Accelerate Long Island

What Accelerate Long Island does

ACCELERATE LONG ISLAND is a unique collaboration among Long Island’s world class research institutions and its business community to commercialize research and create an entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Name

Accelerate Long Island

Legal name

Accelerate Long Island

Website

http://www.accelerateli.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Accelerate Long Island is a unique collaboration among the region's world-class research institutions and business community

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Accelerator Services

akta.pro primary industry

Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Corporate Accelerators & Startup Programs (FSANAHAD)

Keywords

• Startup accelerator services
• Regional innovation ecosystem
• Science commercialization support
• Venture funding access
• Entrepreneurship program management

Headquarters

HQ city

Melville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding & Institutional Support: As a regional innovation catalyst, Accelerate Long Island operates through NYSTAR Hot Spot partnership and collaborates with academic institutions, economic development agencies, and mission-aligned partners. Revenue is generated through grant programs and institutional partnerships rather than direct revenue from startup services.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Accelerate Long Island operates the Hot Spot Startup Program, a selective regional accelerator for early-stage biotech, clean tech, AI, and science-driven ventures on Long Island. The program connects accepted startups with strategic mentorship, vetted service providers, institutional partnerships with research labs and universities, and access to seed capital and follow-on funding sources.

Product overview

Accelerate Long Island operates as a regional startup accelerator and ecosystem coordinator, not a traditional product company. The core offering is the Hot Spot Startup Program, a selective accelerator for early-stage tech and life science ventures in biotech, clean tech, and AI. This is supported by ecosystem access services, startup funding coordination, founder mentorship, a resource hub with 33+ vetted service providers, and a private member portal. The organization functions as a bridge between research institutions, startups, investors, and regional partners, with 21 portfolio companies and over $100M in follow-on funding raised.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hot Spot Startup Program A selective accelerator initiative for early-stage tech, life science, biotech, clean tech, and AI startups providing strategic mentorship, access to vetted service providers, and direct connections to investors and regional partners in the Long Island region.

Quantifiable outcome

• 21 startups accelerated through the ALI ecosystem
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Northwell HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor healthcare system providing institutional partnership for commercialization support. Northwell Health President & CEO Michael Dowling serves on the ALI Board. Supports researcher-to-startup pathway for life sciences ventures.
• Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld-class research institution providing access to groundbreaking scientific discoveries for commercialization. CSHL President Dr. Bruce Stillman serves on the ALI Board.
• Brookhaven National LaboratorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal research facility providing access to energy, physics, and life sciences research for commercialization. Director JoAnne Hewett serves on the ALI Board.
• Stony Brook UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor research university providing technology transfer and commercialization pipeline. Offers tax-free zones at SBU to attract companies and support startups through Stony Brook Incubators. SBDC SBIR/STTR Matching Grant program available for qualifying startups.
• Hofstra UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHofstra University President Susan Poser serves on the ALI Board. Partnership includes the ideaHUb incubator for early-stage companies.
• New York Institute of Technology (NYIT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic institution with ETIC (Entrepreneurship & Technology Innovation Center) fostering industry-academic partnerships and innovation in bioengineering and technology. Also supports Innovation & Entrepreneurship Academy with $5M venture fund.
• Long Island AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary business association for Long Island. Board Chair Stacey Sikes is VP of Government Affairs at LIA. Partnership includes L.O.C.A.L. Small Business Grants ($5K-$25K for Nassau/Suffolk), Tech Workshops through Google partnership, and co-branded initiatives.
• Empire State DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew York State economic development agency providing NYSTAR Hot Spot designation and support. Includes Resources for Small Businesses, Empire State Innovation Matching Grants (up to $200K matching federal SBIR/STTR awards), and Long Island Investment Fund.
• Farrell FritzcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLaw firm providing legal services to ALI and portfolio companies. Partner Alon Y. Kapen serves as Secretary/Treasurer of the Board. Specializes in corporate, securities, and venture capital matters for startups and emerging growth companies.
• Ernst & Young (EY)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProfessional services firm providing financial and advisory expertise. Managing Partner Jerry Ward serves on the ALI Board as Treasurer. Supports financial operations and fiscal leadership.
• Long Island High Technology Incubator (LIHTI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit incubator dedicated to helping technologically innovative companies grow. Provides mentorship and startup support services.
• Center of Excellence in Wireless and Info Tech (CEWIT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStony Brook-based incubator providing business model support, access to Long Island Angel Network, and startup workshops.
• Long Island Software & Technology Network (LISTnet)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember-supported network promoting Long Island as a hub for software and technology.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Launch NY: Launch NY is a New York State-focused startup accelerator and seed fund supporting high-growth ventures across upstate and western NY. Like ALI, it is a regionally-scoped, state-supported accelerator serving founders outside NYC — comparable in mission, structure, and reliance on Empire State Development support.
• 43North: 43North runs a $5M annual startup competition based in Buffalo, NY, providing cash prizes and accelerator support to ventures willing to locate in the Buffalo region. It is a NY State regional innovation program with a similar institutional/government-backed model, though at a larger scale.

Direct peers

• NYU Tandon Future Labs: NYU Tandon Future Labs is a NYC-based university-affiliated startup incubator supporting early-stage ventures across industries including AI, biotech, and clean tech. Comparable as a NY metro-region incubator with academic partnerships, mentorship, and capital connections, though operating at a larger scale than ALI.
• Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator (ERA): ERA is a NYC-based startup accelerator providing mentorship, capital, and investor access to early-stage tech companies. Comparable as a NY-region accelerator with selective cohort programming, but with a larger check size, longer-running brand, and equity participation model that ALI lacks.
• Long Island High Technology Incubator (LIHTI): LIHTI is a Long Island-based non-profit incubator dedicated to helping technologically innovative companies grow — listed as a core partner of ALI. As a direct in-region peer, it offers overlapping mentoring and incubation services to similar founders on Long Island, though with a different facility-based model.
• CEWIT (Center of Excellence in Wireless and Information Technology): CEWIT is a Stony Brook University-affiliated Long Island incubator providing business model support, Long Island Angel Network access, and startup workshops — listed as a core ALI partner. Overlaps with ALI in regional scope, science/tech vertical focus, and target founder segments.
• BioBAT Innovation Center: BioBAT is a Brooklyn-based biotech incubator operated in collaboration with SUNY Downstate and the NYC Economic Development Corporation, supporting early-stage life science companies in the NY metro region. Comparable as a state-supported biotech/life science incubator with institutional academic partnerships, serving a similar founder base in NY state.

Broad incumbents

• TechStars: TechStars is one of the largest global accelerator networks, running industry-focused and geography-specific cohorts across multiple verticals including biotech and cleantech. It is a broad incumbent offering selective accelerator programming, mentorship, and seed investment — overlapping materially with ALI's Hot Spot Program but at vastly greater scale and brand recognition.
• Y Combinator: Y Combinator is the world's most prominent startup accelerator, running biannual cohorts offering seed funding, mentorship, and investor introductions to early-stage tech companies globally. While it competes for the same pool of early-stage founders and offers comparable programming, it operates at vastly greater scale and brand recognition than ALI.
• MassChallenge: MassChallenge runs industry-agnostic startup acceleration programs with strong ties to the Boston/Cambridge innovation ecosystem, including biotech and healthtech verticals that overlap with ALI's portfolio. Comparable as a non-equity (or low-equity) accelerator with institutional partnerships and a regional innovation mandate.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/353992141308858
• Instagraminstagram.com/acceleratelongisland
• Xx.com/AccelerateLI

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments9 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Accelerate Long Island