GENIUS NY Cohort 7 Teams Arrive in Syracuse Ready to Scale Up

This year's GENIUS NY finalists; Aloft, Blueflite, Greenjets, Voltela, and Votix, have arrived in Syracuse, New York, ready to participate in the uncrewed aerial systems, robotics and big data accelerator program By Sarah Simpson / 18 Jul 2023

Smart Sourcing for Unmanned Systems

Discover cutting-edge solutions from leading global suppliers
SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT
GENIUS NY Cohort 7 Teams Arrive in Syracuse Ready to Scale Up
Follow UST

One of the world’s largest business accelerators, GENIUS NY, has kicked off its seventh year, as finalist companies; Aloft, Blueflite, Greenjets, Voltela, and Votix arrived from around the globe to Syracuse, New York on 13 July.

GENIUS NY Logo

These businesses were selected from a competitive group of applicants to participate in the program, which is focused on uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), robotics and big data startups. The teams will spend the next twelve months working out of Central New York’s premiere tech hub incubator, CenterState CEO’s The Tech Garden, where they will build out their operations and continue to scale.

As is true with each GENIUS NY cohort, these finalists are developing highly advanced products and services in terms of technology and application:

Blueflite designs and manufactures large drone platforms for faster and greener deliveries. The drone is all electric and can be used in emergency response for rapid delivery of medical or life-saving equipment such as defibrillators, or medications.

Greenjets is building electric ducted fan propulsion systems that are quieter and safer for drones.

Voltela is working on network connectivity for unlimited safety of autonomous commercial drone operations.

Both Votix and Aloft provide robust software solutions for the advancement and safety of UAS flight and usage.

It’s been an exciting start for cohort 7 as they embark on their year in GENIUS NY

The teams have wasted no time in immersing themselves in the vibrant Central New York and Syracuse communities, engaging with local entrepreneurs, and exploring the region’s tech ecosystem. The day after orientation, the teams attended the Upstate Capital Future of Air & Space event at the Innovare Advancement Center in Rome, NY where, in addition to networking, they had the opportunity to learn about what’s happening in Upstate NY in UAS and uncrewed systems, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), edge & quantum computing, and their applications.

The annual highlight of the accelerator is Innovation Night featuring the GENIUS NY Pitch Finals, to be held on October 4, 2023 in Syracuse, where a total of $3 million will be awarded. The teams pitch their product to a panel of judges with one team receiving a grand prize investment of $1 million and the remaining four teams receiving $500,000 awards. The night is always one of excitement filled with local entrepreneurs, community business leaders, investors, and supporters of innovation.

GENIUS NY is aligned with efforts to highlight and support a growing smart systems cluster in Syracuse. Beyond the financial support, the participating teams gain access to Central New York’s unique startup programming, invaluable mentorships, and a wide range of resources.

This comprehensive ecosystem equips them with the tools necessary to transform their ideas into scalable and sustainable businesses. With one year of dedicated support ahead of them, Aloft, Blueflite, Greenjets, Voltela, and Votix will become part of this ecosystem and build networks, share new ideas, attract talent and investments, and help the Syracuse economy grow.

Posted by Sarah Simpson Specialising in digital copy Sarah is an experienced copywriter and researcher. Working with Unmanned Systems Technology Sarah has developed a passion for sourcing unique digital content and a talent for writing about the latest technical innovations in the unmanned sector. Connect & Contact

Latest Articles

Loitering Munitions to be Integrated with Trillium Drone Camera Gimbals

Trillium Engineering has secured a Phase One contract with Raytheon to supply its HD25-LV drone camera gimbal for loitering munitions, supporting operations with tactical EO/IR solutions

Feb 18, 2025
Enhancing USV Navigation with 3D Forward Looking Sonar Technology

FarSounder’s Argos series 3D Forward Looking Sonars enhance USV navigation by providing real-time underwater awareness, overcoming charting limitations, and improving safety across diverse maritime applications

Feb 18, 2025
Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Powered VTOL UAV Introduced

BlueBird Aero Systems introduces the WanderB-VTOL Mini-UAS, built for rapid deployment in any environment and powered by new PEW Fuel-Cell Technology

Feb 18, 2025
Product Spotlight: XPedite7770 High-Performance Single Board Computer

The XPedite7770 from Extreme Engineering Solutions delivers secure, high-performance computing for unmanned systems, featuring Intel® Xeon® D-1700 processors, advanced networking, and SOSA-aligned architecture

Feb 18, 2025
European Drone Battery Maker Opens U.S. Operations

Tulip Tech, a European drone battery manufacturer, is expanding into the U.S. to meet rising demand, offering advanced, high-performance power solutions for drones

Feb 18, 2025
How to Use NTRIP RTK with ArduSimple Receivers

In this tutorial, learn how to use ArduSimple's simpleRTK receivers with Mission Planner and QGroundControl to send NTRIP RTK corrections to your autopilot for improved accuracy

Feb 18, 2025

Featured Content

Military Vehicles to Feature Small Tethered UAS from Elistair

Elistair has secured a €3 million contract to equip military vehicles with tethered UAS, enhancing real-time intelligence and operational awareness

Feb 13, 2025
Ellipse Series Enhanced with Latest Firmware Upgrade

The new firmware update from SBG Systems integrates the latest World Magnetic Model (WMM) to improve navigation precision, even for first-generation Ellipse sensors

Feb 11, 2025
Advanced FOG-Based Inertial Sensing Solutions for Drones & Robotics

Aegiverse's products feature a multi-layered architecture that combines multiple elements into a compact module, providing significant, size, weight and cost reductions

Feb 06, 2025