FuzeHub is partnering with AMPrint and NextCorps, the NYMEP Center for the Finger Lakes Region, on a Rapid Tooling Workshop  that will introduce attendees to ways in which AM and 3DP can be used to quickly and inexpensively produce short-run tooling for a variety of manufacturing processes. This event is scheduled for July 23-24, 2025, at RIT. You’ll meet and learn from Dr. Cormier along with other AM/3DP experts. Learn more and register.

Additive manufacturing (AM) and 3D printing (3DP) are often used synonymously. Are they truly one and the same?

The ASTM F-42 committee develops standards pertaining to this industry. When that committee was formed (I was one of the dozen or so people who initially formed F-42), the very first meeting was dedicated to answering the question: “What do we call it?” We literally spent a day debating that question. 3D printing is the term that virtually everyone knows, so it’s convenient to use in general conversation. However, there is also a widespread perception that a “3D printer” is a toy that kids use to print trinkets. For that reason, the term “additive manufacturing” was adopted to differentiate a general-purpose term (i.e., 3DP) from industrial-grade processes capable of making functional end-use parts for commercial use.

In terms of speed, cost, and precision, how do AM/3DP techniques compare to traditional tooling techniques (e.g., CNC machining and die casting) for tooling?

That’s a tough question to answer, since it’s case-specific. CNC machining has gotten really fast. However, large thick slabs of tool steel or aluminum can get extremely pricey. In general, tooling made via AM processes is less expensive and can have significantly shorter lead times if the tool requires more than trivial machining. If the tool is extremely simple, however, then CNC machined aluminum is hard to beat.

For more complex shapes, rapid tooling is a great short-term solution. I say “short term” because rapid tooling made via AM processes generally have very limited lifespans. Depending on the process that’s used to print the tool, hand polishing to some extent is often required. Therefore, rapid tooling is suitable for low to (at most) medium production volumes. It is not at all suitable for mass production except for specialty cases, such as injection molding tools where geometrically complex conformal cooling channels are needed to achieve uniform cooling and/or to reduce cycle times.

Which AM/3DP materials are best for rapid tooling, and how do their properties (e.g., temperature resistance, wear, and surface finish) compare to conventional tooling materials?

Again, this depends a great deal on which type of tooling is being discussed. For plastic injection molding insert tools, some of the newer ceramic filled stereolithography (SLA) resins are being used with great success. Multi-piece hand molds with slides that are removed by hand after each injection cycle allow the molding of extremely complex parts in the exact same resin that the production application calls for. That process-material combination can produce strong and stiff parts with extremely smooth surfaces and fine details. The same goes for sand casting patterns.

I don’t have much direct experience with rapid tooling for sheet metal forming, but I’ve seen numerous instances where high performance engineering thermoplastics, such as Ultem or PEKK, have been successfully used. Those engineering thermoplastics have extremely high strength and toughness, and they can be coated to reduce sliding friction during forming.

Lastly, filament extrusion 3D printing processes can be used to make large scale, relatively low-cost tools for vacuum thermoforming and even carbon or fiberglass composite layup. Those tools don’t need to be particularly strong, so they can be printed with extremely sparse honeycomb infills to reduce the amount of material and printing time. If high temperature materials are chosen, such as Ultem or PEKK, then they should be able to withstand thermoforming or autoclaving temperatures without any trouble.

What are some key design considerations (e.g., geometry, draft angles, tolerances) to consider when determining whether a part is a candidate for rapid tooling?

AM prints one layer of material on top of another, so there will always be some degree of “stair stepping” surface roughness. Some processes, such as stereolithography, can print layers as thin as 50 microns (or about 0.002”). The surface roughness of those parts is minimal. Regardless of the printing process, tools used for injection molding, sand casting, thermoforming, and other processes generally must be quite smooth to release the part/pattern during manufacturing. So, the first rule is to print parts with the thinnest layers the machine can produce to reduce the amount of hand sanding needed after printing. Surfaces of printed tools often will be coated with release agents, but it’s still good practice to beef up draft angles to compensate for any bit of extra friction from those layer lines.

