This free resource aims to improve sorting algorithms and enable high-throughput sorting at recycling centers, potentially making textile recycling more economically viable. The database addresses the growing problem of textile waste, exacerbated by fast fashion and complex fabric blends.

Key points:

1. In 2018, about 85% of used clothes and textiles ended up in landfills or incinerators.
2. NIR-SORT can train AI and machine learning algorithms to enhance fabric identification accuracy.
3. The database is part of NIST’s Circular Economy Program, supporting material reuse and recycling.

By providing high-quality reference data, NIST aims to reduce errors in fabric identification and increase textile recycling rates, contributing to a more sustainable textile industry.

For more details on this innovative approach to textile recycling, visit the full article on the NIST website.

This groundbreaking technology addresses a critical safety concern as lithium-ion batteries become increasingly prevalent in our daily lives. With the rising number of battery-related fires, particularly in urban areas, early detection is crucial.

Key features of the AI detection system include:

1. 94% accuracy in identifying the sound of an overheating battery
2. Ability to distinguish the safety valve sound from other common noises
3. Potential two-minute warning before catastrophic battery failure

The researchers used audio recordings from 38 exploding batteries, expanded to over 1,000 unique samples, to train the AI algorithm. They are now working on refining the technology for various battery types and exploring different microphone options.

This innovative approach could lead to a new generation of fire alarms specifically designed to detect lithium-ion battery fires in homes, offices, warehouses, and electric vehicle parking areas. By providing crucial early warning, this technology has the potential to save lives and protect property from the rapidly spreading fires associated with lithium-ion battery failures.

For more details on this groundbreaking research, visit the full article on the NIST website.

Schumer Says 5 NY-Based Projects Were Selected – The Most Of Any State – Ranging From University At Buffalo AI Research To Rochester’s Laser Lab To Cornell’s New Technology For Upstate Dairy Farmers And More; All To Spur New Innovations And Good-Paying Jobs

Schumer: NY Is Leading The Charge To Boost American Innovation And Economic Leadership!

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer today announced that five New York teams have advanced to the next round of consideration for federal investment through the National Science Foundation’s Regional “Innovation Engines” Competition (NSF Engines), which was created by his CHIPS & Science Law.

The five teams include projects ranging from the University of Rochester’s effort to develop cutting-edge laser technology, to the University at Buffalo-led AI for Health Equity, to Cornell University leading sustainable dairy innovation, to FuzeHub strengthening Upstate NY’s microelectronics manufacturing, to CUNY bolstering the tristate region’s biotechnology sector. Schumer said these five projects in NY, along with a total of 71 teams across the country, will now submit full proposals to compete for up to $160 million in federal investment from the CHIPS & Science Law. You can read more about this year’s competition here.

“I created the NSF Regional Innovation Engines program in my CHIPS & Science Law with New York’s world-renowned universities and innovation ecosystem in mind. I’m thrilled to see five NY-based teams reach the next round in the competition for major federal investment to boost American innovation, new jobs, and economic leadership,” said Senator Schumer. “From Buffalo pioneering the next generation of AI to Cornell discovering new technology to help our Upstate dairy farmers to Rochester powering the future of laser development, these projects show how NY can lead our nation in developing the technology and jobs of the future. The NSF is saying what I have long known: keeping America at the cutting edge of innovation across industries begins in New York. This major federal funding can help translate more research and development at New York’s universities into new businesses and new, good-paying jobs across the state, boosting New York to further lead the charge in powering America’s economic preeminence.”

More details on the five New York-based proposals can be found below:

• The University of Rochester’s proposal, officially named “STELLAR: Advancing Laser Technologies in the Rochester NY/Finger Lakes Region,” is focused on establishing a diverse coalition of partners in the Rochester-Finger Lakes region to accelerate laser discovery, technological advancement, education, and company creation, drive manufacturing and boost workforce development in order to help recapture U.S. national competitiveness and strengthen our security. The STELLAR Engine will foster laser-oriented workforce development in communities in Rochester and rural communities in the Finger Lakes, accelerate use-inspired R&D, entrepreneurship, and regional business development that will create jobs, build a laser science and technology talent pipeline, bolster the supply chain, and grow and sustain the region’s economy.

• The University at Buffalo’s proposal, officially named “AI for Health Equity,” will work to utilize artificial intelligence to develop cutting-edge health care solutions, further highlighting Western New York’s leadership in building an AI innovation ecosystem, something Schumer has actively pushed for. The project aims to boost new start-up companies and help partners commercialize AI technology centered on health and wellness. This new technology will aid health care providers and serve as personal assistance to community members. Eventually, the project will expand so that its technology can serve communities beyond Western NY and across the country.

