Launch NY
Impact investorBuffalo · Pre-Seed–Seed · 4 people tracked
Investment thesis
Launch NY focuses on driving innovation, job creation, and regional economic growth across Upstate New York by helping early-stage founders become investment ready. It pairs high-growth startups with pro bono mentoring from industry experts and provides seed capital dedicated exclusively to Upstate NY companies. Through its funds and Investor Network, it connects entrepreneurs with additional partners and capital providers, reporting significant follow-on funding for its portfolio. As a mission-driven, community-oriented investor supported by mentors, donors, and funders, Launch NY aims to build a vibrant regional startup ecosystem and expand access to the resources founders need to scale.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.
Team · 4 people
from public directories
What they invest in
from 73 of 106 portfolio companiesSaaS ×18Consumer ×17Healthtech ×17Direct to Consumer ×11Hardware ×11AI & Machine Learning ×10Cleantech ×10Digital Health ×10
HQs:United States×33
Investments · 106 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathBy year:2025 · 12023 · 32020 · 15 dated
Buffalo, US
Ryan Litt(Executive Officer, Director)Katie Sullivan(Executive Officer)Mel Passarelli(Executive Officer, Director)Patrick O'Connor(Executive Officer, Promoter)Tom Dalfonso(Executive Officer)
BoardDaniel J. DiPofi(Director)
Adaptive Waves develops smart coating technology, validated and advanced through NSF SBIR/STTR Phase I and Phase II grants.
CleantechDeep TechHardwareNew MaterialsSpace Tech
AireXpert provides a knowledge exchange and collaboration platform for the global aviation and aerospace technical community, connecting maintenance professionals, airline operators, and MRO companies to share expertise and best practices.
Enterprise SoftwareMobility & TransportationSaaS
Andy Hakes(Founder)
Anaghe Atelier makes made-to-order clothing and accessories, including designer sweatshirts, vintage printed and graphic tees, and Apple Watch bands, card cases, and key fobs crafted from upcycled luxury handbags.
Circular EconomyDirect to ConsumerE-commerceBuffalo, US
Arbol is a student financial success platform that helps higher education institutions improve enrollment, retention, and completion by guiding students through financial aid decisions and requirements.
EdTechFintechSaaSBuffalo, US
Ben Andre(Executive Officer, Director)Osho Jha(Executive Officer)Siddhartha Jha(Executive Officer, Director)Philippe Heilberg(Executive Officer, Director)
Aurie designs a reusable intermittent catheter system intended to reduce infection risk and improve ease of use compared with single-use catheters.
HealthtechMedical DevicesWellness & Fitness
Souvik Paul(CEO)
AvantGuard, a Cornell University spin-out originally founded as Halomine, develops N-halamine-based antimicrobial and surface-protection technology aimed at combating pathogens including the fungus Candida (Candidozyma) auris.
BiotechHealthtechNew Materials
Edward S. Eveleth(CEO)Marc Hein(CTO)Michael Newell(VP of Sales and Marketing)Carine Nkemngong(Director of Microbiology and Disinfectants)
Aviate Audio makes Multiverse, a customizable digital effects pedal for musicians that runs a downloadable library of audio effects created by various developers and brands.
ConsumerHardware
Azuna makes air care products that use pure organic Australian tea tree oil in gel form to neutralize household odors for up to 90 days, without harsh chemicals or heavy perfumes.
Advanced ManufacturingConsumerDirect to ConsumerBuffalo, US
Scott Dancy(Executive Officer, Director)
Beauty Buzz is a mobile app that connects beauty shoppers with beauty professionals for real-time appointment booking, helping pros fill open spots and clients discover and book services.
ConsumerMarketplacesWellness & Fitness
BetterMynd provides on-demand virtual therapy and psychiatry services to college campuses, extending the capacity of existing campus counseling centers.
EdTechHealthtechMental Health
Big Daddy Garden Company sells gardening tools and equipment for homeowners, including its Big Daddy Garden Caddy, a multi-function yard cart with a built-in hose, sprayer, water storage, seating, and kneeling pad, along with spades, trowels, and gloves.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerE-commerce
BraidBabes is a mobile hair-braiding service whose stylists travel to the customer's location to create custom braids, specializing in boho braids for events and weddings and offering braid and shimmer parties.
Consumer
BreeziPro provides predictive maintenance technology for commercial HVAC systems, using its AirPulse wireless IoT device and AirAssurance software to monitor air filter condition, equipment health, and indoor air quality.
CleantechIoTPropTechResearch Triangle Park, US
Bridge Green Upcycle develops proprietary technology for lithium-ion battery recycling, including battery health monitoring, second-life applications, and the extraction of black mass and precursor materials.
Circular EconomyCleantechEnergy
Balakrishnan G. Iyer(Founder & CEO)
CAHill TECH develops aQuiRe, a mobile app platform with safety and skills training videos for construction workers.
Construction TechEdTechHR TechSaaSAkron, US
Carley Hill(Founder & CEO)in
CaHill Resources is a certified WBE, DBE, and WOSB provider of site contracting services and equipment rental, with a focus on heavy highway and civil construction.
Construction Tech
Revora Materials operates a technology platform that recovers critical minerals such as magnesium, nickel, manganese, platinum group metals, and rare earth elements from industrial byproducts and ores, including mine tailings, slag, and cement-making residues.
Circular EconomyCleantechNew Materials
CareTech Human develops a remote urinalysis device (UroWell) using optical sensing, microchips, and cloud processing to let urologists monitor and assess patient condition without frequent office visits.