Tolerances are very process-specific. Typically, molded plastic parts don’t have the same tight tolerances that machined metal parts have. So, additively manufactured injection molds made via stereolithography generally will have acceptable tolerances. The same goes for sand casting patterns, sheet metal forming dies, and thermoforming tools. The one exception is if a metal additive manufacturing process is used to produce injection molding or die casting tools with conformal cooling channels. The tolerances and surface roughness of metal AM processes are nowhere near good enough, so finish machining and polishing of the printed aluminum or steel tool is needed.

Is there a return on investment (ROI) sweet spot, such as batch size or complexity, where rapid tooling with AM/3DP is most beneficial?   

The answer to that question generally starts with batch size. For modestly sized parts (say within a 100x100x100mm cube), rapid tooling is usually worth considering for production volumes ranging from 10 to perhaps 5,000 parts. Printed tools for parts in that size range typically cost from as little as $100 to a few thousand dollars, depending on the size, material, and whether you print it yourself or outsource it. For tools that small, the lead time is typically 1-3 days. Using that price and lead time, you can already tell that a small part with trivial geometry will be faster and cheaper to CNC machine.

If the geometry is moderately or extremely complex (e.g., multiple slides in an injection molded part), then the time and money saved on hardened steel tooling will provide more than enough cost savings if only 10’s or low 1,000’s of parts are needed. As the size of the tool gets larger and larger, the question is more difficult to answer because there are relatively few AM processes that can produce extremely large tools in industrially relevant materials.

How easily can rapid tooling solutions be scaled up for small-to-medium scale production runs?    

Fairly easily. That’s because the tools themselves are relatively inexpensive. For example, let’s say a complex 3D-printed injection mold tool set costs $500 and can produce 500 injection-molded parts before it degrades to the point of no longer being usable. A company can easily afford to print many sets of inexpensive tooling – especially if they do the printing in house. The one asterisk to that statement is that the cycle time per part can be longer due to the relatively low thermal conductivity of the additively manufactured tooling materials, and multi-piece hand molds require labor for someone to disassemble the mold (i.e., remove slides by hand) on each cycle. So, it’s a tradeoff.

A complex production tool might cost 10’s to 100’s of thousands of dollars and have a 1–3-month lead time. The rapid tooling option could cost a very small fraction of that and be available in 2-3 days; however, the cycle times will be longer, and production will require a little more labor. If the company only needs a few hundred or a few thousand parts, that’s a perfectly acceptable proposition. It can also be a low-cost bridge solution to mass production while a company waits for a production tool to arrive.

What quality control methods are used to ensure dimensional accuracy and surface finish before AM/3DP tooling is used?

The dimensional accuracy part was mostly addressed above. Namely, there typically will be some hand sanding to remove layer lines. Depending on the printing process, sealers may be applied to close pinholes in the printed part surface, and release agents may also be applied. Holes can be printed slightly undersized and then drilled or reamed, and printed threads may be chased by hand. The exception to this is when aluminum or steel tools are printed. That is normally done only when non-machining features such as conformal cooling channels inside the tool are needed. CNC finish machining and polishing will be needed for the contact surfaces of those molds, dies, or patterns.

To learn more about AM/3DP tooling, sign-up for the Rapid Tooling Workshop with AMPrint, FuzeHub and NextCorps and join us on July 23-24, 2025 at RIT.

To learn more about RIT’s AMPrint Center, watch this video.

Provide a brief overview of the Koffman Southern Tier Incubator.

Since its founding in 2017, the incubator has had a significant economic impact on the region. We’ve supported 130-plus startups, we’ve been instrumental in creating 667 jobs and we’ve supported our startups in raising $491 million through grants, private investment and other funding.

Our programs include clean energy, business incubation, digital acceleration, equity and justice – and this fall we’re launching a sustainability accelerator.

Tell us about yourself.

I became Executive Director in May 2023. Before that, I was working in Asia for the World Bank. My entire career has been between science, business and law; working in the startup innovation ecosystem is where I found my home. I’ve been very fortunate to have opportunities in different areas of this country to really understand the larger national ecosystem but. at the same time. understand the regional nuances.

As a newcomer, what are your impressions of Upstate New York?

When I moved here, I was very excited because I’d heard about the phenomenal things New York State was doing as a trailblazer in clean energy and other technology. I thought I came prepared but I was so pleasantly surprised by what amazing things Upstate is doing: fantastic programs, support systems and the ecosystem that exists.