• Cornell University’s proposal, officially named “Sustainable Utilization of Scalable Technologies & Advanced Innovation for NetZero NY (SUSTAIN Dairy),” aims to reduce waste, create new dairy products, and develop new rural and workforce development opportunities. It is one of five projects in this round that is focused on agriculture and the only project focused on dairy. This proposal aims to develop a holistic, science-based framework for achieving net zero by 2050 from farm to fork through an advanced dairy innovation ecosystem. With dairy manufacturing and family farms scattered throughout rural New York, achieving place-based innovation that builds community wealth is vital for the future success of Upstate New York.

• CUNY-ARC’s proposal, officially named “Tech-Enabled, Bioinspired & Biomanufacturing Ecosystem (Tri-State Tech-Biome),” aims to address critical regional challenges by creating an ecosystem that accelerates the innovation and commercialization of bio-inspired technologies and materials derived from renewable feedstocks. This work is being done in coordination with industry players and leading research universities in the region.

• FuzeHub’s proposal, officially named “A Materials Innovation Engine for Manufacturing Sustainability,” will work to mitigate the negative impacts on the environment from manufacturing industries by replacing toxic or scarce components with advanced materials. FuzeHub competed last year for this award as well and was asked to resubmit.

“I proudly supported the CHIPS and Science Act to pave the way for critical investments like the National Science Foundation’s Regional Innovative Engines program,” said Congressman Joe Morelle. “With the University of Rochester’s STELLAR engine advancing to the next phase, we celebrate Rochester’s legacy in optics and photonics and our designation as a Regional Tech Hub. This milestone honors our community’s pioneering spirit, and I look forward to working with the NSF to elevate Rochester’s role in shaping the future of technology.”

“I am very pleased that our Science, Technology, and Engineering for Laser and Laser Applications Research (STELLAR) proposal will be advancing to the next stage and can continue to compete for transformative funding focused on creating and growing a diverse, workforce-focused laser ecosystem in Rochester and Upstate New York,” said Thomas Brown, the Director of the University’s Institute of Optics. “Our proposal is the only one to address declining U.S. leadership in laser manufacturing, since lasers are a fundamental enabling technology underpinning the entire internet, chip manufacturing, and a host of other technologies. I particularly thank Senator Schumer for his vision in establishing the regional innovation engines program at the National Science Foundation through his landmark CHIPS and Science Act, our many academic, industry and community partners, and the NSF for their consideration of support.”

“The NSF Regional Innovation Engines program, created through the CHIPS and Science Act, is strengthening our nation’s manufacturing sector and boosting our global competitiveness,” said Congressman Kennedy. “At the forefront of this progress are five New York based teams that have made it to the next round of the process to receive game-changing federal funding to build on the progress Western New York has made to become a national-leader in the tech space. These teams are making our state and region a leader in innovative manufacturing while creating good-paying union jobs.”

“As the home of Empire AI, UB is dedicated to leveraging our game-changing artificial intelligence research to alleviate health disparities in populations throughout our region,” said UB President Satish K. Tripathi. “With an NSF Engines award, UB will be able to harness our AI- informed health innovations to improve the health and well-being of individuals and families across Western New York, ultimately growing participation in our region’s economy. On behalf of all of us at the University at Buffalo, I would like to thank Majority Leader Schumer for his steadfast support of UB. In championing federal research funding for institutions of higher education, Senator Schumer is helping UB fuel impactful innovations, contribute measurably to economic development and enhance health outcomes across the lifespan.”

Last year, Schumer helped the Binghamton University-led Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine win the esteemed competition in its inaugural year, bringing $15 million in federal funding immediately, with up to $160 million total over the life of the program from the NSF to supercharge growth and cutting-edge research in battery development and manufacturing in Upstate NY. The projects selected this year will build upon the inaugural cohort’s work developing new state-of-the-art technology.

Schumer created the NSF’s Regional Innovation Engines Program in his CHIPS & Science Law as a program that falls under the newly created NSF Directorate of Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships. Schumer proposed the creation of this Directorate originally in his bipartisan Endless Frontier Act, with a focus on delivering investment in research, workforce training, and entrepreneurship in key technology areas like AI, semiconductors, quantum computing, biotechnology, climate-smart research, advanced materials, and more. The NSF Regional Innovation Engines program catalyzes and fosters innovation ecosystems across the United States to promote and stimulate economic growth, job creation, and spur regional innovation.

