Empire State Development Announces Round Six Winners of the Grow-NY Food and Agriculture Business Competition

$3 Million in Prize Money Awarded to Seven Global Food, Beverage, and Agriculture Startups, Including $1 Million Grand Prize for Unibaio

Competition is Supported by Upstate Revitalization Initiative and Builds on CNY Rising, Finger Lakes Forward and Southern Tier Soaring Regional Strategies

Empire State Development (ESD) today announced Unibaio, of New York, NY, as the grand-prize winner of sixth annual Grow-NY business competition which is focused on enhancing the emerging food, beverage and agriculture innovation cluster in Central New York, the Finger Lakes and the Southern Tier. The competition awarded $3 million — including the $1 million grand prize — to seven of the 20 finalists participating in the business development accelerator. The announcement took place at the Grow-NY Summit, a two-day event in Ithaca where finalists pitched their business plans to a panel of expert judges. Each winning team will commit to operating in the region for at least one year, while also providing a modest equity stake to Cornell University, to fund future food and ag entrepreneurship programming. The competition is managed by Cornell University’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement.

Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “Congratulations to the Grow-NY winners, and to all of the teams that participated in round six of this unique agriculture-based business accelerator and competition. Grow-NY is rooted in Governor Hochul’s support of startups that are building entrepreneurial ecosystems and continues to nurture economic growth across the rich farming areas of the Finger Lakes, Central and Southern Tier regions.”

State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “The Grow-NY competition is an annual opportunity to spotlight New York agriculture’s diversity and strengths, and the many opportunities it holds for innovative businesses that are looking to grow and thrive. Now in its sixth round, Grow-NY has proven itself to be a program that is integral to enhancing our agricultural economy. I congratulate all the winners and participants this year and thank Governor Hochul for her continued support in making sure New York agriculture remains a powerhouse nationwide.”

Unibaio offers naturally derived particles that trap the active ingredients of pesticides and fertilizers, enabling them to penetrate plants more efficiently.

Matia Figliozzi, CEO and Co-Founder of Unibaio said, “Winning the $1 million grand prize at the Grow-NY Summit is a dream come true. It’s more than just the money — it’s validation of our team’s hard work, innovation and dedication to creating a solution that will have a lasting impact on farming. The mentorship we received and relationships we developed through Grow-NY were invaluable, helping us refine our strategy and prepare for growth. This win will allow us to scale our operations in Upstate NY and contribute to a more sustainable and resilient food system.”

The finalist teams were provided with expert mentorship and guidance as they developed their business plans leading up to the Summit. During the event, they presented their pitches to a panel of seven judges with expertise in agriculture, food production and venture development.

Other 2024 winners included:

$500,000 Winner:  PureNanoTech, Parsippany, N.J. – Created a nanobubble irrigation solution to maximize irrigation performance and optimize energy usage in the agriculture, pond and lake restoration, wastewater treatment, and disinfection industries.

$500,000 Winner:  UdderWays, Albion, N.Y. – Uses a unique, brushless technology to gently stimulate cows and ensure clean and dry teats. With the startup’s patented vortex-style application, farmers can achieve consistent stimulation and effortlessly promote milk letdown.

$250,000 Winner:  Clean Crop Technologies, Holyoke, M.A. – Combines electricity and food-grade gasses to remove pathogens from seeds before they are planted, increasing yields, reducing waste, and improving food safety without preservatives.

$250,000 Winner:  ClearLeaf, San José, Costa Rica – Offers safe fungicides and bactericides protects soil and crops from a wide range of pre- and post-harvest pathogens, without harming the environment or your health.

$250,000 Winner:  For Bitter For Worse, Portland, O.R. – A distillery using certified organic, locally farmed ingredients to create a healthier, more inclusive culture with their non-alcoholic cocktails.

$250,000 Winner:  Zordi, Oakfield, N.Y. – Builds autonomous greenhouses with robots and AI to make delicious, high-quality produce available anywhere.

The public also participated in the competition by voting for the “Wegmans Audience Choice” award, which went to Bialtec of Delft, Netherlands, earning them $10,000 sponsored by Wegmans.

More than 1,100 people registered for the sixth annual Grow-NY Summit. The Summit culminated with the presentation of awards, where individuals from previous Grow-NY competition winners and finalists Capro-X, WeRadiate, Sweet Pea Plant-Based Kitchen and GR8PE by Stil-Bène announced the four $250,000 winners. Commissioner of Agriculture Richard A. Ball revealed the two $500,000 recipients as well as the $1 million award winner. The winning companies will now immediately get to work executing their business plans in New York state, leveraging the connections made and regional knowledge gained from the competition.