I feel that collaboration is the key. We have exciting things happening and, if we work together to break the silos, the potential is phenomenal.

What does a typical day find you doing?

My role is mainly administrative. However, I try my best to find time to connect with startups and students because that was the key interest I had in coming back to a university setting after seven years. I’m hoping that as I get settled and established in this position, I’ll be able to connect with them on a much more regular basis.

What exciting things are happening at the incubator?

One of our companies, KLAW Industries, received a $21 million contract with the Department of Transportation for their clean concrete made from recycled glass. We have quite a few battery companies working on battery chemistries, battery components and recycling. Also, we’ve recently onboarded a few international companies that are working on smart fertilizer. A lot of things are happening in the clean energy, agriculture and food space, and we’re quite excited about that.

Is diversity a concern?

We’ve been very fortunate to be able to engage in different communities. Is there room for improvement and more strategic initiatives? Definitely. And we are trying hard on that. We received a $50,000 grant from the SBA for a Black Entrepreneur Network. We did a soft launch a few weeks ago and we are now applying for Phase II. Through this network, we are hoping to promote diversity not just among our startups, but also among existing businesses in the region.

What is your biggest advice to startups?

An entrepreneur has a blank canvas to paint the inclusive world they want, but that rarely comes to an entrepreneur’s mind. It comes five or 10 years down the road when the culture has already been established. So, build the culture you want to have in five or 10 years.

The other advice I would give is that if you don’t know something, hire someone who does. That is a decision you should make sooner rather than later. It is very important for entrepreneurs to recognize their strengths and also their weaknesses. Recognizing weakness is a strength. Once you know your weakness, you can fill that gap, which will help your business grow.

What have you learned from startups?

I’ve been very fortunate to have worked with some brilliant minds. I’ve learned a lot. My list of qualifications is long. But while I owe my education to all the universities that have given me degrees, I owe my real-world experience to all the entrepreneurs I’ve worked with on this journey of 20-plus years.

Provide a brief overview of CenterState CEO.

We’re Central New York’s business leadership organization, economic development strategist, and Chamber of Commerce all rolled into one. In 2010, we took several nonprofit entities and combined them under one umbrella with the goal of giving the community one place to look to on issues of leadership and economic development.

Tell us about yourself.

Upstate is home. I grew up in Utica and went to D.C. for seven years after college. I was a speech writer for a U.S. Senator and had a great experience but was ready to come home. I moved to Syracuse in 2003 and started working for one of CenterState’s predecessor organizations and continued with CenterState. So, I’ve been doing some version of this job for 21 years.

I would say the main thing I brought to this role was my advocacy for positioning Central New York for the future economy. In 2003, Syracuse was at the tail end of a post-industrial decline. By 2006, it was going to hit rock bottom in its economic and demographic trajectory and we recognized we needed to do something different.

Looks like it worked.

All these cities along the Thruway were ports of call on the Erie Canal. They have a rich history of innovation and manufacturing that enabled economic growth on every corner of the planet. Getting us back to having a seat at the table for critically important conversations about the nation’s economic competitiveness, national security, and global technology has been our North Star and the vision from the very beginning. I think it is pretty exciting to see where we are going now in Central New York.

Our economic development pipeline is as strong as it has been at any point in recent history. We’re currently working on more than $8 billion in projects. We were the first Tech Hubs community awarded in the nation under the CHIPS and Science Act. And, of course, there is Micron selecting Syracuse for the largest single economic investment in the state’s history – and one of the largest in the country. The impact this will have on our community is incredibly profound. Generations of people had been told they had to leave Central New York because there were no good jobs here. The next generation of kids graduating from Central New York high schools will do so knowing that not only are there good jobs here, but leading-edge global technology jobs and everything else that goes with that.

What advice would you give other economic developers?

It is critically important that you develop a deep understanding of your region’s assets. Not what industries you’ve had in the past or the jobs you have today, but really digging into the fundamentals of what your community has to offer—your people, your innovation, your capabilities, your natural resources. If there’s one thing we’ve done well here is strip down the complexities of typical economic development cluster analysis and focus on understanding what products and services people around the world are buying, which industries are growing, and how can we, with our core assets, contribute to that economic landscape? That’s how Central New York has fought its way back into a position of global development.

