GENIUS NY
AcceleratorSyracuse · Pre-Seed–Seed · 15 people tracked
Investment thesis
GENIUS NY runs the world's leading drone and robotics accelerator, investing $3M annually into seed-stage startups focused on uncrewed aerial systems, automation, and advanced air mobility. Selected teams join a 12-month in-residence program in Syracuse, New York, competing for grand-prize investments of up to $1 million. Beyond funding, participants receive business development support including customer discovery, legal advice, and marketing strategy, along with industry networking across the portfolio, investor relations guidance, and access to events and programming. The accelerator is anchored in Central New York's decade-long buildout of a concentrated ecosystem for drone, robotics, and autonomous systems companies.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.
Team · 15 people
from the firm's website
What they invest in
from 33 of 41 portfolio companiesHardware ×19Robotics ×17Deep Tech ×11AI & Machine Learning ×10Defense Tech ×9Mobility & Transportation ×6AgTech ×4IoT ×4
HQs:United States×14Switzerland×2Ecuador×1United Kingdom×1Norway×1
Portfolio companies · 41 tracked
alumni founders can tell you what the program is really likeAerialoop develops drone technology for urban logistics, surveillance, and delivery operations across multiple countries using a Hardware-as-a-Service business model.
HardwareLogistics & Supply ChainMobility & TransportationRoboticsQuito, EC
Pedro Meneses(Co-Founder & CEO)inAndreas Antener(Co-Founder & CTO)inSantiago Barrera(Co-Founder & COO)in
Archangel Autonomy develops edge AI systems and intelligent sensor arrays for autonomous machines and small UAS operating in high-risk environments, with applications including threat detection and infrastructure-independent navigation.
AI & Machine LearningDefense TechRoboticsOxford, GB
Robinson Unmanned develops VTOL aircraft systems ranging from sub-250g nano UAS to heavy-lift autonomous rotorcraft, offered as remotely piloted, optionally piloted, and fully autonomous platforms.
Defense TechHardwareRoboticsTorrance, US
Aviant operates autonomous drone logistics services in Scandinavia, transporting medical items such as blood, COVID, water, and milk samples as well as windmill farm equipment for healthcare and industrial customers.
HardwareHealthtechLogistics & Supply ChainRoboticsTrondheim, NO
Lars Erik
CenterState CEO is a regional economic development and business membership organization serving Central New York, which recognizes corporate "Legacy Investors" that fund its work.
Impact & Social Good
Circle Optics develops 360-degree multi-camera imaging systems, including its Hydra product, which uses a patented method of aligning fields-of-view to eliminate image stitching.
AI & Machine LearningDeep TechDefense TechHardware
Zakariya Niazi(Chief Executive Officer / Chief Technology Officer)Ian Gauger(Chief Operating Officer / Chief Financial Officer)Andrew Kurtz(Chief Research Officer)Zak Niazi(Founder)
Civ Robotics manufactures autonomous marking robots (CivDot+/CivDot) that use laser precision to stake construction points on job sites.
CleantechConstruction TechRobotics
Dronehub builds autonomous drone infrastructure — charging stations, docking, and mission logistics — and licenses this IP while partnering on AI drone projects for defense, energy, rail, and sovereign logistics operators.
Defense TechHardwareRoboticsResearch Triangle Park, US
Vadym Melnyk(Founder & CEO)
Dropcopter operates in agricultural drone technology and is seeking investment from individuals and private equity groups to support upcoming projects.
AgTechHardwareRobotics
Matt Koball
EagleHawk operates a facilities intelligence platform that combines aerial imaging, expert analysis, and data management tools to help organizations monitor building conditions and manage assets.
Construction TechEnergyPropTechBuffalo, US
Jonathan Byrd(Executive Officer, Director)Patrick Walsh(Executive Officer, Director)Willard Schulmeister(Executive Officer)
BoardJoseph Weiss(Director)
Flox Intelligence uses AI to decode animal communication and guide wildlife away from danger, preventing collisions between animals and infrastructure without harming them.
