate New York, fueling healthier snacking while strengthening regional agriculture and food manufacturing.
• Seven Castle Cider produces all-natural, non-alcoholic sparkling cider from locally upcycled apples, reducing food waste while celebrating regional flavor.

Each semifinalist team has been matched with a coach from the business community to prepare for the next round, when they will submit written materials along with a video pitch. Judges will evaluate those materials and select five finalists by March 27.

Finalists will deliver long-form presentations to judges on April 15, and public presentations will be held from 4:30-7:30 p.m. on April 16 at UB’s Center for the Arts. There, they will present 5-minute pitches, 43North-style, to a panel of judges and other viewers, and will be evaluated on how well they describe the feasibility and marketability of their venture, prove the need for their product or service and present potential sources of capital. To register for the event, visit theticketing.co/e/ubpanasci26.

Panasci TEC was created in 2001 by the UB School of Management and the UB Office of Business and Entrepreneur Partnerships, and is funded with a $1 million endowment from the late Henry A. Panasci Jr. to facilitate and promote the commercialization of UB-generated technologies. 

In addition to $25,000 in seed funding, the winning team will receive in-kind awards valued at $40,000 for business growth coaching from Atlas Alignment Growth Partners; legal services from Colligan Law LLP; accounting services from Lumsden & McCormick LLP; website development and creative agency services from ThreeSixty; Intellectual Property legal services from Stake; leadership development and team coaching from the UB School of Management’s Center for Leadership and Global Impact; and co-working space from the UB Office of Business and Entrepreneur Partnerships. 

This year, a new $5,000 prize sponsored by the UB Office of Business and Entrepreneur Partnerships will be awarded. Complimentary ticketing services for the event are provided by The Ticketing Co., a company co-founded by UB graduates Anthony Calagna, BS ’12, and Trevor Titley, BA ’12.

Hosted by UB’s Startup and Innovation Collaboratory powered by Blackstone LaunchPad, the event brings together UB students from science, technology, business and other disciplines to maximize their potential and create viable businesses in Western New York.

Also during the April 16 event, organizers will celebrate the future of entrepreneurship and innovation at UB through a series of special initiatives. Grounded in the spirit of “America the Entrepreneurial,” Panasci 2026 will partner with Right to Start (a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that seeks to expand entrepreneurial opportunity for all) to celebrate the values that make innovation possible: access, support, creativity and the freedom to build. Guests will experience firsthand how UB and the Western New York entrepreneurial ecosystem work together to create pathways for founders of all backgrounds and disciplines.

This year’s event will also bring back the Queen City Connectors — a group of regional leaders who will engage with student entrepreneurs and their supporters at a dynamic networking session to foster connections that will drive economic growth in Western New York.