Any final words?

We need to remember that in this moment of economic growth we have an obligation to make sure all residents of our region benefit from that growth. We’re all aware of the fact that economic growth, historically, has not always benefited all stakeholders equally. We need to ensure that the future growth we’ve fought for introduces a greater level of equity and inclusion. That is something we’re very focused on and believe is critical to our success.

Give us a brief overview of MACNY.

MACNY has been around for 111 years. We have over 325 members, the majority of whom are manufacturers ranging from small and mid-sized companies to multinational corporations. The rest are other organizations involved in the manufacturing ecosystem.

Our major areas of focus include training and development; networking and enabling members to collaborate with each other; advocating and being a voice for manufacturers; corporate services such as health care and energy purchasing consortiums; and talent development.

What do most days find you doing?

As EVP, I play a leadership role in guiding the overall structure of MACNY and how we serve our members. I work across the state, developing, and deepening our partnerships with educational institutions, state and federal agencies, legislative staff, community-based organizations, and economic development partners.

One of the things I love most about this job is spending time with our members, hearing about their talent and workforce challenges, for example, and helping them find solutions.

Tell us about MACNY’s talent development initiatives.

Our approach to talent development is multi-faceted. First is Partners for Education and Business (PEB), which focuses on K-16 career exploration and work-based learning. This includes partnerships like P-TECH program in over 17 BOCES or school districts,

We are rapidly developing pre-apprenticeship pathways, moving people from BOCES and P-TECH programs into careers in manufacturing through interest alignment and skills development. We’re very proud of a program funded by Empire State Development, Real Life Rosies^TM, to increase female participation in manufacturing through a Direct Entry pre-apprenticeship program. The program is currently in the Mohawk Valley, and we are currently working to expand across the state.

Third, we manage a statewide initiative – the Manufacturers Intermediary Apprenticeship Program (MIAP). In partnership with the New York State Department of Labor, MIAP provides group sponsorship and intermediary services for Registered Apprenticeship programs in manufacturing and IT. With our seven statewide partners, we have served over 1,000 individuals since the program began in 2017. As many individuals are looking for career pathways other than the traditional college route; “earn and learn” models like registered apprenticeships are incredibly attractive.

Why is this effort important?

The numbers show the need to focus on increasing the amount of talent available to the manufacturing ecosystem. Even before the CHIPS Act, there was a national projected shortfall of 2.1 M workers by 2030. Now with the emphasis on reshoring manufacturing combined with the Great Resignation and Silver Tsunami, this shortfall has only grown. As the current manufacturing workforce ages, the gap for those positions widens. That is why it is so critical to provide pathways to manufacturing careers starting in middle schools and high schools.

What exciting things are happening in manufacturing now?

The most exciting, even transformative, things have been federal and state policies to foster the reshoring of American manufacturing. The pandemic showed us a lot of things, one being that supply chain issues are real and if we cannot get the materials necessary for manufacturing, we are in real trouble as a nation. Semiconductor manufacturing is an area of critical need and now we have a host of opportunities as a direct result of the CHIPS Act and, at the state level, the Green CHIPS program. Obviously, the big headline is the attraction of Micron to Central New York, but we have seen growth at other companies, like GlobalFoundries, and we know there will be a supply chain that grows along with them.

While there is a lot of focus around new manufacturers coming in, we are also seeing investment from legacy manufacturers who have been a part of the state’s manufacturing ecosystem for decades. It is invigorating to see them develop new opportunities and grow their existing markets. Their growth is essential for New York State to continue to be a global leader in manufacturing.

What would you most like to get across to readers?

I have two major messages. The future of manufacturing in New York State is incredibly bright.

But this amazing growth does not come without challenges. The demand for talent will increase exponentially by the end of the decade. If a manufacturer lacks a plan focusing on attracting new individuals into the manufacturing sector, they will not be able to take advantage of this growth. I would encourage everyone to contact MACNY, FuzeHub, or one of our other partners, about a talent development strategy.

What brought you to NYSERDA?

As an engineer in the private sector, it became increasingly evident that in the world of clean energy deployment, state government had the real impact. I joined NYSERDA’s large-scale renewables team in 2010.

