Startup Wednesday Expands to Rochester, Bringing Hands-On Venture Building to Local Founders

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A new venture-building program is set to launch in Rochester this June, adding fresh momentum to the region’s growing startup and innovation economy.

Startup Wednesday, a weekly venture-building program founded in 2025 by entrepreneur Dan Gigante in Buffalo, will begin its first Rochester cohort on June 3 at NextCorps. The four-week program is designed to bring together founders, creatives, and operators to collaborate, test ideas, and accelerate early-stage concepts into tangible ventures.

The Rochester expansion reflects broader demand across Upstate New York for accessible, community-driven entrepreneurship programming, particularly as more founders look for practical, execution-focused environments outside traditional accelerators.

“Startup Wednesday was built to create a space where people can stop overthinking and start building,” said founder Dan Gigante. “We’re focused on giving participants the structure, support, and community they need to turn ideas into something real, quickly and confidently.”

A Structured Approach to Early-Stage Building

Unlike traditional pitch competitions or long-form accelerators, Startup Wednesday operates as a high-intensity, short-duration program. Over four weeks, participants work alongside peers and mentors in a collaborative setting that emphasizes iteration, feedback, and real progress.

The program is intentionally designed to lower the barrier to entry for aspiring founders. Registration for the Rochester cohort is priced at $25, positioning it as an accessible on-ramp for individuals exploring entrepreneurship.

Participants will engage with a mix of entrepreneurs, designers, developers, and marketers, creating a multidisciplinary environment that mirrors real startup teams. The focus is less on theory and more on execution, moving from concept to early validation within weeks.

Local and Regional Leaders Join as Judges and Mentors

The Rochester cohort will be supported by a group of experienced operators, investors, and advisors serving as judges and mentors.

Judges include:

• Dustin Wilson, an entrepreneurial leader with a background in sustainable business and innovation

• Doug Crescenzi, former founder and CTO with a successful exit and active angel investor

• Zoe Koulouris Augustinos, exited founder, product development advisor and leadership consultant

• Pavan Kumar, partner at 3pmVentures and entrepreneur-in-residence at NextCorps

  
  

Mentors supporting the program include:

• Dan Gigante, Startup Wednesday founder and program lead

• Melissa Davis, ecosystem builder and entrepreneurship coach

• Kayte Malik, strategy and operations leader and founder of Arrow House Group

• Connor Peters, CEO of Rochester-based startup Locke

• Kendra Fee-McNulty, strategic positioning and communications advisor

• Matt Foley, startup advisor specializing in customer discovery

  
  

The depth of the mentor bench underscores Rochester’s increasingly connected innovation network, where experienced founders and operators are playing a more active role in developing the next generation of companies.

$5,000 Prize Pool Highlights Launch Night Competition

Participants in the Rochester cohort will compete for a total of $5,000 in prizes, distributed during a final showcase event.

Awards include:

• First Place $2,500 

• Second Place $1,000

• Third Place $500

• Best Brand New $500, awarded to the team that builds a full brand during the program

• Community Favorite $500, selected by audience vote during the showcase

The structure reinforces the program’s focus on execution, with recognition tied to teams that demonstrate progress, creativity, and real market potential over the four-week sprint.

Momentum for Rochester’s Startup Ecosystem

The launch of Startup Wednesday comes at a time when Rochester’s startup activity continues to build across sectors including fintech, software, and deep tech. Programs like this add a new layer to the ecosystem, bridging the gap between idea-stage curiosity and formal venture-backed growth.

By focusing on accessibility and execution, Startup Wednesday complements existing institutions like NextCorps and regional investor networks, while creating new entry points for first-time founders and underrepresented builders.

The program also reflects a broader shift in how early-stage entrepreneurship is developing in mid-sized cities, moving toward more decentralized, community-led models that prioritize speed, collaboration, and real-world testing over traditional gatekeeping structures.

For Rochester, the addition of a weekly, builder-focused program could help increase the volume and diversity of startups entering the pipeline, an important factor in long-term ecosystem growth.

Startup Wednesday’s Rochester cohort begins June 3 and runs for four consecutive weeks. More information and registration details are available at startupwednesday.org/rochester.

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