NYC Innovation Hot Spot in Lead Role at 2025 New York State Innovation Summit

The New York City Innovation Hot Spot, led by CUNY Industrial and Applied Research (IAR), again played a leading role at the sixth-annual New York State Innovation Summit organized by Albany-based FuzeHub and supported by Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology, and Innovation (NYSTAR).

NYC Innovation Hot Spot supported companies and program staff

The Summit, a multi-day event held in Rochester on October 28-29, 2025, brought together entrepreneurs, researchers, investors, tech executives, and economic-development leaders to highlight and discuss the latest advancements in emerging technologies driving innovation and growth across New York State.

The conference included an opening address from Dr. Everton Henriques, director of manufacturing and technology initiatives at FuzeHub, a keynote from Hope Knight, president and CEO of Empire State Development, and a NYSTAR Update from Ben Verschueren, Executive Director of the Division within ESD. Breakout sessions covered topics such as navigating venture capital, cell and gene therapy breakthroughs in New York State, the impact of AI on imaging, and the intersection of technology and fashion.

Among the programs offered at the conference was a private meeting of more than 70 NYSTAR funded assets, including Innovation Hot Spots, Certified Business Incubators, Centers for Advanced Technology (CATs), Centers of Excellence (COEs), Manufacturing Extension Partnerships (MEPs), and accelerators, to discuss best practices. Ariella Trotsenko, Director of the NYC Innovation Hot Spot, spoke to the room on behalf of Innovation Hot Spots and Certified Incubators.

“It was incredible to be in a room with so many of New York’s innovation leaders, especially on the week of the Erie Canal’s 200th birthday, a reminder of how connecting regions has always fueled our state’s economic power,” said Trotsenko. “Innovation Hot Spots were created with that same spirit. We’re here to link founders with the right programs, incubators, mentors, and tax benefits so innovation can move faster and farther across the state. Sharing what we’ve learned in New York City—and hearing how other regions are serving their entrepreneurs—was energizing and reaffirmed how strong our statewide ecosystem truly is.”

For the first time, the Summit recognized 15 “Innovation Champions,” including CUNY IAR’s own Arber Ruci, entrepreneur-in-residence at the NYC Innovation Hot Spot and founder of neARabl. The selected 2025 Champions of Innovation are entrepreneurs, innovators, and industry leaders in NYS, who have faced extraordinary challenges, navigated obstacles, and emerged stronger through resilience and determination. https://fuzehub.com/manufacturing-blog/champions-of-innovation/ 

Additionally, the NYC Innovation Hot Spot sponsored six NYS companies to attend the Summit. Three had booths: Chase Mobility, Purafide, and AI Sole, along with three companies as attendees, Bronx Bioscience LLC, Kratos Technology, and VascuArch. Two companies part of the NYC Innovation Hot Spot portfolio, BeamFeed and Astrabeam, participated this year on their own steam, with BeamFeed hosting their own booth for the first time.  

Empire Corps, a NYC Innovation Hot Spot partner also led by CUNY IAR, hosted a booth as a statewide resource provider. “It was inspiring to meet founders from every corner of the state and share how Empire Corps can support their SBIR/STTR journeys,” said Hana Kassem, operations manager at Empire Corps. “As a statewide resource provider, we see firsthand how much potential there is in New York’s deep-tech ecosystem. Having a booth at the Summit allowed us to connect with entrepreneurs, incubators, and university partners who are building the next wave of innovation.” Empire Corps, which launched at the 2024 New York State Innovation Summit, also celebrated its first anniversary at the 2025 Summit with a networking event at a local Rochester eatery that drew more than 45 registered attendees.

The annual Fuzehub Commercialization Competition was also held during the Summit, with CUNY IAR’s Ruci providing pitch coaching to all twelve finalist companies, including Moby Filters, a Columbia University-spinout company that participated in the Summer 2025 Lean Bootcamp co-hosted by the NYC Innovation Hot Spot.

The 2026 New York State Innovation Summit will take place in Buffalo, New York on October 27-28, 2026.