Innovation NY Network Launch

In January 2013, Governor Cuomo announced an innovation agenda for New York State, including Innovation Hot Spots, designated and state-funded incubators, an ambitious STARTUP-NY program to attract new business, a new Innovation Venture Capital Fund, and an Innovation New York Network (INYN) to integrate the elements of the innovation agenda. He asked Cornell President David Skorton, financier Jim Simons, and SUNY Research Foundation President Tim Killeen to architect it. The Innovation Network is to be the connective tissue, providing resources and linkages beyond the region, including connection to investors, support and help in promoting events and activities, and bridging to the markets, talent, and connection resources of New York City, and beyond the state.

We would like to invite you to a special meeting on June 3rd to learn about the Network, and to provide input into what it might do to enhance our work here in the region. Tom Moebus, Director of Business and Investor Development for the Research Foundation, who has worked closely with Dr. Killeen on this project since last January, will be with us, joined by special guest, David Rose, CEO of Gust, a New York company that is working with the Research Foundation on the on-line elements of this new Network.

Mr. Moebus will make a brief presentation on the Innovation Network based on the leaders’ report to the Governor, and Mr. Rose will demonstrate an early version of an on-line platform. Most of the meeting will be a dialogue to advise and suggest what this Network might do, or should not do, to support the region’s innovation and entrepreneurship efforts. We hope you will be able to join us.

Bios

Thomas Moebus has been with SUNY since 2006, initially as Vice President of the Levin Institute in New York City, and more recently in his role with the Research Foundation. He previously worked at MIT for 17 years in corporate relations, including as Director; was Vice Chancellor at the University of California, Irvine; and while in California in 2003, founded and served as Chairman of the Orange County Technology Action Network (OCTANe) – a successful innovation network which has helped many innovation companies to launch and grow.

David Rose comes from a long line of New York City entrepreneurs. We was the Founder of the New York Angels, the largest angel network in the country. He founded and is CEO of Gust, originally founded as Angel Soft – a software company providing customized information platforms to support angel investors and innovation ecosystems. Gust has a database of more than a quarter million startup companies, as well as thorough information on investors worldwide.

Mr. Rose has recently written a book on Angel Investing, and will also make a presentation based on the book, after a brief break. We hope you can join us for that as well.