What’s kept me here is that in the last 14 years, the clean energy industry has scaled pretty significantly, so the technical challenges and solutions are ever more expansive and interesting. Also, the level of ambition across the state and the world has expanded, as well as the ways in which we can make very significant impacts in relatively short periods of time. The progress we’ve made since 2010 is quite a source of pride both for me and NYSERDA.

Share some of your key accomplishments.

My background is largely technical, so I think I see this transition through a lens not everyone has: a lens of advancing solutions that can improve people’s lives while addressing the climate crisis.

When I think about the accomplishments I’ve had in my career, there are technical achievements for sure, but it’s really about deployment. Offshore wind is a great example of a policy that didn’t exist at NYSERDA in 2010 and now we have among the largest goals in the nation, with a project that is in commercial operation and many more in the pipeline. I’m extremely proud of that.

Another accomplishment was co-chairing New York’s Climate Action Council, which worked for years to develop a Scoping Plan laying out the pathways to achieving our climate objectives.

Tell us more about that.

State climate law requires no less than 35% of benefits are directed to communities with a goal of at least 40%. There are the objective aspects of that, i.e., who are you focusing on and what investments are we making in that respect?

Then there is the question of how we better integrate with those communities. One way is through our 12 Clean Energy Hubs, a statewide network of organizations on the ground serving as one-stop-shops to help people participate in programs, connect with workforce training opportunities, etc.

We also have to think about program design. We don’t know how best to serve historically marginalized communities and if you don’t ask the questions, you might think the solutions are something other than what they’d actually articulate. So, we formed an Energy Equity Collaborative to work with those who serve and represent these communities.

What are NYSERDA’s top goals for 2024?

There is a significant clean energy transition underway. However, we’ve had some specific challenges in the large-scale renewable sector. We’re implementing Governor Hochul’s 10-point action plan to address those challenges while continuing with projects toward our goals. That reset is a top priority.

Another priority is leveraging federal funding. The Inflation Reduction Act, Infrastructure law, Chips and Science Act—all of those monies are beginning to flow. New York is well positioned to compete for those funds and to deploy them.

We’ve also been working with the Department of Environmental Conservation to develop a Cap-and-Invest program to help us achieve emission reductions.

Any final words?

I’ve been at this for a long time. Where I sit today, I feel extraordinarily optimistic about the future we will and are realizing. We not only have policy clarity in the state, but federal support to leverage it. And when we think about the ways the green economy is growing, we see more people seeing themselves as clean energy workers. We’re able to fund programs and interventions to support a diverse set of workers.

It is a moment of transition, but it is also one of extraordinary promise and execution.

Tell us about yourself.

I’m a technologist by background. I have a Masters in Computer Science degree. I started at GE’s Research Center right out of undergrad. I worked at GE for 23 years, mostly in Niskayuna, although I did a few years at NBC Universal. I was always on the innovation side of things. My last role at GE, and probably the most relevant to this job, was establishing the Forge Lab, which focuses on taking cutting-edge research and applying it to industrial use cases. It was a very entrepreneurial lab within the Research Center.

When GE was starting to break up, it seemed the natural time to make a change, so I took a job at Fluence, which does grid-scale energy storage. I ran their global labs for about a year and a half.

Then I learned about the NYSTAR job, applied, and got it.

Why NYSTAR?

Three main things interested me. One was the breadth. GE Research innovated across everything GE did, which touched so many industries and technologies. Even though I have a background in computer science, I am very technology-curious and really enjoyed getting a taste of that breadth. Within a few weeks of starting at NYSTAR, I found myself talking about fashion technology, gaming technology and quantum computing in the same conversation.

Second, there was always a part of me that wanted to try out the public sector. This felt like a great way to make that shift. The interview process really reinforced that. Everyone I talked to really believes in what they’re doing—making a difference, doing it for the good of New York State.

Third, Fluence was fully remote, and I am not a fully remote kind of guy.

How will your background shape your role at NYSTAR?

I do think I am bringing a different perspective, from two standpoints. One, being from industry, and the other is I’m a technologist to my core. It’s a different way of thinking when you’ve been there and understand what it takes to develop an innovation. The questions I ask: people’s faces light up. “You actually understand how this works! Let’s go a level deeper into what we’re actually trying to do!” I do think that’s relevant, given my vision for NYSTAR.