Each NSF Engine can receive up to $160 million over 10 years; actual amounts will be subject to a given NSF Engine’s status and overall progress, as assessed annually. The teams selected in this recent announcement will submit full proposals to NSF by February 2025, with final awards made next year, pending appropriations.

ROME, NY — The Griffiss Institute is looking for a few good teams – ten to be exact – to take part in a 12-week defense innovation program that begins in May. The competition for the ten slots is open to startups developing defense applications for artificial intelligence/machine learning, cyber, quantum, and UAS solutions with potential to improve American national security and economic competitiveness.

The HUSTLE Defense Accelerator is an elite and immersive training academy for seed stage tech startups offered exclusively in person at the state-of-the-art Innovare Advancement Center, an open innovation hub driven by the Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate (“Rome Lab”) to accelerate academic, industry and government talent and technologies in areas critical to national security. Teams selected should be prepared to participate in a rigorous training program with expert trainers, coaches, and mentors from May 23 through August 12, in the heart of New York State’s defense ecosystem in Rome, NY.

The ten startups selected will enjoy a unique, two-track opportunity during the HUSTLE program. Short for “Helping Upstate Science + Technology Leaders + Entrepreneurs”, HUSTLE startups will learn how to grow their businesses and how to successfully collaborate with the Department of Defense (DoD) and other government agencies to drive solutions to market.

The business track of the HUSTLE program will teach, among other topics: motivation, competition, customer discovery, business model development, marketing and communications, intellectual property, and market entry. The government track will include, among other topics: requirements for DoD and in particular Air Force and Space Force programs, how to write a proposal for the DoD, how to handle confidential unclassified information, and basic DoD contracting rules and requirements. Qualifying HUSTLE teams will have the opportunity to pitch for up to $300,000 in investments to scale their companies in the Mohawk Valley.

This HUSTLE accelerator program was made possible by a $2 million Upstate Revitalization Initiative grant from Empire State Development which was recommended by the Mohawk Valley Regional Economic Development Council (MVREDC).

Interested teams should complete the online application at www.griffissinstitute.org/hustle, which is due by 2:14 PM on February 14. At that point, no more than 20 teams will be selected to give a five-minute presentation and answer questions from an expert panel of judges. The ten teams selected will then take part in the program this summer. HUSTLE is sponsored by over 20 organizations and individuals committed to advancing the program’s mission, with core support from Rome Lab and the New York State Division of Science and Technology (“NYSTAR”).

Heather Hage, CEO and President of Griffiss Institute: “The HUSTLE Defense Accelerator was designed in alignment with national best practices to do precisely what it says – Help Upstate Science and Technology Leaders and Entrepreneurs to be successful in startups driving new applications of AI/ML, cyber, quantum and UAS technologies that enable our defense ecosystem to fight, and win, against our adversaries. Rome, NY is the heart of the New York State defense ecosystem, and the GI is committed to deliver an unparalleled experience at Innovare Advancement Center this summer, where HUSTLE teams will join the ranks of a global community of diverse scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs working side-by-side, unified in purpose to protect our country and grow the national economy.”

Fred Garcia II, Colonel USAF, Director Information Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory: “Cybersecurity is a general area of focus for the Air Force Research Laboratory in Rome, New York. With projects such as the HUSTLE Defense Accelerator nearby, there are many opportunities for growth, innovation, and improvement in this field in central New York. For the Airmen and Guardians, we work with, safety is job one. For the USAF and USSF, cybersecurity is not just a word to describe this field; it is a calling to provide total cyber-safety of the digital Airman or Guardian.”

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, United States Senator for New York State: “Cybersecurity and emerging technology play increasingly important part in our national defense and local economies. The Innovare Advancement Center and the Griffiss Institute are great examples of how public-private partnerships can help drive the cybersecurity and quantum computing industry here in Rome. Programs like the HUSTLE Defense Accelerator will continue to define the next era of security and technology, keep America competitive on the global playing field, and draw more of the world’s brightest minds to work here in Central New York.”

Anthony J. Picente Jr., Oneida County Executive: “Oneida County has solidified itself as the epicenter for next-level technological research and development. Our investment at Griffiss International Airport has led to major innovation and advancement in the field of UAS and that is continuing at the Innovare Advancement Center with cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing. The HUSTLE Defense Accelerator is the latest chapter in how, along with partners like the Griffiss Institute, we are rewriting the book on building business around the defense and security of this nation.”

