Three Rochester Startups Driving Innovation in 2025

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A new wave of startups is redefining what innovation looks like in Rochester. From artificial intelligence to wellness and elder care, three emerging companies Max.io, Frequency Wellsness Space, and Everyday Hands, are gaining traction for the real-world problems they address and the communities they serve.

Max.io: Building the AI Backbone for the Future

Max.io is quickly becoming one of Upstate New York’s most promising tech startups. Founded by Max Irvin, who also launched the Flower City AI Conference, Max.io helps organizations deploy artificial intelligence in a way that’s scalable, sustainable and customized to their own technology stacks.

Specializing in content understanding, hybrid and vector search, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and production-grade chat interfaces, the company partners with businesses, schools, and nonprofits to deliver AI training that bridges theory and application. From guiding product teams through RAG deployment to helping classrooms explore AI ethics, Max.io is building not just tools—but long-term capacity.

Frequency Wellsness Space: Where Wellness Meets Community

Located in Rochester’s Neighborhood of the Arts, Frequency Wellsness Space is a modern wellness collective that blends holistic health services with a commitment to community care. Think WeWork meets wellness. The space offers many types of classes, events and services including trauma-informed yoga, meditation, reiki, sound baths, and energy work while also serving as a shared studio for practitioners and educators.

Founded by Karen Cringoli, Frequency provides flexible, furnished space to local wellness providers, including yoga instructors, doulas, coaches, and energy healers. In addition to classes and workshops, the studio hosts private events and corporate wellness sessions designed to support mental health and reduce burnout.

Frequency’s model is rooted in collaboration and abundance. Its members aren’t renters, they’re co-creators. Notable instructors include yoga teacher Brett Richardson, birth and postpartum doula Phyllis Sharp, and Pilates instructor Julia Tiberio, each bringing a distinct skill set and deep ties to the Rochester community.

Everyday Hands: Practical Support for Aging in Place

As more families face the complex realities of aging and elder care, Everyday Hands is filling a critical gap. The company offers non-medical, task-based support and services to help older adults live independently at home assisting with errands, grocery delivery, companionship, tech setup, and seasonal tasks.

Founded by Lauren Goetz, Everyday Hands operates as both a trusted concierge and a community-based care network. With increasing interest from healthcare providers and insurers, the company is exploring partnerships that integrate its services into broader wellness and aging-in-place strategies.

At its core, Everyday Hands is designed to offer peace of mind providing flexible, personalized support to older adults while helping their families stay connected and informed.

A New Chapter in Rochester Innovation

While cities like Austin, Boston, and San Francisco often dominate startup headlines, Max.io, Frequency, and Everyday Hands are proof that innovation is thriving in Rochester. These companies are led by founders who are building with purpose rooted in community, responsive to real needs, and focused on long-term impact.

As the region continues to invest in digital infrastructure and entrepreneurship, these startups represent a growing movement: local visionaries using technology, care, and creativity to build a better future right here in Rochester.