In its sixth year, the Grow-NY competition attracted 312 applicants from 50 countries, including Canada, the UK, and Italy, along with 89 entries from New York, with 44% of applicants featuring a female founder and 60% representing a culturally diverse group. The winners will now focus on executing their plans in New York state, fostering job growth and leveraging the regional connections made during the competition.

Grow-NY Program Director Jenn Smith said, “Through the Grow-NY competition we’ve touched more than 1,800 startups wanting to build their businesses in Upstate NY. This year’s finalists are all exceptional, and we are thrilled to add Unibaio to our portfolio of ventures growing in the region.”

Grow-NY judges-based award decisions on the following criteria:

• The viability of the startup’s business model
• The diversity, quality, readiness and completeness of the startup team
• The value that the startup offers customers
• The agrifood innovation that that the startup has invented
• The job growth and opportunity potential that the startup can bring to the region

All winners are required to work toward making a positive economic impact in the Grow-NY region, which consists of 22 counties home to vibrant farmlands, a hardworking population, abundant freshwater and several rising cities, including Rochester, Syracuse, Ithaca, Geneva and Binghamton. The winning businesses will drive job creation, collaborate with local industry partners and help strengthen the regional economy.

Central New York Regional Economic Development Council Co-Chairs Randy Wolken, President & CEO of the Manufacturers Association of Central New York and Le Moyne College President Linda M. LeMura said, “We are pleased to offer congratulations to all of today’s winners and to all who were part of round six of the Grow-NY competition. New York State continues to experience unprecedented growth in the agriculture and food industries. The Grow-NY competition represents yet another exciting investment in our community that will further bolster regional job growth and further support our agricultural base throughout Central New York ensuring the region continues to rise.”

Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Co-Chairs Bob Duffy, President and CEO, Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce and Dr. Denise Battles, President of SUNY Geneseo said, “We are so incredibly proud of all who took part in round six of this innovative competition. The regional council is laser-focused on growing the state’s agricultural and food industries. Our continued investment in the Grow-NY competition is working to connect local industry partners with the cutting-edge ideas of these entrepreneurs, further supporting our multi-pronged approach to creating a thriving regional economy.”

Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council Co-Chair Judy McKinney Cherry, Executive Director, Schuyler County Partnership for Economic Development said, “I would like to offer my sincere congratulations to the winning teams and to all of the round six Grow-NY competitors who took part in this year’s summit in Ithaca. Innovation and entrepreneurship are key to our economic future. New York’s agriculture industry is one of the most diverse and prestigious in the world, and this initiative sets New York apart from other states, adding to our region’s continued economic success.”

Learn more about the Grow-NY competition here.

Learn more about Cornell University’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement here.

Accelerating Finger Lakes Forward

Today’s announcement complements “Finger Lakes Forward,” the region’s comprehensive strategy to generate robust economic growth and community development. The regionally designed plan focuses on investing in key industries including photonics, agriculture‎ and food production, and advanced manufacturing. More information is available here. ​

Accelerating CNY Rising

Today’s announcement complements “CNY Rising,” the region’s comprehensive strategy to generate robust economic growth and community development. The regionally designed plan focuses on capitalizing on global market opportunities, strengthening entrepreneurship and creating an inclusive economy. More information is available here.

Accelerating Southern Tier Soaring

Today’s announcement complements “Southern Tier Soaring,” the region’s comprehensive strategy to generate robust economic growth and community development. The regionally designed plan focuses on attracting a talented workforce, growing business and driving innovation. More information is available here.

About Empire State Development

Empire State Development (ESD) is New York’s chief economic development agency (www.esd.ny.gov). The mission of ESD is to promote a vigorous and growing economy, encourage the creation of new job and economic opportunities, increase revenues to the State and its municipalities, and achieve stable and diversified local economies. Through the use of loans, grants, tax credits and other forms of financial assistance, ESD strives to enhance private business investment and growth to spur job creation and support prosperous communities across New York State. ESD is also the primary administrative agency overseeing the Regional Economic Development Councils and the marketing of “I LOVE NY” the State’s iconic tourism brand. For more information on Regional Councils and Empire State Development, visit www.regionalcouncils.ny.gov and www.esd.ny.gov.