Jacqueline M. Izzo, Mayor, City of Rome: “One of the most important functions of the Innovare Advancement Center (IAC) is to promote technology startups utilizing the vast resources of Rome Lab and its partners to identify the entrepreneurs to lead us into the next decade. The HUSTLE Defense Accelerator will be a new, unique approach to assisting entrepreneurs with a business track and a government track, something not done in prior competitions, competing for the ultimate investment of up to $300,000 to develop new business products right here in the City of Rome and Mohawk Valley region. The Griffiss Institute is the perfect partner for HUSTLE as it offers a specialized mix of talent on a worldwide scale to advance and nurture new business ventures and encourage thinking “out of the box” to continue growing our technology ecosystem.”

Mary Carol “MC” Chruscicki, Executive Director of the Central New York Defense Alliance: “The Hustle Defense Accelerator is a unique and exciting opportunity for new startups. Hustle will immerse entrepreneurs in a program that untangles the challenges of starting a business while developing the tools that will enable working with the Department of Defense on technologies that are central to our national security and economy.”

ESD Acting Commissioner and President & CEO-Designate Hope Knight: “The Griffiss Institute’s HUSTLE Defense Accelerator will draw innovative tech startup talent to help further build the Mohawk Valley’s defense industry ecosystem. ESD is proud to support the development of in demand businesses that will create solutions for real world issues and increase New York State’s economic competitiveness as a growing hub for AI/ML, cyber, quantum and UAS.”

Dr. Marion Terenzio, co-chair of the Mohawk Valley Regional Economic Development Council and president of SUNY Cobleskill: “This Accelerator further underscores the Mohawk Valley as a world leader at the bleeding edge of technological advancement, where new ideas are nurtured through shared resources and expertise. Investment in these new ideas and newfound potential sets us squarely on the track for a more secure and economically vibrant future. Through the efforts of the Griffiss Institute and the Accelerator participants, the groundwork for this future finds new roots in the Mohawk Valley.”

About Us

Griffiss Institute (GI) is a nonprofit STEM talent and technology accelerator for the United States Department of Defense and an international network of academic, government and industry partners. Since 2002, the GI has served the Air Force, the Mohawk Valley region, and the United States, empowering diverse teams with talent and technology development programs that lead the nation in 4 technical and economic impact. In the past five years, the GI has partnered with Rome Lab to host 271 visiting scientists, employ 823 interns, support 508 local K-12 students with tuition-free STEM Camps during school breaks, and trained 63 startups in defense tech commercialization with 47 graduates of its incubator. Devoted to converging teams and technologies to solve complex national challenges, the GI is proud to enable its international network from its home at Innovare Advancement Center in New York’s picturesque Mohawk Valley. Griffiss Institute exists to elevate the next generation of talent and technologies that enhance national security and economic competitiveness for our region, state, and nation. www.griffissinstitite.org

Innovare Advancement Center is a 150,000 square foot open innovation hub that converges world-class scientific, engineering, and entrepreneurial talent from universities, government, and industry to tackle new challenges in artificial intelligence, machine learning, cybersecurity, quantum, and unmanned aerial systems. Innovare’s unique capabilities include highly specialized laboratories for experimentation in quantum communications and neuromorphic computing, 40,000 square feet of high-tech and high-speed communications-enabled collaboration spaces, an auditorium with capacity for over 250 people, an access point to the NY UAS Test Site, and coming in spring 2022 – an indoor unmanned aerial system (UAS) research and testing facility with 110,000 square foot indoor flight testing area – the largest in the United States. www.innovare.org

Dr. Santokh S. Badesha, a valued member of FuzeHub’s Board of Trustees, has been elected to the rank of Fellow in the National Academy of Inventors (NAI), a renowned non-profit organization that is dedicated to encouraging academic innovation. The NAI Fellows Program highlights university inventors who have demonstrated a prolific spirit of innovation and whose inventions have made a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development, and the welfare of society.

Badesha, a Corporate Fellow and Manager of Open Innovation at Xerox in Rochester, New York, is the company’s all-time record holder for U.S. patents with 258. He also has an additional 55 U.S. applications at different stages of the patenting process. Many of these patents cover foundational printing technologies such as photoreceptors, the core elements in laser printing; and fuser subsystems, which melt and adhere polymeric colored toners so that they form a visible image on paper.