AgTechAI & Machine LearningClimate TechDeep TechHardwareSyracuse, US
Sara Nozkova(Co-founder)Tomas Becklin(Co-founder)
Fusion Engineering develops flight controller hardware and software for multirotor drones, focused on safety and reliability to enable certified drone flights over urban areas and in offshore conditions.
Deep TechHardwareRobotics
Robert CroneMara Bos
Geopipe uses AI and machine learning to process sensor data such as photos and laser scans to create digital twins of cities at multiple levels of detail.
AI & Machine LearningDeep Tech
INVOLI provides an air traffic awareness platform that tracks both manned aircraft and unmanned drones so their positions are known and collisions can be avoided.
Deep TechHardwareIoTMobility & Transportation
Manu Lubrano(Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder)Cristina Mihalachioiu(Chief Legal Officer and Co-Founder)Raphael Zaugg(Chief Technical Officer and Co-Founder)Roxanne Ayotte(Chief Financial Officer)
Lighthouse Avionics develops passive, dual-use air domain awareness systems through its VICTOR product line, which provides Counter-UAS detection, remote tower surveillance, and BVLOS/DFR enablement using optical detect-and-avoid technology, ADS-B receivers, and laser rangefinding.
Deep TechDefense TechHardware
Mast combines forest restoration with biomass burial to remove carbon and restore wildfire-affected landscapes.
AgTechCircular EconomyCleantechClimate TechFintechImpact & Social GoodSeattle, US
Modovolo designs modular, payload-centric drones with a central payload bay and swappable universal carriers for missions in defense, delivery, and agriculture.
Advanced ManufacturingDefense TechHardwareRoboticsUtica, US
Justin Call(Executive Officer, Director)Arion Mangio(Executive Officer, Director)
Quantifly uses aerial imagery from drones/UAS and manned aircraft to automatically observe, measure, and analyze change at city scale.
AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureHardwarePropTechSyracuse, US
Daniel Brooks(Co-founder)Adrianna Jordan(Co-founder)Zac Halberd(Co-founder)Javad Roostaei(Co-founder)
ResilienX is a systems integrator for uncrewed aviation ecosystems, connecting multi-vendor technologies into a single coherent, safe, and scalable system for agencies and operators.
Deep TechGovTechMobility & TransportationSpace TechSyracuse, US
Ryan Pleskach(Co-Founder & COO)Andrew Carter(Co-Founder & CEO)Sean Calhoun(Executive Officer, Director)Matthew Synborski(CTO)
SkyfireAI develops autonomous drone systems with AI-powered threat detection for first responders and security applications, reducing response times and false alarms in emergency situations.
AI & Machine LearningDefense TechRobotics
TruWeather Solutions provides a SaaS weather intelligence platform that integrates weather data into operational decision workflows for weather-sensitive industries, with a focus on commercial drones, advanced air mobility, aviation, and logistics.
AI & Machine LearningLogistics & Supply ChainMobility & TransportationSaaS
Don Berchoff(CEO)
Wonder Robotics develops autonomous guidance software for drones, providing AI-based navigation, target tracking, precision maneuvering, and real-time obstacle avoidance that reduces dependence on communication links and GPS in complex environments.
AI & Machine LearningDefense TechRobotics
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companiesFusion · techcrunch.com · Jul 30, 2026
Aerialoop · citybiz.co · Jul 13, 2026
Vermeer · finsmes.com · Oct 23, 2025
Frequently asked questions
- What stage does GENIUS NY invest at?
- GENIUS NY invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed stages.
- What is GENIUS NY's typical check size?
- GENIUS NY typically writes checks of $500K – $1M.
- What sectors does GENIUS NY focus on?
- GENIUS NY focuses on Deep Tech, Hardware, IoT, Mobility & Transportation, Robotics, Space Tech.
- Where is GENIUS NY located?
- GENIUS NY is headquartered in Syracuse, US.
- Does GENIUS NY lead rounds?
- GENIUS NY typically participates in rounds rather than leading them.
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