Tell us about that vision.

I can’t think of a better time to be in innovation, with everything the federal government is doing with things like the CHIPS Act and New York’s two designated National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engines. I think NYSTAR has a phenomenal foundation of an innovation ecosystem—70 assets spanning universities, incubators, hot spots, MEP Centers. I think our next chapter is, first, around how we leverage all of that with a very strategic focus. What are the strategic industries, the huge opportunities, and how do we use that existing infrastructure as an exponent of the “why New York” question.

Part two is, what are some of the things we need to add to continue to grow? The journey, if you are small business, is death by a thousand cuts. It might be technology problems, protecting your IP, your freedom to operate, legal services, setting up payroll [or] scaling up manufacturing. Our existing ecosystem hits a lot of those, but what is the next set of barriers we can take down to help small businesses succeed and make New York sticky, so they stay as they continue to grow? Some of that is going to be larger thoughts around specific industries such as semiconductors or green economy. How do we lean into those larger thoughts? How do we help anyone who is on that journey? At the end of the day, it is just “let’s make New York the best place to do innovation and entrepreneurship, period.”

What else should we know about you?

I’m probably the least territorial guy you’ll ever meet. I’m not an empire builder. I’m not trying to make NYSTAR the center of the world. I think NYSTAR needs to work effectively across all of Empire State Development and other government agencies. We all need to collaborate so we can double down on the areas we really want to double down on.

Tell us about yourself.

 
I’m from Australia. I earned a Bachelor’s and a Ph.D. from the University of Melbourne and came to the United States to do my postdoctoral work at Carnegie Mellon. My wife and I liked the United States and were excited by the opportunities here. When I interviewed at Clarkson University, I knew it was a place for me. I felt comfortable coming into an interdisciplinary environment and one that was fairly applied in terms of the kinds of research activities that go on here and the level of student engagement. It was an easy choice. That was 24 years ago.

Name three things CAMP has to offer.

 
One is troubleshooting. Clarkson professors and students can help identify the source of problems a company may be having and navigate potential solutions. Problem-solving is in our blood.

Then there is new product development based on new materials, taking brand new ideas that are just coming out of research at academic institutions and turning them into new products.

Third would be advances in materials processing for environmental sustainability and cleanup. For example, we have several Clarkson faculty working with companies who are looking at materials to filter out or destroy things like PFAS.

What might surprise people?

 
The number of different materials faculty here work on. We have people who deal with PFAS. We have people who work with plastics. Concrete. Semiconductor devices. We have people trying to understand how to create better welds or how plastics behave in space. That breadth in the knowledge base here is quite surprising.

The other thing is how engaged our grad students are and how often faculty get undergraduate students involved in projects. This allows companies to test drive the students as potential employees. The companies who have our graduate students come in and spend 6 months doing research with them are some of our greatest ambassadors. They highly praise the students and their work ethic and how willing they are to roll up their sleeves and get the job done.

Your focus is on polymers. Explain what you do.

 
Polymers is really the technical name for plastics. They are just really large molecules, and it’s the size of those molecules that has a significant impact on the plastic’s properties. They make up the adhesive on the back of a Post-it note, the hard casing on your computer or phone, even paper. They are all polymers, but they have different properties because of their molecular composition and the way they’re molecularly connected.

Recently, one project my group has been working on is the development of a novel polyurethane for use in chemical mechanical planarization, a technique used by the semiconductor industry to polish the surface of the chips. Planarization uses polymer pads, and we are working on developing a new type of pad that will eventually lead to fewer gouges and other defects in the chips and therefore reduce waste.

How does CAMP work with other New York State assets?

 
We’re very connected with each other, so whether it is another CAT or a Center of Excellence (COE), an economic development organization or FuzeHub, we are able to get help for companies who come to us with a need we can’t fulfill.

On the development side, we often work with the local IDA when companies thinking about building a presence in the North Country have a need for materials analysis or development. Often, these companies want to get the lay of the land and understand what resources may be available and where they might find employees. They come and talk to me, our students, and our faculty about how New York can help them put down roots here.

Any final words?

