GENIUS NY
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersSyracuse, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
GENIUS NY firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- GENIUS NY
- Legal name
- GENIUS NY
- Website
- http://www.geniusny.com/
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
GENIUS NY industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Startup Accelerator Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (61171)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Corporate Accelerators & Startup Programs (FSANAHAD), Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Venture Creation Centers (EDAHAHAH)
Keywords
Where GENIUS NY is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Syracuse
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
GENIUS NY business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Government-Funded Accelerator Program: GENIUS NY is funded by Empire State Development and operates as a non-profit accelerator. Revenue is not generated from customers; instead, the program distributes capital to qualifying startups. The program is supported by National Grid and managed by CenterState CEO.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
GENIUS NY product offering
Product offeringCore offering
GENIUS NY operates a 12-month in-residence seed-stage accelerator that invests $3 million annually into five startups focused on uncrewed aerial systems, automation and advanced air mobility. Each cohort receives a $1 million grand prize and four $500,000 SAFE investments, free office space at INSPYRE Innovation Hub in Syracuse, executive mentorship, investor introductions, regulatory guidance via NUAIR, and approximately $200,000 in in-kind platform and tooling support.
Product overview
GENIUS NY is a unified accelerator program (not a multi-product platform) that provides a comprehensive 12-month in-residence program for seed-stage startups in uncrewed aerial systems, automation, and advanced air mobility. The offering combines investment funding ($1M grand prize or $500K awards), free office space at INSPYRE Innovation Hub in Syracuse NY, executive mentorship, industry networking, investor relations support, recruiting assistance, UAS ecosystem access (including NUAIR partnerships), and events/programming. All these services work together to help startups scale their businesses in Central New York.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- GENIUS NY Accelerator Program A 12-month in-residence accelerator program that selects five seed-stage startups annually focused on uncrewed aerial systems, automation and advanced air mobility. The program distributes $3 million per cohort as one $1 million grand prize SAFE and four $500,000 SAFE investments, and provides free office and lab space at the INSPYRE Innovation Hub in Syracuse, $2,500 monthly stipends, executive mentorship, investor introductions, regulatory guidance through NUAIR, and approximately $200,000 in in-kind support.
Quantifiable outcome
- Portfolio companies have raised more than $350 million in follow-on venture capital funding
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use GENIUS NY
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
GENIUS NY technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
GENIUS NY partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.
- StarburstmajorGlobal aerospace and defense startup accelerator that supports GENIUS NY's 12-month accelerator program. Starburst provides Accelerator-as-a-Service, serving as a nexus between global stakeholders in the A&D ecosystem. They offer strategic advice on product-market-fit, access to industry mentors, fundraising support, and introductions to investors and commercial customers.
- CenterState CEOcoreGENIUS NY is operated by CenterState CEO, which administers the program through its INSPYRE Innovation Hub (formerly The Tech Garden) in downtown Syracuse. CenterState CEO is Central New York's premier business leadership and economic development organization.
- NUAIRcoreNUAIR (Northeast UAS Airspace Alliance) is a key strategic partner managing operations of the FAA-designated NY UAS Test Site and the Center of Excellence for Advanced Air Mobility. NUAIR provides regulatory guidance, testing facilities, and industry connections to GENIUS NY portfolio companies.
- Murzilli ConsultingminorConsulting partner providing regulatory and business development guidance to portfolio companies.
- Rohin Sethi ConsultingminorAdvisory partner providing expertise to GENIUS NY startups.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves12 records
Expansion highlights6 records
GENIUS NY competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Founders Factory: Global accelerator and venture builder operating vertical-specific programs with corporate partners, offering capital and operational support. Comparable as a corporate-affiliated accelerator model serving multiple geographies and verticals.
- Techstars: Global accelerator network operating industry-specific programs with mentorship-driven cohorts and equity investment in early-stage startups. Directly comparable as a multi-sector, equity-taking accelerator with similar cohort structure and follow-on focus.
- Y Combinator: The benchmark startup accelerator providing seed funding, mentorship, and demo-day exposure to early-stage companies. Comparable as the largest accelerator by portfolio size and follow-on capital generated, though not sector-focused.
- Plug and Play Tech Center: Global corporate innovation platform running industry-specific accelerator programs (including mobility and aerospace verticals). Comparable as a multi-vertical accelerator offering corporate partner introductions and structured cohort programs.
- 500 Global: Global VC and accelerator running vertical-specific programs (including aviation/aerospace) with seed investment and follow-on fund support. Comparable in accelerator-plus-venture-fund structure and emerging-market reach.
Direct peers
- MassChallenge: Global non-profit accelerator with industry-specific tracks providing equity-free or equity-light funding to early-stage startups. Comparable as a non-profit, government and corporate-sponsored accelerator model with similar cohort and mentorship structure.
- AFWERX: U.S. Air Force innovation arm operating accelerator-style programs (e.g., AFVentures, SBIR) for dual-use aerospace startups. Directly comparable as a government-backed aerospace accelerator providing non-dilutive and dilutive capital to UAS/AAM startups.
- Starburst Aerospace: Global aerospace and defense startup accelerator that is already an active GENIUS NY partner. Directly comparable as a sector-focused A&D accelerator offering product-market-fit support, mentor access, and corporate introductions, and competing for the same UAS/AAM deal flow.
Emerging players
- SkyDeck UC Berkeley: University-affiliated accelerator offering seed investment and 6-month programs to early-stage startups with strong aerospace/robotics deal flow. Comparable as a research-anchored accelerator leveraging regional academic and infrastructure resources.
- NUAIR: Alliance managing the FAA-designated NY UAS Test Site and offering technical, regulatory, and operational support to UAS operators and startups. Comparable as the primary regional infrastructure and regulatory partner for the same UAS ecosystem GENIUS NY serves.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses2 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
GENIUS NY social profiles
Digital presenceGENIUS NY financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
GENIUS NY leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
GENIUS NY funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
GENIUS NY M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments46 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about GENIUS NY
What does GENIUS NY do?
GENIUS NY operates a 12-month in-residence seed-stage accelerator that invests $3 million annually into five startups focused on uncrewed aerial systems, automation and advanced air mobility. Each cohort receives a $1 million grand prize and four $500,000 SAFE investments, free office space at INSPYRE Innovation Hub in Syracuse, executive mentorship, investor introductions, regulatory guidance via NUAIR, and approximately $200,000 in in-kind platform and tooling support.
Is GENIUS NY a public or private company?
GENIUS NY is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was GENIUS NY founded?
GENIUS NY was founded in 2016. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is GENIUS NY based?
GENIUS NY is headquartered in Syracuse, United States, in the North America region.
How does GENIUS NY make money?
One revenue line is on record: government-Funded Accelerator Program.
Who are GENIUS NY's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Founders Factory, Techstars, Y Combinator, Plug and Play Tech Center and 500 Global. Direct peers are MassChallenge, AFWERX and Starburst Aerospace. Emerging players are SkyDeck UC Berkeley and NUAIR.
Does GENIUS NY have an API?
No public API is recorded for GENIUS NY.
What industry is GENIUS NY in?
GENIUS NY's product category is Startup Accelerator Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAM, Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated), with a secondary code of FSANAHAD, Corporate Accelerators & Startup Programs. Its NAICS code is 61171 and its SIC code is 6282.