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

As Women’s History Month begins, women's business and leadership groups are strengthening mentorship, leadership, and professional connections across the region. ROCHESTER, NY —  As Women’s History Month begins and International Women’s Day approaches on March 8, several organizations across Rochester are helping women expand their professional networks, develop leadership skills, and create new opportunities in business and community leadership. International Women’s Day is

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — As the global race to commercialize nuclear fusion accelerates, Rochester’s innovation community is convening to examine where Western New York fits in a rapidly scaling, capital-intensive industry. On Friday, March 13, industry experts, technologists, and regional manufacturers will gather at NextCorps on the sixth floor of the Sibley Building for a full-day workshop titled Manufacturing for the Fusion Industry: Targets. The event runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A new wave of Rochester's startups is redefining what innovation looks like in the region. Long known for its legacy in imaging, optics and precision manufacturing, the region is now leveraging that foundation to build a modern startup ecosystem, one anchored by a growing network of incubators and accelerators designed to help founders turn ideas into companies. For executives, emerging founders, investors and business leaders looking to understand where inn

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Connected Know is launching the Connected Know Business Book Club, a new monthly series designed to convene Rochester-area founders, executives, operators and growth-minded professionals for structured conversation, networking and shared learning. The series will debut in January 2026 and is hosted in partnership with Serendipity Labs Rochester at Innovation Center as part of a six-month venue and community collaboration. The book club will be held in per

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Rochester’s coworking ecosystem has quietly evolved from a handful of shared offices into a diversified network of spaces serving everyone from startup founders and remote executives to women entrepreneurs and suburban professionals. As hybrid work settles in as a permanent feature of the modern economy, the region’s coworking operators are differentiating less on desks and more on community, specialization, and experience. A review of seven of the area’s mo

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Boutique fitness is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the health and wellness industry, with global revenues projected to climb into the tens of billions over the next decade. While national brands such as SoulCycle, Pure Barre and Club Pilates helped popularize the category with high-intensity classes and curated studio experiences, Rochester based boutique studios are competing head-to-head with the country’s biggest names. There are roughly 95 gyms an

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — In a move that blends innovation with impact, Envention LLC has partnered with Teamsters Local 118 to launch a next-generation Union Benefit Management System, scheduled to go live in January 2026. The system will replace decades-old legacy platforms with a secure, fully integrated solution designed specifically for the needs of union organizations and their members. It represents a major modernization step for Local 118, which serves thousands of workers

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Rochester’s startup and small-business community continues to shape how the region shops, celebrates, and invests in local founders. This year’s Connected Know Holiday Gift Guide brings together six Rochester-born companies making meaningful contributions to retail, culture, and community each offering something thoughtful, original, and unmistakably local. Second Look Boutique Category:  Fashion & Lifestyle Where to Shop:  In-store + Online One of Rochester

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — After three decades in the food and beverage industry, Rochester native Thomas Seymour is channeling his expertise into a new kind of coffee experience. As co-founder of Moka Energy, a startup launched in 2024, Seymour is on a mission to reinvent how consumers get their caffeine, by transforming the ritual of coffee into a portable, flavorful, and clean-label snack. For Seymour, coffee has always been personal. “I was introduced to coffee at a very young ag

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Global Entrepreneurship Week Rochester, GRWROC , returns November. 18–21,2025 bringing together founders, investors, support organizations and business leaders for four days focused on innovation, collaboration and economic momentum across the region. Positioned as a region-wide celebration of entrepreneurship, the event highlights the people and programs shaping Rochester’s business landscape. Organizers emphasize that the week is designed to connect entrep

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Rochester’s founder community doesn’t run on caffeine alone, but the right coffee shop can absolutely spark better ideas, smoother meetings, and the kind of chance encounters that make building a company here feel special. From indie cafés with personality to chain locations that function as unofficial co-working hubs, here are the region’s most founder-friendly spots to work, meet, build, and collaborate. This isn’t a ranking, just a curated guide to the p

How the Golisano Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship is rewriting the rules of business education and expanding into Buffalo ROCHESTER, N.Y. — In the world of startups, growth, agility, and purpose are the hallmarks of success. But one of Rochester’s fastest-growing “startups” isn’t a tech company or venture-backed firm it’s a business school that operates more like a modern accelerator than a traditional college. Founded in 2023 by entrepreneur and philanthropist Tom G

Rochester remains a vital player in New York’s economic landscape. Not just through startups and research, but through established, market-listed enterprises that continue to anchor and employ thousands across the region.

Rochester, NY - Bruno’s Books & Beans is officially open for business, with a month-long grand opening celebration throughout October.

September 19, 2025 ROCHESTER, NY  — At NextCorps on Thursday night, the room was electric as Startup Grind Rochester hosted a...

ROCHESTER, N.Y. —  As the United States nears its 250th anniversary, a Rochester-based startup is taking on a national role in preserving the stories that define America. TheirStory.io has been selected as the official oral history provider for America250 , the country’s multi-year commemoration of its semiquincentennial. TheirStory.io is a fast-growing oral history technology company headquartered in Rochester. Built to make storytelling more accessible, the platform allow

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Sept. 12, 2025 Here are three upcoming events in Rochester, NY offering major opportunities for local experts to step up to the mic. Organizers are actively seeking speakers, workshop leaders, and panelists who can offer real-world insights, hard-won expertise, and tactical takeaways. Here are three organizations currently accepting speaker applications: 1. NXT Level Collective: Annual Women’s Retreat Date:  November 5, 2025 Deadline to Apply:  Rolling, earl

Here’s a closer look at five key players in Rochester’s early-stage investment landscape and what founders and startup leaders need to know about them.

A new wave of startups is redefining what innovation looks like in Rochester. From artificial intelligence to wellness and elder care, three emerging companies in Rochester driving innovation.

Startup Grind Rochester has opened applications for its 2025 All-Star Pitch Battle, inviting startups from across the region to compete for the chance to represent Rochester on a global stage at Startup Grind's National convention in San Fransisco.