Digital HealthHealthtechMedical DevicesIthaca, US
Denys Matsui(Executive Officer, Director)Dr. Dan Matsui(Founder and CEO)Oleksandr Korobov(Chief Technical Officer)John De Caro(Chief Medical Officer)Olena Rapoport(Chief Clinical Research Officer)Irina Belenkaya(Chief Operating Officer)
Circuit Clinical describes its team culture, employee benefits, and hiring, but the page provides no concrete detail about its products or services.
BiotechDigital HealthHealthtechBuffalo, US
Kerry R. Hicks(Director)Jackie Kent(Director)Craig Lipset(Director)Katherine Sullivan(Executive Officer)Kevin Christner(Executive Officer)Deena Bernstein(Executive Officer)
Combined Energies develops proprietary power conversion products for OEM customers and end users in the energy storage, renewables, electric vehicle, and alternative energy markets.
CleantechEnergyHardwareRochester, US
John Vogel(Managing Member)Rhonda Staudt(Treasurer and Manager)Dan Shaughnessy(Manager)Mark Sperry(President and Manager)
Dentite provides an AI-driven medical billing service for dental practices, automating the process of billing medical insurance for medically necessary and preventive dental procedures to generate additional revenue.
AI & Machine LearningFintechHealthtechBuffalo, US
Petar Tofovic(CEO & Co-founder)XENIA RICHTER(Executive Officer, Director)DANIEL RICHTER(Executive Officer, Director)JEROD SIKORSKYJ(Executive Officer, Director)
Diadem operates a curated deal-flow platform that connects startups with funds, family offices, lenders, and angel investors through AI and human filtering.
AI & Machine LearningFintechSaaS
Ithaca, US
Clayton Poppe(Executive Officer, Director)Tobias Hanrath(Director)David Erickson(Director)Jason Salfi(Executive Officer, Director)
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)
Eat Me makes plant-based, vegan-certified non-dairy ice cream with simple ingredients and rotating flavors, sold to consumers across Upstate New York and the East Coast.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerFoodTechRochester, US
Ecolectro is an e-commerce site providing information on goods and services, with the ability for users to contact the company and sign up for a mailing list.
CleantechClimate TechE-commerceIthaca, US
Gabriel G. Rodriguez-Calero(Executive Officer, Director)Kristina M. Hugar(Executive Officer, Director)Zinovia Spezakis(Executive Officer)Jon Gordon(Executive Officer)
BoardRobert W. Shaw(Director)Lisa Coca(Director)
energyGuard Hub is a smart thermostat that lets users control their home heating remotely and is marketed as reducing average heating bills.
CleantechEnergyIoT
Ferric Contrast develops iron-based MRI contrast agents intended to produce high-quality magnetic resonance images of the brain, vasculature, liver, kidneys, and cancer-related tumors.
BiotechHealthtechMedical Devices
For Bitter For Worse makes non-alcoholic cocktails using certified organic botanicals, offered directly to consumers including via a subscription option.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerFoodTech
Fret Zealot, operated by Zealot Interactive Inc., develops software and hardware products for music education.
AI & Machine LearningConsumerEdTechHardware
GCLIProw makes GCLIP Drive, a rowing shoe-clip system that clips in and out of footboards and erg machines for use on the water or at the gym.
Advanced ManufacturingCircular EconomyHardwareSports TechBuffalo, US
Heat Inverse develops cooling technology aimed at reducing emissions, drawing on expertise in mid-infrared photonics and metamaterials.
CleantechClimate TechDeep TechNew Materials
Romy Fain(Chief Executive Officer, Founder)Francesco Monticone(Chief Science Officer)
HelixIntel offers HelixCMMS, a computerized maintenance management platform for maintenance and facilities teams to run work orders, preventive maintenance, and asset tracking, and HelixPrevent, a risk-prevention suite for insurance carriers, pools, and programs.
InsurTechPropTechSaaSBuffalo, US
Jonathan DeWald(Executive Officer, Director)Michael Mainier(Executive Officer, Director)Matt Rutter(Executive Officer)Brian Sullivan(Executive Officer)Emily Mainier(Executive Officer)
BoardPradeep Tagare(Director)
Huey Suncare makes daily SPF 30 sunscreen lotion offered in five shades based on the Fitzpatrick skin typing scale, designed to provide sun protection across different skin tones.
ConsumerDirect to ConsumerWellness & Fitness
Justin(Founder)
Intelli-Fun makes interactive learning games designed for early childhood and elementary education, with content developed alongside educators to cover STEM subjects.
ConsumerEdTechGaming
JECA makes gluten-free nutrition and snack bars formulated with healthy fats, fiber, protein, and antioxidants, free of refined sugar, soy, dairy, and oils.
Direct to ConsumerFoodTechWellness & Fitness
Ree Dolnick(Founder)
Portfolio news
latest coverage across their companiesOgnomy Sleep · alleywatch.com · Jul 5, 2026
Frequently asked questions
- What stage does Launch NY invest at?
- Launch NY invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed stages.
- What is Launch NY's typical check size?
- Launch NY typically writes checks of $200K – $1M.
- What sectors does Launch NY focus on?
- Launch NY focuses on Biotech, Cleantech, Impact & Social Good, Sector Agnostic.
- Where is Launch NY located?
- Launch NY is headquartered in Buffalo, US.
- Does Launch NY lead rounds?
- Launch NY typically participates in rounds rather than leading them.
Media · Podcasts & interviews
from their channelAI Moats in Climate Tech: Venture Capitalist – Startup Founder Dialogue
Launch NY
Financial Wellbeing for Entrepreneurs with Impressia Bank
Launch NY
Anatomy of a Deal: Founder, Equity Investor, Lender
Launch NY
Planning for an Acquisition
Launch NY
Impressia Webinar- Launch NY
Launch NY
Attracting the Workforce of the Future: How Do We Level Up for Gen Z & Beyond
Launch NY
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