ESD Announces Eight Finalists Advancing to Final 43North Startup Competition

Eight Startups Selected from 15 Semifinalists to Compete for Five $1 Million Investments at Shea's Buffalo Theatre

Empire State Development (ESD) today announced the eight finalists advancing to the final 43North startup competition, following 43North Semi-Finals at the Golisano Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship in Buffalo. Fifteen semifinalists pitched live before a panel of more than 30 venture capital judges from across North America, with eight companies selected to advance to "The Final Finals" on October 8 at Shea's Performing Arts Center. Tomorrow night, the eight founders listed below will take the stage before a live audience and compete for five $1 million investments and the opportunity to grow their companies in Buffalo.

"43North has helped attract entrepreneurs, investment, and new ideas to Buffalo for more than a decade," Governor Kathy Hochul said. "As these eight companies advance to the final competition, they join a long line of founders who have seen Western New York as a place to build and grow. I congratulate each of the finalists and commend 43North for the lasting impact it has made on Buffalo's innovation economy."

The 2026 competition marks the culmination of 12 years of 43North Finals. Since launching in 2014, 43North has helped attract companies from around the world to Buffalo and connected founders with investment, mentorship, workspace, and a network of business leaders and investors.

The 43North business accelerator is funded by New York State and receives support from Empire State Development to operate its competitions.

"Today's Semi-Finals showcased what has made 43North so special for more than a decade: ambitious founders, big ideas, and a community ready to help companies grow," said 43North President Colleen E. Heidinger. "As we head into our final Finals, we're incredibly proud of how this competition has evolved, the partnerships created and the lasting impact of the founders, jobs and economic opportunity that will continue to shape Western New York for years to come."

The 2026 43North Finalists are:

Airbuild INC. - Portland, OR

Airbuild turns wastewater treatment plants into fertilizer microfactories, recovering the nutrients cities discard and returning them to the soil as Terraforming Fertilizer.

JECA Energy Bars - Buffalo, NY

JECA produces energy bars with a focus on clean-label and real non-ultra-processed whole food ingredients for retail and direct-to-consumer distribution.

Leansite - Arlington, TX

LeanSite is an AI-powered facilities operations platform that helps multi-site organizations manage maintenance, vendors, assets, compliance, and work orders from one system.

Neurath AI - New York, NY

Neurath builds an uncertainty layer for high-stakes AI in manufacturing, medicine, and defense, helping systems detect unreliable outputs before they cause costly failures.

Playground - Rochester, NY

Playground is an award-winning brand building a trusted destination in women's intimate wellness in one of the largest yet most underserved categories in consumer health.

Valene Health - New York, NY

Valene Health's AI-native clinical operating system automates clinical, operational, and financial workflows for health systems and payers to reduce readmissions, lower costs, and expand care capacity.

VoicePlug AI - Palo Alto, CA

VoicePlug AI builds the AI workforce that powers voice commerce for restaurants - taking orders by phone, drive-thru, and kiosk, and handling voice-based table reservations and event bookings.

Ziffy.ai (Home Abroad) - Buffalo, NY

Ziffy.ai is an AI-native real estate investing platform with embedded financing that combines cash-flow rental discovery, analysis, and rental loan financing in one workflow for local and global investors in the U.S.

Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Hope Knight said, "Under Governor Hochul's leadership, Empire State Development is proud to support 43North and its mission to transform Western New York into a thriving launchpad for world-class innovation and entrepreneurship. Reaching the final eight is a remarkable achievement. We congratulate each finalist, wish them the best of luck in tomorrow's final Finasl, and look forward to supporting the winning cohort as they build and scale their businesses right here in Buffalo."

Thursday's event will bring together founders, investors, partners, alumni, and members of the Buffalo community for The Final Finals, marking the culmination of more than a decade of 43North's annual competition.

The $25,000 People's Choice Award, sponsored by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, will also be determined by a live audience vote.

Following the event, the five winning companies will join 43North's 12th and final cohort, receive a $1 million investment, and move to Buffalo in January 2027 - where they will gain access to 43North's network of mentors, investors, business leaders, and resources designed to support their growth in Western New York.

As 43North reaches this milestone, its commitment to Buffalo's entrepreneurial community will continue through the 43North Foundation. The Foundation will build on more than a decade of 43North's impact by supporting programs, partnerships, and initiatives that strengthen the region's startup ecosystem and help entrepreneurs grow in Western New York.

About 43North
43North was created in 2014 to attract high-growth companies in Buffalo and give entrepreneurs the opportunity to build and scale their businesses in Western New York. Through the competition, 43North has provided funding, free incubator space, mentorship, and access to investors, business leaders, and other resources to help companies grow. The program has supported startups across a wide variety of industries, with founders representing communities and markets around the world. Funding for 43N program activities has been provided in part by ESD, M&T Bank Foundation, and several other sponsors. For more information about 43North, visit 43north.org.

About Empire State Development
Empire State Development is New York's chief economic development agency, and promotes business growth, job creation, and greater economic opportunity throughout the state. With offices in each of the state's 10 regions, ESD oversees the Regional Economic Development Councils, supports broadband equity through the ConnectALL office, and is growing the workforce of tomorrow through the Office of Strategic Workforce Development. The agency engages with emerging and next generation industries like clean energy and semiconductor manufacturing looking to grow in New York State, operates a network of assistance centers to help small businesses grow and succeed, and promotes the state's world class tourism destinations through I LOVE NY. For more information, please visit esd.ny.gov, and connect with ESD on LinkedIn, Facebook, and X.

Contact:

Laura Magee (ESD) | [email protected] | (716) 846-8239 | (800) 260-7313

Christian Gaddis (43North) | [email protected] | (954) 821-6313