Beginning May 1, 2019, startups can apply online to the next cohort of The AFRL Commercialization Academy. The Academy is looking for startups in cyber security, big data, information systems, and UAS to apply, and possibly win $200,000 in prize seed funding, from IDEA NY

The Commercialization Academy is a Griffiss Institute entrepreneurial education program sponsored by the Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate (AFRL/RI). The Academy pairs high-caliber founders with high-potential AFRL technologies, with the goals of developing entrepreneurial leaders and launching new technology ventures.

Startup teams will enter a Commercialization Academy cohort, and then compete at a Demo Day for $300,000 in prize seed funding, with $200,000 going to the overall winner and $100,000 going to the runner-up!

After Demo Day, eligible teams will participate in the year-long IDEA NY accelerator program. Additional assistance will be provided to the teams through the Griffiss Institute, the Griffiss Institute Business Incubator, a Certified NYS Business Incubator, and Mohawk Valley EDGE. Participating teams will be required to reside in the Mohawk Valley region for a 12-month period after Demo Day.

The Innovation & Development Entrepreneurial Accelerator, known as IDEA NY Mohawk Valley, is a business accelerator competition and twelve-month program that will incentivize promising entrepreneurs to create and grow viable commercial businesses in the Mohawk Valley region. This accelerator program was made possible last year by a $2 million Upstate Revitalization Initiative grant from New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo.

IDEA NY is also open to business areas associated with robotics, Data-to-Decisions platforms, and Internet of Things (IoT) that would apply technologies associated with the technology focus areas.

There is no application for the IDEA NY program. The participation requirement for IDEA NY is that a startup must be accepted into, and successfully complete, the AFRL Commercialization Academy in order to participate in IDEA NY. Applications for the next Commercialization Academy cohort are now being accepted, and are due by Wednesday, June 12, 2019.

IDEA NY Accelerator Gives Startups the Opportunity to Win $200,000