A 2021 inductee into the National Academy of Engineering, Dr. Santokh Badesha is an Adjunct Innovation Professor with the Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Purdue University, which is one of more than 250 NAI institutions worldwide. Badesha is a member of the Xerox Innovation Group Hall of Fame, a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and Society of Imaging Science & Technology, and a chartered scientist with the Science Council of U.K. He is also a Member of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and an Honorary Member of the Society of Imaging Science and Technology.

FuzeHub, the statewide New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NY MEP Center), is making it easier to check out cobots and evaluate potential applications. FuzeHub owns a UR5e collaborative robot arm and recently collaborated with the Center for Economic Growth (CEG), Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC), and Buffalo Manufacturing Works (BMW) to host a cobot training session for NY MEP and HVCC personnel. FuzeHub and CEG sponsored the event and BMW, which is part of the Edison Welding Institute (EWI), provided the instruction at HVCC on August 18th and 19th. 

In addition to highlighting ideal robot applications, this two-day seminar provided participants with information about how to quantify the economic value of robotic upgrades. That’s an important consideration for contract manufacturers and job shops who are hesitant to invest in automation because of concerns about return on investment (ROI). For FuzeHub’s UR5e cobot, the next stop is a stint in HVCC’s mechatronics department, where it will be available for demonstration purposes and used by second-year students to automate a difficult materials test.   

Are you looking for ways to improve manufacturing efficiency? Are you interested in automating operations? FuzeHub can help. To get started, ask to speak to an expert.   

By Kathi Durdon, Executive Director, CNY Biotech Accelerator

The economy is ramping up — great news for everyone, especially those in industries that have been hit hard by the pandemic.

Still, as our recovery kicks into its next phase, the big questions remain: How do we bolster the resiliency of our economy and prepare for future uncertainty? How do we develop a workforce and build companies that have the potential to drive lasting, inclusive growth?

The answer is clear: by leaning into innovation.

For years, New York State has been investing in and building out its innovation infrastructure — a robust, statewide network that provides innovators, entrepreneurs and business leaders with access to the support they need to solve challenges and keep growing, even during periods of downturn and recovery.

Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation, known as NYSTAR, connects and supports each of the assets within that network. NYSTAR oversees funding for university research centers and provides assistance to businesses. Every year, over 70 NYSTAR-funded centers deploy more than $50 million in funding to generate technology-driven economic growth. The CNY Biotech Accelerator is an important part of this NYSTAR-backed network of centers.

Just as our state’s transportation infrastructure network has various critical assets — highways, airports, train stations — that each fulfill an important need, so too does our innovation infrastructure. Centers for Advanced Technology, New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership Centers, Centers of Excellence, Innovation Hotspots, and Certified Business Incubators — these are the assets that will provide the backbone of our economy during this rebound and into the future.

Finding Solutions Together

Collaboration fosters innovation. From Bishop and Varmus’ discovery of oncogenes to Pfizer and BioNTech’s dash to produce a COVID-19 vaccine, some of society’s most important advancements have come from teamwork.

Organizations that find space for inventive, cooperative initiatives are laying the groundwork for sustained success — and are setting up their communities for a strong rebound. There are dozens of examples alone within the NYSTAR network, which forges partnerships with university researchers, innovation-support resources and private industry.

At the CNY Biotech Accelerator, we are helping Quadrant Biosciences team up with top academic institutions, medical researchers and engineers to develop incredible advancements in medical diagnostics by integrating genetic and epigenetic sequencing with advanced AI technologies. Quadrant’s recent innovations include the world’s first molecular test to facilitate the early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. The test, Clarifi ASD, has received Breakthrough Device Designation, a special FDA program that will fast-track its development, assessment and review.

Quadrant Biosciences — and other companies supported by the NYSTAR network — are key to our state’s continued economic competitiveness. The CNY Biotech Accelerator is one of nearly two dozen NYSTAR-certified business incubators that support early-stage companies with a variety of critical resources to help them break through; these programs helped to create or retain almost 600 jobs in the latest data available. Additionally, NYSTAR’s 15 Centers for Advanced Technology generated a total positive economic impact of over $500 million for the state, according to the most recent annual figures.

Invention Amid Crisis

Even during the pandemic’s most challenging moments, centers within the NYSTAR network continued to push forward with new research and technology development — the type of work that generates innovation-led economic growth.

Several of our companies at the CNY Biotech Accelerator have been at the forefront of COVID-era breakthroughs. Having developed the most sensitive FDA authorized COVID-19 saliva test available in the United States, Quadrant Biosciences played a pivotal role in detection and, by extension, helped keep our economy running.