 
CAMP, with its 35-year history, is always open to working with businesses and getting new partnerships set up. We’re more than willing to take on the biggest or the smallest of challenges when it comes to materials and materials processing. Many people perceive academia as an ivory tower. We’re not that. We’re salt-of-the-earth kind of people who are ready to roll up their sleeves and work.

What is your mission at ESD?

I have a portfolio with five main areas:

• Innovation and Technology (NYSTAR)
• The Life Science Initiative
• The New York Ventures Portfolio
• The Capital Access Portfolio
• The Entrepreneur Development Team

These are five different areas but there are ways in which they overlap. Part of what I’m doing is working to take advantage of those synergies. Then when we interact with a business through any one of these divisions, we’ll understand where we might be able to help them through other divisions and programs.

Tell us about your background and expertise.

When I got here back on June 1, 2022, someone joked that “It’s like we grew you in a lab!”

I had worked in and around neighborhood economic development and small business wearing a variety of different hats—in the nonprofit sector, city government, state government, etc. I also did a stint at NYU Poly, an engineering university, where my portfolio included all the entrepreneurship resources.

For about 8 ½ years before joining ESD, I was running two organizations in Long Island City: The Business Improvement District and the Long Island City Partnership, a Local Development Corporation (LDC) for the westernmost part of Queens. Through the LDC, we were doing direct assistance to small businesses in one of the most productive advanced manufacturing centers in the state. But Long Island City is also home to a number of big businesses, so I was really working across a variety of businesses with their own needs and challenges.

Based on your experience, what are two pieces of advice for businesses?

I’ve noticed that, particularly with manufacturers, even when they are at 100 people and millions in revenue, they often don’t have the administration and finance side of their business staffed as a function. The head of the organization is also the CFO. The problem is that when there are opportunities for funding or other programs no one is there to do the application, to get engaged, to prepare the financials. So, I would say creating infrastructure around the finance and admin side of the business will pay off in the ability to participate in a number of helpful opportunities as well as making you more resilient when challenges come along.

The other thing I would advise manufacturers is to think about adopting technology, robotics, etc., not just as a way to automate your existing processes but to make you flexible for new opportunities and new industries that are emerging.

What should we know about the New York State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI)?

We received an allocation of over $500 million under the federal American Rescue Plan. About three-fifths of that is for credit programs and the rest is for equity programs. The target of this funding is individual-owned businesses and very small businesses, but all small businesses are eligible. So, especially as credit is tightening in the private markets, it may be that now is the time to consider some of these resources. There is a widget on the SSBCI website to help you find what is right for you.

Any final words?

The state has a lot to offer. While some challenges facing businesses are due to changing market forces and broader macroeconomic issues, the public sector has resources and we do want to help. It can be confusing. There are a variety of opportunities, tax credits, grants, technical assistance, venture capital, financing access and so on. I would talk to your local New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership Center first, but also NYSTAR has added “navigators” to work with companies and help direct them to the right resources. We have been doing cross-training to make sure that people in one area of ESD know what the other opportunities within the agency are.

So it is a great time to reach out! Bring us your challenge, and we will hopefully either be able to directly help you or connect you with partners who can.

Tell us about Workforce Development Institute.

WDI was born out of the labor movement about 20 years ago. In 2003, WDI became a 501c3. We have 10 regional offices with central offices in Albany. Our focus is on the worker and what we can contribute to the business from the worker’s perspective. We are collaborative by design, working in partnership with labor, employers, educational institutions and community-based organizations (CBOs) who believe that family-sustaining jobs with good pay and benefits are critical to bringing people out of poverty and back into the workforce. Our goal is to set a path for workers to attain and adapt the skills necessary to compete and advance in the future of work.

Do needs and issues vary by region?

I do think there are unique challenges in each region. You can’t just paint the state with one brush. In New York City, certainly, it is the high cost of real estate. In the rural areas, there are industries that are supporting whole communities and we need to keep them alive and well. We want people to come back to New York and our upstate communities because that is where the jobs are. We need people to fill an enormous amount of jobs that are coming in construction, manufacturing, and all the supply chain ripple effects. WDI’s value is our depth of expertise and our statewide presence that empowers us to identify successful programs and pursue opportunities to scale them to other industries or regions of the state.

How are you addressing the worker shortage?

