Investor access and industry insight: Luminate takes on NYC

Investor access and industry insight: Luminate takes on NYC

• June 26, 2026

Each year, Luminate brings its startup teams to New York City for a high-impact week of investor meetings, industry access, and unfiltered feedback that sharpens both their technology and strategy. By the time they take the stage at the Investor Summit, the real work has already started to pay off.

On the way to the Summit

Photo courtesy of Cornell Tech

The week began with a visit to Cornell Tech, one of the country's most forward-thinking campuses. Arriving via the Roosevelt Island Tramway, the group was welcomed by Tomer Joshua and Samantha Laite, who gave us a closer look at the Runway Startup Postdoc Program - followed by a shared pitch session for Luminate teams and Runway participants.

Housed within the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute, Runway brings together research, education, and entrepreneurship to help translate innovation into startups and real-world impact. For cohort 9, it offered a compelling example of how academic institutions can play a direct role in moving deep-tech ideas from concept to commercialization.

Arthur Rabner, PhD, founder and CEO of HyperVision, said the trip resonated on a personal level.

"As someone who studied computer engineering at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, I was happy to visit Cornell Tech and see that strong connection to one of the most meaningful places to me," he explained. "I also see this as a great opportunity for Ph.D. entrepreneurs who want to build companies."

(Top middle) Luminate's Anjali Boriya (left) and Veronica LoCurcio (second from right) with Cornell Tech's Tomer Joshua and Samantha Laite; (right) Peter Smith, Smith Displays Limited

Learning from those further along

Midweek, the group visited Qunnect, a Luminate cohort 4 company helping bring quantum networking out of the lab and onto commercial fiber. Chief Science Officer Mehdi Namazi, PhD, and CEO Noel Goddard, PhD, brought into sharp focus the realities of building and scaling in a complex, emerging field.

"Being at Qunnect was both inspiring and reassuring," said Faisal Ahmad, PhD, co-founder and CEO of AB Photonics. "It showed that a small company with great ideas can keep going despite all the headwinds."

Experiences like this added an important dimension to the trip, showing not just what success can look like, but what it takes to achieve and sustain it.

Mehdi Namazi (second from left)

Pressure-testing with industry leaders

Later in the week, the group traveled to Edmund Optics, a company at the center of the global optics supply chain. Board chair and CEO Marisa Edmund welcomed the group before departing to accept a 2026 Private Company Boards of the Year Award. Our startups then presented their technologies and received candid, highly technical feedback from members of the Edmund team, including Greg Hollows, SVP of Optical Assemblies and Imaging.

The session pushed beyond surface-level advice, giving founders perspective on how these technologies are evaluated, refined, and ultimately adopted within the market.

"Connecting with the team at Edmund Optics was a real highlight, and I was super inspired by their CEO," added Camila Uzcategui, co-founder and CEO of Manifest Technologies. "They shared great insights on our technology and pitch that we're already incorporating."

Arthur Rabner, PhD, founder and CEO of HyperVision; photo courtesy of Edmund Optics

Karolina Orlowska, co-founder and Chief Science Officer of Gekko Photonics, found the stop similarly valuable. "I was able to discuss our customized solutions and receive practical feedback. I even secured contacts with research staff specializing in our specific field."

For Michael Pierantozzi, co-founder and COO of Diamond Quanta, the visit reinforced the bigger picture. "Successful commercialization requires alignment across the entire optical and semiconductor value chain. We came away encouraged by the potential for deeper collaboration and engagement across the ecosystem."

And for Rabner, it was another full-circle moment. "Going to Edmund Optics headquarters was like visiting a temple for me," he said. "EO catalogs were some of my favorite resources early in my career. I hope to see HyperVision's technology there one day."

Luminate cohort 9 at Edmund Optics, joined by Yvette Pagano of the American Precision Optics Manufacturers Association (APOMA; couch, far left) and Lisa Belodoff of Bell Collaborative (couch, second from left), and Greg Hollows (middle); photo courtesy of Edmund Optics

The Investor Summit

When founders arrived at the iconic 22 Vanderbilt for the Summit, they were building on days of conversations, feedback, and refined thinking. The event brought together global investors, advisors, and industry leaders, creating space for both high-level connections and deeply technical discussions.

"We had the opportunity to meet with a mix of people from across the U.S., Japan, and Europe," said Pierantozzi. "That led to several meaningful follow-on discussions that we are actively pursuing."

Karolina Orlowska, Gekko Photonics

Orlowska noted the value of having business and technical perspectives in the room. "It allowed me to focus on better demonstrating our commitment to solving various technological problems during our discussions."

Uzcategui also saw a concrete payoff. "There are some really great individuals in the NYC community, and one of my connections has already made an intro to a potential customer, which is exciting!"

In between pitches and networking, Barry Silverstein led a discussion on the launch of the University of Rochester's Open Metaverse Academic Alliance (OMAA), an initiative that's helping bring universities and enterprise together around open standards for spatial computing. A Luminate advisory board member and director of the University's Center for Extended Reality, Silverstein highlighted how collaboration across academia and industry is shaping the future of spatial computing, optics, and AI.

Barry Silverstein

More than a trip - an aligned ecosystem

Across every stop, a consistent theme emerged: progress in deep tech depends on strong connections - between founders and funders, research and industry, and technology and market need.

"The NYC trip was a great reminder of how powerful it is to be part of an innovation ecosystem that spans academia, deep tech, manufacturing, and commercialization," said Roni Cantor-Balan, founder and CEO of Ciconia Medical. "Hearing directly from founders and leaders about their journeys, challenges, and growth was especially meaningful as we continue advancing our company."

Thank you to the many optics champions who made this year's Investor Summit a success, including our funder, Empire State Development; sponsors, the American Precision Optics Manufacturers Association (APOMA), Sumitomo Chemical, and ZEISS Group; and the alumni, Rochester ecosystem partners, and steadfast board members that made the trip with us.

Visit LinkedIn to view our full thanks and more photos from the Investor Summit and other NYC adventures.

Roni Cantor-Balan pitches at Edmund Optics