START-UP NY
START-UP NY is a New York State economic development program administered by Empire State Development, offering new and expanding businesses a 10-year tax exemption to operate on or near eligible university campuses. The program is closed to new applicants as of January 1, 2026.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What START-UP NY does
START-UP NY is a New York State government economic development program administered by Empire State Development (ESD), a New York State public benefit corporation. Established in 2014, the program offered new and expanding businesses the opportunity to operate tax-free for 10 years when located on or near eligible university or college campuses throughout New York State. The program's core function was to reduce the corporate tax burden on participating businesses during their formative years and to anchor business formation near academic research ecosystems across New York.
The program's central offering combined a 10-year corporate tax exemption with facilitated academic partnerships. Participating businesses gained access to university research laboratories, development resources, and industry experts through sponsoring schools, which also served as the application gateway. There is no commercial pricing; the program was publicly funded and operated by Empire State Development as an economic development initiative rather than a revenue-generating enterprise. Outreach and application processing were conducted through the ESD program website, the New York State University Directory, and ESD's social media channels. The input data shows no technology product, software platform, or AI/ML component — the program's architecture is administrative and regulatory rather than technical.
As of January 1, 2026, the program is closed to new applicants. This closure marks a structural shift from an active recruitment phase to a wind-down posture in which existing participants presumably continue under prior terms but no new enrollments are accepted. The closure is the single most material event in the program's recent history and defines its current strategic direction.
START-UP NY firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- START-UP NY
- Legal name
- START-UP NY Program (Empire State Development)
- Website
- https://startup.ny.gov
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- START-UP NY is a New York State economic development program administered by Empire State Development, offering new and expanding businesses a 10-year tax exemption to operate on or near eligible university campuses. The program is closed to new applicants as of January 1, 2026.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where START-UP NY is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
START-UP NY business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Others
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
START-UP NY product offering
Product offeringCore offering
START-UP NY is a New York State government economic development program that allows new and expanding businesses to operate tax-free for 10 years on or near eligible university or college campuses. Through partnerships with sponsoring schools, participating businesses gain direct access to advanced research laboratories, development resources, and industry experts. The program is administered by Empire State Development (ESD) and is closed to new applicants as of January 1, 2026.
Product overview
START-UP NY is a New York State economic development program operated by Empire State Development (ESD), not a technology product or software platform. It is a tax incentive program that offers new and expanding businesses the opportunity to operate tax-free for 10 years on or near eligible university or college campuses in New York State. The program facilitates academic-business partnerships, providing access to research laboratories, development resources, and industry experts. The offering consists of program administration and application services rather than a technology product portfolio.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use START-UP NY
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
START-UP NY technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
START-UP NY partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- New York State Universities and CollegescoreSTART-UP NY partners with eligible universities and colleges throughout New York State. These academic partnerships give participating businesses direct access to advanced research laboratories, development resources, and experts in key industries. Businesses can operate tax-free for 10 years on or near these campus locations. The partnership forms the core of the program structure, with each school maintaining a campus contact for the application process.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves2 records
START-UP NY competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA): State-level economic development authority that administers tax incentive programs (e.g., Grow NJ, NJ Aspire) targeting business growth and job creation. Highly comparable to START-UP NY in offering tax-based incentives tied to job creation and geographic zones, but operates at a broader portfolio level rather than being tied specifically to university campuses.
- Massachusetts Technology Collaborative: State-level economic development organization focused on technology and innovation sector growth, including programs that partner with Massachusetts universities. Comparable in its state-government, tech-company-attraction mission, though it offers a broader portfolio of services rather than a single campus-based tax incentive.
- NYC Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC): City-level economic development corporation running tax incentive and job-creation programs across New York City, frequently in partnership with academic institutions (e.g., Cornell Tech). Comparable to START-UP NY in mission (attracting/anchoring businesses in NY) and university-adjacent model, though NYCEDC is city-scoped rather than state-scoped.
- California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz): California's state-level business attraction and incentive office, running programs such as the California Competes Tax Credit. Comparable in offering state-administered tax-based incentives to attract/expand businesses, but operates at a much larger scale and broader portfolio level.
Direct peers
- NYSERDA: New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, a sister NY State public benefit corporation that administers incentive programs and partners with universities/research institutions to attract clean-energy businesses. Shares START-UP NY's structure (state public benefit corporation, tax/incentive programs, university partnerships) but focuses on energy.
- Empire State Development (ESD) sibling programs: START-UP NY's parent entity operates multiple adjacent economic development vehicles (Excelsior Jobs Program, tax-based incentives, innovation support). These sibling ESD programs compete for the same pool of NY-based growth companies and share the same administrative infrastructure, making them the closest direct comparables in mechanism and target audience.
Regional players
- Connecticut Innovations: State-funded venture/tech investment organization administering tax credits and innovation incentives for Connecticut-based growth companies, with overlap into university-linked programs. Comparable in mission (state-attracted tech/industrial growth) and incentive-driven structure, but regionally confined to Connecticut.
- Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development: Pennsylvania's state economic development agency administering programs such as Keystone Opportunity Zones and the Neighborhood Assistance Program. Comparable as a state-level tax-incentive administrator targeting business attraction and job creation, with university-adjacent elements in some programs.
- Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO): State-funded Maryland entity that administers tax credits (e.g., Cyber Tax Credit, Research and Development Tax Credit) and innovation investment programs. Comparable as a state public-benefit economic development vehicle with tax-incentive products aimed at growth-stage and tech companies.
- Ohio Third Frontier: Ohio's state technology-based economic development program providing capital and incentives to encourage technology commercialization and startup growth, often partnering with Ohio universities. Comparable in its state-funded, university-anchored, technology-business-attraction model.
Market position
Strengths3 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat1 record
Key risks6 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
START-UP NY social profiles
Digital presenceSTART-UP NY financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
START-UP NY leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
START-UP NY funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
START-UP NY M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about START-UP NY
What does START-UP NY do?
START-UP NY is a New York State government economic development program that allows new and expanding businesses to operate tax-free for 10 years on or near eligible university or college campuses. Through partnerships with sponsoring schools, participating businesses gain direct access to advanced research laboratories, development resources, and industry experts. The program is administered by Empire State Development (ESD) and is closed to new applicants as of January 1, 2026.
Is START-UP NY a public or private company?
START-UP NY is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was START-UP NY founded?
START-UP NY was founded in 2014.
Where is START-UP NY based?
START-UP NY is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
Who are START-UP NY's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, NYC Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz). Direct peers are NYSERDA and Empire State Development (ESD) sibling programs. Regional players are Connecticut Innovations, Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO) and Ohio Third Frontier.
Does START-UP NY have an API?
No public API is recorded for START-UP NY.