A lot of it is career awareness and exploration, the schools play a large part in that, letting kids know there is a path to these good jobs, building road and energy infrastructure and manufacturing plants for semiconductors and clean energy components or working in those facilities. We also work with employers directly to help improve job quality so that workers and applicants are motivated to apply, accept work offers, and grow their careers with them.

We work very closely with the building trades. They have on-the-job apprenticeship programs. We partnered with the New York State Building & Construction Trade Council on a statewide pre-apprenticeship program. The program focuses on traditionally enabling career exploration and providing foundational skills, including communication and problem solving.

It is also important to make sure those who may be struggling with transportation to work, or maybe childcare, receive the wraparound support they need to succeed. It takes a village. There is a tremendous amount of great work being done by CBOs all across the state and WDI has relationships with those CBOs.

Can you share some best practices for attracting and retaining workers?

First and foremost is inclusion and having an accessible workforce for people of all backgrounds. It is also important to make sure workers have a sense of advancement and aren’t just a cog on an assembly line. You want them to feel valued and that they are not just stuck in a dead-end job.

The other piece is job quality. There are so many openings; people can be a little picky. This starts with wages and compensation, but extends to benefits, workplace culture, scheduling, and being flexible in helping out with things like childcare. Addressing some of those concerns can go a long way. Take a wholistic approach because if you invest in the worker, they are more likely to stay with you.

How do you work with FuzeHub?

Most of our regional directors work closely with their local MEP centers and with FuzeHub, the statewide NY MEP center. If there are partner forums where they bring in manufacturers, WDI is often there networking to provide opportunities to collaborate on a skills gap that a manufacturer might be having, or an upgrade in technology they may need. So, it really is a collaboration we have built with FuzeHub over the years, building on the MEP network and opening doors to manufacturers across the state.

Over the last several months, we introduced you to eight of the many women who play key roles in New York State’s manufacturing ecosystem, helping companies large and small handle challenges ranging from marketing to national security. From them, we learned a lot about how manufacturers can leverage the state’s public and private resources at every stage of growth.

Not sure what material is right for your product? Both Elisabeth Cain, former Business Development Manager at Clarkson University’s Center for Advanced Materials Processing (CAMP), and Donna Howell, Industrial Outreach Director for the Cornell Center for Materials Research (CCMR) taught us how partnering on advanced materials research has led to better sunscreens, apparel, medical devices, even sports drinks. Beth Bornick, Business Development Lead for Lithoz America LLC in Troy, told us about the benefits of one advanced material—technical ceramics—and how you can use 3D printing to create ceramic parts as small as half a millimeter.

In need of money to get your high-growth potential startup going? Or want to invest in startups? Meet Marnie Lavigne, Co-founder, and CEO of Launch NY, a Buffalo-based venture development organization that marked its 10th anniversary this year as the state’s most active seed fund.

Developing technology that could play a role in national security? Heather Hage is President & CEO of the Griffiss Institute, a Rome nonprofit that links the U.S. Department of Defense with academic institutions and industry. Since Hage came on board in 2021, Griffiss has opened the Innovare Advancement Center as a destination space for scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs and launched the HUSTLE Defense Accelerator for startups pursuing national security technologies.

Have a whole range of needs, including marketing, R&D, grant funding, and help with Industry 4.0? You may want to contact FuzeHub, your regional Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) center, or one of the four Strategic Partnership for Industrial Resurgence (SPIR) programs at the state universities of Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, and Stony Brook.

Aviva Gold, Director of Marketing and Communications at CITEC, the MEP center serving the North Country, told us about the particular challenges faced by small, rural manufacturers and how she has helped them with marketing plans. Amanda Jackson is a Six Sigma Black Belt who leads the Industry 4.0 initiative at the Alliance for Manufacturing and Technology, the MEP Center for the Southern Tier, helping small and midsized manufacturers implement the latest technologies and digital services to improve their efficiency, address workforce issues and gain competitiveness.

We learned about SPIR from Lisa Chichura, who heads the program at Stony Brook. The SPIR mission is to make the resources of the four state university engineering programs available to industry, helping companies solve engineering and technical problems to create and retain jobs in the high-tech workforce. Chichura explained how her program has grown to leverage all the resources of Stony Brook, including two Centers for Advanced Technology and several specialized research facilities and labs.