Rochester Business and Startup News
Upstate Technology, Innovation & Business Coverage

Rochester, N.Y. - Brown and White Ventures has announced a new investment in Stak Mobility , a company focused on reshaping how cities use space, energy, and transportation infrastructure. The announcement signals continued momentum for the Upstate New York-based venture firm, which is actively investing in companies tackling large-scale, system-level challenges across industries. Stak Mobility is building what it describes as a new model for urban infrastructure—one that co

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — After more than a decade in the tech industry, Kyla Brown is applying her product mindset to a new challenge: fixing how people shop online. As the founder of Closet OS, a Rochester-based fashion technology startup launched in 2025, Brown is building a platform designed to make personal style more intuitive, personalized, and efficient. Closet OS sits at the intersection of retail, fashion, and technology, aiming to modernize an e-commerce experience that B

Rochester, N.Y. - Rochester’s next generation of founders, investors, and operators gathered this past Saturday at Fairport Brewing Co. for Start-up and VC Night, an event hosted by the Simon School Venture Fund (SSVF) , Net Impact , Uncorked, and the Simon Entrepreneurs Association (SEA). Designed as both an educational forum and a community-building experience, the evening delivered a strong signal: Rochester’s innovation economy continues to gain momentum, driven by access

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Upstate Venture Connect (UVC) has announced the eight founders from seven high-growth Upstate startups selected to participate in its first Founder Roadshow of 2026, a curated delegation heading to Michigan Tech Week in Detroit this May. The “Upstate to Detroit: Founders Roadshow” will bring a cohort of venture-scale companies into one of the Midwest’s fastest-growing innovation hubs for a multi-day immersion designed to accelerate growth, unlock capital,

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — TechRochester has officially announced the nominees for its 2026 Technology Woman of the Year and Emerging Technology Woman of the Year Awards, marking the 25th anniversary of one of the region’s most established recognitions of women in technology. The annual event highlights leaders across Greater Rochester who are driving innovation, advancing STEM careers, and strengthening the local technology ecosystem. The awards also emphasize mentorship, community

ROCHESTER, NY — The winners have been announced and leaders across the region’s technology ecosystem gathered to celebrate innovation, collaboration, and impact at the 2026 GREAT Awards , TechRochester’s annual recognition of the individuals, teams, and organizations shaping the future of technology in Greater Rochester. The GREAT Awards, short for Greater Rochester Excellence and Achievements in Technology, highlight the companies, researchers, students, and innovators using

ROCHESTER, N.Y. —  The Invest NY Ecosystem Dashboard , an open-access data platform powered by Dealroom, now provides founders, investors, ecosystem builders and economic leaders a unified source of intelligence on startup activity, investment patterns, innovation assets and growth trends across Upstate New York. The platform aggregates company profiles, investor activity, transactions and ecosystem statistics and presents them in an interactive web dashboard at investny.org/

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The legal cannabis industry in the United States has matured into a multibillion-dollar sector, with regulated sales reaching approximately $30.1 billion in 2024 and trending toward an annualized pace exceeding $33 billion entering 2025, according to industry reports. Forecasts project the market could approach $39 billion by 2029, driven by continued state legalization, retail expansion, and product innovation. Against that national backdrop, Rochester and

ROCHESTER, N.Y.  — Rochester’s startup and innovation ecosystem isn’t just being built in offices and coworking spaces. It’s being broadcast. Across Spotify feeds, FM airwaves, and independent platforms, a growing group of Rochester-based podcast hosts are shaping conversations about business, leadership, equity, food systems, crime, culture, and community. Some are hyper-local. Others are gaining national attention. All are contributing to how the region tells its story. Her

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Upstate Venture Connect (UVC) is taking Upstate founders on the road this spring, launching a series of immersive roadshows designed to connect Upstate New York entrepreneurs with investors, customers, and corporate partners in some of the country’s most active innovation hubs. The nonprofit will lead curated delegations to Detroit (May 18–20), Boston (May 27–28), and New York City (June 2–4), aligning each trip with major tech and startup weeks in those ci

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Iter Opus , a U.S.-based technology startup developing artificial intelligence-driven hiring and career tools, has selected downtown Rochester as the site of its new headquarters, positioning itself within the city’s growing innovation corridor. The company has moved into the historic Powers Building. Iter Opus is preparing to scale its flagship product, Levii.io , a private AI-powered platform designed to match job seekers with career pathways and align em