Vita Innovations, one of the participants in our Medical Device Innovation Challenge, is creating a “smart mask” that will monitor vital signs for patients in waiting-room hospitals as a solution to emergency room overcrowding. Vita is also working with the New York State Science & Technology Law Center (NYSSTLC) at Syracuse University — another NYSTAR-backed organization — which helps entrepreneurs and high-tech companies identify potential challenges and devise strategies to bring technologies to market. Delivering “innovation through law,” NYSSTLC provides legal research, education and information to help commercialize new technologies — roughly 60 projects a year.

Somewhat counterintuitively, global economic crises often generate more innovation. Necessity is, after all, the mother of invention. The CNY Biotech Accelerator — and our colleagues at NYSTAR’s centers around the state — are doing our part to create products, jobs and even some buzz around those ideas.

That work will be on display October 28 at the CNY Biotech Accelerator event “Promoting Tech Innovation in Upstate New York,” featuring keynote speaker Dr. Robert Atkinson, one of the country’s foremost thinkers on innovation economics and lead author of the Brookings Institute report “The case for growth centers: How to spread tech innovation across America.” We’re excited to showcase how innovation truly is the path forward.

New York State’s recovery won’t be without its challenges. But it also provides unprecedented promise. If we’re willing to double down on innovation, we can build a stronger, more resilient economy that creates new opportunities for all.

Kathi Durdon is the executive director of the CNY Biotech Accelerator.

Through our work, NY MEP has had a tremendous impact on the manufacturing industry in New York State. NY MEP has achieved $994 million in company cost savings, increased/retained sales, capital expenditures and funds acquired. The organization has also helped to create and retain 6,637 jobs.

Take a look at the infographic below to get the whole picture of the impact NY MEP has made in New York State.

“As New York’s manufacturers confronted uncertainty, adversity and disruption amid the pandemic, the NY MEP network stepped up in a big way. Each of the centers was tireless in its work to help manufacturers overcome challenges, pivot to new products, adopt new technologies and scale innovative ideas,” said NYSTAR Senior Vice President Matt Watson. “By deploying NYSTAR funding, providing direct assistance and helping companies navigate NYSTAR’s robust network of over 70 innovation assets, the NY MEP centers delivered a massive economic impact in 2020, measuring at nearly $1 billion and over 6,600 jobs.

“As our state’s recovery gains momentum, the NY MEP will remain focused on helping manufacturers address emerging challenges, accelerate growth and create jobs,” he added.

NYSTAR, Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation, oversees the NY MEP, which brings together 10 regional centers and one statewide center, FuzeHub. The NY MEP centers serve as go-to resources for local manufacturers to access support or assistance. Services available through the NY MEP include innovation, process and quality improvement, product development, scale-up, tech acceleration, cybersecurity assistance, research commercialization, sustainable manufacturing, technology-driven market intelligence, marketing, supply chain assistance and more.

In New York State, manufacturers employ 419,478 people, which represents a payroll of about $38 billion in manufacturing worker earnings. The industry produces an economic output of $84.4 billion.

Beyond FuzeHub, the statewide center, the regional NY MEP centers are:

• Advanced Institute for Manufacturing (AIM) in the Mohawk Valley
• Alliance for Manufacturing & Technology (AM&T) in the Southern Tier
• Center for Economic Growth (CEG) in the Capital Region
• CITEC in the North Country
• Insyte Consulting in Western New York
• ITAC in New York City
• Manufacturing and Technology Resource Consortium (MTRC) on Long Island
• Manufacturing & Technology Enterprise Center (MTEC) in the Mid-Hudson region
• NextCorps in the Finger Lakes region
• TDO in Central New York

The 11 NY MEP centers are among the over 70 NYSTAR-backed centers across the state that are actively working to generate technology-driven economic growth. This statewide network of innovation assets provides entrepreneurs, researchers and business leaders with access to the support, assistance and resources they need to solve challenges, develop and scale new technologies, start companies and grow existing businesses.

The economic impact information is based on data from the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NIST MEP), the federal agency that administers the national MEP program. The data combines performance metrics from each of the 11 NY MEP centers.

About the New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership

The New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NY MEP) is a network of 11 organizations that provide growth and innovation services to small and mid-sized manufacturers in every corner of the state to help them create and retain jobs, increase profits, and save time and money. Supported through a combination of federal and state funding, the NY MEP is part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership and overseen by Empire State Development’s Division of Science Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR). In 2020, the NY MEP created or retained 6,637 manufacturing jobs and generated $994 million in company cost savings, new investments and increased or retained sales.

For more information on NY MEP, visit www.newyorkmep.org.